Search
by letter: A B C
D E F G
H I J K
L M N O
P Q R S
T U V W
X Y Z
A
Abeam
- off the beam or on the side of the boat
Aft - towards the stern of the boat; to move aft is
to move back
Aladdin cleat - a cleat that attaches to the backstay
over the cockpit, usually used for hanging a lantern
Astern - in the direction of, or behind, the stern
B
Backstay
- a support wire that runs from the top of the mast to the
stern
Beam - the width of the boat at its widest, usually
the middle
Bearing - direction according to compass
Berth - sleeping bunk aboard the boat
Bow - forward part of a boat
Bulkhead - a partition below decks that separates one
part of the vessel from another
Buoy - an anchored float marking a position on the
water
C
Capsize
- to turn a boat over
Catamaran - a twin-hulled boat
Cleat - a two-horned fitting for securing a line
D
Dinghy
- a small open boat, usually carried aboard a yacht for going
ashore
E
F
Fathom
- nautical measurement equivalent to a depth of six feet
G
GPS
- global positioning system; uses satellites in fixed orbits
Gybe - also jibe; to turn the boat downwind from one
side of the wind to the other
H
Hard
over - turning the wheel as far as possible
Headsail - a sail forward of the mast
Heel - the lean of a sailboat when sailing; the extent
of the tilt of the boat
Helm - the wheel
Hoist - to raise aloft
I
J
Jib
- a foresail
Jibe - also gybe; to turn the boat downwind from one
side of the wind to the other
K
Knot
- a nautical mile (equivalent to 1.15 miles or 1.852 kilometres).
Also, a fastening made by interweaving rope to form various
tangles
L
Latitude
- an angular measurement or distance measured in degrees,
north or south from the equator - which is 0
Lee - the side sheltered from the wind
Leeward - downwind
List - inclination of a boat due to excess weight on
one side or the other
Longitude - distance in degrees east or west of Greenwich,
England, meridian - which is 0
M
N
Nautical
mile - one minute of latitude; approximately 6076 feet
- about 1/8 longer than the statute mile of 5280 feet
O
P
Pinch
- to sail as close as possible towards the wind
Port - the left side of the boat when looking forward
Q
R
Reef
- to shorten sail, usually by partially lowering it and tying
it off with reefing lines
Rudder - a fin under the stern of the vessel used steering
S
Sheet
- a rope which controls (trims) a sail
Spinnaker - a large, light sail used in downward sailing
Starboard
- the right side of the boat when looking forward
Staysail - On a cutter this is the sail located between
the jib and the main sail
Stern - the rear of the boat
T
Trim
- to adjust the sails
Trimaran - a boat with three hulls
U
V
W
Wake
- the swell caused by a boat passing through water
Winch - mechanical device for hauling in a line
Windward - toward the direction from which the wind
is coming
X
Y
Yaw,
Yawing - to turn from side to side in an uneven course
Z
