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A LEE
Toward the opposite to the
source of the wind side of a boat. ABAFT Toward the rear (stern) of the boat or behind it. Aft ABEAM At right angle or off to the side of the keel of the boat; at right angle to the centreline of a boat. ABOARD On or within the boat. ABOVE DECK On the deck (not over it-- see ALOFT). ADRIFT Floating without any means of propulsion, and without mooring. AERIAL see antenna. AFT At, near, or toward the stern of a boat. AFTERPART The part of a boat aft of the beam. AGROUND Touching or fast to the bottom of any body of water; on or onto the shore. AHEAD In a forward direction. AIDS TO NAVIGATION Artificial objects to supplement natural landmarks to indicate safe and unsafe waters. ALL STANDING To have all sails flying when running before the wind. ALOFT Above or on top of the deck of the boat. AMBIENT CONDITIONS The surrounding temperature or pressure, or both. AMIDSHIPS In the middle of the boat ANCHOR A heavy metal device, fastened to a chain or line, to hold a vessel in position, partly because of its weight, but mainly because the designed shape digs into the bottom. ANCHOR ROLLER A roller over which the anchor chain is passed when at anchor. ANCHORAGE A place suitable for anchoring in relation to the wind, seas and bottom. ANTENNA (aerial) A conductor that radiates or collects radio waves. ANTENNA GAIN The measure of the effectiveness of an antenna. ANTISIPHON VALVE A valve that admits air into a line and prevents siphonic action. APORT To the port side of the boat. APPARENT WIND The combination of the true wind and the wind caused by the boat's own speed. This is the wind felt on the boat, as well as the one shown by the telltales. ASHORE To be on or to go to the shore. ASPECT RATIO Concerns sails - the ratio of height to the length. A narrow but tall sail has a high aspect ratio, and a wide but shorter sail has a low aspect ratio. ASTERN Toward the boat's stern, in back of the boat, opposite of ahead. ATHWARTSHIP At right angles to the centerline of the boat. ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE The pressure of the air at the surface of the earth, conventionally taken to be 14.7 psi. AUTOPILOT A device - may be electronic or mechanical - used for keeping the boat on course without having to steer it (the same idea as on aeroplanes). It uses a compass, and is attached to the boat's steering mechanism. AUXILIARY/AUXILIARY POWER An engine that is permanently installed on the boat. BACK A SAIL To hold a sail in such a way, that the wind will fill it from the opposite to usual side. This manoeuvre is used to slow down the boat (as if applying brakes), or to force a boat to tack when in irons. BACKING WIND A change in wind direction running counter clockwise, as in from west to south-west. BACKSTAY A rigging wire used to keep the mast from moving forward, as well as to vary the amount of bend in the mast. BACKWINDED If your sails are filled with the wind on the opposite side to what you want (for example, if they are trimmed for the starboard tack, but you get the wind from the port side), you are said to be back winded. BAIL To get rid of water accumulated in the boat. BALLAST A very heavy material, such as lead or iron, placed in the keel of the boat, or in the bilge. It is used to provide stability. Oftentimes the crew is also a ballast - especially on smaller boats, or in a jocular way. BARE POLES In a very strong wind it is possible to be propelled by the force of the wind on only the mast and the boom. To sail in such a way is called "bare poles". BATTEN A flat piece of wood, GRP or tufnol that fits into a pocket on the mainsail to stiffen the leech. Specially cut mainsails can be used without battens. BATTEN DOWN Secure hatches and loose objects both within the hull and on deck. BATTEN POCKET A pocket in the mainsail to hold a batten. BEACON A lighted or unlighted fixed aid to navigation attached directly to the earth's surface. (Lights and day beacons; both constitute "beacons.") BEAM The widest part of a boat. BEAR AWAY To alter the yachts course away from the direction of the wind. BEARING The direction of an object expressed either as a true bearing as shown on the chart, or as a bearing relative to the heading of the boat. BEHIND-THE-MAST REEFING An adaptation of headsail reefing systems to main and mizzen masts. BELAY To make fast to a cleat or bollard. BELOW Beneath the deck. BIGHT The part of the rope or line, between the end and the standing part, on which a knot is formed; a slack part or loop in a rope; shallow bay or bend in a coast forming an open bay. BILGE The interior of the hull below the floorboards. BINNACLE A housing for a compass. BITTER END The last part of a rope or chain; the inboard end of the anchor rope. BLEEDING The process of purging air from a fuel or hydraulic system. BLOCK A wooden or metal case enclosing one or more pulleys to increase its mechanical advantage and having a hook, eye, or strap by which it may be attached. BOAT A fairly indefinite term. A waterborne vehicle smaller than a ship; a small craft carried aboard a ship. BOAT HOOK A short shaft with a fitting at one end shaped to facilitate use in putting a line over a piling, recovering an object dropped overboard, or in pushing or fending off. BOBSTAY A stay from the tip of the bowsprit to the waterline. BOLTROPE A reinforcing rope along the luff or the foot of the sail, it is slid into a slot along the edge of a spar (mast, boom). BOOM A spar (a wooden or metal pole) attached to the mast at a right angle, used to support the foot of a sail. BOSONS CHAIR (boatswain's chair) A canvas seat used for hoisting someone up a mast. BOTTLE SCREW see turnbuckle. BOW The front end of a boat. BOW LINE A docking line leading from the bow. BOW SPRING LINE A bow pivot line used in docking (and undocking), or to prevent the boat from moving forward or astern while made fast to a pier. BOWER A main anchor of a vessel. It is carried at the bow. BOWLINE KNOT A knot used to form a temporary loop in the end of a line. BOWSPRIT A horizontal spar projecting forward from the bow. BREAKERS Waves that have entered a shallow water, and built up on height. By doing this they "break" at the crest producing a curled up formation. BRIDGE The location from which a vessel is steered and its speed controlled. BROAD REACHING Sailing with the wind between reaching and running. BULKHEAD A vertical partition separating compartments. BULLDOG CLAMP see cable clamp. BUOY An anchored float used for marking a position on the water or a hazard or a shoal and for mooring. BUTANE see LPG. CABIN A compartment for passengers or crew. CABLE CLAMP A U-shaped bolt with a saddle used to join or to make loops in wire rope. CAM An elliptical protrusion on a shaft. CAM CLEAT A cleat with two spring-loaded, toothed jaws that trap and hold a line. CAP SHROUD see shroud. CAPSIZE To turn over. CAST OFF To let go. CASTING OFF Letting go the warps before leaving a berth or pontoon . CATAMARAN A twin hulled boat, with hulls side by side. CAULKING Various semiflexable compounds used to seal seams. Sometimes applied with less precision to sealing and bedding compounds. CENTERBOARD Used to keep the boat from moving sideways under certain wind conditions. It also increases the boat's stability and aids in steering it. CENTREBOARD A pivoting board that prevents the boat from sliding sideways. CENTREBOARD TRUNK A compartment where the centreboard resides. CENTRELINE The center of the boat: from the stern to the bow. CENTRIFUGAL ACTION The process of imparting velocity to a liquid through a spinning impeller that drives the liquid from the center of a pump housing to its periphery. CHAFING GEAR Tubing or cloth wrapping used to protect a line from chafing on a rough surface. CHAIN PLATES The metal straps bolted to a hull to which the standing rigging attaches. CHANNEL 1. That part of a body of water deep enough for navigation through an area otherwise not suitable. It is usually marked by a single or double line of buoys and sometimes by range markers. 2. The deepest part of a stream, bay, or strait, through which the main current flows. 3.A name given to a large strait, for example, the English Channel. CHART A nautically specialized map. CHEEK PLATES The plates that enclose a sheaf on a block. CHINE The intersection of the bottom and sides of a flat or v-bottomed boat. CHOCK A fitting through which anchor or mooring lines are led. Usually U-shaped to reduce chafe. CIRCLIP see snap ring. CLEAT A fitting for securing a line. It can be wooden, metal or nylon. CLEVIS PIN A metal pin with a flattened head at one end and a hole for a cotter pin (split pin) at the other. It is used to fasten rigging together. CLEW The lower, aft corner of a sail. CLEW OUTHAUL A length of cord or wire attached to the outer end (clew) of the mainsail and the after end of the boom , it is used for tensioning the foot of the sail ( it can also be metal jaws running along a track). CLOSE HAULED Sailing as close to the wind as possible with the sheets hauled aft and all sails drawing. CLOSE REACHING Sailing with the wind between close hauled and reaching. CLOVE HITCH A knot for temporarily fastening a line to a spar or piling. CNG Compressed natural gas. COAMING A vertical raised frame or piece around the edge of a cockpit, hatch, etc. to prevent water on deck from running below. COCKPIT The rear boat area from where the crew operates the boat. COIL To lay a line down in circular turns. COMING ALONGSIDE Bringing the boat alongside a berth or pontoon. COMPASS Navigation instrument, either magnetic (showing magnetic north) or gyro (showing true north). COMPASS CARD Part of a compass; the circular card graduated in degrees. It is attached to the compass needles and conforms with the magnet meridian-referenced direction system inscribed with direction. The vessel turns not the card. COMPASS ROSE The resulting figure when the complete 360° directional system is developed as a circle with each degree graduated upon it. True North is indicated as 000° and is also called true rose. This is printed on nautical charts for determining direction. CONDUIT A pipe in which electric cables are run; also a reinforced sheathing used with steering and engine control cables. CORROSION A process that leads to the destruction of two metals. Galvanic corrosion arises when two dissimilar, electrically connected metals are immersed in an electrolyte (e.g., salt water). A current is generated , leading to a transfer of electrons from one metal (the anode or more noble). As a result the anode corrodes. Pinhole and crevice corrosion are the results of galvanic corrosion occurring in just one piece of metal due to minute differences in the microscopic structure of the metal. Stray-current corrosion is the result of external current leakage through metal fittings in contact with an electrode, such as salt water. Where the current leaves a fitting (the anode), massive corrosion can occur. The term electrolysis refers to the passage of electricity through the electrolyte. COTTER PIN A pin with two legs. With legs together the pin is placed through the hole in a clevis pin. The legs are then opened (separated) outward to prevent the cotter pin from backing out of the hole. The cotter pin, in turn, prevents the load bearing clevis pin from backing out of its retaining hole. CRIMP-ON TERMINAL A Fork, spade, or ring terminal fitted to electric cables with a crimp on tool. CURRENT The horizontal movement of water. CUTLASS BEARING A ribbed rubber sleeve in a metal tube, used to support a propeller shaft. CUTTER Similar to a sloop except sails are arranged so that many combinations of areas may be obtained. DAYBEACON A fixed navigation aid structure used in shallow waters upon which is placed one or more daymarks. DAYMARK A signboard attached to a daybeacon to convey navigational information presenting one of several standard shapes (square, triangle, rectangle) and colours (red, green, orange, yellow, or black). Daymarks usually have reflective material indicating the shape, but may also be lighted. DEAD AHEAD Directly ahead. DEAD ASTERN Directly aft or behind. DEAD RECKONING A plot of courses steered and distances travelled through the water. DECK A permanent covering over a compartment, hull or any part of a ship serving as a floor. DECKHAND A crew member responsible for cleaning the deck, and an overall boat maintenance. DISPLACEMENT The weight of water displaced by a floating vessel. DISPLACEMENT HULL A type of hull that ploughs through the water, displacing a weight of water equal to its own weight, even when more power is added. DOCK A protected water area in which vessels are moored. The term is often used to denote a pier or a wharf. DRAFT The depth of water a boat draws. E In sail measurements, the longest reach of the mainsail along the boom. EASE To slacken or relieve tension on a line. EBB TIDE A receding tide; a period or state of decline. ENSIGN A flag indicating nationality of the vessel. EVEN KEEL When a boat is floating on its designed waterline, it is said to be floating on an even keel. EYE OF THE WIND The direction from which the wind is blowing. EYE SPLICE A permanent loop spliced in the end of a line. FAIRLEAD A fitting through which a rope or chain is fed, to alter the direction to an anchor, cleat, sail or winch, and to prevent chafing. FAST Said of an object that is secured to another. FATHOM A unit of length equal to 6 feet used in measuring water depth. FENDER A cushion placed between boats, or between a boat and a pier, to prevent damage. FIGURE EIGHT KNOT A knot in the form of a figure eight, placed in the end of a line to prevent the line from passing through a grommet or a block. FLARE The outward curve of a vessel's sides near the bow; a distress signal. FLOTSAM Wreckage or cargo that remains afloat after a ship has sunk. Floating refuse or debris. FLYING BRIDGE An added set of controls above the level of the normal control station for better visibility. Usually open, but may have a collapsible top for shade. FOIL An attachment on the forestay, comprising a groove into which the luff of the jib can be fed. FOLLOWING SEA An overtaking sea that comes from astern. FOOT The bottom edge of the sail - the one attached to the boom. FORE To, at or near the front of the boat. FORE AND AFT In a line parallel to the keel. FORESAIL A sail set immediately before the mast. FORESTAY A cable supporting the mast, running from the bow to the top of the mast. FORWARD Toward the bow of the boat. FOULED Any piece of equipment that is jammed or entangled, or dirtied. FOUNDER When a vessel fills with water and sinks. FREEBOARD The minimum vertical distance from the surface of the water to the gunwale. FURLING Stowing a sail on its boom by means of folding or flaking, and then lashing it down with sail ties. A foresail can also be rolled around a rotating stay. GAFF A spar in a gaff rig (four sided sails) to which the top side of the sailed is attached. GAFF RIG Four-sided mainsail defined by two booms, one located on the bottom, perpendicular to the mast, and another, located on top, at an angle from the mast. GALLEY The kitchen area of a boat. GANGWAY The area of a ship's side where people board and disembark. GEAR A general term for ropes, blocks, tackle and other equipment. GENOA A large staysail. GIVE WAY VESSEL A term, from the Navigational Rules, used to describe the vessel which must yield in meeting, crossing, or overtaking situations. GOING ABOUT The action of changing course when the wind is ahead, by steering the boat through the wind. GOOSENECK A universal joint fitting on the mast to which the boom is secured. GOOSEWING To set the foresail and mainsail on opposite sides when running before the wind. GRAB RAILS Hand-held fittings mounted on cabin tops and side for personal safety when moving around the boat. GROUND TACKLE Anchor, anchor rode (line or chain), and all the shackles and other gear used for attachment. GUARD RAIL A length of wire between the pulpit and pushpit, and running through or joined to the stantions. GUNWALE The upper edge of a boat's sides. GYBING To alter course with the wind astern, so that the stern goes through the wind and the boom passes from one side to the other. HALYARD A rope or wire to attached to the head of a sail for hoisting and lowering. HANK A snap - plastic or stainless steel - attached to the luff of the jib, used to attach the jib to the forestay. HARBOUR A safe anchorage, protected from most storms; may be natural or manmade, with breakwaters and jetties; a place for docking and loading. HATCH An opening in a boat's deck fitted with a watertight cover. HEAD A marine toilet; also the upper corner of a triangular sail. HEADING The direction in which a vessel's bow points at any given time. HEADSAIL Any sail located in front of the main mast. HEADWAY The forward motion of a boat ; opposite of sternway. HEAVE TO To bring a vessel up in a position where it will maintain little or no headway, usually with the bow into the wind or nearly so. HEEL To tip to one side. HELM The wheel or tiller controlling the rudder. HITCH A knot used to secure a rope to another object or to another rope, or to form a loop or a noose in a rope. HOLD A compartment below deck in a large vessel, used solely for carrying cargo. HULL The main body of a vessel. HYPOTHERMIA A life threatening condition in which the body's temperature are subnormal and the entire body cools. I In sail measurements, the height of the foretriangle. It is measured from the deck to the highest useful point on the forward side of the mast. Can be either the point where the forestay is attached to the mast, or if mounted above the forestay, the top of the spinnaker block. IN IRONS When the boat loses way head to wind and will not pay off on either tack. INBOARD More toward the centre of a vessel; inside; a motor fitted inside the boat. J In sail measurements, the base of the foretriangle. It is measured from the forestay at the stem to the forward side of the mast, horizontally to the waterline. JETTISON To cast overboard or off. Informal. To discard (something) as unwanted or burdensome. JIB A foresail set before the staysail. JIB HANKS Hanks or Piston Hanks Clips for securing a foresail to a sail. Keel The heavy length of metal projecting below the bottom of the boat. It aids stability and prevents movement of the boat bodily sideways. JIBSHEET The line used to pull the jib in or let it out. KEDGE To use an anchor to move a boat by hauling on the anchor rode; a basic anchor type. KEEL A weighted extension of a boat running below it that prevents the boat from sliding sideways. KETCH A two-masted sailboat with the smaller after mast stepped ahead of the rudderpost. KICKING STRAP (Boom Vang)A rope or tackle to exert a downward pull on the boom to aid the adjustment of the shape of the mainsail. KITE Sometimes used to indicate spinnaker. KNOT A measure of speed equal to one nautical mile (6076 feet) per hour. A fastening made by interweaving rope to form a stopper; to enclose or bind an object; to form a loop or a noose; to tie a small rope to an object, or to tie the ends of two small ropes together. LASH To tie something using a light rope. LEECH The aft edge of the triangular sail - the one that's not attached to anything. LEEWARD The direction away from the wind; opposite of windward. LEEWAY The sideways movement of the boat caused by either wind or current. LINE Rope and cordage used aboard a vessel. LOG A record of courses or operation. Also, a device to measure speed. LUBBER'S LINE A mark or permanent line on a compass indicating the direction forward; parallel to the keel when properly installed. LUFF The leading edge of a sail: also to alter course towards the direction of the wind. LUFF UP To luff up means to bring the boat's bow so close to the wind, that the leech of the sail begins to flap. MAINSAIL The sail set behind the main mast, the luff of which is supported by the mast. MAINSHEET The line used to pull the mainsail in or let it out. MARCONI RIG The most common type of sail used today, a triangle-shaped mainsail defined by the mast and one horizontal beam perpendicular to the mast called a boom. MARLINESPIKE A tool for weaving and splicing rope. MAST A spar set upright to support rigging and sails. MASTHEAD The top of the mast. MIZZEN The sail set on the second (aftermost, or rear) mast - as on a ketch. MONOHULL A boat with one hull. MOORING An arrangement for securing a boat to a mooring buoy or a pier. MOORING Permanent anchorage. It consists of a heavy weight (or an anchor), a chain of a certain length, and a buoy. Mooring is also often used for piers, instead of pilings. MOORING BUOY A buoy secured to a permanent anchor sunk deeply into the bottom. NAUTICAL ALMANAC A book containing all current data: navigational, tidal, astronomical and so on. It is published annually. NAUTICAL MILE A unit of distance used for sea and air navigation; equal to 6076.115 feet (1852 meters); about 1/8 longer than the statute mile of 5280 feet. NAVEL PIPE The fitting or hole in the foredeck through which the anchor chain is fed into the chain locker. NAVIGATION The art and science of conducting a boat safely from one point to another. OUTBOARD Toward or beyond the boat's sides. A detachable engine mounted on a boat's stern. OUTDRIVE A propulsion system for boats with an inboard engine operating an exterior drive, with drive shaft, gears, and propeller; also called stern drive and inboard/outboard. OUTHAUL A device located on the aft part of the boom, used to secure the clew, so that the foot is kept tense. OVERBOARD Over the side or out of the boat. P In sail measurements, the longest reach of the mainsail along the mast. PAINTER A line attached to the bow of a boat for use in towing or making fast. PAY OUT To ease out a line, or let it run in a controlled manner. PENDANT The line by which a boat is connected to a mooring buoy; a short rope hanging from a spar having at its free end a spliced thimble or a block. PENNANT Any nautical flags that taper to a point and used for identification. PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE (PFD) Official terminology for life jacket. When properly used a PFD will support a person in the water. Available in several sizes and types. PERSONAL WATERCRAFT (PWC) Official terminology for jetskis PIER A loading/landing platform extending at an angle from the shore. PIER A wooden structure (although it may be built from other materials) built over the water, used by boats for landing. PILING A thick post supporting or mooring a dock or pier. It is deep inside the seabed, and it projects above the water level. PILOTING Navigation by using visible references. PINCH To sail continually too close to the wind so that the sails are not properly filled and the boat loses way. PITCH The alternating rise and fall of the bow of a vessel proceeding through waves; the theoretical distance advanced by a propeller in one revolution; tar and resin used for caulking between the planks of a wooden vessel. PITCHPOLE To turn end over end in very rough seas. PLANING HULL A type of hull shaped to glide easily across the water at high speed. PORT The left side of a boat looking forward; a harbour. PROPELLER A rotating device, with two or more blades, that acts as a screw in propelling a vessel. PULPIT/PUSHPIT Rails at the bow and stern of the boat to prevent people falling overboard. QUARTER The sides of a boat aft of amidships. QUARTERING SEA Sea coming on a boat's quarter. RANGE The distance between two objects (horizontally). REACHING Sailing with the wind on the beam. REEF To reduce the sail area. REEF POINTS Short lengths of line secured through a sail above its foot, used for reefing the sail. REEFING To reduce the sail area. RIDING TURN This happens when the turns of the sheet around the winch drum become crossed and jam. RIGGING The general term for all the lines of a vessel. RODE The anchor line and/or chain. ROLL The alternating motion of a boat, leaning alternately to port and starboard; the motion of a boat about its fore-and-aft axis. ROPE In general, cordage as it is purchased at the store. When it comes aboard a vessel and is put to use, it becomes a line. RUDDER The underwater, movable plate used for steering, and for providing resistance to sideways motion caused by waves and wind. It is being controlled by the helmsman with a help of a tiller or a steering wheel. RUDDER HEAD The top part of the rudder - the one being actually attached to the tiller. RUNNING Sailing with the wind aft. RUNNING BY THE LEE When on a run and the wind blows over the stern from the same side as the mainsail. RUNNING LIGHTS Lights required to be shown on boats underway between sundown and sunup. RUNNING RIGGING The rigging which is not standing, i.e. is adjustable such as; halyards, kicking strap and sheets. SAMSON POST A strong post on the foredeck to which is secured the anchor chain or warp. SCHOONER First seen among 19th-century ships. It is multi masted and furls triangular sails. The foremost mast is always shorter than the others. SCOPE The ratio of the length of an anchor line, from a vessel's bow to the anchor, to the depth of the water. SCREW A boat's propeller. SCUPPER An opening in the side of a ship at deck level to allow water to run off. An opening for draining off water, as from a floor or the roof of a building. SEA ANCHOR Any device used to reduce a boat's drift before the wind. SECURE To make fast. SHACKLE A "U" shaped connector with a pin or bolt across the open end. SHEAR PIN A safety device, used to fasten a propeller to its shaft; it breaks when the propeller hits a solid object, thus preventing further damage. SHEET A rope that is attached to the clew of the sail by which the sail is trimmed as required; it is named after the sail that it is attached too, i.e. jib sheet. SHEET BEND A knot used to join two ropes. Functionally different from a square knot in that it can be used between lines of different diameters. SHEET WINCH A drum around which the sheets are turned to pull in and ease out the sails, usually geared to make easier. SHIP A larger vessel usually used for ocean travel. According to Webster's, a sailing vessel usually having a bowsprit and three masts each composed of a lower mast, a top mast, and a topgallant mast. Also, a vessel that is able to carry a "boat" on board. SHOAL An offshore hazard to navigation at a depth of 16 fathoms (30 meters or 96 feet) or less, composed of unconsolidated material. SHOALING A phenomenon occurring as the waves enter a shallow water - their movement forward is slowed down because of the bottom friction, and thus their height increases. SHROUDS Wires that support the mast in the athwartship position. SLACK Not fastened; loose; to loosen. SLOOP A single-masted vessel with working sails (main and jib) set fore and aft. SPAR A general name for all masts, booms, gaffs, and bowsprits. SPINNAKER A large balloon shaped sail hoisted forward of the forestay when reaching or running. SPLICE To permanently join two ropes by tucking their strands alternately over and under each other. SPREADERS Struts on the mast which brace the shrouds. SPRING LINE A pivot line used in docking, undocking, or to prevent the boat from moving forward or astern while made fast to a dock.. SQUALL A sudden, violent wind often accompanied by rain. SQUARE - RIGGER Large ships dating back to the 17th century typically with three masts carrying rectangular sails mounted on horizontal beams called yards. SQUARE KNOT A knot used to join two lines of similar size. Also called a reef knot. STANCHIONS Upright metal posts along the edge of the deck to which the guardrails are attached. STANDING PART That part of a line which is made fast. The main part of a line as distinguished from the bight and the end. STANDING RIGGING Galvanized or stainless steel permanent wires supporting the mast, may sometimes be in the form of a stainless steel rod, such as stays and shrouds. These are attached to the mast at the top or near the spreaders by a pin or shackle, and at the bottom by lashings, a pin or turnbuckles. STAND-ON VESSEL A boat that has the right-of-way over the give-way vessel. It must maintain its course and speed. STARBOARD The right side of a boat when looking forward. STAYS (Backstay/Forestay) A wire rope supporting the mast in the fore and aft position. STAYSAIL A triangular sail immediately forward of the mast, the luff of which is supported by the forestay. STEM The foremost vertical part of the boat. STERN The after part (back) of the boat. STERN LINE A docking line leading away from the stern. STORM JIB A very small staysail. for heavy weather. STORM TRYSAIL A small strong sail set without a boom in heavy weather. STOW To pack or store away; especially, to pack in an orderly, compact manner. SURF A continuous line of breakers at the shore. SWAMP To fill with water, but not settle to the bottom. TACK To make a course either side of the wind. The tack is defined by the side over which the main boom is carried, i.e. boom over port side, starboard tack; boom over starboard side, port tack. It is also the term for the lower forward corner of the sail. TACK HOOK A snap used to hold the tack of the jib at the bow, while the sail is raised. TACK PIN A pin used to secure the tack of a triangular sail at the mast. TACKING Making a course to windward by going about, also known as beating or working to windward. TACKLE A combination of blocks and line used to increase mechanical advantage. TELLTALES Short pieces of yarn attached to the shrouds, or the sails. At the shrouds they indicate the direction of the wind (the apparent wind), and at the sails they help to check the air flow over the sail, so that proper trimming is easier. THWART A seat or brace running laterally across a boat; also, a rower's seat extending across the boat. TIDE The periodic rise and fall of water level in the oceans. TILLER A bar or handle for turning a boat's rudder or an outboard motor. TO WEATHER A boat weathers an object by passing to windward of it. An object that is on the windward side of the boat is said to be up to weather. TOPPING LIFT A wire or rope attached to the after end of the boom via a sheave (roller) at the top of the mast. It is used to support the boom when the mainsail is hoisted TOPSAIL The sail above the lowermost sail on a square-rigged ship; also, the sail set above and sometimes on the gaff in a fore-and-aft rigged ship. TOPSIDES The sides of a vessel between the waterline and the deck; sometimes referring to onto or above the deck. TRAMPOLINE The space on a catamaran, usually made of some kind of mesh, located between the two hulls. It's a place for the crew (like a cockpit on dinghies and cruisers). TRANSOM The stern cross-section of a square-sterned boat; any transverse beams secured to the sternpost. TRAVELER A track (usually metal) with a fixture sliding on it. The fixture holds the main sheet (usually), and the sliding allows for changing angles of the sail. TRIM Fore and aft balance of a boat. TRIMARAN A boat with three hulls. TRIMMER The person controlling the shape of the sails on a boat. It is usually the crew on a dinghy, and a different person for each sail on larger boats. TRIPLINE A line fast to the crown of an anchor by means of which it can be hauled out when dug too deeply or fouled; a similar line used on a sea anchor to bring it aboard. TRUE NORTH POLE The north end of the earth's axis and also called North Geographic Pole. The direction indicated by 000° (or 360°) on the true compass rose. TRUE WIND The actual direction from which the wind is blowing. TRYSAIL A very small sail, used in a very heavy weather instead of a mainsail. TURNBUCKLE (bottlescrew) A fitting for securing the stays or shrouds to the deck, consisting of a sleeve with a right handed screw on one end and a left handed screw on the other end. Sometimes called a rigging screw. UNDERWAY When the boat is not secured in any way to the land. VARIATION The angular difference between the magnetic meridian and the geographic meridian at a particular location. V-BOTTOM A hull with the bottom section in the shape of a "V." VHF RADIO A very high frequency electronic communications and direction finding system. WAKE Moving waves, track or path that a boat leaves behind when moving across the waters. WATERLINE A line painted on a hull which shows the point to which a boat sinks when it is properly trimmed. WAY Movement of a vessel through the water, such as headway, sternway, or leeway. WEIGHING ANCHOR To raise and secure the anchor. WHARF A manmade structure bonding the edge of a dock and built along or at an angle to the shoreline, used for loading, unloading, or tying up vessels. WINCH A mechanical device used to increase hauling power when raising or trimming sails. WINDWARD Toward the direction from which the wind is coming; opposite of leeward. YARD In yachts with square sails - the spar on which the sail is suspended. YAW To swing off course, as when due to the impact of a following or quartering sea. YAWL A two-masted sailboat with the small mizzen mast stepped abaft the rudder post ZEPHYR A gentle, warm breeze. Also, the wind from the west. ZIGZAGGING Alternating tacks on approximately equal distances. |
