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Saltwater Suzi and Cap'n Larry's advice for the cash-starved boater
How to Sound Salty
ABAFT - Toward the stern of a boat, relative to some other part of the boat. For instance, “abaft the mainmast” indicates the area between the mainmast and the stern (back) of the boat or “abaft the fore hatch” indicates all or any of the area behind the fore hatch.
Abaft the beam - Further aft than the beam: a relative bearing of greater than 90 degrees from the bow: "two points abaft the port beam" (A point is about 11 ¼ degree - 2 points would be 22 ½ degrees.)
Abandon Ship - An order to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent danger. The passengers and crew must use life boats, life rafts or lifejackets when abandoning ship.
Abeam - At right angles to the centerline of a boat. Sometimes used in reference to the relative position of another object, as in “We are abeam of the Thomas Point Lighthouse.”
Adrift - Floating without control - except by wind and current.
Aft - At or toward the stern <http://www.sailfree.com/Terminology/terminol.htm> of a boat.
Aground - A boat resting on or touching sea bottom.
Ahead - Forward of the bow.
Ahoy - Word used to attract attention or hail another vessels attention.
Ahull - A vessel being driven by wind and waves. Not to be confused with adrift, ahull, as in “lying ahull” is sometimes done intentionally, lowering all sails to wait out a storm.
Alee - The side of a boat opposite to the source of the wind
Amidships - The middle area of a boat.
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 or plough-like object designed to grip the bottom under the body of water.
Anchor ball - Round black shape hoisted in the forepart of a vessel to show that it is anchored. Used in other than a designated anchorage.
Anchor buoy - A small buoy secured by a light line to anchor to indicate position of anchor on bottom.
Anchor chain or anchor cable - Chain connecting a vessel to its anchor.
Anchor light - White light displayed by a ship at anchor. Two such lights are displayed by a ship over 150 feet in length.
Anchorage - A suitable place for a ship to anchor, often designated on a nautical chart
Apparent wind - The combination of the true wind and the wind caused by the boat's own speed. This is the wind felt on the boat, as well as the one shown by the telltales
Aspect ratio - Concerns sails - the ratio of height to the length. A narrow but tall sail has a high aspect ratio, and a wide but shorter sail has a low aspect ratio.
Astern - Toward the boat's stern
Athwartship - At right angles to the centerline of the boat.
Autopilot - A device - may be electronic or mechanical - used for keeping the boat on course without having to steer it. It uses a compass or a G.P.S. for guidance and is attached to the boat's steering mechanism.
Back a sail - To hold a sail in such a way, that the wind will fill it from the opposite to usual side. This maneuver is used to slow down the boat (as if applying brakes), or to force a boat to tack when in irons.
Backing wind - A change in wind direction running counterclockwise, as in from west to southwest, and then south.
Backstay - A rigging wire used to keep the mast from moving forward, as well as to vary the amount of bend in the mast.
Backwinded - If your sails are filled with the wind on the opposite side to what you want (for example, if they are trimmed for the starboard tack, but you get the wind from the port side), you are said to be backwinded.
Baggywrinkle - A soft covering for cables (or any other obstructions) that prevents sail chafing from occurring.
Bail - To get rid of water accumulated in the boat.
Ballast - A very heavy material, such as lead or iron, placed in the keel of the boat, or in the bilge. It is used to provide stability.
Bare poles - In a very strong wind it is possible to be propelled by the force of the wind on only the mast and the boom. To sail in such a way is called "bare poles".
Battens - Thin strips of wood or plastic inserted into batten pockets used to stiffen the leech (to preserve the shape of the sail).
Beam - The widest part of a boat.
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.
Bearing - A direction an object is relative to the observer. This can be an "absolute bearing" with compass directions - (for instance, bearing 30 degrees true) or "relative bearing" such as “2 points abaft of port beam”.
Beating - Sailing closer to the wind than about about 60° (see also reaching, running and tacking).
Beaufort scale - The scale describing wind force in which winds are graded by the effect of their force. Learn More about it by clicking here.
Belay - to secure a line, for instance to a cleat or bitt; also, to cause to stop.
Belaying pins - Bars of iron or hard wood to which running rigging may be secured, or belayed.
Bend - A knot used to join two ropes or lines. Also see hitch.
Berth - A bed on a boat, or a space in a port or harbor where a boat may be tied up.
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.
Bilge keels - A pair of keels on either side of the hull, usually slanted outwards. In yachts, they allow the use of a drying mooring, the boat left standing on the keels as the tide goes out.
Bimini - Weather-resistant fabric stretched over a metal frame, fastened above the cockpit of a sailboat or flybridge of a powerboat which serves as a rain or sun shade.
Binnacle - The stand on which a vessel’s compass is mounted.
Bitt - A post mounted on the ship's bow, for fastening ropes or cables.
Bitter end - The anchor cable is tied to the bitts, when the cable is fully paid out, the bitter end has been reached. Also, the last part of a rope or cable.
Block - A pulley. Often with more than one wheel (sheave being the proper name) to increase its mechanical advantage.
Boatswain (pronounced bosun) - A non-commissioned officer responsible for the sails, ropes and boats on a ship who issues "piped" commands to seamen. This definition is here only because the term “bosun’s chair” is often used aboard sailboats. A bosun’s chair attached to a hlayrd is what a crew member sits in when he climbs up the mast.
Bobstay - A stay which holds the bowsprit (or boomkin) downwards, counteracting the effect of the forestay (or backstay). Usually made of wire or chain to eliminate stretch.
Bollard - A substantial vertical pillar to which lines may be made fast. Generally on the pier rather than the ship.
Boltrope - A reinforcing rope along the luff or the foot of the sail, it is slid into a slot along the edge of a spar.
Boom- A spar (a wooden or metal pole) attached to the mast at approximately a right angle, used to support the foot of a sail.
Boom vang or vang - A sail control that lets one apply downward tension on a 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.
Boomkin - Short spar extend from the stern of a boat used to anchor the backstay or sheets from the mizzen sail. Occasionally refered to as Bumpkin
Buoy - A floating object of defined shape and color, which is anchored at a given position and serves as an aid to navigation.
Bow - The front end of a boat.
Bowline - A type of knot, producing a strong loop of a fixed size. You should practice tying this knot until you can do it easily.
Bowsprit - A spar projecting from the bow used as an anchor for the forestay and other rigging.
Breakers - Waves that have entered a shallow water, and built up on height. By doing this they "break" at the crest producing a curled up formation.
Bulkhead- An upright wall within the hull of a ship. usually a load bearing wall.
Bulwark - The extension of the ship's side above the level of the deck.
Canoe stern - A design for the stern of a yacht which is pointed, like a bow, rather than squared off as a transom.
Cardinal - Referring to the four main points of the compass: north, south, east and west.
Careening- Cause the ship to tilt on its side, usually to clean or repair the hull below the water line.
Catamaran - A vessel with two hulls.
Catboat - A cat-rigged vessel with only one sail, usually on a gaff.
Centreboard - A pivoting board lowered through the hull of a boat on the centerline to resist leeway.
Centerboard Trunk - A compartment where the centerboard resides.
Centerline - The center of the boat: from the stern to the bow. Also refered to as the “Lubber Line”
Chafing - Wear on line or sail caused by rubbing against another surface.
Chafing gear - Material applied to a line or spar to prevent or reduce chafing.
Chart - A nautical map.
Chine- The intersection between the side and bottom of a boat. A hard chine has a sharp angle - a soft chine is rounded.
Chock - any of various heavy metal fittings on a deck or wharf that serve as fairleads for cables or chains sheets or lines.
Cleat - A fitting for securing a line. It can be wooden, metal or nylon.
Clew - An aft corner of a triangular sail.
Close-hauled - Of a vessel beating as close to the wind direction as possible.
Coaming - The raised edge of a hatch or cockpit to help keep out water.
Cockpit - The boat area from where the crew operates the boat. Some boats have a center cockpit - most have a cockpit aft.
Coming about - Turning the boat so that the wind is on the opposite side of the sails by passing the bow of the boat through the direction from which the wind is blowing
Companionway - A raised hatchway in a vessel’s deck, with a ladder leading below; also the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins.
Cringle - A rope loop, usually at the corners of a sail, for fixing the sail to a spar. They are often reinforced with a metal eye.
Cuddy - A small cabin in a boat.
Cunningham - A line used to control the shape of a sail.
Daggerboard - A type of centerboard that is lifted vertically; often used in pairs.
’Davy Jones Locker - A reference to “the bottom of the sea.”
Daybeacon - An unlighted fixed structure which is equipped with a dayboard for daytime identification.
Deadrise - The design angle between the keel and horizontal.
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.
Downhaul - A line used to control either a mobile spar, or the shape of a sail.
Draft - The depth of a vessel's keel below the waterline. It is important to know this dimension and compare it with the depth of the water. Once the draft exceeds the water depth, the vessel is no longer afloat. See Aground.
Abaft the beam - Further aft than the beam: a relative bearing of greater than 90 degrees from the bow: "two points abaft the port beam" (A point is about 11 ¼ degree - 2 points would be 22 ½ degrees.)
Abandon Ship - An order to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent danger. The passengers and crew must use life boats, life rafts or lifejackets when abandoning ship.
Abeam - At right angles to the centerline of a boat. Sometimes used in reference to the relative position of another object, as in “We are abeam of the Thomas Point Lighthouse.”
Adrift - Floating without control - except by wind and current.
Aft - At or toward the stern <http://www.sailfree.com/Terminology/terminol.htm> of a boat.
Aground - A boat resting on or touching sea bottom.
Ahead - Forward of the bow.
Ahoy - Word used to attract attention or hail another vessels attention.
Ahull - A vessel being driven by wind and waves. Not to be confused with adrift, ahull, as in “lying ahull” is sometimes done intentionally, lowering all sails to wait out a storm.
Alee - The side of a boat opposite to the source of the wind
Amidships - The middle area of a boat.
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 or plough-like object designed to grip the bottom under the body of water.
Anchor ball - Round black shape hoisted in the forepart of a vessel to show that it is anchored. Used in other than a designated anchorage.
Anchor buoy - A small buoy secured by a light line to anchor to indicate position of anchor on bottom.
Anchor chain or anchor cable - Chain connecting a vessel to its anchor.
Anchor light - White light displayed by a ship at anchor. Two such lights are displayed by a ship over 150 feet in length.
Anchorage - A suitable place for a ship to anchor, often designated on a nautical chart
Apparent wind - The combination of the true wind and the wind caused by the boat's own speed. This is the wind felt on the boat, as well as the one shown by the telltales
Aspect ratio - Concerns sails - the ratio of height to the length. A narrow but tall sail has a high aspect ratio, and a wide but shorter sail has a low aspect ratio.
Astern - Toward the boat's stern
Athwartship - At right angles to the centerline of the boat.
Autopilot - A device - may be electronic or mechanical - used for keeping the boat on course without having to steer it. It uses a compass or a G.P.S. for guidance and is attached to the boat's steering mechanism.
Back a sail - To hold a sail in such a way, that the wind will fill it from the opposite to usual side. This maneuver is used to slow down the boat (as if applying brakes), or to force a boat to tack when in irons.
Backing wind - A change in wind direction running counterclockwise, as in from west to southwest, and then south.
Backstay - A rigging wire used to keep the mast from moving forward, as well as to vary the amount of bend in the mast.
Backwinded - If your sails are filled with the wind on the opposite side to what you want (for example, if they are trimmed for the starboard tack, but you get the wind from the port side), you are said to be backwinded.
Baggywrinkle - A soft covering for cables (or any other obstructions) that prevents sail chafing from occurring.
Bail - To get rid of water accumulated in the boat.
Ballast - A very heavy material, such as lead or iron, placed in the keel of the boat, or in the bilge. It is used to provide stability.
Bare poles - In a very strong wind it is possible to be propelled by the force of the wind on only the mast and the boom. To sail in such a way is called "bare poles".
Battens - Thin strips of wood or plastic inserted into batten pockets used to stiffen the leech (to preserve the shape of the sail).
Beam - The widest part of a boat.
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.
Bearing - A direction an object is relative to the observer. This can be an "absolute bearing" with compass directions - (for instance, bearing 30 degrees true) or "relative bearing" such as “2 points abaft of port beam”.
Beating - Sailing closer to the wind than about about 60° (see also reaching, running and tacking).
Beaufort scale - The scale describing wind force in which winds are graded by the effect of their force. Learn More about it by clicking here.
Belay - to secure a line, for instance to a cleat or bitt; also, to cause to stop.
Belaying pins - Bars of iron or hard wood to which running rigging may be secured, or belayed.
Bend - A knot used to join two ropes or lines. Also see hitch.
Berth - A bed on a boat, or a space in a port or harbor where a boat may be tied up.
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.
Bilge keels - A pair of keels on either side of the hull, usually slanted outwards. In yachts, they allow the use of a drying mooring, the boat left standing on the keels as the tide goes out.
Bimini - Weather-resistant fabric stretched over a metal frame, fastened above the cockpit of a sailboat or flybridge of a powerboat which serves as a rain or sun shade.
Binnacle - The stand on which a vessel’s compass is mounted.
Bitt - A post mounted on the ship's bow, for fastening ropes or cables.
Bitter end - The anchor cable is tied to the bitts, when the cable is fully paid out, the bitter end has been reached. Also, the last part of a rope or cable.
Block - A pulley. Often with more than one wheel (sheave being the proper name) to increase its mechanical advantage.
Boatswain (pronounced bosun) - A non-commissioned officer responsible for the sails, ropes and boats on a ship who issues "piped" commands to seamen. This definition is here only because the term “bosun’s chair” is often used aboard sailboats. A bosun’s chair attached to a hlayrd is what a crew member sits in when he climbs up the mast.
Bobstay - A stay which holds the bowsprit (or boomkin) downwards, counteracting the effect of the forestay (or backstay). Usually made of wire or chain to eliminate stretch.
Bollard - A substantial vertical pillar to which lines may be made fast. Generally on the pier rather than the ship.
Boltrope - A reinforcing rope along the luff or the foot of the sail, it is slid into a slot along the edge of a spar.
Boom- A spar (a wooden or metal pole) attached to the mast at approximately a right angle, used to support the foot of a sail.
Boom vang or vang - A sail control that lets one apply downward tension on a 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.
Boomkin - Short spar extend from the stern of a boat used to anchor the backstay or sheets from the mizzen sail. Occasionally refered to as Bumpkin
Buoy - A floating object of defined shape and color, which is anchored at a given position and serves as an aid to navigation.
Bow - The front end of a boat.
Bowline - A type of knot, producing a strong loop of a fixed size. You should practice tying this knot until you can do it easily.
Bowsprit - A spar projecting from the bow used as an anchor for the forestay and other rigging.
Breakers - Waves that have entered a shallow water, and built up on height. By doing this they "break" at the crest producing a curled up formation.
Bulkhead- An upright wall within the hull of a ship. usually a load bearing wall.
Bulwark - The extension of the ship's side above the level of the deck.
Canoe stern - A design for the stern of a yacht which is pointed, like a bow, rather than squared off as a transom.
Cardinal - Referring to the four main points of the compass: north, south, east and west.
Careening- Cause the ship to tilt on its side, usually to clean or repair the hull below the water line.
Catamaran - A vessel with two hulls.
Catboat - A cat-rigged vessel with only one sail, usually on a gaff.
Centreboard - A pivoting board lowered through the hull of a boat on the centerline to resist leeway.
Centerboard Trunk - A compartment where the centerboard resides.
Centerline - The center of the boat: from the stern to the bow. Also refered to as the “Lubber Line”
Chafing - Wear on line or sail caused by rubbing against another surface.
Chafing gear - Material applied to a line or spar to prevent or reduce chafing.
Chart - A nautical map.
Chine- The intersection between the side and bottom of a boat. A hard chine has a sharp angle - a soft chine is rounded.
Chock - any of various heavy metal fittings on a deck or wharf that serve as fairleads for cables or chains sheets or lines.
Cleat - A fitting for securing a line. It can be wooden, metal or nylon.
Clew - An aft corner of a triangular sail.
Close-hauled - Of a vessel beating as close to the wind direction as possible.
Coaming - The raised edge of a hatch or cockpit to help keep out water.
Cockpit - The boat area from where the crew operates the boat. Some boats have a center cockpit - most have a cockpit aft.
Coming about - Turning the boat so that the wind is on the opposite side of the sails by passing the bow of the boat through the direction from which the wind is blowing
Companionway - A raised hatchway in a vessel’s deck, with a ladder leading below; also the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins.
Cringle - A rope loop, usually at the corners of a sail, for fixing the sail to a spar. They are often reinforced with a metal eye.
Cuddy - A small cabin in a boat.
Cunningham - A line used to control the shape of a sail.
Daggerboard - A type of centerboard that is lifted vertically; often used in pairs.
’Davy Jones Locker - A reference to “the bottom of the sea.”
Daybeacon - An unlighted fixed structure which is equipped with a dayboard for daytime identification.
Deadrise - The design angle between the keel and horizontal.
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.
Downhaul - A line used to control either a mobile spar, or the shape of a sail.
Draft - The depth of a vessel's keel below the waterline. It is important to know this dimension and compare it with the depth of the water. Once the draft exceeds the water depth, the vessel is no longer afloat. See Aground.
If you're new to boating, you're going to find that learning all the nautical words can be daunting.
We have attempted to make it a little easier by giving you here an abridged glossary of nautical nomenclature. We have not included all of the older words used on tall ships, but we have included most of the words you will hear aboard a modern sailing vessel.
The most common words we have underlined for you. Spend some time learning these, and at least become somewhat familiar with the rest of them and you'll soon sound salty or at the very least, you'll know what the Captain is talking about when he asks you to release the starboard jib sheet from the winch so you can prepare to come about.
You may wonder, "How is this going to save me money?" The cheapest way to enjoy boating is on other people's boats. If you speak the language, you're well on your way to knowing what you're doing. If you know what you're doing, you're sure to be invited back.
We have attempted to make it a little easier by giving you here an abridged glossary of nautical nomenclature. We have not included all of the older words used on tall ships, but we have included most of the words you will hear aboard a modern sailing vessel.
The most common words we have underlined for you. Spend some time learning these, and at least become somewhat familiar with the rest of them and you'll soon sound salty or at the very least, you'll know what the Captain is talking about when he asks you to release the starboard jib sheet from the winch so you can prepare to come about.
You may wonder, "How is this going to save me money?" The cheapest way to enjoy boating is on other people's boats. If you speak the language, you're well on your way to knowing what you're doing. If you know what you're doing, you're sure to be invited back.
CQR - A type of plow anchor
Baggywrinkles - those fuzzy things attached to the line next to the sail.
Traditional Style Binnacle
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