A technique used to get the last bit of slack out of a halyard or sheet when a straight pull is no longer effective. A sailor takes a turn around a cleat to hold the tension, pulls outward on the standing part of the line at a right angle, and then lets the line snap back straight while quickly taking up the newly gained slack at the cleat.
Heard on the job
Swig that main halyard one more time before you make it fast, the luff is still sagging.
Insider tip
Swigging acts as a human lever, multiplying your pulling force far beyond what a straight downward pull can achieve.
Also heard as
- sweat