yar, yare

[Etym. doubtful.] Sour, brackish. ( Prov.) yär'-age (age as ig), s. [Eng. yar ( e ); -age.] Naut.: The manageable character of a ship at sea. "To the end that he might, with his light ships well manned with watermen, turn and environ the gallies of the enemies, the which were heavy of yarage , both for their bigne , as also for the lack of watermen to row them." North: Plutarch, p. 941.