What is "sheer pole"

Sheer \Sheer\, n.

1. (Naut.)

   1. The longitudinal upward curvature of the deck, gunwale, and lines of a vessel, as when viewed from the side.

   2. The position of a vessel riding at single anchor and swinging clear of it.

2. A turn or change in a course.

   Give the canoe a sheer and get nearer to the shore.
   --Cooper.

3. pl. Shears See Shear.

   Sheer batten (Shipbuilding), a long strip of wood to guide the carpenters in following the sheer plan.

   Sheer boom, a boom slanting across a stream to direct floating logs to one side.

   Sheer hulk. See Shear hulk, under Hulk.

   Sheer plan, or Sheer draught (Shipbuilding), a projection of the lines of a vessel on a vertical longitudinal plane passing through the middle line of the vessel.

   Sheer pole (Naut.), an iron rod lashed to the shrouds just above the dead-eyes and parallel to the ratlines.

   Sheer strake (Shipbuilding), the strake under the gunwale on the top side.
   --Totten.

   To break sheer (Naut.), to deviate from sheer, and risk fouling the anchor.