| ABAFT |
Toward the rear of the boat. Behind. |
| ABEAM |
At right angles to the keel of the boat, but not on the boat. |
| ABOARD |
On or within the boat. |
| ABOVE BOARD |
Above decks, therefor, meaning to be out in the open, visible to all; honest, straight forward, etc. |
| ABOVE DECK |
On the deck. |
| ABREAST |
Side by side; by the side of. |
| ADRIFT |
Loose, not on moorings or towline. |
| AFT |
Toward the rear of the boat. |
| AGROUND |
Touching or fast to the bottom. |
| AHEAD |
In a forward direction. |
| AIDS TO NAVIGATION |
Markers on land or sea which are located to enable navigators to avoid danger and fix their position |
| ALEE |
Away from the direction of the wind. Opposite of windward. |
| ALOFT |
Above the deck of the boat. |
| ALOOF |
From the old Dutch word "loef" meaning windward. Said of a vessel amongst a fleet of ships which sails higher into the wind so that she draws apart. Thus aloof has come to mean "one who stands apart". |
| AMIDSHIPS |
In or toward the center of the boat. |
| ANCHOR LINE |
A line used to hold a vessel fast to the anchor |
| ANCHORAGE |
A suitable place for anchoring in relation to the wind, seas and bottom. |
| ASTERN |
Towards the back of the boat, opposite of ahead. |
| ATHWARTSHIPS |
At right angles to the centerline of the boat. |
| AWEIGH |
Off the bottom of an anchor.To weigh anchor means to lift on the anchor until it is clear of the bottom. The instant the anchor is free of the bottom the anchor is said to be aweigh, signifying that the ship is now free to maneuver, as in the U.S Navy song "Anchors Aweigh." |
| BATTEN DOWN |
Secure hatches and loose objects both within the hull and on deck. |
| BEAM |
The greatest width of the boat. |
| BEARING |
The direction of an object (vessel, buoy, etc.) from an observer; bearings can be visual, or by radio or radar. |
| BELOW |
Beneath the deck. |
| BEND |
A knot used to join two ropes, lines, cables to one another or to an object, such as an anchor's shackle. A knot, more properly, usually involves untwisting the individual strands of a rope for the purpose of tucking them under and over one another to make a Stopper Knot or a Turk's Head or similar knot. |
| BIGHT |
The part of the rope or line, between the end and the standing part, on which a knot is formed. |
| BILGE |
The lowest point of a vessel's interior hull. |
| BILGE BLOWER |
The electric fan that blows gasoline fumes out of the bilge. |
| BINGE |
In the ancient mariners terms was "to rinse or clean out - as in to binge a cask". Hence a sailor who had cleaned out a cask of rum was said to go out on a binge. |
| BITTER END |
The extreme end of any line. The inboard end of the anchor rode. |
| BLAZERS |
Uniforms were not common place amongst the lower deck but most captains like to show off their crews for ceremonies and since the captain paid the bills they were able to choose the outfits for their men. The snappy blue jackets worn by the crew of the H.M.S. Blazer were the most memorable and in no time the crew were known as 'the blazers' and that is how the garment got it's name. |
| BLOWER |
A device that blows fuel vapors trapped inside the vessel to the outside. Blowers should be run for about 5 minutes prior to starting a boat's inboard engine to reduce the risk of explosion. |
| BOAT |
A fairly indefinite term. A waterborne vehicle smaller than a ship. One definition is 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. |
| BOOT TOP |
A painted line that indicates the designed waterline. |
| BOS'N |
Short for Boatswain, pronounced "bosun", the person in charge of the deck crew, and the deck and rigging in general. In the modern Navy the Bos'n is a Warrant Officer, while a Bosn's Mate is a Petty Officer. |
| BOW |
The forward part of a boat. |
| BOW LINE |
A docking line leading from the bow. |
| BOWLINE |
A knot used to form a temporary loop in the end of a line. |
| BRASS MONKEY WEATHER |
Refers to very cold weather. |
| BRIDGE |
The location from which a vessel is steered and its speed controlled. "Control Station" is really a more appropriate term for small craft. |
| BRIDLE |
A line or wire secured at both ends in order to distribute a strain between two points. |
| BRIGHTWORK |
Varnished woodwork and/or polished metal. |
| BULKHEAD |
A vertical partition separating compartments. |
| BUOY |
An anchored float used for marking a position on the water or a hazard or a shoal and for mooring. |
| BURDENED VESSEL |
That vessel which, according to the applicable Navigation Rules, must give way to the privileged vessel. The term has been superseded by the term "give-way". |
| CABIN |
A compartment for passengers or crew. |
| CAPACITY PLATE |
A placard permanently mounted on the stern describing the total weight limit allowed onboard. Includes people, engine, fuel & gear that can be safely carried. |
| CAPSIZE |
To turn over. |
| CARBURETOR BACK FLAME ARRESTOR |
A safety device made of a mesh construction to prevent explosion from engine exhaust backfire. |
| CAST OFF |
Undo mooring lines in preparation for departure. |
| CATAMARAN |
A twin-hulled boat, with hulls side by side. |
| CHAFING GEAR |
Tubing or cloth wrapping used to protect a line from chafing on a rough surface. |
| CHARLEY NOBLE |
Many a rookie sailor has been sent to find Charley Noble. Usually after much searching and being unable to find the person named, he will eventually discover that Charley Noble is the galley stove pipe. This is akin to being put on lookout duty for the mail buoy. |
| CHART |
A sea going map for use by navigators. |
| CHEW THE FAT |
In the days when brine was added to barrels of meat, it had a hardending effect on the fat. It was still edible but it took considerable chewing. So, to "chew the fat" has come to mean to talk endlessly. |
| 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. |
| CLEAT |
A fitting to which lines are made fast. The classic cleat to which lines are belayed is approximately anvil-shaped. |
| CLEW |
Evidence leading to the recovery of a missing sail. |
| CLOVE HITCH |
A knot for temporarily fastening a line to a spar or piling. |
| COAMING |
A vertical piece around the edge of a cockpit, hatch, etc. to prevent water on deck from running below. |
| COCKPIT |
An opening in the deck from which the boat is handled. |
| COIL |
To lay a line down in circular turns. |
| COMPASS |
A navigational instrument that records a variety of directional errors and increases the presence of machinery and magnets on board ship by spinning wildly. |
| COURSE |
The direction in which a boat is steered. |
| CUDDY |
A small shelter cabin in a boat. |
| CURRENT |
The horizontal movement of water. |
| DANGER ZONE |
The area encompassed from dead ahead of your boat to just abaft your starboard beam. You must stand clear of any boat in the "danger zone". |
| DEAD AHEAD |
Directly ahead. |
| DEAD ASTERN |
Directly aft. |
| DECK |
A permanent covering over a compartment, hull or any part thereof. |
| DEEP SIX |
To discard something, specifically to throw it in the water. Water depth is measured in fathoms, six feet to a fathom. The term "deep six" comes from the throwing of the lead to determine water depth and indicates a depth "over six fathoms." |
| DINGHY |
A small open boat. A dinghy is often used as a tender for a larger craft. |
| DISPLACEMENT |
The weight of water displaced by a floating vessel, thus, a boat's weight. |
| DISPLACEMENT HULL |
A type of hull that plows 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 secured. The term is often used incorrectly to denote a pier or a wharf. The dock is the water adjacent to a pier or wharf. |
| DOLPHIN |
A group of piles driven close together and bound with wire cables into a single structure. |
| DOWNWIND |
A direction leeward, with the wind. |
| DRAFT |
The minimum depth of water in which a vessel will float. |
| EBB |
A receding current. |
| FATHOM |
Six feet. |
| FENDER |
A cushion, placed between boats, or between a boat and a pier, to prevent damage. |
| FID |
Similar to a Marlin Spike, but usually larger, and made of wood. Used in the same way as a Marlin Spike but usually for larger rope and cable. See Marlin Spike. |
| 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 |
A pyrotechnic device used to signal a distress. The outward curve of a vessel's sides near the bow. |
| FLOOD |
A incoming current. |
| FLOORBOARDS |
The surface of the cockpit on which the crew stand. |
| FLUKE |
The part of an anchor that is designed to dig in to the bottom. |
| FLY-BY-NIGHT |
A large square sail used downwind or on a reach that could be used easily and quickly. This made it very useful for sailing at night especially by people who dealt in contraband. Since these people's character was always in question they became known as fly-by-night-ers. |
| FOLLOWING SEA |
An overtaking sea that comes from astern. |
| FORE-AND-AFT |
In a line parallel to the keel. |
| FOREPEAK |
A compartment in the bow of a small boat. |
| FORWARD |
Toward the bow of the boat. |
| FOULED |
Any piece of equipment that is jammed or entangled, or dirtied. |
| FREEBOARD |
The minimum vertical distance from the surface of the water to the gunwale. |
| FREEZING THE BALLS OFF A BRASS MONKEY |
A brass monkey is a brass triangle which is put on the ground and used to keep cannonballs in a neat pile or pyramid beside a gun. When the weather gets very cold the brass triangle contracts more than the iron and causes the cannonballs to roll off, hence the saying. |
| 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. |
| GIVE-WAY VESSEL |
A term used to describe the vessel which must yield in meeting, crossing, or overtaking situations. |
| GLIM |
A "glim" is a light of any kind. A candle or a lantern. Hence the term glimmer of light. |
| GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) |
A form of position finding using radio transmissions from satellites with sophisticated on-board automatic equipment. |
| GRAB RAILS> |
Hand-hold fittings mounted on cabin tops and sides for personal safety when moving around the boat. |
| GROUND TACKLE |
A collective term for the anchor and its associated gear. |
| GUNWALE |
The upper edge of a boat's sides. |
| HARD CHINE |
An abrupt intersection between the hull side and the hull bottom of a boat so constructed. |
| HATCH |
An opening in a boat's deck fitted with a watertight cover. |
| HEAD |
A marine toilet, square rigged ships sailed down wind (that means the wind blew from the stern to the bow), that was the nature of the beast. With no indoor plumbing sailors would do their thing over the side. No experienced sailor would piss in the wind, so he would go the the head (front) of the ship to take care of his needs. Also the upper corner of a triangular sail. |
| HEADING |
The direction in which a vessel's bow points at any given time. |
| HEADWAY |
The forward motion of a boat. Opposite of sternway. |
| HELM |
The wheel or tiller controlling the rudder. |
| HELMSPERSON |
The person who steers the boat. |
| HIJACK |
The harlot's call to the sailor "Hi, Jack!" aquired its more sinister meaning when, after the first embrace, she hit him with a lead filled handbag and he was dragged off to be sold to a ship in need of crew. |
| 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. |
| HORSEPOWER |
The equivalent of a lift of 550 pounds one foot in one second. |
| HULL |
The main body of a vessel. |
| INBOARD |
More toward the center of a vessel; inside; a motor fitted inside a boat. |
| INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY |
ICW: bays, rivers, and canals along the coasts connected so that vessels may travel without going into the sea. |
| JACOBS LADDER |
A rope ladder, lowered from the deck, as when pilots or passengers come aboard. |
| JETTY |
A structure, usually masonry, projecting out from the shore; a jetty may protect a harbor entrance. |
| KEEL |
The centerline of a boat running fore and aft; the backbone of a vessel. |
| KNOT |
A measure of speed equal to one nautical mile (6076 feet) per hour. |
| KNOT |
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. |
| LATITUDE |
The distance north or south of the equator measured and expressed in degrees. |
| LAZARETTE |
A storage space in a boat's stern area. |
| LEE |
The side sheltered from the wind. |
| 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. |
| LOCK |
A structure having movable gates for ships and boats to pass up and down to different water levels in a canal, river, or tidal basin. |
| LOG |
A record of courses or operation. Also, a device to measure speed. |
| LOGGERHEAD |
To be at loggerheads; whalers, when a whale was harpooned, would fasten the line to a timber in the boat called a loggerhead, which would take the strain of the whale's pull. Also, to have a disagreement. |
| LONGITUDE |
The distance in degrees east or west of the meridian at Greenwich, England. |
| LUBBER'S LINE |
A mark or permanent line on a compass indicating the direction forward parallel to the keel when properly installed. |
| MARLINESPIKE |
A tool for opening the strands of a rope while splicing.A steel rod, tapered to a point at one end, the other usually has a wider head. Used to open up the strands of a rope in order to tuck another strand under. Used in splicing rope. See also Fid. |
| MARLINSPIKE SEAMANSHIP |
A general term referring to the working of rope, cable, etc. Encompasses tying of knots, bends, lashing and other activities. Sailors, even modern day ones, often take great pride in their marlinespike seamanship. Even on modern missile cruisers, it is not unusual to see a Knot Board, made by a member of the crew, displaying many different kinds of knots, both useful and decorative. |
| MIDSHIP |
Approximately in the location equally distant from the bow and stern. |
| MISS THE BOAT |
This expression came from the liberty boats that carried the sailors returning from shore leave out to their ships. Hence to miss the boat was to miss the only opportunity to get back to the ship. |
| MONOHULL |
Single hull boat in contrast to a multihull such as a catamaran or a trimaran. |
| MOORING |
An arrangement for securing a boat to a mooring buoy or a pier. |
| MOORING LINES |
Wire, manila, or nylon rope used to secure a ship; named from forward aft: number one bow line, number two after bow spring, number three forward bow spring, number four breast line, number five after quarter spring, number 6 forward quarter spring, number seven stern line. |
| NAUTICAL MILE |
One minute of latitude; approximately 6076 feet - about 1/8 longer than the statute mile of 5280 feet. |
| NAVIGATION |
The art and science of conducting a boat safely from one point to another. |
| NAVIGATION RULES |
The regulations governing the movement of vessels in relation to each other, generally called steering and sailing rules. |
| OUTBOARD |
Toward or beyond the boat's sides. A detachable engine mounted on a boat's stern. |
| OVERBOARD |
Over the side or out of the boat. |
| OVERTAKING |
Said to happen when on vessel is passing another from behind. |
| PIER |
A loading platform extending at an angle from the shore. |
| PILE |
A wood, metal or concrete pole driven into the bottom. Craft may be made fast to a pile; it may be used to support a pier (see PILING) or a float. |
| PILING |
Support, protection for wharves, piers etc.; constructed of piles (see PILE) |
| PILOTING |
Navigation by use of visible references, the depth of the water, etc. |
| PITCH or ROLL |
The ships motion swaying when from side to side. Pitch means to rock fore and aft. Thus, the old salt's crusty remark :
"roll, roll you son of a bitch, the more you roll, the less you'll pitch."
|
| PLANING |
A boat is said to be planing when it is essentially moving over the top of the water rather than through the water. |
| 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 harbor. |
| POWER WINCH |
A powered device on deck, on a spar or otherwise mounted which is used to haul a line. |
| PRIVELEGED VESSEL |
A vessel which, according to the applicable Navigation Rule, has right-of-way (this term has been superseded by the term "stand-on"). |
| QUARTER |
The sides of a boat aft of amidships. |
| QUARTERING SEA |
Sea coming on a boat's quarter. |
| RIGGING |
The wire rope, rods, lines, hardware, and other equipment that support and control the spars and sails; standing rigging is semi-permanent once set up; running rigging is continually adjusted as the sails are hoisted, doused, trimmed, or reefed. There is, generally, two types of rigging, even on a modern steam ship, standing and running rigging. Standing rigging is that rigging which is fixed in place, such as halyard and stays which support a mast, and are not intended to be easily adjusted or changed. Running rigging is that which is easily adjustable, such a the main sheet, used to adjust the main sail, or the rigging on a ships crane which raises and lowers cargo. |
| RODE |
The anchor line and/or chain. |
| ROPE |
In general, cordage as it is purchased at the store. When it comes aboard a vessel and is put to use it becomes line. There is some confusion over the term rope. Rope is considered to be the bulk source of line. While the rope is stored waiting for use it is properly termed "rope." Once it has been taken from storage and put to use it should then be called line. |
| RUDDER |
A vertical plate or board for steering a boat. |
| RUN |
To allow a line to feed freely. |
| RUNNING LIGHTS |
Lights required to be shown on boats underway between sundown and sunup, and during periods of reduced visibility. |
| SCOPE |
Technically, the ratio of length of anchor rode in use to the vertical distance from the bow of the vessel to the bottom of the water. Usually seven to one for calm weather and more scope in storm conditions. |
| SCREW |
A boat's propeller. |
| SCUPPERS |
Drain holes on deck, in the toe rail, or in bulwarks or (with drain pipes) in the deck itself. |
| SEA COCK |
A through hull valve, a shut off on a plumbing or drain pipe between the vessel's interior and the sea. |
| SEAMANSHIP |
All the arts and skills of boat handling, ranging from maintenance and repairs to piloting, sail handling, marlinespike work, and rigging. |
| SEA ROOM |
A safe distance from the shore or other hazards. |
| SEAWORTHY |
A boat or a boat's gear able to meet the usual sea conditions. |
| SECURE |
To make fast. |
| SET |
Direction toward which the current is flowing. |
| SHAKE A LEG |
There was a time when women went to sea with their sailors on certain ships. The crew and their women slept in hammocks, slung on hooks. When the Bos'n rousted out the crew for a sail change or other evolution he would yell "Shake a leg". He could then tell by the leg if it was a crewman that had to be rolled out. |
| SHIP |
A larger vessel usually thought of as being used for ocean travel. A vessel able to carry a "boat" on board. |
| SLACK |
Not fastened; loose. Also, to loosen. |
| SOLE |
Cabin or saloon floor. Timber extensions on the bottom of the rudder. Also the molded fiberglass deck of a cockpit. |
| SON OF A GUN |
Many people use this, with no inkling of the original meaning. Going back to the days of sail, when a woman gave birth on (or under) the gun deck, the child was said to be a son of a gun. Usually the father's name was not known, hence calling some one a son of a gun is short of calling him a bastard. |
| SOUNDING |
A measurement of the depth of water. |
| 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 KNOT |
A knot used to join two lines of similar size. Also called a reef knot. |
| 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. |
| STAND-ON VESSEL |
That vessel which has right-of-way during a meeting, crossing, or overtaking situation. |
| STARBOARD |
The right side of a boat when looking forward. |
| STEM |
The forward most part of the bow. |
| STERN |
The back part of the boat. |
| STERN LINE |
A docking line leading from the stern. |
| STOW |
To put an item in its proper place. |
| SWAMP |
To fill with water, but not settle to the bottom. |
| TAKEN DOWN A PEG |
This expression comes from the practice of admirals and officers having their own flags aboard ship. Superior officers would have their flags positioned higher on the mast than subordinates and these flags would be attached to the mast by a peg. If a senior officer handed over his command to a junior then the flag would have to be flown in a subordinate position or be taken down a peg. |
| TENDER |
A small boat accompanying a yacht or other pleasure vessel, used to transport persons, gear, and supplies; sometimes called a dinghy.
Most commonly refers to one who tends to a drawbrdige. Boaters contact the bridge tender to get the bridge raised so they can pass under.
|
| THROTTLE |
Regulates the flow of fuel, and thus the speed, of an internal combustion engine. |
| THWARTSHIPS |
At right angles to the centerline of the boat. |
| TIDE |
The periodic rise and fall of water level in the oceans. |
| TIDY |
The word is derived from the tide hence the meaning of being well arranged and methodical as associated with tides. |
| TILLER |
A bar or handle for turning a boat's rudder or an outboard motor. |
| TOPSIDES |
The sides of a vessel between the waterline and the deck; sometimes referring to onto or above the deck. |
| TOWING |
Assisting a vesel unable to maneuver by pulling, pushing or towing alongside. |
| TRANSOM |
The stern cross-section of a square sterned boat. |
| TRIM |
Fore and aft balance of a boat. To set and adjust sails. |
| TRUE COLORS |
The national flag or ensign was known aboard ship as her colours - and a very important issue when ships engaged in battle. The expressions true colours, come off with flying colours both originated from this nautical tradition. |
| UNDERWAY |
Vessel in motion, i.e., when not moored, at anchor, or aground. |
| UNDERWRITER'S LABORATORIES |
One of the chief testing organizations, helping to set US safety standards. |
| V BOTTOM |
A hull with the bottom section in the shape of a "V". |
| WAKE |
Moving waves, track or path that a boat leaves behind it, when moving across the waters. |
| WASHOUT |
From the early days of signal flags when messages were recorded on slate and a canceled message was sponged or "washed out". |
| WATERLINE |
The imaginary line drawn on the hull by the water's surface where a boat settles when loaded normally. |
| WAY |
Movement of a vessel through the water such as headway, sternway or leeway. |
| WINDFALL |
Some English landowners were prevented to either fall or sell timber as this was reserved for building ships for the Royal Navy . However, this did not apply to trees which were blown down. Hence, a windfall became a financial blessing. |
| WINDWARD |
Toward the direction from which the wind is coming. |
| YACHT |
A pleasure vessel, a pleasure boat; in American usage the idea of size and luxury is conveyed, either sail or power. |
| YAW |
To swing or steer off course, as when running with a quartering sea. |
