Nautical Term: Waste

Definition of Waste

Waste refers specifically to cotton yarn used for the purpose of cleaning. This yarn, often referred to as waste yarn or simply waste, is an essential component of various maritime cleaning processes, such as maintaining the cleanliness of sails, ropes, or the ship’s hull.

For instance, while preparing a sailing vessel for a long voyage, the crew would meticulously clean the sails to ensure they are in good condition and free of any debris that could impede their function during the journey. In this process, the crew would employ the waste yarn to clean the sails thoroughly. Once the cleaning process is completed, the waste yarn would be discarded and replaced with fresh yarn for the next cleaning session.

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