From the old Dutch word loef which means "windward". British sailors would use the word to describe a vessel sailing along a lee shore but pointing high into the wind to avoid being grounded on the shore. It was also used when a vessel in a fleet would set its sails higher into the wind so as to gain a bit of speed over the others and set it apart from the fleet.
By SailingQuiz September 2019 Category: Nautical Saying
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