|
Abreast |
|
Off the side, even with the boat |
|
Aft |
|
Towards, near, or at the back end of a boat. |
|
Aftermost |
|
The farthest aft (Rear) |
|
Amidships |
|
The centre of your boat |
|
Athwartship |
|
Across the centre of your boat |
|
Ballast |
|
Material used to improve the stability and
control of a ship. In wooden ships usually stone, lead or iron; in
metal ships, often water |
|
Beam |
|
The widest part of your boat. |
|
Below |
|
Below decks, as in "going below deck," never
"down." |
|
Berth |
|
Sleeping bunk aboard the boat
(Nothing to do
with babies!) |
|
Bilge |
|
The lowest part of a boat, designed to collect
water that enters the boat |
|
Bow |
|
The front or pointy end of the boat. |
|
Bulkhead |
|
Partition to divide into compartments; not
always watertight |
|
Cabin |
|
The enclosed (or partially enclosed) living area
of your ship. |
|
Centerline |
|
An imaginary line down the centre of your boat
from the bow to the middle of your stern |
|
Cleat |
|
A fitting used to secure a line to |
|
Davits |
|
A pair of cranes used for hoisting and lowering
a ship's boats |
|
Deck |
|
The floor (On yours or somebody else's boat) |
|
Displacement |
|
The weight or volume of water displaced by a
ship |
|
Downwind |
|
Sailing away from the wind source with the sails
let out all the way. (Run, With the Wind) |
|
Draft |
|
The depth of the boat at its lowest point, also
the depth or fullness of the sail |
|
Draught |
|
The amount of your boat from the waterline to
the lowest most part of your boat in the water. (how deep in the
water is she or how much water do you need to float. |
|
Fore |
|
The entire area toward the bow of a vessel from
amidships |
|
Forestay |
|
A support wire connecting the mast to the bow. |
|
Freeboard |
|
The height of your boat from the waterline to
the top of the side of your boat. |
|
Galley |
|
The kitchen. |
|
Gunwale |
|
The top edge of the sides of your boat. |
|
Head |
|
Bathroom, or sink, shower, and toilet |
|
Head |
|
The forward part of the boat, also the ship's
head is the direction you are traveling or the course you are
steering. |
|
Headway |
|
Movement through the water in a forward
direction. |
|
Helm |
|
The handle that provides control of the rudder |
|
Helmsman |
|
The person who is at the wheel steering the ship |
|
Hull |
|
The outside, underside of your boat. The bit
that touches the water. |
|
Jib |
|
The smaller triangular sail in front of the
mast. |
|
Keel |
|
Along the underside of the hull down the
centerline |
|
Ketch |
|
A two-masted sailboat with a small mast mounted
forward of the rudder post |
|
knot |
|
Rate of motion equal to 1 nautical mile per hour
(about 1.15 miles per hour) |
|
Knots per Hour |
|
An expression never used by careful seamen,
being tautological and illogical (Thank you Mr. Spock!) |
|
Latitude |
|
One of the two coordinates (the other being
longitude) used to locate a position at sea; marked in degrees north
or south of the equator, from 0 degrees at the equator to 90 degrees
north or south at the poles; one degree of latitude = 60 minutes of
latitude |
|
Lazarette |
|
Storeroom containing provisions of a ship |
|
Leeward. |
|
In the opposite direction from the wind source,
or where the wind is blowing to |
|
Longboat |
|
The largest boat carried by a sailing ship |
|
Longitude |
|
One of the two coordinates (the other being
latitude) used to locate a position at sea; marked in degrees east or
west of the prime meridian (0 degrees longitude) universally accepted
to be at Greenwich, England. As there are 360 degrees in a circle,
long |
|
Moor |
|
To secure a ship in position by two or more
anchors and cables. 2. To attach a vessel to a buoy, or buoys. 3. To
secure a vessel by attaching ropes to positions ashore. |
|
Nautical Mile |
|
Measure of length at sea (2025 yards). 1 mile =
1,760 yards |
|
Port |
|
The left side of a ship when YOU are facing
forward towards the pointy end! |
|
Port side |
|
The left hand side of the boat when you are in
the boat facing forward. |
|
Quay |
|
Artificial erection protruding into the water to
facilitate loading and discharge of cargo, landing and embarkation of
passengers, repairing or refitting of ships. |
|
Ship |
|
A sea-going vessel |
|
Sloop |
|
Type of sailboat |
|
Spinnaker |
|
A lightweight, three-cornered balloon type sail
used when sailing downwind. |
|
Starboard |
|
The right side of the ship when YOU are facing
forward |
|
Starboard side |
|
The right hand side of the boat when you are in
the boat facing forward. |
|
Stern |
|
The rear part of a ship |
|
Stow |
|
To pack compactly and safely |
|
Swell |
|
Succession of long and unbroken waves that are
not due to meteorological conditions in the vicinity. Generally due to
wind at a distance from the position. |
|
Tender |
|
A small boat used to transport crew and
equipment from shore to a larger boat |
|
Thwart |
|
The bench seat that goes across your boat (in a
tinny or small boat). |
|
Transom |
|
The vertical 'wall' at the back of your boat
where the motor is bolted on. (part of the hull) |
|
Vessel |
|
Defined by Merchant Shipping Act as "any ship or
boat, or other description of vessel, used in navigation". |
|
wheelhouse |
|
Where the steering wheel and engine controls are |
|
Wind Dog |
|
An incomplete rainbow, or part of a rainbow. It
is supposed to indicate approach of a storm. |
|
Zzzzzzz... |
|
Wake up!
End of this list!
|
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