steerageway (sterajwa)

Naut., that de gree of forward movement or headway of a ship which renders her subject to the helm. steerer (ster'er), n. [ And I will be the steerer o't, To row you o'er the sea. Young Bekie (Child's Ballads, IV. 13). 2. In a tricycle, the rod and small wheel by which the machine is turned about and guided: called front steerer or back steerer according to its place place on the machine.-3. In bunko swindling, one who steers or leads his victim to the rendezvous; a bunko-steerer. [Slang.] Boat-steerer, in whaling, the second man in rank in a boat's crew, whose duty it is to act as bow-oarsman while going on to the whale, to harpoon or bomb the whale if he so instructed by the officer, and to steer the boat after the whale has been struck, having shifted ends with the officer. The duties of the boat-steerer, or harpooner or slewer as he is also called, are the most important intrusted to the crew.