Naut. [f. prec. sb.: cf. F. faire chapelle.] (See quot.)
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Chapeling a Ship,… the act of turning her round in a light breeze of wind when … close-hauled, so as that she will lie the same way as she did before. This is commonly occasioned by the negligence of the steersman, or by a sudden change of wind. Ibid., Faire, or pendre Chapelle, to chapel a ship; to build a chapel at sea.
1794. Rigging & Seamanship, II. 248*. Chappelling.
