A Nautical Glossary of Yachting and Sailing Terms
Written By: Rob Bowman
If you've ever watched experienced sailors working aboard a vessel, you may have been baffled by the dizzying array of nautical terms they throw around. What is the beam, and how does it relate to the boom? Which end of the boat is the bow, and which is the stern? What about port and starboard? And just what is a baggywrinkle?
Even if you've been sailing a few times, you may not know all of the terms sailors use. And while you can have a fun, relaxing day on the water without being a nautical vocabulary expert, maybe you just want to know more. If you're interested in the world of yacht racing, you'll definitely want to brush up on your terminology. In the heat of the moment, you don't want to be confused when your skipper tells you to trim the mainsail or tack into the wind. Finally, knowing more sailing terms may just help you to appreciate how much effort goes into corralling a sailing vessel.
Anchor: This can be either a noun, referring to the metal hook used to secure a boat in place, or a verb, meaning to deploy the aforementioned hook.
Apparent Wind: All of the wind affecting the vessel, including natural wind and the headwind caused by the vessel's forward motion
Ashore: On land, as opposed to aboard the vessel
Baggywrinkle: A soft covering used to surround rigging and protect it from chafing
Bareboat: A vessel that can be chartered without a provided crew. The person or group hiring the charter crews the boat.
Beam : The vessel's width, measured at its widest point
Berths: This term can refer to a sleeping space on a vessel or a location in port for mooring vessels. "Berth" is also used to mean the minimum safe distance from another vessel or object.
Boom: A large wooden or metal pole for attaching sails
Bow: The front of the vessel (rhymes with "wow"); opposite of stern
Bridle: A bridle divides the strain caused by anchoring between two points. This minimizes jolting and impact to the vessel from drifting and also reduces wear over time.
Cabins: Bedrooms on a boat or other water vessel
Catamaran: A vessel with two hulls, often abbreviated to "cat"
Chart: A map of the waterways used to plot a course and determine current position
Dinghy: A small boat used to travel between ship and shore
Draft: The depth of the vessel's lowest point in the water
Dunsel: Any part of the vessel (including crew) that serves no purpose
Ease: To release the tension on rigging, often to let out the sails in a controlled manner
Fender: A boat's bumper (frequently made of rubber), which is used to prevent damage when docking
Flemish: A way to stow a line that's not currently in use by coiling it to lie flat
Flotilla: A grouping of military vessels
Forepeaks: The front part of the vessel's hold, which is often used for storage
Galley: The vessel's food preparation area
Genoa: A large, front-mounted sail that is used to increase speed during periods of light winds
Gybe: To turn the vessel's stern through the wind and maximize the wind's angle to the sail
Halyard: Rope used to raise sails and flags
Heads: The vessel's sanitary facilities
Head to Wind: A position with the vessel's bow heading into the direction of the wind, rendering forward motion and maneuvering difficult or impossible
Hold: The space inside the vessel's hull
Helm: The vessel's steering wheel or tiller
Hull: The bottom and sides of the vessel, which float in the water and lend buoyancy
Iron Mike: A nautical autopilot system
Itinerary: The vessel's travel plan, consisting of a schedule of destinations and activities
Keel: The main fin on the underside of the vessel, which provides stability in the water
Knot: A loop of rope, which can be tied in a variety of ways, or a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour
Lazyjack: A system of rope lines that connect the vessel's mast to its boom
LOA: Length over all, the hull's maximum length
LWL: Load waterline length, the length of the portion of the vessel that's in contact with the water
Mainsail: The largest sail on the vessel, used to catch as much wind as possible to generate speed
Mast: The big metal pole that rises from the bottom of the yacht into the sky. The sails are hoisted up it using a complicated series of halyards.
Med Mooring: A technique performed by reversing into a gap to park with the vessel's stern toward the quay
Monohull: A vessel with a single hull
Mooring: Parking a vessel by attaching it to a structure
Nautical Mile: A measure of distance equal to 1,852 meters
Navigation: Planning and tracking the vessel's location and intended path
Ocean: One of the large bodies of saltwater covering most of Earth
Port: The left side of the vessel when facing the bow
Prow: Another term for the bow, or front, of the vessel
Quay: A platform used for loading and unloading vessels, also known as a wharf
Reefing: To reduce the size of the sail in order to slow the vessel or add stability in windy conditions
Rip Rap: A breakwater made of rubble and rocks, often surrounding a lighthouse or harbor
Sails: The large fabric components of a vessel that capture wind for propulsion and maneuvering
Saloon: The vessel's living area
Skipper: The vessel's captain
Starboard: The right side of the vessel when facing the bow
Stern: The rear of the vessel
Tacking: Turning toward the wind to change the angle of the wind on the sails
Trampoline: An area of netting toward the front of a catamaran that reduces forward weight and allows water to pass through
Trim: To adjust the sails to maximize their efficiency
True Wind Direction: The direction from which the wind is blowing
Water: The natural liquid that gives vessels buoyancy
Waterline: Where the vessel's hull meets the water
Winch: A machine that provides mechanical advantage for the raising and lowering of anchors
Winch Handle: The part of the winch that the user turns
Yacht: A general term for vessels used for racing or pleasure boating
Additional Information on Sailing and Yachting
- How to Get Into Sailing
- Boating Skills You Need
- Animated Guide to Boating Knots
- How to Tie Nautical Knots
- Rules of the Waterways
- Navigation Rules for Vessels
- U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules
- Markers on the Water
- Navigation Lights and How to Read Them
- Modern Sailboat Navigation Stations
- Sailing Yacht Maintenance and Safety
- Sailboat Maintenance Checklist
- Types of Sailboats
- Sailboat Docking
- Heaving To: Parking Your Boat Without Anchoring
- How to Dock a Sailboat Before a Storm
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