In sailing, to change a ship's direction by using the anchor cable in a specific nautical maneuver, pulling the anchor as part of the turning process.
From 'club' (possibly relating to hitting or striking with force) plus 'haul' (to pull or drag). A nautical term originating in the 17th-18th centuries when ship-handling required specific tactical maneuvers.
Clubhauling is a fascinating piece of sailing history—it was a risky emergency maneuver that worked only under specific wind and water conditions, and doing it wrong could crash your wooden ship into rocks or enemy vessels, so captains trained for years to master it.
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