Where did the letters...

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
P, E, J, and I come from? Do they mean anything other than what they define? This is one of those questions one would hope someone else would ask. I know what they are and what they stand for, just don't know the etymology of the letters.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
The Random House dictionary of the English

language has a brief statement concerning the origin of these letters E and I came from the North Semitic and J from medieval Latin and P from North Semitic. All of them under went several changes through the Greek and Latin and early English. I didn't know this. I had to look it up.
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Hmmm...

Should have been a little more specific. P, E, I, and J as in the luff and foot of the main and head sails. But thanks Ross, for the origins of the actual letters themselves. I did ask for the etymologies, didn't I? ;)
 
May 18, 2004
259
J-boat 42 conn. river
I suspect !

my guess and its not educated, is that some where along the line, a designer or some rule had certain dimensions identified on a boat by letters and they eventually became the standards. sounds as plausible as any other goofy explanation. S/V Que Pasa?
 

Grizz

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Jan 13, 2006
179
Hunter 28.5 Park Ridge, IL
Thanks for the morning laugh!

Ross, too funny. Almost an adult version of Art Linkletter's 'Kids say the darndest things'. and no harm done. Great stuff.
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
I was thinking...

With Ross' permission that maybe the letters came from the square rigger days for the Fore-n-Aft sails. But Capn Jim, you might very well be right.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I was just checking "The Sailmakers Apprentice"

and The author does not make any mention of these. I would put my money on the commitees that make the rules for measuring boats for racing handicaps. Sailmakers are interested in what size sail, not what size space.
 
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