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Sailor's Words 101: Demystifying the Jargon of the Seven Seas

"Hard to starboard! We've got a squall on the port beam! Reef the main and prepare to jibe!"

Picture of a lady in a video about sailing language, phrases and words explaining their meaning and origin.
Sailors are different and they have their own language! Where does all the sailing words come from?

If that sentence sounds like a foreign language to you, welcome aboard! You've just had your first taste of sailor speak, a rich and sometimes baffling dialect that's as old as seafaring itself. But don't jump ship just yet – we're about to embark on a voyage through the colorful world of nautical jargon.


Imagine you're suddenly transported onto the deck of a sailboat in the middle of a storm. The captain is shouting orders, the crew is scurrying about, and you're standing there, wondering if you've accidentally stumbled into a pirate movie. That's how many people feel when they first encounter sailing terminology. It's a world where "sheets" aren't for beds, "booms" aren't just loud noises, and asking someone to "check the head" isn't a medical request.


But why, you might ask, do sailors need their own language? Is it just to confuse landlubbers and sound cool? While that might be a fun side effect, the real reason is far more practical. In the high-stakes environment of the open sea, clear and precise communication can mean the difference between a smooth voyage and a nautical disaster. When the wind is howling and the waves are crashing, you don't want to be playing a game of nautical charades with your crew.


Moreover, this specialized language carries with it the weight of maritime history. Each term is a linguistic time capsule, echoing with the voices of sailors past. From the age of exploration to the modern day, these words have been passed down, evolving and adapting, but always retaining their salty essence.


So whether you're a aspiring sailor dreaming of ocean adventures, a curious landlubber looking to understand those odd phrases your seafaring uncle uses, or just someone who wants to sound impressively nautical at parties, you've come to the right place. We're about to hoist the mainsail on your nautical knowledge and set a course for the horizon of understanding.


Prepare to navigate the treacherous waters of nautical nomenclature, weather the storm of sailing slang, and emerge on the other side as a true speaker of sailor's words. Don't worry if it seems overwhelming at first – even the most seasoned sea dog had to start somewhere. So batten down the hatches, keep a weather eye open, and let's dive into the deep blue sea of sailing terminology!



The Essential Sailor's Words: Must-Know Terms

Before we dive into the depths of sailing terminology, let's start with the basics. These essential terms will help you navigate both conversations and vessels with confidence.


Parts of a Boat

Knowing your way around a boat is crucial. Here are the key terms to help you locate yourself and others on board:


  • Bow: The front of the boat. Remember, you "bow" to someone in front of you.

  • Stern: The back of the boat. Think "stern" as in "stern warning" – it's behind you!

  • Port: The left side of the boat when facing the bow. Trick: "Port" and "left" both have four letters.

  • Starboard: The right side of the boat when facing the bow. The "right" way to board a star, obviously.

  • Aft: Toward the back of the boat. "A" comes before "F" in the alphabet, and the stern comes after the bow.

  • Forward: Toward the front of the boat. You're moving "forward" in the boat.

  • Amidships: In the middle of the boat. Where you might find yourself "amid" ship's activities.

  • Centerline: An imaginary line running down the center of the boat from bow to stern. Think of it as the boat's spine.

  • Transom: Flat surface at the stern where the outboard motor is attached. Transforms the back of your boat into a power station!

  • Beam: Width of the boat at its widest point, usually measured amidships. Beaming with pride at your boat's girth!

  • Helm: Controls the boat's direction, could be a wheel or a tiller. The helm is where you become the captain of your destiny (or at least your boat).


Boat Equipment

Now that you know your way around, let's look at the essential equipment that keeps you sailing smoothly:


  • Keel: A blade or fin attached to the bottom of sailboats to provide stability. Keeps you on an even keel!

  • Lines: Nautical term used instead of ropes. Because "rope" is too mainstream for sailors.

  • Mainsail: A boat's largest and most important sail. The main attraction of your sailing show.

  • Boom: The thick, horizontal pole which extends from the bottom of the mast. Goes "boom" if you're not careful!

  • Jib: The smaller sail at the front of the boat, without a boom. Jib-ber jabber your way through the waves.

  • Rudder: Located beneath the boat, a flat structure attached to help steer. Rudder not even know her!

  • Halyard: The rope used to hoist and lower sails. Haul-yard work, but someone's got to do it.

  • Anchor: A heavy object dropped to the bottom of the water to keep the boat in place. Your boat's way of putting down roots.

  • Bilge pump: A pump used to remove water from the bottom of the boat. Because boats should float, not sink.

  • Life jacket: A personal flotation device. Your best friend in case of an unexpected swim.

  • Fenders: Cushions placed on the side of the boat to protect it when moored. The boat's personal bumpers.

  • GPS: Global Positioning System, a device used to determine the boat's location and navigate. Because "stars" are so last century.

  • VHF radio: A type of radio used for communication between boats and with shore stations. For when shouting just won't do.

  • Flares: Emergency signaling devices used to attract attention. When you absolutely, positively need to be seen.

  • Navigation lights: Lights used to indicate the boat's position and direction of travel at night. Your boat's night-time bling.

  • Depth sounder: A device used to measure the depth of water beneath the boat. Keeps you from becoming intimately acquainted with the seafloor.

  • Horn: A sound-making device used to signal other boats or to indicate danger. For when you need to toot your own horn.


Basic Sailing Actions

Finally, let's talk about how you actually sail the boat. These terms describe the boat's movement and position relative to the wind:


  • Point of sail: The boat's direction relative to the wind. Not to be confused with your life's direction.

  • Heeling: When a sailboat leans over in the water as it sails. No, the boat isn't tired, it's just physics.

  • Tacking: Changing the direction of the boat by turning the bow through the wind. Zigzagging your way to victory.

  • Gybing: Opposite to tacking, changing direction by turning the stern through the wind. The more adventurous cousin of tacking.

  • Windward: The side of the boat closest to the wind. Where to stand for the best hair-whipping action.

  • Leeward: The side of the boat furthest from the wind. Where to hide when you're tired of the wind in your face.

  • Close-hauled: Sailing as close to the wind as possible. For when you're feeling particularly defiant towards Mother Nature.

  • Beam reach: Sailing perpendicular to the wind. The Goldilocks of sailing – not too close, not too far from the wind.

  • Broad reach: Sailing with the wind coming from behind the boat. When you let the wind push you around (in a good way).

  • Running: Sailing with the wind coming directly from behind the boat. Full speed ahead!

  • Luffing: When the sail flutters because it is not filled with wind. Like a flag on a calm day, but less patriotic.


Weather and Sea Conditions

  1. Knots: How we measure wind speed and boat speed. Because "miles per hour" wasn't confusing enough.

  2. Beaufort Scale: A system for estimating wind strength, from "calm" to "oh no, we're doomed!"

  3. Squall: A sudden, violent wind often accompanied by rain. Nature's way of saying, "Surprise!"


Safety Terms

  1. Man Overboard: The cry when someone falls into the water. Not to be confused with "Man Overbored," which is what happens during long lectures about sailing.

  2. Mayday: The international distress call. Contrary to popular belief, it has nothing to do with the first of May.

  3. PFD: Personal Flotation Device, aka life jacket. Your best friend in case of an unexpected swim.


Armed with these essential terms, you're now ready to talk the talk of a true sailor. Just remember, using these terms doesn't automatically make you a skilled sailor – that part still requires practice on the water. But at least now you can fake it till you make it at your local yacht club!



Navigating the A to Z of Sailing Lingo

Now that we've covered the basics, let's set sail through the alphabet of nautical terms. Don't worry if you feel overwhelmed – even seasoned sailors sometimes scratch their heads at these!


A

Abaft – toward the stern, relative to some object.

Abandon Ship – An imperative to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent danger.

Abeam – "On the beam", a relative bearing at right angles to the centerline of the ship's keel.

Aboard – On or in a vessel. Close aboard means near a ship.

Above board – On or above the deck, in plain view, not hiding anything.

Above deck – This can be a bit confusing. "Above deck" actually means you're on the deck, not above it (which is "aloft").

Abate – the true wind abates or moderates when it blows less strongly than before.

Abreast – When two vessels are side by side, then they're "abreast."

Accommodation ladder – A portable flight of steps down a ship's side.

Admiral – Senior naval officer of Flag rank. In ascending order of seniority, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral and Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy). Derivation reputedly Arabic, from "Emir al Bath" ("Ruler of the waters").

Admiralty law – Body of law that deals with maritime cases. In UK administered by the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice.

Adrift – Afloat and unattached in any way to the shore or seabed. It may also imply that a vessel is not anchored and not under control, therefore goes where the wind and current take her, (loose from moorings, or out of place). Also refers to any gear not fastened down or put away properly. It can also be used to mean "absent without leave".

Aft – Towards the stern (of the vessel).

Afloat – floating at sea.

Afore – in, on, or toward the front of a vessel.

Aground – Resting on or touching the ground or bottom.

Ahead – Forward of the bow.

Ahoy – A cry to draw attention. Term used to hail a boat or a ship, as "Boat ahoy!".

Aid to Navigation – (ATON) Any device external to a vessel or aircraft specifically intended to assist navigators in determining their position or safe course, or to warn them of dangers or obstructions to navigation.

All hands – Entire ship's company, both officers and enlisted personnel.

Aloft – Above the ship's uppermost solid structure; overhead or high above.

Alongside – By the side of a ship or pier.

Almanac – an annual publication containing information on, for example, buoyage, tides, signals, glossaries, and positions of heavenly bodies.

Amidships – In the middle portion of ship, along the line of the keel.

Anchor – An object designed to prevent or slow the drift of a ship, attached to the ship by a line or chain; typically a metal, hook like, object designed to grip the bottom under the body of water.

Anchor aweigh – the anchor is said be aweigh at the point when it breaks free of the sea bed when it is being hauled in.

Anchor ball – Black shape hoisted in forepart of a ship to show that ship is anchored in a fairway.

Anchor buoy – A small buoy secured by a light line to anchor to indicate position of anchor on bottom.

Anchor chain or cable – Chain connecting the ship to the anchor.

Anchor detail – Group of men who handle ground tackle when the ship is anchoring or getting underway.

Anchor light – White light displayed by a ship at anchor. Two such lights are displayed by a ship over 150 feet (46 m) in length.

Anchor rode – the anchor line, rope or cable connecting the anchor chain to the vessel.

Anchor watch – Making sure that the anchor is holding and the vessel is not drifting. Important during rough weather and at night. Most marine GPS units have an Anchor Watch alarm capability.

Anchorage – A suitable place for a ship to anchor. Area of a port or harbor.

Apparent wind – the combination of the true wind and the headwind caused by the boat's forward motion.

Armament – A ship's weapons.

Ashore – On the beach, shore or land.

Astern – Toward the stern; an object or vessel that is abaft another vessel or object.

Asylum Harbor – A harbor used to provide shelter from a storm.

ASW – Anti-submarine warfare.

Athwart, athwartships – At right angles to the fore and aft or centerline of a ship.

ATON – See Aid to Navigation above and associated image.

Avast – Stop! Cease or desist from whatever is being done.

Awash – So low in the water that the water is constantly washing across the surface.

Aweigh – Position of an anchor just clear of the bottom.

Aye, aye – Reply to an order or command to indicate that it, firstly, is heard; and, secondly, is understood and will be carried out. ("Aye, aye, sir" to officers).

Azimuth circle – Instrument used to take bearings of celestial objects.

Azimuth compass – An instrument employed for ascertaining position of the sun with respect to magnetic north. The azimuth of an object is its bearing from the observer measured as an angle clockwise from true north.


B

Back and fill – To use the advantage of the tide being with you when the wind is not.

Back stay – a stay that supports the mast from aft.

Backstays – Long lines or cables, reaching from the rear of the vessel to the mast heads, used to support the mast.

Baggywrinkle – A soft covering for cables (or any other obstructions) that prevents sail chafing from occurring.

Bail – to remove water from the bilges or cockpit.

Bailer – a utensil used to bail water out of a boat.

Ball – a black signal shape displayed when a vessel is at anchor by day.

Ballast – additional weight placed low in the hull to improve stability.

Bank – A large area of elevated sea floor.

Banyan – Traditional Royal Navy term for a day or shorter period of rest and relaxation.

Bar – Large mass of sand or earth, formed by the surge of the sea. They are mostly found at the entrances of great rivers or havens, and often render navigation extremely dangerous, but confer tranquility once inside. See also: Touch and go, grounding. Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem 'Crossing the bar' an allegory for death.

Bar pilot – A bar pilot guides ships over the dangerous sandbars at the mouth of rivers and bays.

Bare poles – no sails are set and boat is driven by the force of the wind on the spars and rigging.

Bareboat – Bareboat is to sailing as free fall is to skydiving. Essentially it is sailing a yacht on your own. It is exhilarating, exciting and the rush of freedom is infectious

Barrelman – A sailor that was stationed in the crow's nest.

Batten – a flexible strip of wood or plastic used to stiffen the leech of a mainsail.

Batten down – You might have heard the expression, "Batten down the hatches!" It means secure any hatches and loose objects, so you don't lose anything important.

Batten pocket – a pocket on the leech of a mainsail to contain the batten.

Beacon – A lighted or unlighted fixed aid to navigation attached directly to the earth's surface. (Lights and daybeacons both constitute beacons).

Beam – The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point, or a point alongside the ship at the mid-point of its length.

Beam ends – The sides of a ship. "On her beam ends" may mean the vessel is literally on her side and possibly about to capsize; more often, the phrase means the vessel is listing 45 degrees or more.

Beam sea – a sea where waves are moving perpendicular to the direction a ship is moving.

Bear away – to alter course away from the wind.

Bear down – Turn away from the wind, often with reference to a transit.

Bearing – The horizontal direction of a line of sight between two objects on the surface of the earth.

Before the mast – Literally, the area of a ship before the foremast (the forecastle). Most often used to describe men whose living quarters are located here, officers being housed behind (abaft) the mast and enlisted men before the mast. This was because the midships area where the officers were berthed is more stable, being closer to the center of gravity, and thus more comfortable. It is less subject to the up and down movement resulting from the ship's pitching.

Belaying pins – Bars of iron or hard wood to which running rigging may be secured, or belayed.

Below deck – beneath the deck.

Berth – A bed on a boat, or a space in a port or harbour where a vessel can be tied up.

Berths – The number of people able to sleep on a specified yacht

Best bower – The larger of two anchors carried in the bow; so named as it was the last, best hope.

Bilge – The bilge is the compartment at the bottom of the hull of a ship or boat where water collects so that it may be pumped out of the vessel at a later time.

Bilged on her anchor – A ship that has run upon her own anchor.

Bimini – Weather-resistant fabric stretched over a stainless steel frame, fastened above the cockpit of a sailboat or flybridge of a power yacht which serves as a rain or sun shade.

Bimmie – A punitive instrument.

Binnacle – The stand on which the ship's compass is mounted.

Binnacle list – A ship's sick list. The list of men unable to report for duty was given to the officer or mate of the watch by the ship's surgeon. The list was kept at the binnacle.

Bitter end – The anchor cable is tied to the bitts, when the cable is fully paid out, the bitter end has been reached. The last part of a rope or cable.

Bitts – Posts mounted on the ship's bow, merely comprising two wooden uprights supporting a crossbar, for fastening ropes or cables; also used on various ships to tie boys over for painful (posterior) discipline, more informally than kissing the gunner's daughter.

Block – a pulley made of wood, metal or plastic.

Bloody – An intensive derived from the substantive 'blood', a name applied to the Bucks, Scrowers, and Mohocks of the seventeenth centuries.

Blue Peter – A blue and white flag hoisted at the foretrucks of ships about to sail.

Boat – A craft or vessel designed to float on, and provide transport over, water.

Boat hook – a pole, generally made of wood or light alloy, with a hook at one end, used for picking up moorings and buoys.

Boatswain – A non-commissioned officer responsible for the sails, ropes and boats on a ship who issues "piped" commands to seamen.

Bollard – From "bol" or "bole", the round trunk of a tree. A substantial vertical pillar to which lines may be made fast. Generally on the quayside rather than the ship.

Booby – A type of bird that has little fear and therefore is particularly easy to catch, hence booby prize.

Booby hatch – A sliding hatch or cover.

Boom – A spar used to extend the foot of a for-and-aft sail.

Boom vang – A sail control that lets one apply downward tension on the boom, countering the upward tension provided by the mainsail. The boom vang adds an element of control to mainsail shape when the mainsheet is let out enough that it no longer pulls the boom down. Boom vang tension helps control leech twist, a primary component of sail power.

Booms – Masts or yards, lying on board in reserve.

Bottomry – Pledging a ship as security in a financial transaction.

Bow – The front of a ship.

Bow-chaser – A long gun with a relatively small bore, placed in the bow-port to fire directly ahead. Used especially while chasing an enemy vessel to damage its sails and rigging. (quoted from A Sea of Words).

Bowline – A type of knot, producing a strong loop of a fixed size, topologically similar to a sheet bend. Also a rope attached to the side of a sail to pull it towards the bow (for keeping the windward edge of the sail steady).

Bowse – To pull or hoist.

Bowsprit – A spar projecting from the bow used as an anchor for the forestay and other rigging.

Brail – To furl or truss a sail by pulling it in towards the mast, or the ropes used to do so.

Brass monkeys – Very cold weather, origin from the cannon balls being stored on a wheeled platform (monkey) made of brass. If the weather was so cold as to cause cannon balls to fall off the brass monkey due to different shrinkage rates of the dissimilar metals it was termed to be cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.

Breakwater – a structure to protect a harbour or beach from the force of the sea.

Bridge – A structure above the weather deck, extending the full width of the vessel, which houses a command centre, itself called by association, the bridge.

Bridle – A system used to share the strain of an anchor evenly across two points. It reduces wear on the yacht, acts as a shock absorber, and silences the rattle of the anchor chain. Also helps prevent your catamaran from floating away

Bring to – Cause a ship to be stationary by arranging the sails.

Broach – when a sailing vessel loses control of its motion and is forced into a sudden sharp turn, often heeling heavily and in smaller vessels sometimes leading to a capsize. The change in direction is called broaching-to. Occurs when too much sail is set for a strong gust of wind, or in circumstances where the sails are unstable.

Broaching-to – A sudden movement in navigation, when the ship, while scudding before the wind, accidentally turns her leeward side to windward, also use to describe the point when water starts to come over the gunwhale due to this turn.

Buffer – The chief bosun's mate (in the Royal Navy), responsible for discipline.

Bulkhead – An upright wall within the hull of a ship. Particularly a load bearing wall.

Bulwark – The extension of the ship's side above the level of the weather deck.

Bumboat – A private boat selling goods.

Bumpkin – An iron bar (projecting out-board from a ship's side) to which the lower and topsail brace blocks are sometimes hooked. Chains supporting/stabilising the bowsprit.

Buntline – One of the lines tied to the bottom of a square sail and used to haul it up to the yard when furling.

Bunting Tosser – A signalman who prepares and flies flag hoists. Also known in the American Navy as a skivvy waver.

Buoy – A floating object of defined shape and color, which is anchored at a given position and serves as an aid to navigation.

Buoyed Up – Lifted by a buoy, especially a cable that has been lifted to prevent it from trailing on the bottom.

By and Large – By means into the wind, while large means with the wind. By and large is used to indicate all possible situations "the ship handles well both by and large".

By the board – Anything that has gone overboard.


C

Cabin – an enclosed room on a deck or flat.

Cabin – Bedrooms on a yacht

Cabin boy – attendant on passengers and crew.

Cable – A large rope; also a measure of length or distance. Equivalent to (UK) 1/10 nautical mile, approx. 600 feet; (USA) 120 fathoms, 720 feet (219 m); other countries use different values.

Canister – a type of anti personnel cannon load in which lead balls or other loose metallic items were enclosed in a tin or iron shell. On firing the shell would disintegrate releasing the smaller metal objects.

Cape Horn fever – The name of the fake illness a malingerer is pretending to suffer from.

Capsize – When a ship or boat lists too far and rolls over, exposing the keel. On large vessels, this often results in the sinking of the ship.

Captain's daughter – The cat o' nine tails, which in principle is only used on board on the captain's (or a court martial's) personal orders.

Careening – Cause the ship to tilt on its side, usually to clean or repair the hull below the water line.

Cat – To prepare an anchor, after raising it by lifting it with a tackle to the Cat Head, prior to securing (fishing) it alongside for sea. (An anchor raised to the Cat Head is said to be catted).

Cat Head – A beam extending out from the hull used to support an anchor when raised in order to secure or "fish" it.

Cat o' nine tails – A short nine-tailed whip kept by the bosun's mate to flog sailors (and soldiers in the Army). When not in use, the cat was kept in a baize bag, hence the term "cat out of the bag". "Not enough room to swing a cat" also derives from this.

Catamaran – A vessel with two hulls.

Catboat – A cat-rigged vessel with only one sail, usually on a gaff.

Centreboard – A removable keel used to resist leeway.

Chain plate – a fitting which is bolted to the hull, to which the shrouds are attached.

Chain shot – Cannon balls linked with chain used to damage rigging and masts.

Chain-wale or channel – A broad, thick plank that projects horizontally from each of a ship's sides abreast a mast, distinguished as the fore, main, or mizzen channel accordingly, serving to extend the base for the shrouds, which supports the mast.

Chafing – Wear on line or sail caused by constant rubbing against another surface.

Chafing Gear – Material applied to a line or spar to prevent or reduce chafing. See Baggywrinkle.

Chart – map giving many details about the area covered by water and details about the adjacent land.

Chase guns – Cannons mounted on the bow or stern. Those on the bow could be used to fire upon a ship ahead, while those on the rear could be used to ward off pursuing vessels.

Chine – A relatively sharp angle in the hull, as compared to the rounded bottoms of most traditional boat hulls.

Chock – a fitting with two horns round which a line is secured.

Chock-a-block – Rigging blocks that are so tight against one another that they cannot be further tightened.

Civil Red Ensign – The British Naval Ensign or Flag of the British Merchant Navy, a red flag with the Union Flag in the upper left corner.

Clean bill of health – A certificate issued by a port indicating that the ship carries no infectious diseases.

Clean slate – At the helm, the watch keeper would record details of speed, distances, headings, etc. on a slate. At the beginning of a new watch the slate would be wiped clean.

Cleat – A stationary device used to secure a rope aboard a vessel.

Clew – the after lower corner of a sail to which sheets are fitted.

Clew-lines – Used to truss up the clews, the lower corners of square sails.

Club hauling – The ship drops one of its anchors at high speed to turn abruptly. This was sometimes used as a means to get a good firing angle on a pursuing vessel.

Coachroof – the part of the cabin that is raised above the deck to provide height in the cabin

Coaming – The raised edge of a hatchway used to help keep out water.

Cockpit – a space lower than deck level in which the crew can sit or stand.

Collision course – the course of a vessel which, if maintained relative to that of another would result in a collision.

Companionway – a raised and windowed hatchway in the ship's deck, with a ladder leading below and the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins.

Compass – Navigational instrument that revolutionised travel.

Corrector – a device to correct the ship's compass.

Course – the direction in which the vessel is being, or is to be, steered.

Courses – The mainsail, foresail, and the mizzen.

Coxswain or cockswain – The helmsman or crew member in command of a boat.

Crow's nest – Specifically a masthead constructed with sides and sometimes a roof to shelter the lookouts from the weather, generally by whaling vessels, this term has become a generic term for what is properly called masthead. See masthead.

Cuddy – A small cabin in a boat.

Cunningham – A line invented by Briggs Cunningham, used to control the shape of a sail.

Cut and run – When wanting to make a quick escape, a ship might cut lashings to sails or cables for anchors, causing damage to the rigging, or losing an anchor, but shortening the time needed to make ready by bypassing the proper procedures.

Cut splice – A join between two lines, similar to an eye-splice, where each rope end is joined to the other a short distance along, making an opening which closes under tension.

Cutline – The "valley" between the strands of a rope or cable.

Cut of his jib – The "cut" of a sail refers to its shape. Since this would vary between ships, it could be used both to identify a familiar vessel at a distance, and to judge the possible sailing qualities of an unknown one.


D

Daggerboard – A type of centerboard that is removed vertically.

Davey Jones (Locker) – An idiom for the bottom of the sea.

Daybeacon – An unlighted fixed structure which is equipped with a dayboard for daytime identification.

Dayboard – The daytime identifier of an aid to navigation presenting one of several standard shapes (square, triangle, rectangle) and colors (red, green, white, orange, yellow, or black).

Dead ahead – We're not sure this one needs explaining, but if you're in any doubt, "dead ahead" means straight ahead.

Dead astern – This is the complete opposite of "dead ahead." In other words, directly behind you.

Deadeye – A round wooden plank which serves a similar purpose to a block in the standing rigging of large sailing vessels.

Deadrise – The design angle between the keel (q.v.) and horizontal.

Deck – We're not talking about playing cards. Picture the surface that covers a compartment, hull, or any part of a vessel. On the oldest Tall Ships, this will often be wooden.

Deck hand – A person whose job involves aiding the deck supervisor in (un)mooring, anchoring, maintenance, and general evolutions on deck.

Deck supervisor – The person in charge of all evolutions and maintenance on deck; sometimes split into two groups: forward deck supervisor, aft deck supervisor.

Decks – the structures forming the approximately horizontal surfaces in the ship's general structure. Unlike flats, they are a structural part of the ship.

Deckhead – The under-side of the deck above. Sometimes paneled over to hide the pipe work. This paneling, like that lining the bottom and sides of the holds, is the ceiling.

Derrick – A lifting device composed of one mast or pole and a boom or jib which is hinged freely at the bottom.

Devil seam – The curved seam in the hull planking closest to the waterline when the ship is level. The seam between these two planks, set at a nominal right angle to each other, is the devil seam. This seam is particularly difficult to pay (and caulk) because there is little support in the direction of the compression created during caulking and expansion of the wood when wet. Hence, this seam "works" a lot. A sailor sealing this seam must first cause the ship to list (lean) toward the side opposite of the seam. This allows the sailor access to the seam by hanging below it, "between the Devil and the deep blue sea".

Devil to pay – "Paying" the Devil is sealing the devil seam. It is a difficult and unpleasant job (with no resources) because of the shape of the seam (closest to the waterline) and because you are positioned below the natural waterline.

Deviation – the deflection of the needle of a magnetic compass caused by the proximity of ferrous metals, electrical circuits or electronic equipment.

Dinghy – Not to be confused with "dingy," pronounced "din-jie." "Dinghy," pronounced "din-ghee," is a small, open boat. After anchoring, you might sail to shore in a "dinghy."

Directional light – A light illuminating a sector or very narrow angle and intended to mark a direction to be followed.

Displacement – the weight of water displaced by the immersed volume of a ship's hull, exactly equivalent to the weight of the whole ship.

Displacement – When you get into a bath, the water rises, because you've "displaced" it. In sailing, this is the weight of water that a vessel moves, which tells you her weight.

Disrate – To reduce in rank or rating; demote.

Dividers – navigational instrument for measuring distance on charts.

Dock – A "dock" is a protected and calm area where you can tie up ("moor") your vessel. It's usually a pier, a float or a wharf.

Dodger – screen fitted to give the crew protection from wind and spray.

Dog watch – A short watch period, generally half the usual time (e.g. a two hour watch between two four hour ones). Such a watch might be included in order to slowly rotate the system over several days for fairness, or to allow both watches to eat their meals at approximately normal times.

Dolphin – A structure consisting of a number of piles driven into the seabed or riverbed in a circular pattern and drawn together with wire rope.

Downstream – the direction towards which the stream flows.

Downhaul – A line used to control either a mobile spar, or the shape of a sail.

Downwind – direction to leeward.

Draft – The depth of a ship's keel below the waterline.

Draught – the vertical distance from the lowest part of the keel to the seabed.

Dressing down – Treating old sails with oil or wax to renew them, or a verbal reprimand.

Driver – The large sail flown from the mizzen gaff.

Driver-mast – The fifth mast of a six-masted barquentine or gaff schooner. It is preceded by the jigger mast and followed by the spanker mast. The sixth mast of the only seven-masted vessel, the gaff schooner Thomas W. Lawson, was normally called the pusher-mast.

Dunnage – Loose packing material used to protect a ship's cargo from damage during transport. Personal baggage.


E

Earrings – Small lines, by which the uppermost corners of the largest sails are secured to the yardarms.

Ease – To let the sails out

Ease out – to let a line out gradually.

Ebb – the period when the tidal level is falling.

Embayed – The condition where a sailing vessel is confined between two capes or headlands, typically where the wind is blowing directly onshore.

Ensign – the principal flag or banner flown by a ship to indicate her nationality.

EPIRB – electronic position indicating radio beacon that transmits a distinctive signal on a distress frequency.

Extremis – The point under International Rules of the Road (Navigation Rules) at which the privileged (or stand-on) vessel on collision course with a burdened (or give-way) vessel determines it must maneuver to avoid a collision. Prior to extremis, the privileged vessel must maintain course and speed and the burdened vessel must maneuver to avoid collision.


F

Fairlead – a ring, hook or other device used to keep a line or chain running in the correct direction or to prevent it rubbing or fouling.

Fathom – A unit of length equal to 6 feet (1.8 m), roughly measured as the distance between a man's outstretched hands.

Fender – An air or foam filled bumper used in boating to keep boats from banging into docks or each other.

Fetch – the distance across water which a wind or waves have travelled.

Figurehead – Symbolic image at the head of a traditional sailing ship or early steamer.

Fire ship – A ship loaded with flammable materials and explosives and sailed into an enemy port or fleet either already burning or ready to be set alight by its crew (who would then abandon it) in order to collide with and set fire to enemy ships.

First Lieutenant – In the Royal Navy, the senior lieutenant on board; responsible to the Commander for the domestic affairs of the ship's company. Also known as 'Jimmy the One' or 'Number One'. Removes his cap when visiting the mess decks as token of respect for the privacy of the crew in those quarters. Officer i/c cables on the forecastle. In the U.S. Navy the senior person in charge of all Deck hands.

First Mate – The Second in command of a ship.

First rate – The classification for the largest sailing warships of the 17th through 19th centuries. They had 3 masts, 850+ crew and 100+ guns.

Fish – To repair a mast or spar with a fillet of wood.

Fish – To secure an anchor on the side of the ship for sea (otherwise known as "catting".)

Flag hoist – A number of signal flags strung together to convey a message, e.g. "England expects...".

Flank – The maximum speed of a ship. Faster than "full speed".

Flatback – A Great Lakes slang term for a vessel without any self unloading equipment.

Flemish – To coil a line that is not in use so that it lies flat on the deck

Flemish Coil – A line coiled around itself to neaten the decks or dock.

Flood – Not quite as dramatic as it sounds. A "flood" can simply be used to describe an incoming tide.

Flog – To beat, to punish.

Flotilla – A fun group sailing vacation with up 12 boats, with guidance and support from a lead boat with a Skipper, Engineer, and Host. This type of vacation is a Sunsail specialty.

Fluke – The wedge-shaped part of an anchor's arms that digs into the bottom.

Fly by night – A large sail used only for sailing downwind, requiring little attention.

Following sea – Wave or tidal movement going in the same direction as a ship.

Foot – The bottom of a sail.

Footloose – If the foot of a sail is not secured properly, it is footloose, blowing around in the wind.

Footrope – Each yard on a square rigged sailing ship is equipped with a footrope for sailors to stand on while setting or stowing the sails.

Fore – Towards the bow (of the vessel).

Fore-and-aft – This is the centre-line of a vessel. It runs lengthways, parallel to the "keel" (the part of the hull that goes deeper into the water below the vessel).

Forecastle – A partial deck, above the upper deck and at the head of the vessel; traditionally the sailors living quarters. Pronounced "focsle". The name is derived from the castle fitted to bear archers in time of war.

Forefoot – The lower part of the stem of a ship.

Foremast jack – An enlisted sailor, one who is housed before the foremast.

Forepeak – This is a compartment in the front section of a small vessel, in the angle of the bow.

Forestays – Long lines or cables, reaching from the front of the vessel to the mast heads, used to support the mast.

Forward – We're not sure we need to explain this one, but it's toward the front ("bow") of the vessel.

Founder – To fill with water and sink → Wiktionary.

Fouled – Not something that causes soccer players to lay on the ground. A "fouled" piece of equipment is jammed, entangled, or dirtied. Not ideal.

Freeboard – The height of a ship's hull (excluding superstructure) above the waterline. The vertical distance from the current waterline to the lowest point on the highest continuous watertight deck. This usually varies from one part to another.

Full and by – Sailing into the wind (by), but not as close-hauled as might be possible, so as to make sure the sails are kept full. This provides a margin for error to avoid being taken aback (a serious risk for square-rigged vessels) in a tricky sea. Figuratively it implies getting on with the job but in a steady, relaxed way, without undue urgency or strain.

Furl – To roll or wrap a sail around the mast or spar to which it is attached.


G

Gaff – The spar that holds the upper edge of a fore-and-aft or gaff sail. Also a long hook with a sharp point to haul fish in.

Galley – The kitchen of the ship.

Gangplank – A movable bridge used in boarding or leaving a ship at a pier; also known as a "brow".

Gangway – The "gangway" is where you can get on ("board") and get off ("disembark") the vessel.

Garbled – Garbling was the (illegal) practice of mixing cargo with garbage.

Garboard – The strake closest to the keel (from Dutch gaarboard).

Gear – "Get your gear." This is a general term for ropes ("lines"), blocks, tackle, and other equipment on board.

Genoa/Jenny – It might get confusing if you've got someone called "Jenny" on board… but a "Genoa" or "Jenny" is a sail that overlaps the main sail on a yacht.

Give way – to alter course in order to concede passage to another vessel.

Give way vessel – the vessel whose duty it is to keep clear of another, she should take early and substantial action to avoid a collision.

Global Positioning System (GPS) – A satellite based radionavigation system providing continuous worldwide coverage. It provides navigation, position, and timing information to air, marine, and land users.

Go about – to change tack by altering course to bring the wind on the other side.

Gooseneck – fitting which attaches the boom to the mast.

Grab rail – Rails fitted above and below decks to grab at when the vessel heels.

Grab rails – In a storm, it's probably a good idea to hold onto the "grab rails" to stop yourself from falling over.

Grapeshot – Small balls of lead fired from a cannon, similar to shotgun shot on a larger scale. Used to hurt people, rather than cause structural damage.

Grog – Watered-down pusser's rum consisting of half a gill with equal part of water, issued to all seamen over twenty. (CPOs and POs were issued with neat rum) From the British Admiral Vernon who, in 1740, ordered the men's ration of rum to be watered down. He was called "Old Grogram" because he often wore a grogram coat), and the watered rum came to be called 'grog'. Often used (illegally) as currency in exchange for favours in quantities prescribed as 'sippers' and 'gulpers'. Additional issues of grog were made on the command 'splice the mainbrace' for celebrations or as a reward for performing especially onerous duties. The RN discontinued the practice of issuing rum in 1970. A sailor might repay a colleague for a favour by giving him part or all of his grog ration, ranging from "sippers" (a small amount) via "gulpers" (a larger quantity) to "grounders" (the entire tot).

Groggy – Drunk from having consumed a lot of grog.

Ground tackle – The bits of a vessel that touch the ground. Simply, the anchor and its associated "gear."

Gunner's daughter – See Kissing the G.'s D.

Gunwale – Upper edge of the hull.

Gybe – aka Jibe. A gybe is a maneuver when the boat is turned so that the stern of the boat passes through an imaginary line to where the wind comes from. At some point during the turn, the boat will be pointing dead down wind. Gybing is the act of perfoming a gybe.

Gybe-oh! – the call to indicate that the helm is being put across to gybe.


H

Halyard or Halliard – Originally, ropes used for hoisting a spar with a sail attached; today, a line used to raise the head of any sail.

Hammock – Canvas sheets, slung from the deckhead in messdecks, in which seamen slept. "Lash up and stow" a piped command to tie up hammocks and stow them (typically) in racks inboard of the ship's side to protect crew from splinters from shot and provide a ready means of preventing flooding caused by damage.

Hand Bomber – A ship using coal-fired boilers shoveled in by hand.

Hand over fist – To climb steadily upwards, from the motion of a sailor climbing shrouds on a sailing ship (originally "hand over hand").

Hand-bearing compass – portable magnetic compass with which visual bearings are taken.

Handsomely – With a slow even motion, as when hauling on a line "handsomely."

Hank – A fastener attached to the luff of the headsail that attaches the headsail to the forestay. Typical designs include a bronze or plastic hook with a spring-operated gate, or a strip of cloth webbing with a snap fastener.

Harbor – A harbor or harbour, or haven, is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. Harbours can be man-made or natural.

Harden in – to haul in the sheets to bring the sail closer to the centreline; the opposite of ease out.

Hatch – an opening in the deck that allows access to the accommodation.

Haul in – to pull in.

Haul wind – To point the ship so as to be heading in the same direction as the wind, generally not the fastest point of travel on a sailing vessel.

Hawse-hole – A hole in a ship's bow for a cable or chain, such as for an anchor, to pass through.

Hawsepiper – An informal maritime industry term used to refer to a merchant ship's officer who began his or her career as an unlicensed merchant seaman and did not attend a traditional maritime college/academy to earn the officer license.

Head – The toilet or latrine of a vessel, which for sailing ships projected from the bows.

Head of navigation – A term used to describe the farthest point above the mouth of a river that can be navigated by ships.

Head to wind – to point the stem of the vessel into the wind

Heading – the direction in which the vessel's head is pointing

Heads – the lavatory on the vessel.

Headsail – Any sail flown in front of the most forward mast.

Heave – A vessel's transient up-and-down motion.

Heave down – Turn a ship on its side (for cleaning).

Heave to – To stop a sailing vessel by lashing the helm in opposition to the sails. The vessel will gradually drift to leeward, the speed of the drift depending on the vessel's design.

Heaving to – To stop a sailing vessel by lashing the helm in opposition to the sails. The vessel will gradually drift to leeward, the speed of the drift depending on the vessel's design.

Heel – to lean over to one side.

Heeling – Heeling is the lean caused by the wind's force on the sails of a sailing vessel.

Helm – A tiller or wheel for steering the yacht. Also, a term to describe the helmsman.

Helmsman – A person who steers a ship.

Hogging or hog – The distortion of the hull where the ends of the keel are lower than the center.

Hoist – to raise an object vertically with a halyard.

Hold – In earlier use, below the orlop deck, the lower part of the interior of a ship's hull, especially when considered as storage space, as for cargo. In later merchant vessels it extended up through the decks to the underside of the weather deck.

Holiday – A gap in the coverage of newly applied paint, slush, tar or other preservative.

Holystone – A chunk of sandstone used to scrub the decks. The name comes from both the kneeling position sailors adopt to scrub the deck (reminiscent of genuflection for prayer), and the stone itself (which resembled a Bible in shape and size).

Horn – A sound signal which uses electricity or compressed air to vibrate a disc diaphragm.

Horse – Attachment of sheets to deck of vessel (Main-sheet horse).

Hounds – Attachments of stays to masts.

Hull – The shell and framework of the basic flotation-oriented part of a ship.

Hydrofoil – A boat with wing-like foils mounted on struts below the hull.


I

IALA – international association of lighthouse authorities which is responsible for he international buoyage system.

Icing – A serious hazard where cold temperatures (below about -10°C) combined with high wind speed (typically force 8 or above on the Beaufort scale) result in spray blown off the sea freezing immediately on contact with the ship.

Idlers – Members of a ship's company not required to serve watches. These were in general specialist tradesmen such as the carpenter and the sailmaker.

In Irons – When the bow of a sailboat is headed into the wind and the boat has stalled and is unable to maneuver.

In the offing – In the water visible from on board a ship, now used to mean something imminent.

Inboard – When someone says "inboard," they mean inside the vessel's edges.

Inboard-Outboard drive system – A larger Power Boating alternative drive system to transom mounted outboard motors.

Inshore – near to or towards or in the direction of the shore.

Iron Mike – A slang term for auto-pilot. Not a famous boxer.

Itinerary – The intended route of travel on your flotilla or bareboat vacation. Usually planned in advance, these need to remain flexible to respond to weather conditions and personal preference


J

Jack – Either a flag, or a sailor. Typically the flag was talked about as if it were a member of the crew. Strictly speaking, a flag is only a "jack" if it is worn at the jackstaff at the bow of a ship.

Jack Tar – A sailor dressed in 'square rig' with square collar. Formerly with a tarred pigtail.

Jacklines or Jack Stays – Lines, often steel wire with a plastic jacket, from the bow to the stern on both port and starboard. The Jack Lines are used to clip on the safety harness to secure the crew to the vessel while giving them the freedom to walk on the deck.

Jackstay / jackline – often steel wire with a plastic jacket, from the bow to the stern on both port and starboard. A crew member clips his safety harness to a jackline, allowing him to walk along the deck while still being safely attached to the vessel.

Jacob's Ladder – Imagine the type of rope ladder that you'd use to climb up to a treehouse. That's a "Jacob's ladder." On a vessel, it can be lowered from the deck when pilots or passengers come on board.

Jetty – A "jetty" is a man-made structure that's used to create a breakwater, shelter, erosion control, or a channel. It can also protect a harbour entrance.

Jib – A triangular staysail at the front of a ship.

Jibe – aka and better spelled as "Gybe". A jibe is when the boat is turned so that the stern of the boat passes through an imaginary line to where the wind comes from. At some point during the turn, the boat will be pointing dead down wind. Jibing is the act of perfoming a jibe (gybe).

Jibing/Gybing – We're definitely not talking about making fun of someone. On a vessel, "jibing" means turning away and through the wind until the wind comes from the other side.

Jigger-mast – The fourth mast, although ships with four or more masts were uncommon, or the aft most mast where it is smallest on vessels of less than four masts.

Jollies – Traditional Royal Navy nickname for the Royal Marines.

Junk – Old cordage past its useful service life as lines aboard ship. The strands of old junk were teased apart in the process called picking oakum.

Jury rig – Both the act of rigging a temporary mast and sails and the name of the resulting rig. A jury rig would be built at sea when the original rig was damaged, then it would be used to sail to a harbor or other safe place for permanent repairs.


K

Keel – The central structural basis of the hull.

Keel – The "keel" is on the centreline of the hull under the water. You can also think of it as the "backbone" of a vessel.

Keelhauling – Maritime punishment: to punish by dragging under the keel of a ship.

Kelson – The timber immediately above the keel of a wooden ship.

Killick – A small anchor. A fouled killick is the substantive badge of non-commissioned officers in the RN. Seamen promoted to the first step in the promotion ladder are called "Killick". The badge signifies that here is an Able Seaman skilled to cope with the awkward job of dealing with a fouled anchor.

Kicking strap – A line, tackle or hydraulic ram running from the mast at or just above deck level to a point part-way along the boom of a yacht's mainsail or mizzen. Its function is to pull the boom down, flattening the sail in strong winds, reducing twist and preventing the boom from kicking up when running.

Kissing the gunner's daughter – bend over the barrel of a gun for punitive spanking with a cane or cat.

Know the ropes – A sailor who 'knows the ropes' is familiar with the miles of cordage and ropes involved in running a ship.

Knot – The unit of speed at sea in nautical miles per hour; or a series of loops tying a line.

Knot – This is a "knot" in a rope ("line") – you can use one to form a stopper, enclose or bind an object, make a loop or noose, tie a small rope ("line") to an object, or to tie the ends of two small ropes ("lines") together.

Knot – It can also be used to describe a measure of speed – a "knot" is equal to one nautical mile (or 6,076 feet) per hour. It comes from a device that old sailing ships used for measuring speed, which had knots tied in it.


L

Ladder – On board a ship, all "stairs" are called ladders, except for literal staircases aboard passenger ships. Most "stairs" on a ship are narrow and nearly vertical, hence the name. Believed to be from the Anglo-Saxon word hiaeder, meaning ladder.

Laker – Great Lakes slang for a vessel who spends all its time on the 5 Great Lakes.

Land lubber – A person unfamiliar with being on the sea.

Lanyard – A rope that ties something off.

Lanyard – A short length of line used to secure an object such as a knife.

Larboard – The left side of the ship (archaic, see port). cf. starboard. Derived from the old 'lay-board' providing access between a ship and a quay.

Large – See By and large.

Lash down – to firmly secure firmly with line.

Lateral System – A system of aids to navigation in which characteristics of buoys and beacons indicate the sides of the channel or route relative to a conventional direction of buoyage (usually upstream).

Latitude – If we remember correctly from geography lessons, "latitude" is the distance north or south of the equator. It's measured in degrees. There are up to 90˚ north and 90˚ south. Each degree of latitude is 60 nautical miles.

Lay – To come and go, used in giving orders to the crew, such as "lay forward" or "lay aloft". To direct the course of vessel. Also, to twist the strands of a rope together.

Lay down – To lay a ship down is to begin construction in a shipyard.

Lazarette – A storage space at the back ("stern") of the vessel.

Lazy jack – A network of cordage led from a point on the mast to points on the boom that help the sail to go down smoothly when lowered

League – A unit of length, normally equal to three nautical miles.

Lee – The direction towards which the wind blows.

Lee cloths – Imagine falling out of your bunk in the middle of the night when the vessel enters some choppy waters. Well, you can avoid it by using a "lee-cloth" to keep you safe.

Lee side – The side of a ship sheltered from the wind (opposite the weather side or windward side).

Lee shore – A shore downwind of a ship. A ship which cannot sail well to windward risks being blown onto a lee shore and grounded.

Lee-oh! – the action of putting the helm across to go about.

Leehelm – If the helm was centered, the boat would turn away from the wind (to the lee). Consequently, the tiller must be pushed to the lee side of the boat in order to make the boat sail in a straight line. See weatherhelm.

Leech – The aft or trailing edge of a fore-and-aft sail; the leeward edge of a spinnaker; a vertical edge of a square sail. The leech is susceptible to twist, which is controlled by the boom vang and mainsheet.

Leeward – In the direction that the wind is blowing towards.

Leeway – The angle that a ship is blown leeward by the wind. See also weatherly.

Let go and haul – An order indicating that the ship is in line with the wind.

Letter of marque and reprisal – A warrant granted to a privateer condoning specific acts of piracy against a target as a redress for grievances.

Lifeboat – A small steel or wood boat located near the stern of a vessel. Used to get the crew to safety if something happens to the mothership.

Line – The correct nautical term for the majority of the cordage or "ropes" used on a vessel. A line will always have a more specific name, such as mizzen topsail halyard, which describes its use.

Liner – Ship of The Line: a major warship capable of taking its place in the main (battle) line of fighting ships. Hence modern term for most prestigious passenger vessel: Liner.

List – The vessel's angle of lean or tilt to one side, in the direction called roll.

Loaded to the gunwales – Literally, having cargo loaded as high as the ship's rail; also means extremely drunk.

LOA – Length overall – The maximum length of a yacht's hull, including overhanging ends that extend beyond the main bow and main stern

Log – A devise to measure a vessel's speed or distance travelled through the water.

Loggerhead – An iron ball attached to a long handle, used for driving caulking into seams and (occasionally) in a fight. Hence: "at loggerheads".

Longitude – This is the distance east or west of the meridian line at Greenwich, UK, which is measured in degrees. There are 180˚ west and 180˚ east of Greenwich.

Lubber's line – A vertical line inside a compass case indicating the direction of the ship's head.

Luff – The forward edge of a sail.

Luff – To head a sailing vessel more towards the direction of the wind.

Luffing – When a sailing vessel is steered far enough to windward that the sail is no longer completely filled with wind (the luff of the sail is usually where this first becomes evident).

Luffing – Loosening a sheet so far past optimal trim that the sail is no longer completely filled with wind.

Luffing – The flapping of the sail(s) which results from having no wind in the sail at all.

Lying ahull – Waiting out a storm by dousing all sails and simply letting the boat drift.

LWL – Load waterline length – the length of a yacht that is in contact with the water.


M

Mainbrace – The brace attached to the mainmast.

Mainsail – The big triangular sail just aft of the sailboat's mast. As the name suggests, this is the boat's largest and most important sail. Running along its bottom edge, the mainsail has a thick pole called the boom.

Mainsail – The principal sail.

Mainsheet – Sail control line that allows the most obvious effect on mainsail trim. Primarily used to control the angle of the boom, and thereby the mainsail, this control can also increase or decrease downward tension on the boom while sailing upwind, significantly affecting sail shape. For more control over downward tension on the boom, use a boom vang.

Mainmast (or Main) – The tallest mast on a ship.

Make fast – to secure the vessel with lines to either a buoy, jetty or pontoon.

Making way – a vessel that is being propelled through the water.

Man of war – A warship from the age of sail.

Man overboard! – A cry let out when a seaman has gone overboard.

Marina – A docking facility for small ships and yachts.

Marines – Soldiers afloat. Royal Marines formed as the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot in 1664 with many and varied duties including providing guard to ship's officers should there be mutiny aboard. Sometimes thought by seamen to be rather gullible, hence the phrase "tell it to the marines".

Mast – A vertical pole on a ship which supports sails or rigging.

Masthead – A small platform partway up the mast, just above the height of the mast's main yard. A lookout is stationed here, and men who are working on the main yard will embark from here. See also Crow's Nest.

Master – Either the commander of commercial vessel, or a senior officer of a naval sailing ship in charge of routine seamanship and navigation but not in command during combat.

Master-at-Arms – A non-commissioned officer responsible for discipline on a naval ship. Standing between the officers and the crew, commonly known in the Royal Navy as "the Buffer".

Matelot – A traditional Royal Navy term for an ordinary sailor.

Mayday – the internationally recognised radio distress signal.

Med mooring – The art of reversing into a small gap and parking a yacht stern-to the quay. The typical mooring technique in most Mediterranean harbours. A great spectator sport

Mess – An eating place aboard ship. A group of crew who live and feed together.

Mess deck catering – A system of catering in which a standard ration is issued to a mess supplemented by a money allowance which may be used by the mess to buy additional victuals from the pusser's stores or elsewhere. Each mess was autonomous and self-regulating. Seaman cooks, often members of the mess, prepared the meals and took them, in a tin canteen, to the galley to be cooked by the ship's cooks. As distinct from "cafeteria messing" where food is issued to the individual hand, which now the general practice.

Midship – The middle of the vessel. Simple.

Midshipman – A non-commissioned officer below the rank of Lieutenant. Usually regarded as being "in training" to some degree. Also known as "Snotty". 'The lowest form of animal life in the Royal Navy' where he has authority over and responsibility for more junior ranks, yet, at the same time, relying on their experience and learning his trade from them.

Mizzenmast (or Mizzen) – The third mast on a ship.

Mizzen staysail – Sail on a ketch or yawl, usually lightweight, set from, and forward of, the mizzen mast while reaching in light to moderate air.

Monkey fist – A ball woven out of line used to provide heft to heave the line to another location. The monkey fist and other heaving-line knots were sometimes weighted with lead (easily available in the form of foil used to seal e.g. tea chests from dampness) although Clifford W. Ashley notes that there was a "definite sporting limit" to the weight thus added.

Monohull – A vessel with a single hull.

Moor – To attach a boat to a mooring buoy or post. Also, to a dock a ship.

Mooring – The second mode of 'parking'- A buoy firmly anchored to the bottom, to which you are able to secure your yacht and prevents your yacht from floating away

Mooring buoy – a non-navigational buoy to which a vessel can moor.


N

Nautical Mile – It's super confusing, but a "nautical mile" is different from a regular (or "statute") one. It's around 6,076 feet, 1,852 metres, 1.852 kilometres, 2,025 yards, or one minute of latitude. It's actually about 1/8 longer than a statute mile.

Navigation – It's a bit more complicated than it sounds, but put simply, "navigation" is working out and keeping to the route of a vessel when on a voyage from one point to another.

Navigation rules – Rules of the road that provide guidance on how to avoid collision and also used to assign blame when a collision does occur.

Nipper – Short rope used to bind a cable to the "messenger" (a moving line propelled by the capstan) so that the cable is dragged along too (Used because the cable is too large to be wrapped round the capstan itself). During the raising of an anchor the nippers were attached and detached from the (endless) messenger by the ship's boys. Hence the term for small boys: "nippers".

No room to swing a cat – The entire ship's company was expected to witness floggings, assembled on deck. If it was very crowded, the bosun might not have room to swing the "cat o' nine tails" (the whip).


O

Ocean – very large body of water

Oilskins – Foul-weather gear worn by sailors.

Operational language – This is what you'll hear most on board – it's the language that the crew will use to give instructions.

Oreboat – Great Lakes Term for a vessel primarily used in the transport of iron ore.

Orlop deck – The lowest deck of a ship of the line. The deck covering in the hold.

Outboard – When something is "outboard," it's toward, or beyond, the vessel's sides.

Outhaul – A line used to control the shape of a sail.

Outhaul – the line that hauls the mainsail along the boom.

Outward bound – To leave the safety of port, heading for the open ocean.

Over the barrel – Adult sailors were flogged on the back or shoulders while tied to a grating, but boys were beaten instead on the posterior (often bared), with a cane or cat, while bending, often tied down, over the barrel of a gun, known as (kissing) the gunner's daughter.

Overbear – To sail downwind directly at another ship, stealing the wind from its sails.

Overboard – It's probably best to avoid this one. When someone or something is "overboard," it's over the side of the boat.

Overfall – Dangerously steep and breaking seas due to opposing currents and wind in a shallow area.

Overhead – The "ceiling," or, essentially, the bottom of the deck above you.

Overhaul – Hauling the buntline ropes over the sails to prevent them from chaffing.

Overreach – When tacking, to hold a course too long.

Overwhelmed – Capsized or foundered.

Owner – Traditional Royal Navy term for the Captain, a survival from the days when privately-owned ships were often hired for naval service.

Ox-Eye – A cloud or other weather phenomenon that may be indicative of an upcoming storm.


P

Painter – The line at the bow of a dinghy.

Pan Pan – The internationally recognised radio urgency signal which has priority over all calls except Mayday.

Parade of Sail – As part of a Tall Ships Race or Regatta, vessels will often take part in a "parade of sail" around a bay or sea area where spectators can see. It'll probably include a "saluting vessel," which the others sail past and salute in their own way.

Parrel – A movable loop, used to fasten the yard to its respective mast.

Part brass rags – Fall out with a friend. From the days when cleaning materials were shared between sailors.

Pay – Fill a seam (with caulking or pitch), or to lubricate the running rigging; pay with slush (q.v.), or protect from the weather by covering with slush. See also: The Devil to pay. (French from paix, pitch).

Pay out – to let out a line out gradually.

Paymaster – The officer responsible for all money matters in RN ships including the paying and provisioning of the crew, all stores, tools and spare parts. See also: purser.

Pier – A "pier" is a loading platform suspended by posts that extends out from the shore.

Pier-head jump – When a sailor is drafted to a warship at the last minute, just before she sails.

Pilotage – When you navigate using visible signs, you're "piloting."

Pilot – Navigator. A specially knowledgeable person qualified to navigate a vessel through difficult waters, e.g. harbour pilot etc.

Pinch – to sail too close to the wind so that the sail loses driving power.

Pipe (Bos'n's), or a Bos'n's Call – A whistle used by Boatswains (bosuns or bos'ns) to issue commands. Consisting of a metal tube which directs the breath over an aperture on the top of a hollow ball to produce high pitched notes. The pitch of the notes can be changed by partly covering the aperture with the finger of the hand in which the pipe is held. The shape of the instrument is similar to that of a smoking pipe.

Pipe down – A signal on the bosun's pipe to signal the end of the day, requiring lights (and smoking pipes) to be extinguished and silence from the crew.

Piping the side – A salute on the bos'n's pipe(s) performed in the company of the deck watch on the starboard side of the quarterdeck or at the head of the gangway, to welcome or bid farewell to the ship's Captain, senior officers and honoured visitors.

Pitch – A vessel's motion, rotating about the beam axis, so the bow pitches up and down.

Pitchpole – To capsize a boat end over end, rather than by rolling over.

Plot – to find a vessels position by laying off bearings on a chart.

Pontoon – A flat-bottomed vessel used as a ferry or a barge or float moored alongside a jetty or a ship to facilitate boarding.

Poop deck – A high deck on the aft superstructure of a ship.

Pooped – Swamped by a high, following sea.

Port – Towards the left-hand side of the ship facing forward (formerly Larboard). Denoted with a red light at night.

Press gang – Formed body of personnel from a ship of the Royal Navy (either a ship seeking personnel for its own crew or from a "press tender" seeking men for a number of ships) that would identify and force (press) men, usually merchant sailors into service on naval ships usually against their will.

Preventer (Gybe preventer, Jibe preventer) – A sail control line originating at some point on the boom leading to a fixed point on the boat's deck or rail (usually a cleat or pad eye) used to prevent or moderate the effects of an accidental jibe.

Principal Warfare Officer – PWO, one of a number of Warfare branch specialist officers.

Privateer – A privately-owned ship authorised by a national power (by means of a Letter of Marque) to conduct hostilities against an enemy. Also called a private man of war.

Propeller walk or prop walk – Tendency for a propeller to push the stern sideways. In theory a right hand propeller in reverse will walk the stern to port.

Prow – A poetical alternative term for bows.

Pusser – Purser, the one who is buys, stores and sells all stores on board ships, including victuals, rum and tobacco. Originally a private merchant, latterly a warrant officer. Also, in modern use, a term for the Navy in general (pussers) or a sailor in particular (a pusser).


Q

Quarterdeck – The aftermost deck of a warship. In the age of sail, the quarterdeck was the preserve of the ship's officers.

Quay – A stone or metal platform lying alongside or projecting into the water for parking, loading and unloading yachts and ships

Quayside – Refers to the dock or platform used to fasten a vessel to.

Queen's (King's) Regulations – The standing orders governing the Royal Navy of UK issued in the name of the current Monarch.


R

Race - A strong tidal stream.

Radar - Acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging. An electronic system designed to transmit radio signals and receive reflected images of those signals from a "target" in order to determine the bearing and distance to the "target".

Radar reflector - A special fixture fitted to a vessel or incorporated into the design of certain aids to navigation to enhance their ability to reflect radar energy. In general, these fixtures will materially improve the visibility for use by vessels with radar.

Range lights - Two lights associated to form a range (a line formed by the extension of a line connecting two charted points) which often, but not necessarily, indicates the channel centerline. The front range light is the lower of the two, and nearer to the mariner using the range. The rear light is higher and further from the mariner.

Ratlines - Rope ladders permanently rigged from bulwarks and tops to the mast to enable access to top masts and yards. Also serve to provide lateral stability to the masts.

Reach - A point of sail from about 60° to about 160° off the wind. Reaching consists of "close reaching" (about 60° to 80°), "beam reaching" (about 90°) and "broad reaching" (about 120° to 160°).

Reaching - For most sailboats, reaching is the fastest way to travel. A "close" reach is toward the wind, and a "broad" reach is slightly away from the wind (a "beam" reach is with the wind at a right angle to the boat). On some boats, the beam reach is the fastest point of sail; on others, a broad reach is faster.

Ready about! - A call to indicate imminent tacking.

Red Duster - Traditional nickname for the Civil Red Ensign.

Reduced cat - A light version on the cat o'nine tails for use on boys; also called "boys' pussy".

Reef - Reef: To temporarily reduce the area of a sail exposed to the wind, usually to guard against adverse effects of strong wind or to slow the vessel. Reef: Rock or coral, possibly only revealed at low tide, shallow enough that the vessel will at least touch if not go aground.

Reef points - Small lengths of cord attached to a sail, used to secure the excess fabric after reefing.

Reef-bands - Long pieces of rough canvas sewed across the sails to give them additional strength.

Reef-tackles - Ropes employed in the operation of reefing.

Reefing - The primary and preferred method of reducing sail area, to de-power the yacht so that it is easier to control. Especially useful in higher winds and choppy conditions.

Regatta - A Tall Ships Regatta is similar to a Tall Ships Race, but it usually takes places outside of the summer events series, and is often a bit smaller.

Rigging - The system of masts and lines on ships and other sailing vessels.

Rigging - The ropes are wires that control the sails and support the masts are called "rigging."

Righting couple - The force which tends to restore a ship to equilibrium once a heel has altered the relationship between her centre of buoyancy and her centre of gravity.

Rigol - The rim or 'eyebrow' above a port-hole or scuttle.

Rip rap - A man-made pile of rocks and rubble. Used to form a breakwater, often surrounding an off-shore lighthouse or vulnerable harbour. Not a musical genre

Roll - A vessel's motion rotating from side to side, about the fore-aft axis. List (qv) is a lasting tilt in the roll direction.

Rolling-tackle - A number of pulleys, engaged to confine the yard to the weather side of the mast; this tackle is much used in a rough sea.

Rope's end - A summary punishment device.

Round up - To head up into the wind.

Roving fender - A spare fender held ready by a crew member in case of emergencies.

Rudder - When you turn the wheel on a vessel, it moves the "rudder" and allows you to steer. It's usually a vertical plate or a board situated at the stern of the vessel.

Rummage sale - A sale of damaged cargo (from French arrimage).

Run/running - To sail with the wind dead astern.

Running rigging - Rigging used to manipulate sails, spars, etc. in order to control the movement of the ship. Cf. standing rigging.


S

Sagging - When a trough of a wave is amidship.

Sail locker - place where sails are stowed.

Sail-plan - A set of drawings showing various sail combinations recommended for use in various situations.

Sailing Certification - An acknowledgement of a sailing competence from an established sailing educational body (like NauticEd).

Sails - The main driver of the yacht; an eco-friendly engine that converts wind power in boat speed by catching the breeze. Sailors constantly speak of trimming the sails to be as efficient as possible

Saloon - The living area, usually down below. Not a wild west bar

Saltie - Great Lakes term for a vessel that sails the oceans.

Sampson post - A strong vertical post used to support a ship's windlass and the heel of a ship's bowsprit.

SATELLITE NAVIGATION - Most of us have used regular "satellite navigation" before – it uses radio transmissions from satellites. However, the automatic equipment on board a vessel is a bit more complex and sophisticated.

Scandalize - To reduce the area of a sail by expedient means (slacking the peak and tricing up the tack) without properly reefing it.

Schooner - A sailing vessel with two or more masts, with the forward mast being shorter than the main mast.

Scud - A name given by sailors to the lowest clouds, which are mostly observed in squally weather.

Scudding - A term applied to a vessel when carried furiously along by a tempest.

Scuppers - An opening on the side rail that allows water to run off the deck.

SCUPPERS - Have you ever noticed holes in the deck, toe rail, or in the bulwarks, that let water drain off? Well, these are called "scuppers."

Scuttle - A small opening, or lid thereof, in a ship's deck or hull. To cut a hole in, or sink something.

Scuttlebutt - A barrel with a hole in used to hold water that sailors would drink from. Also: gossip.

Sea anchor - A stabilizer deployed in the water for heaving to in heavy weather. It acts as a brake and keeps the hull in line with the wind and perpendicular to waves.

SEA COCK - A "sea cock" is a valve in the hull where a pipe comes through. It can be turned off when not in use.

Sea chest - A valve on the hull of the ship to allow water in for ballast purposes.

SEA ROOM - Despite what you might think, it's not a room in a vessel. It's actually used to describe a safe distance from the shore or other hazards.

SEAWORTHY - If a vessel can sail safely in rough weather, then she's "seaworthy."

Seacock - a stop-cock next to the hull to prevent accidental entry of water.

SEAMANSHIP - When you describe all the skills of boat handling, this is called "seamanship." It could include maintenance, repairs, piloting, sail handling, marlinespike work, and rigging.

Seaman - Generic term for sailor, or (part of) a low naval rank.

SECURE - We think you can probably guess this one! When something is "secure," then it's tied safely.

Seaworthy - Certified for, and capable of, safely sailing at sea.

Self-Unloader - Great Lakes slang term for a vessel with a conveyor or some other method of unloading the cargo without shoreside equipment.

Sennet whip - A summary punitive implement.

SET - When the current is flowing toward a particular direction, this is "set."

Shakes - Pieces of barrels or casks broken down to save space. They are worth very little, leading to the phrase "no great shakes".

Sheer - The upward curve of a vessel's longitudinal lines as viewed from the side.

Sheet - A rope used to control the setting of a sail in relation to the direction of the wind.

Ship - Strictly, a three-masted vessel square-rigged on all three masts, though generally used to describe most medium or large vessels. Derived from the Anglo-Saxon word "scip".

Ship's bell - Striking the ship's bell is the traditional method of marking time and regulating the crew's watches.

Ship's company - The crew of a ship.

Shipping lane - a busy track across the sea or ocean.

Shipshape - neat and efficient.

Shoal - Shallow water that is a hazard to navigation.

Shroud - a line or cable serving to hold a mast up from side to side.

Shrouds - Standing rigging running from a mast to the sides of a ships.

Sick bay - The compartment reserved for medical purposes.

Siren - A sound signal which uses electricity or compressed air to actuate either a disc or a cup shaped rotor.

Skipper - The captain of a ship.

Skysail - A sail set very high, above the royals. Only carried by a few ships.

Skyscraper - A small, triangular sail, above the skysail. Used in light winds on a few ships.

SLACK - You can probably guess this one. Something is "slack" when it's loose or not fastened.

Slack off - to ease or pay out a line.

Slop chest - A ship's store of merchandise, such as clothing, tobacco, etc., maintained aboard merchant ships for sale to the crew.

Slush - Greasy substance obtained by boiling or scraping the fat from empty salted meat storage barrels, or the floating fat residue after boiling the crew's meal. In the Royal Navy the perquisite of the cook who could sell it or exchange it (usually for alcohol) with other members of the crew. Used for greasing parts of the running rigging of the ship and therefore valuable to the master and bosun.

Slush fund - The money obtained by the cook selling slush ashore. Used for the benefit of the crew (or the cook).

Small bower (anchor) - The smaller of two anchors carried in the bow.

SOLEBOARDS/COCKPIT GRATINGS - You can probably guess this one. You stand on the "floorboards" in the cockpit.

Sole - the floor of a cabin or cockpit.

Son of a gun - The space between the guns was used as a semi-private place for trysts with prostitutes and wives, which sometimes led to birth of children with disputed parentage. Another claim is that the origin the term resulted from firing a ship's guns to hasten a difficult birth.

Sonar - A sound-based device used to detect and range underwater targets and obstacles. Formerly known as ASDIC.

SOUNDING - Surprisingly, this is nothing to do with noise. In fact, "sounding" is a measurement of the depth of water.

Spanker - A fore-and-aft or gaff-rigged sail on the aft-most mast of a square-rigged vessel and the main fore-and-aft sail (spanker sail) on the aft-most mast of a (partially) fore-and-aft rigged vessel such as a schooner, a barquentine, and a barque.

Spanker-mast - The aft-most mast of a fore-and-aft or gaff-rigged vessel such as schooners, barquentines, and barques. A full-rigged ship has a spanker sail but not a spanker-mast (see Jigger-mast).

Spar - A wooden, in later years also iron or steel pole used to support various pieces of rigging and sails. The big five-masted full-rigged tall ship Preussen (German spelling: Preußen) had crossed 30 steel yards, but only one wooden spar - the little gaff of its spanker sail.

Spindrift - Finely-divided water swept from crest of waves by strong winds.

Spinnaker - A large sail flown in front of the vessel while heading downwind.

Spinnaker pole - a spar which is used to hold the spinnaker out.

Splice - To join lines (ropes, cables etc.) by unravelling their ends and intertwining them to form a continuous line. To form an eye or a knot by splicing.

Spray hood - a folding canvas cover over the entrance to the cabin.

Spreaders - a spar on a sailboat used to deflect the shrouds to allow them to better support the mast.

SPRING LINE - This is a rope ("line") that stops a boat from moving forward or backward while being made fast to a dock. Pretty useful, we think. It can also be used during docking and undocking.

SQUARE-RIG - Imagine the biggest Tall Ships… these are "square-rigged." It means the majority of sails are at right angles to the length of the vessel.

Square meal - A sufficient quantity of food. Meals on board ship were served to the crew on a square wooden plate in harbor or at sea in good weather. Food in the Royal Navy was invariably better or at least in greater quantity than that available to the average landsman. However, while square wooden plates were indeed used on board ship, there is no established link between them and this particular term. The OED gives the earliest reference from the U.S. in the mid 19th century.

Squared away - Yards held rigidly perpendicular to their masts and parallel to the deck. This was rarely the best trim of the yards for efficiency but made a pretty sight for inspections and in harbor. The term is applied to situations and to people figuratively to mean that all difficulties have been resolved or that the person is performing well and is mentally and physically prepared.

Squat effect - Is the phenomenon by which a vessel moving quickly through shallow water creates an area of lowered pressure under its keel that reduces the ship's buoyancy, particularly at the bow. The reduced buoyancy causes the ship to "squat" lower in the water than would ordinarily be expected.

SQUALL - Get your wet weather gear ("oilies") ready. A "squall" is a sudden, violent wind that often brings rain.

Squall - a sudden increase of wind speed often associated with a line of low dark clouds representing an advancing cold front.

Stanchions - metal posts supporting the guardrails.

Stand by to gybe! - a warning, given by the helmsman, that he is about to gybe.

Stand on - to maintain course and speed of your vessel because you have right of way.

STAND-ON VESSEL - A "stand-on vessel" should not have to keep out of the way of others. Everyone else should give way.

STANDING PART - The "standing part" of a rope ("line") which can be made "fast." In other words, not a loop ("bight") or the end of the rope.

Standing rigging - Rigging which is used to support masts and spars, and is not normally manipulated during normal operations. Cf. running rigging.

STARBOARD - When you're looking forward, "starboard" is the right side of a vessel.

Starboard - Towards the right-hand side of a vessel facing forward. Denoted with a green light at night. Derived from the old steering oar or 'steerboard' which preceded the invention of the rudder.

Starboard - The right-hand side of the yacht when you face the front (bow). Opposite of port

Starter - A rope used as a punitive device. See teazer, togey.

Stay - part of the standing rigging which provides support fore-and-aft.

Staysail - A sail whose luff is attached to a forestay.

STEM - The very front of the vessel.

Stem - The extension of keel at the forward of a ship.

STERN - Put simply, the back of the vessel.

Stern - The afterpart of the boat.

Stern - The rear of the yacht. Also, the skipper's tone when your yacht floats away

STERN LINE - This is a rope ("line") leading from the back ("stern") of the vessel.

Stern tube - The tube under the hull to bear the tailshaft for propulsion (usually at stern).

Stonnacky - A punitive device.

STOW - We could do with "stowing" some things around the Sail On Board office. It means that you've put an item in its proper place.

Stow - put away in a proper place.

Strake - One of the overlapping boards in a clinker built hull.

Studding-sails (pronounced "stunsail") - Long and narrow sails, used only in fine weather, on the outside of the large square sails.

Surge - A vessel's transient motion in a fore and aft direction.

Sway - A vessel's motion from side to side. Also used as a verb meaning to hoist. "Sway up my dunnage."

Swigging - To take up the last bit of slack on a line such as a halyard, anchor line or dockline by taking a single turn round a cleat and alternately heaving on the rope above and below the cleat while keeping the tension on the tail.

Swinging room - the area encompassed by the swing that excludes any risk of collision or grounding.

Swinging the compass - Measuring the accuracy in a ship's magnetic compass so its readings can be adjusted – often by turning the ship and taking bearings on reference points.

Swinging the lamp - Telling sea stories. Referring to lamps slung from the deckhead which swing while at sea. Often used to indicate that the story teller is exaggerating.

Swinging the lead - Measuring the depth of water beneath a ship using a lead-weighted sounding line. A sailor who was feigning illness etc to avoid a hard job was said to be "swinging the lead".


T

Tack - To change direction by turning the bow through the wind.

Tack (verb) - "What is does it mean to perform a tack?": A tack is a maneuver where the boat is turned so that the bow of the boat passes through an imaginary line to where the wind comes from. At some point during the turn, the boat will be pointing directly into the wind. Tacking is the act of perfoming a tack.

Tack (noun) - "What is a tack?": The term "tack" also refers to the lower forward corner of a sail.

Tack - a starboard tack or a port tack - "Which tack are you on?": The term "starboard tack" refers to sailboat sailing where the wind is coming from the starboard (right) side of the boat. The term "port tack" refers to sailboat sailing where the wind is coming from the port (left) side of the boat.

TACKING - When you steer into the wind and the wind passes from one side to another, you're "tacking."

Tacking - Zig-zagging so as to sail directly towards the wind (and for some yachts, also away from it)

Tailshaft - A kind of metallic shafting (a rod of metal) to hold the propeller and connected to the power engine. When the tailshaft is moved, the propeller may also be moved for propulsion.

Take in - lower a sail.

Take the helm - steer the vessel.

Taking the wind out of his sails - To sail in a way that steals the wind from another ship. cf. overbear.

Tally - The operation of hauling aft the sheets, or drawing them in the direction of the ship's stern.

Teazer - A rope used as a punitive device.

Tell tales - lengths of wool or ribbon attached to a sail or shroud to indicate the airflow or apparent wind direction.

Three sheets to the wind - On a three-masted ship, having the sheets of the three lower courses loose will result in the ship meandering aimlessly downwind. Also, a sailor who has drunk strong spirits beyond his capacity.

Tidal stream - the horizontal movement of water cause by the tides.

Tide - the vertical rise and fall of the waters in the oceans in response to the gravitational forces of the sun and moon.

TILLER - A "tiller" is a bar or handle that you use to turn a vessel's rudder.

Timoneer - From the French timonnier, is a name given, on particular occasions, to the steersman of a ship.

Toe rail - a low strip running around the edge of the deck like a low bulwark. It may be shortened or have gaps in it to allow water to flow off the deck.

Toe the line or Toe the mark - At parade, sailors and soldiers were required to stand in line, their toes in line with a seam of the deck.

Togey - A rope used as a punitive device.

Topmast - The second section of the mast above the deck; formerly the upper mast, later surmounted by the topgallant mast; carrying the topsails.

Topgallant - The mast or sails above the tops.

Topsail - The second sail (counting from the bottom) up a mast. These may be either square sails or fore-and-aft ones, in which case they often "fill in" between the mast and the gaff of the sail below.

TOPSIDES - This is the bit of the vessel that's between the waterline and the deck.

Topsides - The part of the hull between the waterline and the deck. Also, Above-water hull.

Touch and go - The bottom of the ship touching the bottom, but not grounding.

Towing - The operation of drawing a vessel forward by means of long lines.

TRADE WINDS - These winds usually blow from the north east in the Northern Hemisphere and the south east in the Southern Hemisphere. Basically, sailors use them because they blow ships toward the equator.

TrackLink - NauticEds GPS Tracking App for students logbooks.

TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEME - Shipping corridors marked by buoys which separate incoming from outgoing vessels. Improperly called Sea Lanes.

TRAMPOLINE - You can try and bounce, but you probably won't get very high. This is the netting at the front of the Catamaran that you can lie on and sun yourself

TRANSOM - Essentially, the "transom" is the wall at the back of a vessel. It's a flat surface across the "stern."

Transom - A more or less flat surface across the stern of a vessel.

Transit - two fixed objects are in transit when they are in line.

Travellers - Small fittings that slide on a rod or line. The most common use is for the inboard end of the mainsheet; a more esoteric form of traveller consists of "slight iron rings, encircling the backstays, which are used for hoisting the top-gallant yards, and confining them to the backstays".

Trick - A period of time spent at the wheel ("my trick's over").

TRIM - Adjustments made to sails to maximise their efficiency. Also refers to the position of hull relative to the waterline.

Trim - to adjust the sails by easing or hardening in the sheets to obtain maximum driving force.

Trim - Relationship of ship's hull to waterline.

TRUE WIND DIRECTION - Where the wind is actually coming from

TRUE WIND - Unsurprisingly, this refers to wind. "True wind" refers to the direction and speed of the wind – it's not the wind you feel when you're on board a vessel that's moving, which is "Apparent Wind."

Turtling - When a sailboat (in particular a dinghy) capsizes to a point where the mast is pointed straight down and the hull is on the surface resembling a turtle shell.


U

Under the weather - Serving a watch on the weather side of the ship, exposed to wind and spray.

Under way - A vessel that is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.

UNDERWAY - When you start moving, your vessel is "underway." In other words, it's not moored, at anchor, or aground.

Underwater hull or underwater ship - The underwater section of a vessel beneath the waterline, normally not visible except when in drydock.

Upper-yardmen - Specially selected personnel destined for high office.

UPWIND - Sailing in a direction towards where the wind is coming from.


V

Certainly! Here are all the words starting with the letter V from the attached text, formatted as requested:

Vanishing angle - The maximum degree of heel after which a vessel becomes unable to return to an upright position.

VHF RADIO - A very high frequency radio for communication. For when yelling really loud just won't cut it.


W

WAKE - This is the path that a vessel leaves behind, when she moves across the water.

Wake - Turbulence behind a ship.

Wales - A number of strong and thick planks running length-wise along the ship, covering the lower part of the ship's side.

Warp - to move a vessel by hauling on a line or cable that is fastened to an anchor or pier; especially to move a sailing ship through a restricted place such as a harbour.

WATCH - Your skipper will assign you a "watch" on board ­– this is a length of time when you have to work with your fellow watch members.

Watch - A period of time during which a part of the crew is on duty. Changes of watch are marked by strokes on the ship's bell.

WATER - The wet, blue bit your yacht floats on

WATERLINE - This isn't just an imaginary line, it's actually painted onto the hull. It shows the point a vessel will float to when it's properly "trimmed."

Watercraft - Water transport vessels. Ships, boats, personal water craft.

Waterline - The line where ship meets the sea

WAY - When a vessel moves though water, it makes "way." Such as, "headway," "sternway," or "leeway."

Weather gage - Favorable position over another sailing vessel to with respect to the wind.

Weather deck - Whichever deck is that exposed to the weather – usually either the main deck or, in larger vessels, the upper deck.

Weather side - The weather side of a ship is the side exposed to the wind.

Weatherhelm - If the helm was centered, the boat would turn towards the wind (weather). Consequently, the tiller must be pulled to the windward side of the boat in order to make the boat sail in a straight line. See leehelm.

Weatherly - A ship that is easily sailed and maneuvered; makes little leeway when sailing to windward.

Weigh anchor - To heave up (an anchor) preparatory to sailing.

Wells - Places in the ship's hold for the pumps.

Wheelhouse - Location on a ship where the steering wheel is located, often interchanged with pilothouse and bridge.

White Horses - Waves in wind strong enough to produce foam or spray on the wave tops.

Wide berth - To leave room between two ships moored (berthed) to allow space for maneuver.

WINCH - A rotating, horizontal drum, powered either by an electric motor or human cranking

WINCH HANDLE - The instrument used to crank a winch. Not a Two Ronnies sketch

Winch - a fitting designed to assist the crew hauling in or easing out line.

Winch handle - a removable handle used for operating a winch.

Windage - Wind resistance of the boat.

Windbound - A condition wherein the ship is detained in one particular station by contrary winds.

Windlass - A winch mechanism, usually with a horizontal axis. Used where mechanical advantage greater than that obtainable by block and tackle was needed (such as raising the anchor on small ships). Modern sailboats use an electric "Windlass" to raise the anchor.

Windlass - the winch used for lifting the anchor.

WINDWARD - It's tough to sail "windward," because it means into the wind!

Windward - In the direction that the wind is coming from.


X


Y

YACHT - Boat, ship, sailboat; the wooden, aluminium, fibreglass or carbon fibre thing that floats and is largely powered by the wind, which it catches in its sails

Yard - The horizontal spar from which a square sail is suspended.

Yardarm - The very end of a yard. Often mistaken for a "yard", which refers to the entire spar. As in to hang "from the yardarm" and the sun being "over the yardarm" (late enough to have a drink).

Yarr - Acknowledgement of an order, or agreement.

Yaw - A vessel's motion rotating about the vertical axis, so the bow yaws from side to side.


Z

ZODIAC - A type of inflatable boat. Also a horoscope system, but that's not going to help you much at sea.


Wow, that got way longer than expected, thanks for making it all this way with us!



Putting It All Together: A Day in the Life of a Sailor

Now that we've navigated through the far stretching waters of sailing terminology, let's see how these terms come together in a typical day at sea.


As the sun peeks over the horizon, our intrepid sailor rises from her berth in the cabin, ready to get underway. She heads to the galley for a quick breakfast before climbing up to the deck. The skipper calls out, "All hands on deck! We're about to cast off!"


Our sailor helps to stow the fenders and cast off the mooring lines. As they leave the lee of the harbor, the skipper orders, "Raise the mainsail and unfurl the jib!" The crew works together, using the halyards to hoist the sails, trimming them carefully as they catch the wind.

The yacht heels slightly as it picks up speed, its hull cutting through the waves and leaving a foamy wake behind. "We're on a port tack," the skipper announces. "Keep an eye on those telltales!"


As they sail further from shore, the wind picks up. "Looks like we might need to reef soon," our sailor observes, noticing the whitecaps forming on the waves. The skipper nods in agreement, keeping a watchful eye on the situation.


Suddenly, dark clouds appear on the horizon. "Squall coming up to windward!" calls the lookout from the bow. "All hands prepare to jibe!" the skipper shouts. The crew springs into action, ready to execute the maneuver that will turn them away from the approaching storm.

As they successfully complete the jibe, the skipper grins. "Well done, crew! That was some fine sailing. Now, let's head back to port before this weather gets any worse."


And so, our sailor's day comes to an end as they navigate back to the harbor, drop sail, and tie up at the dock. As she steps off the boat onto the pier, she smiles to herself, knowing that she's not just learned a new language – she's experienced the true joy of sailing.

Remember, the world of sailing terminology is as vast and deep as the ocean itself. This guide is just the tip of the iceberg (which, by the way, is something you definitely want to avoid while sailing). The more time you spend on the water, the more natural these terms will become. So don't be afraid to jump in and get your feet wet – figuratively speaking, of course!

Phrases like 'learn the ropes' and loose ends', was it really bette in the good old days?
That's a lot of ropes and loose ends,

Fair winds and following seas, sailors. May your journeys be smooth and your nautical vocabulary ever-expanding!