Interestingly enough, my maritime dictionary, de Kerchove, does not have an enty under pulley. In twenty years at sea, I have never heard reference made to a pulley by anyone other than a non-seaman. Mind you, if you're the type who sees nothing amiss with calling the pointy end the "front", etc...I am wasting time. And there are some variations between the yachting community usage and shipboard usage.
Many "how-to" books find it easier to explain things in layman's terms, rather than the terms of the ship. It's an extension of the left lay line pictured on the dust jacket-you've gotta pick your battles. While the American Merchant Seaman's manual may say, "clap on a handy-billy to the hauling part" the yachting how-to'ers may just say, "through a series of pulleys you can use a much smaller line to pull in a much larger line".
Thanks, Dog. I've got the blazer and the white cotton ducks, but am having trouble acquiring the cap. Good to know I've got the tone down, at least.(g)
I am trying to be conscious of the fact that many do not know that a handy-billy is a name for a small size gun-tackle, and that a gun tackle consists of a double sheaved block rigged with a single sheave floating block, for a 2 to 1 mech advantage. As I see it, without the proper terminology confusion reigns and we fight the same battles over and over again. I recommend de Kerchove's Maritime Dictionary, Van Nostrand/Reinhold, i have the 1961 ed., although there are many other good ones. One can spend quite a few hours pleasantly learning the terms for things one will never see or use, in all likelyhood. (g) But, much like reading a collegiate level book, the possession of a good dictionary makes the understanding so much easier and fuller. I trust am not being overly pedantic.(g)