The Collaborative International Dictionary
Fother \Foth"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fothered; p. pr. & vb.
n. Fothering.] [Cf. Fodder food, and G. f["u]ttern,
futtern, to cover within or without, to line. [root]75.]
To stop (a leak in a ship at sea) by drawing under its bottom
a thrummed sail, so that the pressure of the water may force
it into the crack.
--Totten.
Wiktionary
vb. (en-past of: fother)
Usage examples of "fothered".
But he saw the fothered sail placed against the hole, and with intense satisfaction he saw the hairy mass suck into position, dimpling over the hole to form a deep hollow so that he could be sure that the hole was plugged solid.
The shot hole with its fothered sail would be deeper under water to increase the risk, but it seemed to be the best chance.
He had been over the side himself and could remember the height of the waterline, and he had for a more exact guide the level of the fothered sail under the ship's bottom.