You're right of course about consensus of understabnding Catspaw, but as I do most of my sailing these days on a sail training ship we have a new crew every trip, and whilst it may be necessary to explain some of the jargon as you go, I think its safest in terms of least confusing to stick to the established terms. Besides can't have the Aussies going around thinking they got something right!

Haven't been caught that close to a lee shore yet, but once or twice we've been a bit close to the green stuff before all sail stations have been ready. On one trip the master suggested (it was "Trainee day" when the trainees have complete control of the ship) that it might be best if they steered a little bit further off shore ... we were trailing a lovely muddy wake with about 3" clerance under the keel!

Pete M