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What is "to haul the tacks aboard"

The Collaborative International Dictionary
To haul the tacks aboard

Aboard \A*board"\, adv. [Pref. a- on, in + board.]

  1. On board; into or within a ship or boat; hence, into or within a railway car.

  2. Alongside; as, close aboard. [1913 Webster] (Naut.):

    To fall aboard of, to strike a ship's side; to fall foul of.

    To haul the tacks aboard, to set the courses.

    To keep the land aboard, to hug the shore.

    To lay (a ship) aboard, to place one's own ship close alongside of (a ship) for fighting.

To haul the tacks aboard

Tack \Tack\, n. [OE. tak, takke, a fastening; akin to D. tak a branch, twig, G. zacke a twig, prong, spike, Dan. takke a tack, spike; cf. also Sw. tagg prickle, point, Icel. t[=a]g a willow twig, Ir. taca a peg, nail, fastening, Gael. tacaid, Armor. & Corn. tach; perhaps akin to E. take. Cf. Attach, Attack, Detach, Tag an end, Zigzag.]

  1. A small, short, sharp-pointed nail, usually having a broad, flat head.

  2. That which is attached; a supplement; an appendix. See Tack, v. t.,

  3. --Macaulay. Some tacks had been made to money bills in King Charles's time. --Bp. Burnet. 3. (Naut.)

    1. A rope used to hold in place the foremost lower corners of the courses when the vessel is closehauled (see Illust. of Ship); also, a rope employed to pull the lower corner of a studding sail to the boom.

    2. The part of a sail to which the tack is usually fastened; the foremost lower corner of fore-and-aft sails, as of schooners (see Illust. of Sail).

    3. The direction of a vessel in regard to the trim of her sails; as, the starboard tack, or port tack; -- the former when she is closehauled with the wind on her starboard side; hence, the run of a vessel on one tack; also, a change of direction; as, to take a different tack; -- often used metaphorically.

  4. (Scots Law) A contract by which the use of a thing is set, or let, for hire; a lease.
    --Burrill.

  5. Confidence; reliance. [Prov. Eng.]
    --Halliwell.

    Tack of a flag (Naut.), a line spliced into the eye at the foot of the hoist for securing the flag to the halyards.

    Tack pins (Naut.), belaying pins; -- also called jack pins.

    To haul the tacks aboard (Naut.), to set the courses.

    To hold tack, to last or hold out.
    --Milton.