steerageway

American  

[steer-ij-wey] / ˈstɪər ɪdʒˌweɪ /

noun

Nautical.

1. sufficient speed to permit a vessel to be maneuvered.

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steerageway British  

/ ˈstɪərɪdʒˌweɪ /

noun

1. nautical enough forward movement to allow a vessel to be steered

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Etymology

Origin of steerageway

First recorded in 1710–20; steerage + way ¹

Example Sentences

She had no steerageway on her; and you might as well keep out of the storm.

From Project Gutenberg

We had been in a storm for four days, three of which the steamer had been thrown up into the wind, the machinery working slowly, just sufficient to keep steerageway on the ship.

From Project Gutenberg

He closed the throttle and, careful to maintain sufficient speed for steerageway, allowed the plane to drift backward in the heavy wind until the mouth of the little harbor lay off his port quarter.

From Project Gutenberg

On this day there were fewer water hazards, and the current of the enlarged river was so swift that they had little to do save to keep steerageway on the birch-bark.

From Project Gutenberg

"The storm enveloped the vessel" Nat signaled for full speed ahead, as he knew he would need all the steerageway possible to take the vessel through the waves that, every moment, were becoming larger.

From Project Gutenberg