Nautical Glossary

ABAFT - Behind, toward a vessel's stern.

ABEAM - Off the side, amidships, at right angles to the fore and aft line.

ADRIFT - Not made fast, floating loose, at mercy of wind and current.

AFT - At, near, or toward the stern.

AGROUND - Touching or stuck on the bottom.

AHEAD - In front of the vessel, forward; opposite of astern.

ALOFT - Above deck, usually in the rigging.

AMIDSHIPS - In or toward a boat's middle part, between the sides or between bow and stern.

ANCHOR - Device used to secure boat to bottom of body of water.

ASTERN - At any point behind the boat, backward.

ATHWART - At right angles to the fore-and-aft line of a vessel.

BACK - Change in direction of the wind in counterclockwise direction, see veer.

BACKSTAY - Part of the standing rigging, usually cable, that supports the mast from aft.

BALLAST - Extra weight carried low in a vessel to increase stability.

BATTEN - Stiffening strip placed in leech of sail. Also, a wooden strip fastened over seam to stop leakage.

BEACON - A marked post located on a shoal or bank to warn vessels of danger or to mark a channel. A signal mark on land; a light or radio signal.

BEAM - The extreme width of a vessel. A horizontal athwartship support for the deck.

BEAR OFF - Steer away from the wind, shore or any object.

BEARING - the angular direction in which an object is observed with respect to a reference direction or another object.

BELAY - Secure a line without a knot or hitch. Also, command to stop or cease action.

BELOW - Beneath the deck.

BEND - Secure a sail fast to a spar or stay. Also, know to secure a line to another line or object such as an anchor.

BIGHT - Open or closed loop in a line or rope.

BILGE - The lowest art of the ship's interior.

BITTER END - The inboard (free) end of a line or rope.

BOLLARD - Stout post on wharf or pier for securing mooring lines.

BOOM - Spar used to extend and control foot of fore-and-aft sail.

BOW - The forward part of a vessel.

BROACH - The turning of a boat broadside to the wind or waves, subjecting it to possible capsizing.

BULKHEAD - A vertical partition or wall.

BULWARK - Extension of topsides above deck.

CAPSIZE - To turn over, upset.

CAST OFF - To let go a line, as to cast off a bow line.

CENTERBOARD - A board that is lowered through a slot in the keep to reduce leeway.

CHINE - Intersection of sidesand bottom of a boat.

CHOCK - A deck fitting to guide aline where it leaves the boat. Also a wedge or bracketto keep articles from shifting.

CLEAT - A fitting, securedto the deck, mast, or spar, having two projection hornsto which lines are made fast.

CLEW - Aft, lower cornerof a sail.

CLOSE HAULED - Sailing as directly into thewind as possible, also, on the wind.

COAMING - A raisedsection around a hatch or cockpit to keep out water.

COCKPIT - Well or sunken space in the deck.

COME ABOUT - Significantcourse change in sailing to bring the bow through the windor tack.

COMPASS ERROR - Combined effect of variation anddeviation.

COURSE - Intended direction for a boat to besteered.

DECK - Horizontal covering resting on the deckbeams of a vessel, the floor of any compartment.

DEVIATION - Disturbing effect of boat's magnetic field upon its compass.

DINGHY - A small open boat used as a lifeboat for a yacht.

DOCK - The area of water between two landing piers. Alsoused to denote a pier or wharf.

DRAFT - The depth a vesselsinks when afloat, as measured vertically from the waterline to the lowest point.

DROGUE - Object streamed fromboat to decrease speed, sea anchor.

FAIRLEAD - Fittingto route control lines or cables.

FAIRWAY - Marine thoroughfare.

FATHOM - A unit of length used in measuring water depth.One fathom is 6 feet.

FENDER - A protector hung over theside between the boat and a pier or another vessel.

FLARE - The outward curve of a vessel's side near the bow.

FLUKE - Flattened end of an anchor arm which bites into the ground.

FORE - Prefix denoting at, near, or towards the bow.

FOUL - Not clear, jammed.

FOUL GROUND - A place not suitablefor anchoring.

FREEBOARD - Vertical distance from the lowestpart of the deck (or flow-through point in transom) towaterline.

GAFF - Spar which supports the upper side ofa fore-and-aft four-sided sail. Also, long-handed hookto bring fish aboard.

GAFF RIGGED - A sailboat whose principalsail is supported by a gaff.

GEAR - A general name forropes, blocks, tackle and other equipment used with ouraboard a boat.

GIVE-WAY BOAT - One that does not have theright-of-way and should avoid the stand-on boat.

GROUNDTACKLE - An anchor and anchoring gear.

GUNWALE - The partof a vessel where hull and deck meet. (Pronounced "gun'l")

HALYARD - Line for hoisting sails or flags.

HATCH - A covered openingin the deck.

HEAD - A boat's toilet. Also the upper cornerof a triangular sail. The foremost part of a vessel.

HEADING - Direction in which a boat is pointing at a given moment.

HEAVE - To throw, as to heave a line ashore. The rise andfall of a vessel in a seaway.

HEAVE TO - To bring a vesselto a position where she will maintain little or no headway,usually with the bow into the wind or nearly so.

HEEL -The leaning of a vessel to one side such as caused by thewind.

HELM - The apparatus by which a vessel by which avessel is steered, including the rudder.

HULL - The mainbody of a vessel exclusive of spars and rigging.

JIB -Triangular sail set on a stay forward of the mast.

JIBE - Hanging sail from one side to another with wind astern.

KEEL - The main structural member of a hull (backbone):underwater extension of hull to increase lateral resistanceand stability.

KNOT - A nautical mile-per-hour measureof speed. A nautical mile is approximately 6076 feed. (Astature mile is 5280 feet.) Also a means for joining twolines together or fastening a line to an object.

LEE SHORE - One onto which wind or current could force a boat.

LEESIDE - The side opposite that from which the wind blows.

LEEWARD - Direction away from the wind: downwind. (Pronouncedloo-rd.)

LEEWAY - Sidewise movement of a boat through thewater, caused by wind or current.

LIE TO - See heave to.

LIST - The leaning of a vessel to one side caused by misplacedgear or shifting cargo.

LUFF - Forward edge of a fore-and-aftsail.

LUFFING - To luff or luff up is to head into thewind causing sails to flutter.

MAINSAIL - Boat's principalsail, set aft of mainmast.

MARLINESPIKE SEAMANSHIP - Generalknowledge of knots, bends, hitches, splices and care ofrope.

NAUTICAL MILE - Unit of distance equal to 6076.1feet.

OUTHAUL - Line or device used to tension the footof a sail.

PAINTER - A line tied to the bow of a dinghyfor towing or making fast.

PAY OUT - Slacken or let outline.

PENDANT - Short rope serving as an extension of aline, chain, cable with a descriptive name based on use,e.g. mooring pendant.

PENNANT - Emblematic flag.

PIER -A loading platform extending out from the shore.

PITCHPOLE - Capsize end over end.

PORT - The left side of a vessel,looking forward. A place in which a boat can find shelter.Also, an opening in the side of a vessel.

QUARTER - Afterpartof a vessel's side (port quarter, starboard quarter).

REACH - Point of sailing with wind near the beam.

RELATIVE BEARING - Direction of an object relative to a boat's heading.

SCOPE - The ratio of length of an anchor line to the depthof water. The "depth" includes the height ofthe chock above the water, sometimes thought of as thelength of rode.

SCUPPER - An opening in a deck or cockpitpermitting water to drain out.

SEA ANCHOR - Device usedfor slowing a boat down, drogue.

SHEET - Line used to positiona sail relative to the wind.

SHROUD - Standing riggingthat supports a mast laterally.

SKEG - An extension ofthe keep for protection of propeller and rudder.

SLACKWATER - Minimum velocity of tidal current, sometimes abbreviated "slack".

SPEED - Rate of motion.

STAND-ON BOAT - One that has theright of way and should maintain her course and speed.

STARBOARD - The right side of a vessel looking forward.

STAYS - Standing rigging that supports a mast fore andaft.

STEM - The leading edge of a vessel's hull.

STERN - The after end of a vessel.

SWAMP - To fill with water.

TOPSIDE - On or above a weather deck, a deck wholly exposedto the elements.

TOPSIDES - The sides of a vessel betweenthe waterline and the deck.

TRANSOM - The athwartship portionof a hull at the stern.

TRIM - The longitudinal balanceof a boat. If either the bow or the stern is depressed,the vessel is said to be down by the bow or down by thestern. Also, to adjust the set of a sail.

VEER - Wind veerswhen its direction changes clockwise.

WAKE - The disturbedwater following a moving vessel.

WASH - The rush or sweepingof waves on a bank, shore or vessel.

WAY - Movement ofa vessel through the water such as headway, sternway orleeway.

WHARF - Manmade structure parallel to the shorelinefor loading, unloading or making fast.

WHIPPING - Methodof binding the end of a rope with small twine.

WINDWARD - The direction from which the wind is blowing.

YAW - Toswing off course, caused by the action of waves or poorsteering.