walt

Crank. A ship is said to be walt, when she has not her due ballast, that is, not enough to enable her to bear her sails, and keep her stiff. Hubbard in his History of New England, speaking of Lamberton's ill-fated ship, says, that "she was ill-built, very walt-sided."--Rev. Alex Young, note, Chron. of Massachusetts.

The next year brought a Flemish fly-boat of about 140 tons, which being unfit for a fishing voyage, and wanting lodging for the men, they added unto her another deck, by which means she was carried so high that she proved walt and unable to bear sail.--White, The Planter's Plea, 1630, p. 1.

In the North of England walt means to totter; to overthrow.--Halliwell.