Foul (nautical) Foul (nautical) Foul is a nautical term meaning to entangle or entwine, and more generally that something is wrong or difficult. The term dates back to usage with wind-driven sailing ships. It is usually applied to the state of an anchor, which has become hooked on some impediment on the seafloor, or has its cable wound round the stock or flukes. The term is generally utilized when speaking of items of historical value such as the US Navy chief petty officer emblem. The foul anchor is also the official seal of the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, presently
Adlard Coles Nautical "Heavy Weather Sailing", which continues to be published by the company (in an updated form). A & C Black Publishers, which had bought Nautical Books in 1987, acquired the Adlard Coles company in 1990 and merged the two companies into the Adlard Coles Nautical imprint. In 2000, A & C Black was bought by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc and in 2003 the company acquired the "Reeds Nautical Almanac". In September 2014, Bloomsbury bought Conway Publishing and the maritime history list now complements the Adlard Coles Nautical imprint. Adlard Coles Nautical Adlard Coles Nautical is a nautical publisher, with over 300 books