Dwars line
Ships travel in Dwarslinie if they travel exactly parallel courses with the same distances on a line at 90 ° to the course, i.e. next to each other.
The Dwars Line was important as a tactical formation of warships . It is unfavorable for broadside fire , but it arises when ships traveling in the keel line simultaneously turn 90 °. Before the invention of cannons , the Dwars line was an important tactical formation of galleys that could turn their ramming spurs towards the enemy . At the same time, their endangered sides were covered by the other ships.
Like many sailor expressions, the term comes from Low German . There dwars (from the Germanic thvert) means - twisted; abeam; across the direction of the keel.
See also
Individual evidence
- Duden , accessed on December 9, 2012.