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40 Sailing Phrases to Know

By: American Sailing American Sailing , Nautical Trivia , Sailing Fun , Sailing History

In 1983, the American Sailing Association was founded by Lenny Shabes. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of sailors have become certified sailors with the ASA sailing curriculum. This year, we celebrate 40 years as the leading sailing education entity in the United States. So when you get out on the water, you can be sure that ASA-certified sailors are sailing safely and confidently.  

Sailors have a way of speaking, and the sport has its own language. Some sailing phrases are common in everyday language, while others are only really used on a sailboat. The ones common in our everyday language have a nautical origin that will make you a more enlightened sailor, as well. The ones used only on a sailboat? Well, the sailing lifestyle lends itself to a specific language to describe situations and offer comedic relief when we are at the mercy of the conditions, and those will make you smarter and more adaptable in real life as well.

With that, we want to offer 40 sailing phrases you should know, some of which you may already be acquainted with.

Enjoy these sailing phrases, and may the best sailor win at nautical trivia night!

• Batten Down the Hatches – a phrase used to prepare for a storm, or in everyday language, prepare for a difficult upcoming situation.
• Aye Aye, Captain – a form of ”aye aye, sir”. It literally means “yes, yes” and is used in the military to show that the person who says it will follow an order that has been given and will follow it before doing anything else. It also shows the person knows the order and what it is requiring him or her to do.
• Fair Winds and Following Seas – a phrase derived from two original sources that has become a nautical blessing used to wish someone good luck on their journey. Fair winds speak to favorable winds that will carry you home, and following seas speak to the direction of the waves generally pushing you in the direction of your heading.
• Sheet Happens – a humorous phrase used when something goes wrong on a sailing trip. Sheets are the lines that trim sails.
• Ship-shape and Bristol Fashion – a term used to describe something that is in good order or condition. The word is of nautical origin, based on the obligation of a sailor to keep his or her quarters arranged neatly and securely due to the limited space typically allotted to service members aboard ship, and against turbulence at sea. Bristol fashion refers to the port’s days as a bustling port of trade.
• All Hands on Deck – During a storm or other crises, the boatswain’s cry of “all hands on deck” signaled the entire crew to handle the sail. These days it is an entreaty or order for everyone to pitch in and help with a problem or reach a goal.
• Shiver Me Timbers – in everyday language, an exclamation of surprise or excitement. In nautical terms, a reference to the timbers, which are the wooden support frames of a sailing ship. In heavy seas, ships would be lifted up and pounded down so hard as to “shiver” the timbers, startling the sailors.
• Walk the Plank – Sailors, usually pirates, set a plank that would hang off the ship’s side and made the punished sailors walk to the end and meet their death in the ocean. Today it’s a metaphor for receiving a punishment or facing a situation beyond one’s control.
• Keel Over – a term used to describe a boat tipping over on its side so far that it capsizes or turns turtle. In every day language, it refers to someone tumbling or falling over.
• Even Keel – The phrase even keel describes a ship that is level and balanced with its keel perpendicular to the surface of the water. Figuratively it has come to mean a calm, stable state of mind. The opposite is to keel over meaning to capsize.
• Taken Aback – A ship is pushed backward when violent winds or a careless helmsman cause the sails to blow rearward against the mast. This sudden predicament could snap the mast or severely damage the rigging. As a figure of speech, taken aback means to be astonished by some unwelcome occurrence.
• Three Sheets to the Wind – a term used to describe someone who is drunk. The sheets are the lines that control the sails on a sailboat. If the lines are not secured — particularly the three which are the two jib sheets and the mainsheet — the sails flop in the wind, and the ship loses headway and control, like a drunk person.
• Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea – The “devil” was the topmost plank of the ship’s side closest to the deck. Caulking this long seam in the tight space was a grueling task. One false move and a sailor could find himself plunging into the water. Today someone between the devil and the deep blue sea is in a lousy situation with no good options.
• Let the Cat Out of the Bag – A whip composed of nine pieces of cord with three knots at the striking end, the cat-o’-nine-tails was one of the authorized instruments of punishment in the British Navy until 1881. It was kept in a cloth bag. A sailor who reported the misdeeds of another let the cat out of the bag.
• Scuttlebutt – a nautical term for a water dispenser, but also a term used for gossip or rumors on board a ship. A “butt” was a large wooden drinking water cask where sailors gathered around and swapped rumors and stories. On long voyages, water was rationed by carving a hole in the cask’s side so that it could only be half filled. A cask with a hole was “scuttled.” Not much has changed except we now gossip around a water cooler.
• Anchors Aweigh – a phrase used to describe the moment when an anchor is lifted from the seabed; colloquially it also has come to mean the beginning of a journey.
• A Bone in Her Teeth – a term used to describe a boat that is moving fast through the water creating a prominent bow wave that looks similar to a dog with a bone in its mouth. Has also come to mean someone who is in a hurry.
• Tide Over – To tide over was the technique of alternating between sailing and anchoring when battling headwinds and unfavorable tides. This allowed a boat to hold its position until conditions improved. The term now describes enabling someone to get through a difficult period, most commonly by lending money, or with a child, to give a snack to tide them over until dinner.
• Sailing Close to the Wind – a term used to describe sailing as close to the direction of the wind as possible (any further and you would be in irons and unable to progress). Figuratively, this phrase means to be on the verge of doing something illegal or improper.
• Cast Off – a term used to describe releasing a mooring line or anchor so a vessel can set sail; in everyday language means to “set free”, for obvious reasons!
• Dead Reckoning – used in a navigation sense primarily; a method of navigation based on estimating a ship’s position using previous positions and estimated speed and direction of travel
• Helm’s Alee – a command used when starting to turn the boat through the wind, i.e. tacking. Primarily used on a sailboat, but also an American rock band that started in the early 2000’s in Seattle.
• Square-rigged, and Squared Away – a term used to describe a ship with square sails. To be squared away, a square-rigged ship had its yards (horizontal bars that held up the sail) positioned at right angles to the deck to best catch the wind. Squared away now means to put things in order or a state of readiness.
• A Shot Across the Bow – in everyday language, a warning or threat issued to someone. In the 18th century, navies forced oncoming ships to identify themselves by firing a cannon shot over their bow. If the approaching ship hoisted enemy colors an attack might ensue. Traditionally warships had the right to disguise themselves by sailing under neutral or false flags, but once they went into battle they were required to fly their country’s true colors.
• Crow’s Nest – a platform located high on a mast used as a lookout point. The term is sometimes used metaphorically for the topmost structures in buildings, towers, etc.
• Jibe Ho – a command spoken when jibing, and the sailboat is heading downwind and across the wind. It is a warning to sit down or be clear of the boom before it swings!
• Lower the Boom – The boom is the long horizontal pole that controls the movement of the mainsail. It can deliver sailors a knockout blow if it swings wildly or collapses in heavy weather. These days the phrase means to put a stop to, chastise, or rebuke.
• Headwinds – winds blowing in the opposite direction of the ship’s movement; has also come to mean resistance or opposition to a plan, often referred to as “economic headwinds” in business.
• Sea Legs – the ability to adjust to the motion of a ship and maintain balance; To “have one’s sea legs” is to be able to walk calmly and steadily on a tossing ship, or to become accustomed to a new or strange situation
• Run Aground; or High and Dry – to be run aground is when the bottom of the boat hits the sea floor and stops the boat. For a ship to run aground in a receding tide is to be left high and dry. Getting stuck with the check when everyone else has taken off is also to be left high and dry.
• Dead in the Water – when there is no wind and the water is completely still, giving no chance of any sailing. The phrase also means a proposal or plan with zero chance of success.
• Fathom – a unit of measurement for depth, equal to six feet. This nautical unit of measurement is based on the span of a man’s outstretched arms. The word comes from the Old English “faedem,” to embrace. Sailors measured ocean depths, anchor chains, ropes, and cables in fathoms. Although marines eventually abandoned fathoms for meters, we onshore still reach for the word fathom to express our ability to comprehend, grasp, or get to the bottom of things.
• Gunwale – the upper edge of the side of a boat, pronounced “gunnel”, named for where the guns on a ship would sit. To be “full to the gunnels” means to be completely full.
• In Irons – A sailing vessel is “in irons” when she is trapped in the “No Go Zone”, unable to bear away and begin sailing. The term dates from when criminals aboard old sailing ships were secured to the deck with leg-irons, unable to move.
• Kedge – a smaller anchor used to move the ship slowly in a desired direction. Used primarily in nautical situations, but can be adapted to mean a clever way of moving in a direction when the obvious method won’t work.
• The Cut of One’s Jib – “Jib” is the name of the foresail that controls the general performance of a ship. In everyday life, it also means the way one looks or conducts themselves (usually negative).
• Cup of Joe – The days of rum, beer, and officers’ personal wine supply dried up with the appointment of Josephus Daniels as Secretary of the Navy. In 1914 this stern Methodist and prohibitionist banned “…the use or introduction for drinking purposes of alcoholic liquors on board any naval vessel, or within any navy yard or station.” As a substitute, stewards increased orders for coffee. Naval lore has it that the disgruntled sailors tagged the poor substitute “cup of Josephus Daniels,” and later the shorter “cup of Joe.” That’s one theory, anyway, but one thing we know — any day, aboard a ship or not, deserves its properly caffeinated start!
• Groundswell – Deep ocean waves grow larger as they move over uneven seabeds and are felt as surface undulations. Colloquially, the term describes a widespread surge of public opinion.
• It’s an Ill Wind that Blows No Good – While a sailor could be frustrated by an unfavorable wind, it might be a great wind for a sailor going another direction. This translates into everyday life to mean that what’s bad for one person may be good for another.
• Know the Ropes – Old, tall ships had miles of rigging. Today’s sailboats also have quite a lot of line. Each serves a purpose, and it’s critical for sailors to correctly identify each one. Securing or unlashing the wrong line at the wrong time could be catastrophic, or at least cause you to lose the regatta. In sailing and in real life, to be well versed and familiar is to know the ropes.

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116 naval sayings – the ultimate list of nautical sayings & sailing terms.

• Updated on: 16th July 2022
• Written by Gary Renshaw

Language evolves over time. Forever changing, it will adopt words and phrases from other languages and even completely made up slang as a common turn of phrase. English has been around for a very long time, and so it has adapted and evolved from its historical beginnings to the language we use today.

Many phrases and sayings that we use every day in the 21st Century have a nautical origin from the seafaring days of old. You might be already using many of these in your everyday conversations and not know the true meaning behind them. That’s why we have put together the ultimate list of naval sayings and sailing phrases so you can learn the history behind them. So hoist the mainsail, me hearties and set a course for discovery.

Our Complete List of Naval Sayings & Phrases

A Shot Across The Bow : A warning shot, whether literal, symbolic or metaphorical.

History: This seafaring term refers to firing a cannon across an opposing ship’s bow to indicate readiness for battle. References to this phrase in print go as far back as 1939.

Above Board : Referring to anything in open and plain view.

History: On a naval vessel, items and equipment could either be stored on deck or below in the ship’s hold. An item stored or viewable from the deck was said to be kept above board.

All At Sea : A state of active confusion, disorder or disarray.

History: This phrase comes from the nature of sailing and was used to refer to any situation where the ship was now unable to be seen from land and could potentially never return.

Aloof : To be in a state of indifference.

History: Coming from the Old Dutch ‘loef’, meaning windward, this term was used when referring to a ship sailing higher to the wind and becoming separated from the rest of the fleet.

At Loggerheads : To be in a stake of adamant dispute or argument.

History: Originally used to seal the pitch or tar in deck seams,  a loggerhead was also used to subdue fights and other disturbances between sailors.

Another Day, Another Dollar : A turn of phrase used with resignation to refer to a repetitive and tedious activity, such as the working week.

History: This expression dates back to the early 19th century when American sailors were paid a dollar for a day’s work. It was used in a similar fashion to today, in that sailors worked long hours in tiring conditions for only an extra dollar to their name.

Any Port in a Storm : A commonly used proverb usually taken to mean that in a time of difficultY, any solution is acceptable, whether completely ideal or not.

History:  When at sea, vessels would occasionally become caught in galls or storms that could be potentially hazardous for both ship and crew. In cases such as these, the ship would make a berth in the nearest port, regardless of whether they had intended to stop there or not.

As the Crow Flies : Referring to the shortest distance between two points in a straight line.

History: This early phrase originated in the 18th Century and referred to the habit of the crow of taking the shortest route possible when in flight.

At a Loose End : to finalise the details or requirements of an activity.

History: This term refers to the final task of the sailor to secure the loose ends to ensure the vessel is ready and shipshape.

Batten Down the Hatches : to secure and make preparations.

History: This phrase is believed to come from the common naval practice of needing to prepare a ships hatches for impending poor weather conditions. Hatches were designed to promote fresh air circulation below deck and were secured with wooden battens and tarpaulins to keep the interiors dry.

Broad at the Beam : To have wide hips or buttocks.

History: Thought to have come from the fact that the beam is the widest point of a ship, this term has been used to refer to an individual’s stature since the early 20th century.

Bottoms Up : To finish one’s drink, often quickly.

History: This term comes from the common practice of tricking English sailors into joining the Navy when they didn’t want to. The sailor would be manipulated into “accepting payment” for joining the Navy by dropping a coin into his drink. Once the trick became well known, people would remind each other with the phrase ‘bottoms up’ to check their glass for hidden “payment”.

By and Large : To refer to something broadly or to speak in general of

History: In seafaring times, the word “large” was used to refer to a favourable situation when the wind was strong, and the largest sails could be raised to increase speed. Then, the term ‘by’ was used to mean ‘in the direction of’. Therefore, ‘by and large’ meant to keep slightly of the wind to ease influence over steering direction.

Chock a Block : To be packed together so tightly that there is very limited movement.

History: On naval vessels, a ‘block and tackle’ was the name for the mechanism used to raise the sails. When the sail has been hoisted to its full extent, the blocks jam tightly together and cannot move.

Clean Bill of Health : To be healthy, generally well or in good condition.

History: In the days of seafaring, one of the biggest concerns for a ship out at sea was disease. Before departure, port authority would sign a document attesting that the crew were free from contagious disease before setting off

Clear the Deck : To prepare for an incoming disturbance such as bad weather, similar to the phrase “Batten down the hatches.”

History: When preparing for battle, sailors would need to remove any objects from the deck that could impede movement and slow them down.

Close Quarters : To be gathered together in a small area.

History: As you might imagine, space was generally limited at sea, even when aboard the largest ships. As a result, the recreational quarters within which crew members would spend their free time and sleep was often cramped and crowded.

Copper Bottomed : To be genuine, in good condition or unlikely to fail.

History: First used by the British Navy in the 18th Century, ships were coated in a layer of copper to protect the wooden planks from shipworms and barnacles. It became widely popular when proved effective at protecting the ships hull and increased the speed and handling of the ship in water.

Cut and Run : to run away, to abandon something, to leave something incomplete.

History: Often thought to refer to the severing of an anchor line, the phrase cut and run is much more likely to refer to the practice of tying down the sails of a square-rigged ship with ropes that could be cut, rather than untied, if sails needed to be hoisted with haste.

The Cut of One’s Jib : Referring with a negative tone to the way an individual looks or acts.

History: Sailors used the term ‘cut’ to refer to the quality or condition of something like a sail. A jib is a kind of sail that aids in the handling of the ship. Therefore, the term describes the nature or quality of an individual’s character or personality.

Dead in the Water : To be in a state/position to progress or grow.

History: The origin of this phrase is not as well known but is thought to be derived from the fact that dead fish will commonly float up to the surface where they could easily be seen by sailors on their ships.

Deliver a Broadside : To attack one another with words.

History: In the days of early naval warfare, ships would fire their guns or cannons together on a single side of the ship, often the side facing the opponent.

Devil to Pay : A difficult or seemingly impossible task.

History: This naval phrase actually refers to the application of pitch or tar along the ‘devil’, the longest seam in the ship’s hull, which was known to be one of the worst jobs a sailor could be assigned.

Dressing Down : To be the recipient of a severe reprimand or disciplinary action.

History: On a vessel, the act of “dressing down” a ship’s sails involved coating them with tar or oil to renew their quality and effectiveness. An officer or sailor who had committed an infraction and was reprimanded in order to not repeat the mistake in future was also said to receive a “dressing down.”

Dutch Courage : False or foolhardy courage that comes from being intoxicated.

History: In the 15th Century, propaganda from the British was circulated that posed that the Dutch sailors were cowards and that they could only fight when intoxicated by large amounts of alcohol.

Edging Forward : To move forward with caution, very slowly.

History: Originating from the 1500’s, ships would advance with caution by repeatedly tacking from one side to the other.

Even Keel : To maintain calm and steady progress.

History: On a ship, the keel helps keep the vessel upright and acts as a counterbalance against the mast. A vessel that is upright and unswayed by the ways is said to be ‘on an even keel.

Foul Up : to make an error or mistake.

History: Many nautical terms used the term ‘foul’ to refer to unwanted situations. Foul itself meant to be tangled up, or impeded of progress. A foul anchor is one that is entangled and unusable for the time being. A foul berth describes another vessel that has positioned itself too close to another and there is a high risk that the two ships will collide. 

Fathom : to attempt to figure out, or get to the bottom of something. To deduce based on facts.

History: A fathom is a nautical unit of measurement equivalent to 6 feet and used to measure water at sea. 

Figurehead : A noted leader with no real power or authority.

History: On a ship, a figurehead was an ornamental figure used for religious protection, or for purely decorative purposes. 

Filibuster : To delay or disrupt the implementation of legislation.

History: This term became popular in the American naval space during the 19th century to describe coordinated efforts to prevent action from being taken on a bill. 

First Rate : To be the best, of the highest quality, of the most skill.

History: From the 1500s through to the advent of steam-powered naval vessels, British Naval ships were scored from 1 through to 6, with first-rate having 100 or more guns, down to 6th rate, being frigates with only 20 to 48 guns.

Flotsam and Jetsam : Items of no real value.

History: In the early days of maritime law, flotsam and jetsam were used as legal terms to describe goods that had been lost from a ship as a result of a wreckage as well as those that had been purposely thrown in order to stabilise the ship in times of heavy wind or adverse conditions.

Footloose : To be free to do as you please.

History: If unsecured, the bottom portion of a sail, called the foot, is able to flap and move about in the wind. 

From Stem to Stern : The entirety of something.

History: This term refers to the full distance between the front of the ship and the back.

Flying Colours : To complete something to a high standard.

History: If a ship survived a battle with relatively little damage with her flag flying, she was described to be “flying colours”.

Get Underway : To set off on a journey

History: This nautical term referred to the wake or trail left by a ship as it progressed through the water.

Give a Wide Berth : To steer clear of, to give a good distance between

History: When a ship laid its anchor, it was said to be ‘at berth.’ Ships would need to leave a fair distance between themselves so as to avoid a collision as the vessels moved with the wind or tide.

Go by the Board : To be finished with, no longer needed.

History: On a ship, the board is the siding or decking of a ship. This nautical saying is believed to come from the act of dropping something into the water from the side of the ship.

Go Overboard : To fall into a body of water, usually from a boat or ship.

History: Sailors would call “Man overboard” if they witnessed a sailor fall into the water from the ship.

Gripe : To complain or have a problem

History: A gripe is a nautical term used to describe a vessel that has been poorly designed and so the bow tends towards the wind, causing the sail to flap, impeding progress and making the ship difficult to maneuver.

Grog/Groggy : to describe alcohol, usually of poor quality.

History: In the 18th Century, Vice Admiral Sir Edward Vernon decreed that each sailor’s half pint of rum a day should be watered down with an equal amount of water. The sailors nicknamed the Vice Admiral “Old Groggy” as he wore a Grogam coat on deck. The mixture of watered-down rum became termed ‘grog’, and those who drank too much of it were referred to as ‘groggy.’

Groundswell : an increasing shift in the opinion of the public.

History: A sudden rise in water along the shore in otherwise calm waters that was said to be a result of disturbed water from a storm many miles away reaches the shoreline and causes the water level to rise.

Hand Over Fist : to act quickly with determination

History: This nautical saying describes the action of a sailor using  alternating hands to hoist a sail rapidly.

Hard and Fast : to be sure of, without a doubt, without debate

History: In seafaring times, the term ‘hard and fast’ was used to describe a vessel that was beached on land and unable to be moved.

Hard Up : to be in a state of need

History: In nautical terms, to put the ‘helm hard over’ means to position it as far as it can go in a particular direction. The full saying. ‘Hard up in a clinch and no knife to cut the seizing’ was used by sailors to refer to the coming of grief with no solution. 

Haze : to celebrate the arrival of a new arrival to a group by means of embarrassment or humiliation in order to instate authority

History: In the seafaring times, captains and other levels of authority would demand their crew to work long hours during the day and into the night, even when necessary, for no other reason than to make them miserable. 

High and Dry : To be left in a state of desperation, without resources or help

History” This seafaring saying refers to a ship that has been beached or otherwise removed from the water for some time and were expected to stay this way into the future.

Hot Chase : To be in active pursuit of something

History: This term is actually taken from naval warfare in that, according to law, an enemy attempting to escape battle by sailing into neutral waters could be followed and captured under the proviso that the engagement had begun in international waters.

Hulk/Hulking : to describe something that is large and awkward

History: This naval term was used to describe a ship that did not seem to be fit to sail.

Hunky-Dory : To describe a situation as being pleasant, moving as expected, going ok

History: This naval saying is thought to come from American Sailors who used the term to describe a popular street in Japan called Honcho-Dori which was frequented by lonely sailors.

In the Doldrums : To be sad, tired or dull

History: This phrase was used during the 1800s to describe an area of the calm waters typical around the direct north of the equator, between what was called the trade winds. Ships caught in this area could sometimes remain stuck in place, without wind for long periods of time. And so to be ‘in the doldrums’ meant to be in a state of low spirits.

In the Offing : Imminent or likely to soon happen

History: In seafaring times, the “offing” was a term used to describe the area of sea that could be seen from land. So if a ship was seen in this area, it meant that soon enough the ship would be docked in the harbour and safe.

Idle/Idler : To be standing by without task, often when there is work needing to be completed

History: On a naval ship, “idler” was used to refer to a crew member that was not required to stand watch at night due to the nature of his work. Carpenters, sailmakers and cooks for example completed their duties by day and thus ‘idlers’ at night.

Jury Rig : an improvisation.

History: This commonly used phrase is today’s language was once used to describe an emergency repair that was necessary to keep a damaged ship able to continue sailing until it could make berth in the nearest port. 

Keel Hauling : To receive a strong punishment or reprimand for a particular wrongdoing.

History: Rather grisly in origin, this term was the name given to severe punishment for sailors in the 1400s and 1500s in which the wrongdoer would be secured to a rope and thrown overboard and dragged beneath the keel repeatedly.

Keel Over : To fall over or pass away

History: Even today, the keel is a fundamental component of most types of sailing ships. It acts as a counterbalance for the mast and keeps the boat stable in conditions that would otherwise cause the boat to capsize. If a ship “keeled over” it had rolled over and began sinking, or on land, simply fallen over.

To Know the Ropes : To be familiar/competent in a particular task.

History: Tall ships sailed by the navy prior to the advent of steam-powered vessels were operated by a series of ropes that controlled the mechanisms and pulleys that operated the sails. These rope-based systems were complex, and so sailors were required to memorise the configurations, so they were used correctly. This obviously took time, so a less experienced sailor might not “know the ropes” as well as one who had been sailing for longer.

Landlubber : Someone who dislikes, prefers not to be or isn’t commonly on the water

History: A nautical term used by sailors to describe people who spent most of their time on land or who preferred to not be at sea.

Lime : A British person

History: Drawing from the fact that English sailors in the 1800s were allocated rations of limes to help prevent scurvy, a “Limey” became a term to describe a sailor from the British Royal Navy.

Learn the Ropes : To take the time to understand how to perform a new task

History: Similarly to “Knowing the Ropes”, this nautical saying refers to the practice of learning how the systems of ropes and pulleys operated on a Tall Ship.

Leeway : An allocation of space, literal or metaphorical to allow a margin for error

History: When sailing, the ‘weather side’ of the ship is that that faces the wind and the ‘lee’ side is closest to land. If a ship did not have sufficient ‘leeway’ then there was little margin for error before the vessel was blown ashore or onto rocks. 

To Let the Cat Out of the Bag : To unveil what was previously unsecured or secret

History: In the early days of sailors, the ‘cat o nine tails’ was the name for a whip constructed from rope with unbraided ends that left wounds on the back similar to the scratches of a cat.

Like Ships That Pass In The Night : A near encounter, the passing of two entities without knowledge of the other

History: Unlike the steam powered ships that would eventually succeed them, sailing ships make very little to no noise when moving forward. It is therefore highly likely that ships would be unaware of one another when sailing in darkness

Logbook : A meticulous record of official details accompanied with data such as dates and times

History: Naval and merchant ships utilised a wooden board attached to a length of rope to measure the speed the vessel was traveling. The unit was calculated by counting the knots in the string that passed through the sailors hands as they moved along. Incidentally, this is where the unit ‘knot’ came from, a measure we still use on the water today

Listless : To be in a state of demotivation, lacking energy or enthusiasm 

History: In seafaring times, if a boat was listless, it meant that the vessel was idle in the water, without the characteristic list taken when the ship is driven forward by the wind.

Long Haul : An extended period of time.

History: This term was used to describe any task onboard that required the hauling, or pulling in, of a large quantity of line onto the ship’s deck.

Long Shot : A situation where the intended or preferred outcome is considered unlikely to occur.

History: Old naval warships used cannons as their main form of weaponry, which often were hit and miss in terms of accuracy. Different cannons also had varying maximum ranges which depended on their design, age and quality. If a vessel was to fire beyond its range and deliver a long shot, it was unlikely that it would hit its target.

Loose Cannon: Used to describe a person, object or situation that is unstable or likely to cause trouble if left unattended.

History: Due to their massive weight, cannons on a sailing ship were secured to prevent them from moving about with the waves of the sea, as a loose cannon would cause immense damage to the sailing vessel or crew. 

Mainstay : A crucial element, something on which other things depend.

History: On a Tall ship or similar sailing vessels, the mainstay was a crucial rope that ran the length of the maintop to the foot of the foremast.

Make Up Leeway : To make up for lost or wasted time.

History: In nautical terms, ‘leeway’ referred to how much a vessel had deviated from its intended course.

No Room to Swing a Cat : A small or confined space.

History: When a sailor was to be punished by the cat o nine tails, the entire crew was required to attend and watch. Consequently, there was no room to swing the whip. 

On Board : to be or become part of a group or team.

History: In nautical terms, to come on board meant to join the ships crew.

On the Right Track : To be going in the right direction, towards the correct outcome.

History: On a naval vessel, if a sailor took up the wrong rope or track, it could mean the ship would go in the wrong direction.

On Your Ends/On Your Beam Ends : To be in a bad situation.

History: On a seafaring naval vessel, timber beams ran the horizontal length of the ship. If these beams were close to the water, it meant that the ship was likely to capsize and sink. 

Over the Barrel : To be unable to change one’s mind or escape a situation.

History: In seafaring times, the most common punishment handed down to sailors was whipping or flogging. Normally, the crew mate to be punished would be tied to a secure grating or over a barrel. 

Overbearing : To manipulate a state of power in a fashion that makes others uncomfortable

History: This term refers to the act of sailing downwind of another ship, blocking or ‘stealing’ their wind, slowing them down.

Overhaul :  To pull something apart and redo it completely, as if from scratch.

History: This term was the name given to the act of crew being sent up amongst the sails to haul the buntline ropes over the sails to prevent chafing.

Overreach : To move to quickly to the point that you have missed your target

History: In a situation where a ship held its turn for too long, it would have moved past its turning point and now must sail a greater distance to reach its next tacking position.

Overwhelm : To be in a state of emotional overload or to be taken over by something

History: This naval term is derived from the Old English for a boat that has capsized.

Pipe Down : A Call For Silence.

History: In the early naval days, the boatswain’s pipe was used as a tool to communicate with the ship’s crew. In this sense, the ‘piping down of the hammocks’ was the final signal delivered for the day, meaning that the crew were able to go below and rest for the night.

Pooped : To be washed out, tired.

History: In terms of the actual structure and layout of the ship, the highest deck at the back of the vessel was called the poop deck. If a ship were to become breached by a large wave that flooded the vessel from the back, she was said to have been pooped. 

Press into Service : To be pressured, forced, guided into making a specific decision.

History: In the early days, recruiting for the navy was very difficult as men knew that the job was difficult. In order to overcome this issue and fill their recruitment quotas, “Press Gangs” would actively kidnap men from the ports at shore and force them into working for the Navy.

Push the Boat Out : To spend money generously, without reservation.

History: This naval term comes from the act of assisting someone to push their boat or vessel out into the water. This was considered an act of generosity as ships were often far too large to be pushed out to sea by one man alone. The term was later used to refer to the act of shouting a round of drinks or to buy them a treat. 

Rats Deserting a Sinking Ship : To leave or abandon an activity, organisation or school of thought before it fails entirely.

History: It was very common for ships at sea to be carrying large numbers of rats aboard, either picked up from port or stowed away in crates or containers of food loaded on deck. In the unfortunate event that the ship would sink, the rats would attempt to escape by jumping off into the deep blue sea.

Running a Tight Ship : Under control, perfectly in order.

History: The phrase originated around the mid-1900s and is based on the tight ropes of a sailing ship, alluding to a ship that is in order and under control, and generally well-taken care of.

Sailing Close to the Wind : To engage in a risky activity, to disallow a margin for error.

History: In seafaring times, to sail close to the wind meant to steer the boat into the direction the wind was blowing from. This would fill the sails and move the boat along at a higher pace of knots. However, any small adjustment would cause the ship to move out of the direction of the wind and promptly lose speed.

Scraping the Barrel : To gather the last remaining quantity of something, to be left with a choice that is not ideal.

History: In the 1600s, naval vessels carried salted meat in barrels. Sailors would check the bottom of these empty barrels when hungry to recover any remaining scraps that may have been left behind.

Scuttlebutt : Rumour or gossip.

History: In seafaring times, sailors would exchange gossip in a scuttlebutt. This was a water barrel with a hole in it that was used to dispense drinking water.

Shake a Leg : To get out of bed, to get moving.

History: It is believed that in the early naval days, this term was used as a command for crew members to step out of their hammocks and begin preparations for the day. It is also believed that the term may have come from the fact that women were allowed on board when the ship was in port, and thus the crew knew when a woman was still aboard and needed to be woken up and moved ashore before setting sail. 

Shipshape and Bristol Fashion : To be of the best quality and ready to go.

History: This seafaring term has a number of likely origins. Bristol in England is home to one of the most variable tide flows across the globe and so ships needed to be well built and maintained in order to withstand the low tides. It could also be derived from the fact that this part of the world had extremely high standards for naval equipment and service before Liverpool took it’s place. 

Shiver Me Timbers : An expression of annoyance or surprise.

History: In the 1300’s, the word ‘shiver’ meant to become broken or fall to pieces. There is some debate as to whether this saying was actually real or simply invented as part of pirate folklore. 

Show One’s True Colours : To commit an act to reveal one’s true character, often used negatively.

History: On a naval vessel, ones colours referred to the flag flown before engaging in a battle. A common practice became that some ships would deliberately fly the incorrect flag so as to fool their enemies. 

Skyscraper : A tall building or structure

History: This modern term often used to refer to large-scale industrial architecture in cities actually refers to a small sail set above what was called the skysail in order to maximise the amount of wind captured by the sails. 

Sling Your Hook : To leave, clear off, move away.

History: There is much argument about whether this saying has its origins in seafaring times. Those that believe it takes its roots in nautical history believe it may refer to the pulling up of the ship’s anchor before making sail. 

Slush Fund : An amount of money assigned to the use of bribe or influence.

History: In the 1800’s, a mixture of fat would be sold ashore by the ships cook that would be gathered from boiling the salted beef for food at sea. This money was then used for the benefit of the crew or the cook himself and called the ‘slush fund’.

Smooth Sailing : Easy progress without impediment or difficulty.

History: The term smooth sailing refers to sailing through calm waters, free from big waves or rough seas.

Son of a Gun : An exclamation of surprise, annoyance, aggression.

History: In the event that a child was born aboard the ship from the wife or temporary companion of one of the crew members, often on the gun deck. If no one knew who the father was, they were logged as being the “son of a gun.”

Square Meal : A good quality, nutritious meal.

History: This term was most likely derived from the fact that sailors were served their meals on square shaped plates. However, from the 1500’s onwards, the word ‘square’ meant that something was upstanding, proper or straightforward. 

Squared Away : To describe a matter that has been satisfactorily completed and/or addressed.

History: In a square-rigged naval vessel the sails were described as being ‘squared away’ when properly trimmed, secured and arranged in the proper manner. 

Taken Aback : To be in a state of surprise, unable to speak.

History: In the event of an inattentive crewmember at the helm, the wind could end up on the wrong side of the sails which resulted in the ship being pushed backwards.

Taking the Wind Out of His Sails : To demotivate someone, or remove their initiative.

History: If a vessel should sail between the wind and another ship, the first could be slowed down as the amount of wind in their sails was reduced. 

Taking Turns : To interchange an activity between two or more people.

History: In seafaring times, crew members would interchange watches as the turn of an hourglass. This was to prevent accidents and mishaps that could result from fatigue. 

Three Sheets to the Wind : To be in a state of intoxication.

History: On a ship, a rope is called a sheet. If the sheets on a three-masted rigged ship became loose on the three lower course, the sails would begin to flap about and the ship would lose all purposeful direction. 

Through Thick and Thin : To carry on, regardless of the situation.

History: This nautical saying is believed to have its roots in the fact that both thick and thin pulleys were used aboard to hoist the sails up. 

Tide Over : A small supply of something, such as money, to get you from one point to another.

History: In early naval days, vessels would mostly move under the influence of the wind. On occasion however, when the wind was not strong enough, the ship would simply move with the tide. This was referred to as a ‘tide over.’

Toe the Line : To act cautiously, to follow the rules.

History: On a naval ship, the crew would line up with their toes along the seam of the deck’s wooden planking. 

Trim One’s Sails : To adapt or change to fit a different circumstance that was originally supplied

History: In the event of a change in weather conditions, crew would alter the set of the ships sails to suit the new circumstances.

Try a Different Tack : To attempt a different tactic or method when dealing with a situation or problem

History: When completing a tack, or change in direction when sailing, sometimes the new course of direction would turn out to be incorrect. In this case, the helmsman would need to try again.

Turn a Blind Eye : To ignore, to pretend you did not see something.

History: This commonly used saying originates from the actions of Admiral Lord Nelson in the Battle of Copenhagen. In the battle, a signal was given to cease fighting and retreat. In response, the Admiral held his spyglass to his blind eye and later insisted he had not seen the signal. 

Touch and Go : To be in an uncertain situation.

History: This seafaring term was used to describe a situation in which a ship was sailing through shallow waters and would occasionally touch the bottom and then move forward again, without becoming grounded. 

Turn the Corner : To move past a vital milestone or event that had a high degree of influence.

History: This phrase is thought to have been coined by sailors after rounding the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn and continuing on with their journey. 

Under the Weather : To be feeling ill, not yourself.

History: On an early naval vessel, various watches were assigned to crew members to keep an eye out for danger. Often considered the worst watch station one could be assigned, the ‘weather’ side of the bow was often subject to the pitching and rolling of the ship, as well as the numerous waves that would break over the bow. The crewmember assigned this watch would end their shift drenched and described as having been ‘under the weather.

Walk the Plank : To be ousted, removed or literally fall from a plank into the sea below.

History: A staple of pirate folklore, walking the plank was an actual form of impromptu naval execution in the 1700’s and 1800’s. 

Whistle for the Wind : To hope for an unlikely outcome.

History: This saying is believed to have originated from the naval superstition that the wind could be summoned at a time of still water by the act of whistling for it. Similarly, in the event of a gall where there is an excess of wind, crew members should not whistle. 

Windfall : An unexpected, potentially unearned advantage.

History: This nautical term was used to describe a sudden gust of wind coming across a mountainous shore that allowed the vessel to gain more headway. 

And That’s Our Complete List of Sayings with a Nautical Origin.

The etymology of any language or phrase is as interesting as it is historical. We hope that this list has explained the nautical origins behind some of the most common turns of phrase used in our day to day lives. 

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The Only 50 Sailing Terms You'll Need To Know (With Pictures)

Ever get confused by all those odd sailing terms? Starboard, tack, jib… Well, no worries. In this article, I'll go over the most important sailing terms for beginners.

This is a great resource for beginning sailors that need an overview of the most important sailing terms without drowning in it . For a comprehensive list, check out this Wikipedia glossary of nautical terms . There are A LOT of nautical terms there. But no one in his or her right mind will read through that entire page (it has 48.434 words!). There are a lot of obscure words listed that no one really uses anyways. So in this article, I've filtered out the most important ones to get you up to speed quickly. I've also added pictures so you'll know what we're talking about.

Let's jump straight in. For the sake of good manners, I have categorized them by topic. If you are looking for a specific term, just ctrl+f your way directly to it.

Here are the only 50 sailing terms you'll need to know:

Orientation

Parts of the boat, parts related to sails, other terms.

...because it isn't as easy as 'left', 'right', 'front' and 'back'. No, no.

Port is the left side of the boat. It's as simple as that. I'm not entirely sure why don't they just call it 'left' these days. The name came to existence because centuries ago, you always docked your big boat with the harbor (port) being on the left side. And the word stuck with us till today.

Starboard is the right side of the boat. If in a car, you say 'look to your right', on a boat, you say 'look to the starboard'. Again, you might as well just call it 'right'. Oh, wait… you wouldn't seem as cool if you did. Alright, let's keep calling it starboard.

The bow is the front of the boat. The word likely comes from the Middle Dutch 'boech' (nowadays spelled 'boeg'). If you call it 'front' instead, you will get your message across just as well. But it won't get you the admiring looks from those around you.

Stern is the back of the boat. That is where you, as a captain, will spend most of your time. Whether you will force your crew to call it 'stern' or let them use the word 'back', like the dry land creatures they are, is up to you. After all, you are the captain.

The windward side of the boat is the side facing into the wind. So if the wind is coming from the right side, the windward side is on the right. Unlike some of the previous ones, this term actually makes sense - at times you need to talk about a direction not fixed in relation to the boat, but rather relative to the direction of the wind.

Leeward side of the boat is the lee side. If the wind is coming from the right side, the leeward side is on the left. Note that neither windward nor leeward specify the angle of the wind. Thus even if the wind was coming 20 degrees right off of the direction of the boat, so almost from the front, left would still be considered the leeward side.

Since there are gadgets and parts on the boat that you won't see anywhere else, it only makes sense they all have their own special name. You want to know these because unlike the direction terms where you can do with 'left' and 'right', you don't want to call a tiller 'that stick thing back there'.

Helm is the boat's steering wheel. In this case, I forgive those who came up with this name, since it is shorter than 'steering wheel' and thus saves valuable time that we can spend on sailing. Though I doubt linguistic economy was the reason.

Tiller is the long stick that operates your boat's rudder. A steering stick, if you will. It has the same function as a helm does, but it is usually used on smaller boats, where a helm would take up too much space. Or by people who prefer it to a helm, since a tiller offers a bit more in terms of response.

The rudder is the long, flat piece of metal or wood that sits underwater below the back of your boat. Connected to a tiller or a helm, it is used to control the direction of your exciting voyage. By the way, since aerodynamics and hydrodynamics work in similar ways, a plane is also operated by a rudder. Though that one isn't underwater. Hopefully.

Hull is the boat's body. Whatever the shape or size, whether opened on top (like a dinghy) or closed by a deck, (like a traditional sailboat) it's all called a hull. Structures sitting on top of the deck, like a deck salon or cabins, aren't considered a part of the hull anymore.

The keel is an underwater fin below the boat's belly. The sizes and shapes vary, sometimes it is relatively short and goes deep, (fin keel) sometimes it runs from the front all the way to the back (full keel or ballast keel). It is there mainly for stability and to help maintain forward direction when sailing.

The cockpit is the area where a boat is operated from. On sailboats, it is usually in the back and it is an open area without a roof, though this varies. You will find the rudder control and winches there. In 'smaller' (below 70 ft or so) sailboats this area oftentimes doubles as a deck dining place with a table and seating.

The bimini is a sun roof or shade that is covers the cockpit, and is generally attached to a steel frame which runs over the cockpit.

This is where things tend to get confusing. There are a whole lot of parts and a whole lot of names for them. It pays off for you and your crew to know them though, as during the stormier moments, you all want to be on the same boat (ha, ha) linguistically, as every second counts.

Lines are ropes. Not much more to add here. I suppose a 'line' sounds a bit fancier than a 'rope'. One thing this article will teach you is that if there is the slightest crack in the wall of your boat, linguistic elitism will leak its way in.

This one is quite self-explanatory. The mainsail is the main, largest sail of the boat, attached to the mast on the side and the boom at the bottom. It has a triangular shape and serves as the most important sail, the first one you should get acquainted with if you are just starting out.

The jib is the front sail of your boat, sometimes also called the genoa. That is as long as you are sailing on the traditional sloop - the classical two sail setup you see the most often. The jib is wrapped around the line that goes from the top of your mast to the boat's bow.

Spinnaker is the third type of sail you are the most likely to encounter on your travels. It goes in front of your boat and has a half balloon or kite-like shape. This is because it is constructed specifically for sailing downwind. Its purpose is to grab as much backwind as it can and drag your boat forward. It is not attached to the boat most of the time like the mainsail or the jib, instead, it is stored separately and used only when needed.

The mast is the tall, vertical pole that goes from the floor of your salon, through the deck, meters above your boat. All the sails are attached to it, also radars and lights, giving sailboats radio and visual visibility far greater than that of equally sized motorboats. Take that, ya noisy stinkies!

The boom is the horizontal pole right above the deck, attached to the mast at the right angle. The bottom of the mainsail is attached to it, it is used to determine its shape and direction. It is also where the mainsail is often stored, folded and covered with a protective sheet. The boom is also among the top causes of injuries on a sailboat, as in certain winds it tends to swing with force powerful enough to knock a few grown men overboard. Stay away from its reach at all times when under sail.

The forestay is the cable going from the top of the mast to the very front of the bow. It is there to hold the mast in place. Sometimes you will find people refer to it as the 'headstay'. It is often made of steel, so it is safe to hold on to it when you are pretending to be Jack on the bow of the Titanic's, the boat hits a wave and you lose your balance.

This diagram is from our guide on sailboat parts , which I really recommend for beginners. It walks you through all the most important sailboat parts in normal words.

The backstay is the cable going from the top of the mast to the very back of the boat. In many cases it is doubled at the bottom, each end attached to one corner of the back of the boat so that they don't interfere with space and provide more stability for the mast. Just as with forestay, these are made of steel.

Shrouds are the cables going from the top of the mast to the left and right side of the boat. Sometimes there are four, two on each side. Together with forestay and backstay, they make sure your mast withstands all the forces exerted on it when the wind pushes the sails.

The foot of a sail is its bottom edge. If you imagine a sail as a triangle, the base is called the foot. You probably won't use this term while sailing, but when researching proper sail trim, it is likely you will stumble upon it.

This diagram is again from our guide on sailboat parts , which I really recommend for beginners. If you're looking for a good starting point to learn your sailboat ins and outs, this article is perfect for you.

Leech of a sail is its back side edge. Thus it is the part closest to you when you are standing at the helm. Just as with the foot, this is a term quite often used when describing sail trimming techniques, since the shape of the leech determines the shape of the whole sail.

Luff of a sail is its front side edge. Thus the part the furthest from you when you are standing at the helm. For mainsail, it is the edge that is right next to the mast, for the foresail it is the edge right next to the forestay. Just as with foot and leech, the shape of these edges determines the overall shape of the sail so you will most likely encounter these terms in trimming lessons and tutorials.

The head of a sail is its top corner. On a traditional sloop, you will have the 'main head' and the 'jib head'. There is usually a reinforcing patch of some kind on these corners, as you will find a hole in them to which a line is attached.

It's also something else entirely, but more on that later ...

Halyard is the line attached to the sail head. On your boat, you will most likely have two. The 'main halyard' which is what you use to hoist your mainsail if it is folded on the boom, and the 'jib halyard' which holds the jib head up.

Clew of a sail is its back corner. The line attached to the 'main clew' will be used to hoist your mainsail if it is wrapped inside of the mast. The line attached to the 'jib clew' will be used to open the jib on most sailboats since jibs are most often wrapped around the luff.

Telltales are light, usually cotton or wool pieces of ropes attached to a sail, showing you the airflow around it. These are important because they help you determine if your trim is effective or not. Because of the material they are made of, you might sometimes encounter them being called 'woolies'.

Vang, or a 'boom vang' is a device pulling the boom down. This is important because it controls the tension of the mainsail, influencing its shape greatly. You won't find it on every boat though. Holiday cruisers often don't have it, as it is a piece of equipment focused on performance and thus not necessary for your average trip.

Topping Lift

The topping lift is a line that is attached to the aft (back) end of the boom and runs to the top of the mast. It supports the boom whenever you take down the mainsail.

Also referred to as a 'horse', the traveler is a side to side track to which the boom is attached, allowing the control of the extent to which the boom goes off the centerline. This is important especially if the wind is blowing from behind and you need to control the angle of the mainsheet.

Outhaul is the line attached to the mainsail or the jib clew, allowing the control of the foot tension. This is important for determining the sail shape - for instance in stronger winds, you want the foot to be more tense to achieve a more effective airflow as opposed to slower winds where you can allow the foot to arch more.

Reefing is reducing the sail area to lessen the power exerted on it by the wind. You may want to reef if the wind is getting too strong for your boat, or if it is changing too rapidly, as an overpowered boat is difficult to control. Fun fact: they say that when you feel you need to reef because the wind got too strong, it is already too late to reef.

A batten is a slat placed horizontally in the body of the sail to support its shape. You will not find them on all sailboats, it is a performance-enhancing element that many cruisers lack. It helps tremendously as without it, sails tend to belly out and lose their shape under certain conditions.

The cleat is a piece of fitting where a line can be secured and immobilized, even if under great tension. It usually consists of two cogwheel-like pieces fastened close to each other, in the middle of which the rope is placed, unable to move thanks to friction. This type is great as it allows for a quick release. Sometimes though, it is a simple piece of metal or plastic where the rope is tied.

...and then there are all those things that just float around you when sailing, those little things that are the reason for you having to carry a dictionary in your pocket.

Fenders are bumpers allowing some contact with other boats or piers while docked, without scraping the paint. They are often balloon-shaped, made of rubber or some relatively soft material. They are usually attached to the boat's railing and you move them around as you need.

The beam is the width of the boat. Could be just called width, I know. The word comes from the fact that there are transverse reinforcing beams in the boat hull and deck. Next time you are choosing your charter boat for holidays, you will know what this attribute means.

True wind is the actual direction and speed of the wind. This is different than the apparent wind, which is wind direction and speed relative to the boat. Apparent wind is a combination of the true wind and the headwind, which is the wind the boat experiences solely by being in motion.

The berth is a sleeping space on a boat. Thus if a boat has eight berths, it means eight people can comfortably sleep on it. Note that this often includes the salon couches, so a berth is not necessarily a space in an actual bed for one person.

Boat's draft is the distance from the water surface to the deepest point of the boat. In other words, the draft is the minimum water depth you can go to and not scrape your hull or keel. Better double this number when sailing, just to be safe, as hitting the seabed can have disastrous consequences.

Tacking is zig-zagging towards your destination. It is necessary in case your destination is in the direction of the wind since sailboats can not go directly into it. Since the closest to the wind direction you can sail is around 45 degrees, you have to change direction left and right from your desired course.

This diagram is from our guide on sailing into the wind for beginners , which explains in 7 simple steps how to get good upwind sailing performance.

Bareboat is a boat without a skipper. You will encounter this term in boat charters and it means you rent the boat without any crew, thus you need to operate it yourself. It is the best way to sail unless you enjoy living in close proximity to a sea wolf who you also have to feed.

The chart is a nautical map. It differs from classical maps as it depicts information relevant for a sailor - water depth, navigational hazards, seabed material, anchorages and so on. Formerly made of paper, these days made of ones and zeros. As is everything in this digital world.

We have a guide that explains all the different chart types clearly for beginners - read it here .

Galley on a boat is its kitchen. Also a medieval warship, but if you find this term in a boat's description, war is not likely what they have in mind.

Heads on a boat is the bathroom. Though in all my years of sailing I have never ever heard anybody use this term instead of a 'bathroom'. I suppose saying that you are going to use the heads just sounds odd.

A knot is the unit of speed of boats. It is equal to one nautical mile per hour. That is 1.852 kilometers per hour or 1.5078 miles per hour. Though a bit confusing and annoying at times, you will have to get used to this, since most of your boat's instruments will use this unit. It dates all the way back to the seventeenth century when boat's speed was measured with a rope with knots tied on it.

Mooring is attaching the boat to a buoy that is anchored to the seabed. This is usually a cheaper option to docking in a marina. It also means larger space between the boats anchored in the same area, thus more privacy. Though you will have to use your dinghy to get to shore instead of just stepping on the pier directly from your deck.

A salon on a boat is its living room. On smaller boats, it is usually in the same room as the boat's kitchen and the captain's corner with navigation instruments.

A skipper is the captain of a sailboat. If you ask me, the word 'captain' is much better than a skipper, which to me sounds like a small boy who sits on the shore the whole day, skipping stones. But hey, who am I to talk.

A monohull is a classical boat with a single hull. A boat with two hulls is called a catamaran, or a 'cat'. Although rare, there are also trimarans, boats with three hulls. Multihulls with four or more hulls do happen but they are an unnecessary freak of nature.

So there you have it. Fifty sailing terms you will encounter the most when traveling or learning. I know you might think some of them are a bit unnecessary since they have a perfectly fine 'real world' equivalent. I agree. But until the tradition changes, you might want to get some of these under your skin.

A boat's freeboard is the distance from the upper deck to the waterline. Classic yachts have low freeboards, so they appear to lay deeper in the water, as opposed to more modern yachts, which have a higher freeboard. It literally means 'free-board' : the amount of visible board.

The lunch hook is a light anchor setup that is used to moor small yachts temporarily. It typically uses a lightweight anchor on a short scope that takes little effort to set. The lunch hook is only used when the crew is on board and will be monitoring the anchor.

In naval architecture and ship design: “Head” = WC = Bathroom. A toilet is still a toilet. The toilet is in the head. In olden day, the toilet was a hole in the head.

Hi Rich, you’re absolutely right. I’ve corrected the error. Thanks for pointing it out.

A nautical mile is one minute of a degree, so if you travel 60 nautical miles that means you have gone 1 degree around the “globe”. (Note: arc length not actual length.) This is the original definition. As such the average was agreed upon and the lengths given a standardization. Which you mentioned.

As such 1 knot is to travel one nautical mile in an hour.

Also 1.5078. I think you made a mistake as it should be 1.1508 miles to a nautical mile.

Thanks for the information. Sorry about being a pedantic mathematics teacher.

So, where is the “nautical mile” calculated from, the equator or one of the tropic lines?

Just to clarify a nautical mile. If you draw an imaginary line from the North Pole or South Pole to the center of the Earth and draw another line from the center of the Earth to any point on the equator, it forms a right angle, which is 90 degrees. This equates to latitude. The equator is 0 degrees and the poles are 90 degrees. Your latitude is the angle that you are north or south of the equator. Each degree of latitude is divided into 60 minutes. A minute of latitude is the same distance matter where you are on Earth. It is 6,076 feet. This is the length of a nautical mile. A statute mile is 5,280 feet, so a nautical mile is 1.1508 statute miles.

Thank you very clear and well explained. Hopefully I’ll remember The Fifty

KöhnSharkösz

Really? No gunwale? No transom? Those or basic terms to the Washington State Boater Education Card required to operate watercraft here. Definitely more of a “need to know” than bimini.

Thank you, those definitions and explanations were clear, thorough, and helpful. I’m really glad I found my way (somehow) to your webpage.

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Nautical + Sailing Terms You Should Know [578 Phrases]

June 5, 2019 2:05 pm

A seaman’s jargon is among the most challenging to memorize. With over 500 terms used to communicate with a captain, crew, and sailors regarding navigation and more, there’s a word for nearly everything. No need to jump ship, this comprehensive list will have you speaking the lingo in no time.

Abaft the beam: A relative bearing of greater than 90 degrees from the bow. e.g. “two points abaft the port beam.”

Abaft: Toward the stern, relative to some object (“abaft the fore hatch”).

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.

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 the 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”.

Affreightment: Hiring of a vessel

Aft: Towards the stern (of the vessel).

Afterdeck: Deck behind a ship’s bridge

Afterguard: Men who work the aft sails on the quarterdeck and poop deck

Aground: Resting on or touching the ground or bottom.

Ahead: Forward of the bow.

Ahoy: A cry to draw attention. A term used to hail a boat or a ship, as “Boat ahoy!”.

Ahull: With sails furled and helm lashed to the lee-side.

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.

All-Round White Light: On power-driven vessels less than 39.4 feet in length, this light may be used to combine a masthead light and sternlight into a single white light that can be seen by other vessels from any direction. This light serves as an anchor light when sidelights are extinguished.

Aloft: Above the ship’s uppermost solid structure; overhead or high above.

Alongside: By the side of a ship or pier.

Amidships (or midships): In the middle portion of the ship, along the line of the keel.

Anchor ball: Black shape hoisted in the 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 the position of the anchor on the 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 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.

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.

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

Anchor’s aweigh: Said of an anchor when just clear of the bottom.

As the crow flies: A direct line between two points (which might cross land) which is the way crows travel rather than ships which must go around land.

Ashore: On the beach, shore or land.

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

ASW: Anti-submarine warfare.

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

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

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 the 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.

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

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.

Bale Cube (or Bale Capacity): The space available for cargo measured in cubic feet to the inside of the cargo battens, on the frames, and to the underside of the beams.

Ballaster: One who supplies ships with ballast.

Bank (sea floor): A large area of elevated sea floor.

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

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

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.

Bargemaster: Owner of a barge.

Barrelman: A sailor that was stationed in the crow’s nest.

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

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: 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.

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

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.

Bee: Hardwood on either side of bowsprit through which forestays are reeved

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.

Belay: To secure a rope by winding on a pin or cleat

Belaying pins: Bars of iron or hardwood to which running rigging may be secured, or belayed.

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

Best bower (anchor): 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.

Bimmy: A punitive instrument.

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.

Binnacle: The stand on which the ship’s compass is mounted.

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 a ship for fastening ropes

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.

Boatswain or bosun: A non-commissioned officer responsible for the sails, ropes, and boats on a ship who issues “piped” commands to seamen.

Bobstay: Rope used on ships to steady the bowsprit

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.

Boltrope: Strong rope stitched to edges of a sail

Booby hatch: A sliding hatch or cover.

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

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.

Boom: A spar used to extend the foot of a fore-and-aft sail.

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

Bosun: Boatswain

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

Bow: The front of a ship.

Bower: Anchor carried at bow of a ship

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.

Bream: To clean a ship’s bottom by burning off seaweed.

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

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

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 gunwale due to this turn.

Buffer: The chief bosun’s mate, 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 outboard from a ship’s side) to which the lower and topsail brace blocks are sometimes hooked. Chains supporting/stabilizing the bowsprit.

Bunt: Middle of sail, fish-net or cloth when slack.

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

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.

Burgee: Small ship’s flag used for identification or signaling.

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.

Cabin boy: attendant on passengers and crew.

Cabin: an enclosed room on a deck or flat.

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.

Cabotage: Shipping and sailing between points in the same country.

Camber: Slight arch or convexity to a beam or deck of a ship.

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.

Capstan: A huge rotating hub (wheel) mounted vertically and provided with horizontal holes to take up the capstan bars (when manually rotated), used to wind in anchors or other heavy objects; and sometimes to administer flogging over.

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.

Cargo Deadweight Tons: The weight remaining after deducting fuel, water, stores, dunnage and such other items necessary for use on a voyage from the deadweight of the vessel.

Carlin: Similar to a beam, except running in a fore and aft direction.

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

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).

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.

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

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

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.

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

Chock: Metal casting with curved arms for passing ropes for mooring ship.

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

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: Corner of sail with a hole to attach ropes.

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.

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

Cocket: Official shipping seal; customs clearance form.

Cofferdam: Narrow vacant space between two bulkheads of a ship.

Cog: Single-masted, square-sailed ship with a raised stern.

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 revolutionized travel.

Complement: The full number of people required to operate a ship. Includes officers and crewmembers; does not include passengers.

Cordage: Ropes in the rigging of a ship.

Corrector: a device to correct the ship’s compass.

Courses: The mainsail, foresail, and mizzen.

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

Cringle: Loop at the corner of a sail to which a line is attached.

Crosstrees: Horizontal crosspieces at a masthead used to support ship’s mast.

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.

Cube: The cargo carrying capacity of a ship, measured in cubic feet.

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 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.

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. Before serving a section of laid rope e.g. to protect it from chafing, it may be “wormed” by laying yarns in the cuntlines, giving that section an even cylindrical shape.

Daggerboard: A type of centerboard that is removed vertically.

Davit: Device for hoisting and lowering a boat.

Davy 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).

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.

Deadweight Tons (DWT): The difference between displacement, light and displacement, and loaded. A measure of the ship’s total carrying capacity.

Deadwood: Timbers built into ends of a ship when too narrow to permit framing.

Deckhand: 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.

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

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

Demurrage: Delay of the vessel’s departure or loading with cargo.

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

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

Displacement, Light: The weight of the ship excluding cargo, fuel, ballast, stores, passengers, and crew, but with water in the boilers to steaming level.

Displacement, Loaded: The weight of the ship including cargo, passengers, fuel, water, stores, dunnage and such other items necessary for use on a voyage, which brings the vessel down to her load draft.

Displacement: A measurement of the weight of the vessel, usually used for warships. Displacement is expressed either in long tons of 2,240 pounds or metric tons of 1,000 kg.

Disrate: To reduce in rank or rating; demote.

Dodger: Shield against rain or spray on a ship’s bridge.

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, Air: Air Draft is the distance from the water line to the highest point on a ship (including antennas) while it is loaded.

Draft: The distance between the waterline and the keel of a boat; the minimum depth of water in which a boat will float.

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.

Dromond: Large single-sailed ship powered by rowers.

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

Dyogram: Ship’s chart indicating compass deflection due to ship’s iron.

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

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

Ensign: Large naval flag.

Escutcheon: Part of ship’s stern where name is displayed.

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

Fairlead: Ring through which rope is led to change its direction without friction.

Fardage: Wood placed in the bottom of the ship to keep cargo dry.

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.

Fiddley: Iron framework around hatchway opening.

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

Fireship: 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 a 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 Deckhands.

First Mate: The Second in command of a ship.

Fish: To repair a mast or spar with a fillet of wood. 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…”.

Flagstaff: Flag pole at the stern of a ship.

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

Flog: To beat, to punish.

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).

Forebitt: Post for fastening cables at a ship’s foremast.

Forecabin: Cabin in the fore part of a ship.

Forecastle: A partial deck, above the upper deck and at the head of the vessel; traditionally the sailors living quarters. Pronounced “foc-sle”. 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: Mast nearest the bow of a ship

Foresail: The lowest sail set on the foremast of a square-rigged ship.

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

Forward: The area towards the bow.

Founder: To fill with water and sink → Wiktionary.

Frap: To draw a sail tight with ropes or cables.

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.

Futtock: Rib of a ship.

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.

Gaff-topsail: Triangular topsail with its foot extended upon the gaff.

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: Either of the sides of the upper deck of a ship

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

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

Genoa: Large jib that overlaps the mainsail

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

Grain Cube (or Grain Capacity): The maximum space available for cargo measured in cubic feet, the measurement being taken to the inside of the shell plating of the ship or to the outside of the frames and to the top of the beam or underside of the deck plating.

Grapnel: Small anchor used for dragging or grappling.

Gross Tons: The entire internal cubic capacity of the ship expressed in tons of 100 cubic feet to the ton, except certain spaces which are exempted such as: peak and other tanks for water ballast, open forecastle bridge and poop, access of hatchways, certain light and air spaces, domes of skylights, condenser, anchor gear, steering gear, wheelhouse, galley and cabin for passengers.

Groundage: A charge on a ship in port.

Gudgeon: Metal socket into which the pintle of a boat’s rudder fits.

Gunnage: Number of guns carried on a warship.

Gunwhale: Upper edge of the hull.

Gybe: To swing a sail from one side to another.

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 mess decks, 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 the 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.

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 haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. Harbors can be man-made or natural.

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: Distance between ship’s bow and its anchor.

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.

Hawser: Large rope for mooring or towing a ship.

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

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

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

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

Heave: A vessel’s transient up-and-down motion.

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.

Heeling: The lean caused by the wind’s force on the sails of a sailing vessel.

Helm: Ship’s steering wheel.

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.

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 preservatives.

Holystone: Sandstone material used to scrape ships’ decks

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

Horse: Attachment of sheets to the deck of the 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.

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: Inside the line of a ship’s bulwarks or hull.

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

Jack: Ship’s flag flown from jack-staff at the bow of a vessel.

Jack-block: Pulley system for raising topgallant masts.

Jack-cross-tree: Single iron cross-tree at the head of a topgallant mast.

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.

Jackstaff: Short staff at ship’s bow from which the jack is hoisted.

Jackyard: Spar used to spread the foot of a gaff-topsail

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

Jibboom: Spar forming an extension of the bowsprit.

Jibe: To change a ship’s course to make the boom shift sides.

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.

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.

Jurymast: Mast erected on a ship in place of one lost.

Kedge: Small anchor to keep a ship steady.

Keel: A boat’s backbone; the lowest point of the boat’s hull, the keel provides strength, stability and prevents sideways drift of the boat in the water.

Keel: The central structural basis of the hull.

Keelson: Lengthwise wooden or steel beam in ship for bearing stress.

Kentledge: Pig-iron used as ballast in ship’s hold.

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.

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.

Lagan: Cargo jettisoned from the ship but marked by buoys for recovery.

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

Landlubber: A person unfamiliar with being on the sea.

Lanyard: Rope or line for fastening something in a ship.

Larboard: The left side of the ship.Derived from the old ‘lay-board’ providing access between a ship and a quay.

Lastage: Room for stowing goods in a ship.

Lateen: Triangular sail rigged on ship’s spar.

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).

Laveer: To sail against the wind.

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

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

Lazaret: Space in ship between decks used for storage.

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

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

Leeboard: Wood or metal planes attached to the hull to prevent leeway.

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.

Lee helm: 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.

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”.

Length at Waterline (LWL): The ship’s length measured at the waterline.

Length Overall (LOA): The maximum length of the ship.

Length: The distance between the forwardmost and aftermost parts of the ship.

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

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 the modern term for most prestigious passenger vessel: Liner.

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

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

Loxodograph: Device used to record the ship’s travels.

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

Lugsail: Four-sided sail bent to an obliquely hanging yard.

Lutchet: Fitting on ship’s deck to allow the mast to pivot to pass under bridges.

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

Mainbrace: The brace attached to the mainmast.

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

Mainsail: Principal sail on a ship’s mainmast.

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.

Mainstay: Stay that extends from the main-top to the foot of the foremast.

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

Manrope: Rope used as a handrail on a ship.

Marina: A docking facility for small ships and yachts.

Martingale: Lower stay of rope used to sustain the strain of the forestays.

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

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

Masthead Light: This white light shines forward and to both sides and is required on all power-driven vessels.

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.

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

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

Midshipman: A non-commissioned officer below the rank of Lieutenant. Usually regarded as being “in training” to some degree.

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.

Mizzen: Three-masted vessel; aft sail of such a vessel.

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.

Moonraker: Topmost sail of a ship, above the skyscraper.

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

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.

Net Tons: Obtained from the gross tonnage by deducting crew and navigating spaces and allowances for propulsion machinery.

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 around 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”.

Oakum: Old ropes untwisted for caulking the seams of ships.

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.

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

Outrigger: Spar extended from the side of the ship to help secure mast.

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

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

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

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

Overhead: The “ceiling,” or, essentially, the bottom of the deck above you.

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.

Painter: Rope attached to the bow of a boat to attach it to a ship or a post.

Pallograph: Instrument measuring ship’s vibration.

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

Patroon: Captain of a ship; coxswain of a longboat.

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).

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.

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

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 honored 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.

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.

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

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.

Primage: Fee paid to loaders for loading ship.

Privateer: A privately-owned ship authorized 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.

Purser: Ship’s officer in charge of finances and passengers.

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

Quartering: Sailing nearly before the wind.

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

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.

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”.

Rake: The inclination of a mast or another part of a ship.

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 topmasts 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°).

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

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

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

Reeve: To pass a rope through a ring.

Rigging: the system of ropes, cables, or chains employed to support a ship’s masts and to control or set the yards and sails.

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

Rigol: The rim or ‘eyebrow’ above a port-hole or scuttle.

Roach: Curved cut in the edge of sail for preventing chafing.

Roband: Piece of yarn used to fasten a sail to a spar.

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.

Rostrum: Spike on the prow of warship for ramming.

Rowlock: Contrivance serving as a fulcrum for an oar.

Royal: Small sail on the royal mast just above topgallant sail.

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

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

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

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.

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

Scud: To sail swiftly before a gale.

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.

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

Scuttlebutt: Cask of drinking water aboard a ship; rumour, idle gossip.

Scuttles: Portholes on a ship.

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

Seaman: Generic term for a sailor.

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.

Shaft Horsepower (SHP): The amount of mechanical power delivered by the engine to a propeller shaft. One horsepower is equivalent to 746 watts in the SI system of units.

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.

Shoal: Shallow water that is a hazard to navigation.

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

Sickbay: The compartment reserved for medical purposes.

Sidelights: These red and green lights are called sidelights (also called combination lights) because they are visible to another vessel approaching from the side or head-on. The red light indicates a vessel’s port (left) side; the green indicates a vessel’s starboard (right) side.

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

Skeg: Part of ship connecting the keel with the bottom of the rudderpost.

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.

Slipway: Ramp sloping into the water for supporting a ship.

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

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

Snotty: Naval midshipman.

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

Spanker: Sail on the mast nearest the stern of a square-rigged ship.

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 gaffe of its spanker sail.

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

Spinnaker pole: A spar used to help control a spinnaker or other headsail.

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

Spirketing: Inside planking between ports and waterways of a ship.

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

Sponson: Platform jutting from ship’s deck for gun or wheel.

Sprit: Spar crossing a fore-and-aft sail diagonally.

Spritsail: Sail extended by a sprit.

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 the 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.

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

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.

Starbolins: Sailors of the starboard watch.

Starter: A rope used as a punitive device.

Stay: Rigging running fore (forestay) and aft (backstay) from a mast to the hull.

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

Steering oar or steering board: A long, flat board or oar that went from the stern to well underwater, used to control the vessel in the absence of a rudder.

Steeve: To set a ship’s bowsprit at an upward inclination.

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

Stemson: Supporting timber of a ship.

Stern tube: The tube under the hull to bear the tail shaft for propulsion (usually at the stern).

Stern: The rear part of a ship, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter to the taffrail.

Sternlight: This white light is seen only from behind or nearly behind the vessel.

Sternpost: Main member at the stern of a ship extending from keel to deck.

Sternway: Movement of a ship backward.

Stevedore: Dock worker who loads and unloads ships.

Stokehold: Ship’s furnace chamber.

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.

Stunsail: Light auxiliary sail to the side of principal sails.

Supercargo: Ship’s official in charge of business affairs.

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 dock line 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 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 storyteller is exaggerating.

Swinging the lead: Measuring the depth of water beneath a ship using a lead-weighted sounding line.

Taffrail: Rail around the stern of a ship.

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

Taken aback: An inattentive helmsmen might allow the dangerous situation to arise where the wind is blowing into the sails “backward”, causing a sudden (and possibly dangerous) shift in the position of the sails.

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

The Ropes: Refers to the lines in the rigging.

Thole: Pin in the side of a boat to keep an oar in place.

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.

Tiller: Handle or lever for turning a ship’s rudder.

Timberhead: Top end of ship’s timber used above the gunwale.

Timenoguy: Rope stretched from place to place in a ship.

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

Ton: The unit of measure often used in specifying the size of a ship. There are three completely unrelated definitions for the word. One of them refers to weight, while others refer to volume.

Tonnage: A measurement of the cargo-carrying capacity of merchant’s vessels. It depends not on weight, but on the volume available for carrying cargo. The basic units of measure are the Register Ton, equivalent to 100 cubic feet, and the Measurement Ton, equivalent to 40 cubic feet. The calculation of tonnage is complicated by many technical factors.

Topgallant: Mast or sail above the topmast and below the royal mast.

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

Topsail: The second sail (counting from the bottom) up to 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: 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.

Traffic Separation Scheme: Shipping corridors marked by buoys which separate incoming from outgoing vessels. Improperly called Sea Lanes.

Tranship: To transfer from one ship to another.

Transire: Ship’s customs warrant for clearing goods.

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

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 traveler consists of “slight iron rings, encircling the backstays, which are used for hoisting the top-gallant yards, and confining them to the backstays”.

Treenail: Long wooden pin used to fix planks of the ship to the timbers.

Trice: To haul in and lash secure a sail with a small rope.

Trick: A period of time spent at the wheel (“my trick’s over”).

Trim: Relationship of ship’s hull to the waterline.

Trunnel: Wooden shipbuilding peg used for fastening timbers.

Trysail: Ship’s sail bent to a gaff and hoisted on a lower mast.

Tuck: Part of the ship where ends of lower planks meet under the stern.

Turtleback: Structure over ship’s bows or stern.

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.

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

Underway: A vessel that is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.

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

Unreeve: To withdraw a rope from an opening.

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

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.

Walty: Inclined to tip over or lean.

Wardroom: Quarters for ship’s officers.

Washboard: Broad thin plank along ship’s gunwale to keep out sea water.

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.

Watching: Fully afloat.

Watercraft: Water transport vessels. Ships, boats, personal watercraft.

Waterline: The intersection of a boat’s hull and the water’s surface, or where the boat sits in the water.

Waveson: Goods floating on the sea after a shipwreck.

Wear: To turn a ship’s stern to windward to alter its course

Weather deck: Whichever deck is exposed to the weather—usually either the main deck or, in larger vessels, the upper deck.

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

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

Weatherboard: Weather side of a ship.

: 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 lee helm.

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

Weatherly: Able to sail close to the wind with little leeway.

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.

Whipstaff: Vertical lever controlling ship’s rudder.

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 a maneuver.

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.

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

Xebec: Small three-masted pirate ship.

Yard: Tapering spar attached to ship’s mast to spread the head of a square sail.

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.

Yawl: Ship’s small boat; sailboat carrying mainsail and one or more jibs.

Zabra: Small Spanish sailing vessel.

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55 Sailing Phrases and Nautical Terms Used in Everyday Language

The English language is full of “borrowed” phrases and terms from various other languages and pastimes. Nautical terminology, in particular, colors our everyday language and is influenced by the rich history of maritime sailing that was important to Western expansion. 

Our day-to-day conversations are peppered with sailing phrases and nautical terms. Look at which common words we use to add description and detail to our dialog and directions below. 

Sailing Terms and Phrases

Sailing terms and phrases are part of the everyday English language. Inspired by the rich history of the British Royal Navy, nautical terms have made their way into conversational English over the course of a few hundred years. 

Funny Nautical Terms

Nautical terms may sound funny to our ears, but we use them more than you may realize. These boating-inspired words are found in everyday language and references and might lend a little humor to your writing. Use them to lighten your tone and provide a fun, descriptive twist to your material. 

1. Flotsam and Jetsam

Often used together, flotsam and jetsam mean two different things. The root of flotsam is “float” and describes something that fell overboard. The root of jetsam is “jettison” and describes items thrown overboard. 

For example:

The essay draft was filled with the flotsam and jetsam of her ideas as she struggled to piece together a winning argument. 

2. Landlubber

Landlubber , or land lover, describes a person who struggles with being at sea, on a boat, or experiences seasickness. 

I apologize, but I’m afraid I’m something of a landlubber when it comes to boat travel; I prefer to take land transportation.

3. Scuttlebutt

The barrel containing the fresh drinking water was called a scuttlebutt and became a place for sailors to gather, talk, and pass on information. The term scuttlebutt became synonymous with information.

For example: 

The scuttlebutt says they planned to take their clients with them to the new office, but the boss found out and fired them for ethical violations. 

4. Shanghai

Shanghai is a city in China and was often an area where people were kidnapped and pressed into service on ships. To be Shanghaied is to be taken or betrayed. 

If we don’t keep this data secure, we may just end up Shanghaied and lose the account to our top competitor.  

5. Loose Cannon

When a cannonball broke free from its mooring, it would move across the deck and create a hazardous situation. 

She’s an absolute loose cannon. We can never anticipate what she will do to ruin a productive conversation.

6. Hunky Dory

Hunky Dory is an abbreviated version of a street name in Japan known for the services provided to the sailors who visited there. It is meant to mean all is well or perfect. 

He reassured his teacher that all was hunky-dory and that the project was on track for completion within the given time frame. 

7. Shipshape

The original term, shipshape (or ship shape) and in Bristol fashion, referred to when Bristol was Britain’s main west coast port and was used to describe everything being in order with cargo and at the port.

By the end of the week, all the school work was turned in, and the desks were in shipshape for the long holiday weekend. 

A limey is slang for sailor and originated with the practice of issuing limes as a means to prevent scurvy on long voyages. The British navy was a dominant force on the seas, so the term began to represent the British in general. 

While traveling overseas, I ran into a Limey at the airport, and he explained the best way to use the subway system while in London. 

9. Bottoms Up

The term bottoms up became a way to warn people to check for a coin at the bottom of their drink. The British used to con people into joining the Navy and would buy them a beer with a coin on the bottom. If the beer was finished off, the Navy considered this accepting payment and would press them into service. 

We bought him a celebratory beer on his birthday, and all cheered, “bottoms up!” as he drained it off!

10. Rats Deserting a Sinking Ship

Rats and other vermin were commonplace on ships, but if the boat began to take on water, they would jump into the water and swim away to try and save themselves. 

We were like rats deserting a sinking ship when it became clear that our company had been committing fraud and cheating us of our full pay. 

11. Choc-a-Block

To choc or block something means to secure a moving object. While under sail, barrels, cannons, and other items could shift. Blocking them kept them from moving to avoid damage or injury to those on deck. Now the term means that something is crowded or full up. 

The small-town streets were choc-a-block with the parade traffic, and we had to go around. 

12. Sent Up the Pole

The highest point on a ship is up the main mast pole and serves as a lookout. This was not a sought-after job as you would be exposed to the elements without protection and experience the most movement as the ship swayed in the water. 

My kids were driving me up a pole with their constant bickering over who gets to control the television remote. So I took away their TV privileges. 

13. Land HO!

To call out “Land ho!” was to let the crew know land had been spotted. It is a way to let everyone know that the end of a voyage is imminent. 

For Example:

After a whole night of compiling data in the lab, my colleague called out “land ho!” to celebrate the last entry and let us all know we could finally relax. 

“Hoy” was a middle English greeting derived from the Dutch “hoi”. It soon became “ahoy” as a signal word to boats and passing ships. 

Ahoy there! I couldn’t help but notice you waiting around and wondered if I could help you with something?

Descriptive Nautical Terms

Descriptive terms add detail to our sentences and provide synonymous meanings for an audience better understand the point we are making. These phrases and idioms are rooted in nautical terms and give a more modern take than their original use. 

15. The Cut of His/Her Jib

Jibs are a type of sail, and many ships would fly unique jibs to show their country of origin or what type of ship it was. 

For example: I don’t like the cut of John’s jib; he continually fails to take responsibility for his actions. 

16. In the Doldrums

The doldrums are an area near the equator where very little surface wind is present. This created problems with ships dependent on the wind to fill their sails, and being “in the doldrums” meant to be at a standstill or moving slowly. 

Sonya had never quite been in the doldrums like this before. This deep blue funk kept her from getting her work done on time. 

17. Onboard

To be onboard means to accept or understand what is being said fully. It has been used to describe a sailor bearing their responsibility upon the ship. 

Now that I have explained this all to you, I hope you have chosen to be onboard with the instructions so we can move forward. 

18. On Board

Being on board means being part of the crew and completing their responsibilities. 

Jonathan came on board last season and helped the team have a winning year. 

19. Port and Starboard

Port and starboard are names given to the left and right of the ship, respectfully. Still used today, the terms have also made their way into everyday language to describe the left, or right, hand side of buildings, roads, etc. 

He told me the boxes were on the port side of the warehouse, but the whole place was empty from what I could tell. 

20. Turn the Corner

This was an idiom used by sailors after passing the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa or when passing Cape Horn at the south end of South America. Both were critical points and pointed them towards safer waters. 

Despite being in the hospital for the last week, she turned the corner yesterday and is expected to make a full recovery. 

21. Show One’s True Colors

Hoisting flags to designate the origin of a ship was commonplace, but many also flew false flags to trick those that were enemies. Showing your true colors means showing the falsehood. 

He wasn’t surprised when she finally showed her true colors and walked off the job due to a minor disagreement. 

22. Close/Tight Quarters

Living on a ship meant sharing a lot of personal space with other sailors. These close living quarters held sleeping areas as well as basic storage. 

When I went to camp, I was surprised at the close quarters we were expected to sleep and live in. It barely gave us enough room to store our clothing and change!

23. Broad in the Beam

To be broad in the beam describes the width of the beam or mast, usually on a ship of good size. It became a slang term to describe a person wide across the hips and backend. 

Despite how broad in the beam the player was, she managed to dominate the field in terms of speed and agility. 

24. Like Ships that Pass in the Night

Passing ships in the dark of the night was often done to evade notice. This might be to avoid a blockade or smuggle black market goods. The ships might have been in the same area but didn’t notice or acknowledge one another. 

Their encounter was like ships passing in the night. Although she knew who he was, she just walked on by since he didn’t acknowledge her presence. 

25. Keel Over

If the keel of a boat was to rise out of the water, it was possible the ship could turn over. This could happen during a storm or after a ship was damaged by enemy fire. 

After running the marathon, he was so exhausted that he just about keeled over while making his way to the infirmary tent. 

26. Three Sheets to the Wind

Losing sails to the wind was not a good scenario for sailors as it usually meant all control of the ship was lost. 

Jack was three sheets to the wind by the time the bar closed. We had to take him home because he was in no condition to drive. 

Sailing Phrases to Provide Directions

Many commands and directions stem from sailing terms. Ships were often noisy, and sailors spread across the deck, so short phrases, whistles, and terms were used to tell people what to do. Other terms provided physical directions for sailing or an explanation of where they were headed. These tie into our own directions and communication today. 

27. Pipe Down

The boatswain communicated to the crew through a pipe that served as a whistle. The sound it made gave directions to the sailors for different tasks. One tone was to step down from duty for the evening or “pipe down”.

You kids better pipe down, or you will get our neighbors upset with your loud voices!

28. Toe the Line

Sailors under inspection were expected to stand in a line with their toes behind deck planking or behind the line. 

The baseball team was expected to toe the line and follow their coach’s directions to a T when playing away games. 

29. Take the Con

A term used to take over navigational duties on the bride of a ship. 

The police chief asked the sergeant to take the con with the investigation to ensure it was done correctly. 

30. Give a Wide Berth

A berth is defined by the space a ship is at anchor within. Even when at anchor, a ship will move with the tide and weather, so space must be given for this movement. To remind sailors of this, it would be said a wide berth was needed. 

Sam asked Mary to give him a wide berth since he’d had a rough night and was not interested in conversing with anyone. 

31. Sailing Close to the Wind

Strong winds can be just as problematic at sea as no wind. Strong winds can unexpectedly shift and take control of a boat’s direction, and many sailors will lower their sails until more favorable conditions exist. To use strong winds for sailing is risky and unpredictable. 

Jennifer had her license suspended last week, but I saw her drive to school yesterday. She is sailing close to the wind with that risky behavior. 

32. All Hands on Deck

During inspection or trouble, captains would call out the need for all hands on deck, meaning everyone needed to be present, accounted for, and working as directed. 

If we are to pull off this project in time, we will need all hands on deck.

33. On the Right Tack/Track

The correct course while sailing requires you to tack or move the sail to catch the wind to keep you on course. To take the wrong tack means to be off course. Tack has changed to track in a more modern language. 

I knew I was on the right track to solving the mystery when I saw the last clue waiting for me.

34. Run a Tight Ship

Running a tight ship means that everyone is in their place and doing their job. It was important that everyone was responsible for safety and survival on the high seas. 

My mother ran a tight ship growing up. The responsibilities she gave us to care for the house have served us as adults. 

35. Overboard

If cargo, or people, went overboard when sailing, the call “overboard” would be yelled out to draw attention to the event. With luck, the items or people would be recovered, but unfortunately, this was not often the case, and all would be lost. 

If you plan on making the hiking trip alone, be sure not to go overboard with your supplies and overpack. 

36. Abandon Ship

When a ship was sinking or being overrun by an enemy ship,  sailors would need to abandon their posts and escape. The call to abandon ship was considered a last resort.

After working all day on the project, the rainstorm overwhelmed us, and we had to abandon ship or risk being stuck in the muddy field. 

37. As the Crow Flies

After crossing the oceans, sailors would watch for birds to indicate land was near. Following the direction of land, birds, such as a crow, got them closer to shore to follow to port. 

If you travel the roads, it will take you about 40 minutes, but overland, as the crow flies, it is only a few miles worth of travel. 

38. Stem the Tide

To stem the tide means to tack, or steer, against the tide or oncoming storm to avoid being blown off course or capsized. 

Poorly planned state policies have been unable to stem the tide of rising violence seen within urban areas. 

Sailor Quotes We Use Everyday

Even though many terms may have changed through the years, others have stayed true to their original sense and are still used to add description and color to our communication with others. These quotes originate with sailors and offer clear diction for added interest when speaking and writing. 

39. Long Shot

A long shot was a lengthy target from a cannon shot. Chances were, the target would be missed unless luck was on their side. 

It was a long shot, but Jenny was willing to try and get into her school of choice despite her low grades. 

40. Feeling Blue

If a captain or officer of a ship died at sea, some vessels would raise a blue flag and paint a blue stripe on the hull as a sign of mourning. Over time this became synonymous with feelings of sadness. 

Oscar was feeling blue all week after learning his summer camp was canceled, and he would have to wait a whole year for another chance to go. 

41. Taken Aback

A sudden shift in the wind would blow sails back against the mast, flattening them out and earning the description blown “aback”. This sudden change was often startling and could take sailors by surprise. 

Samantha was taken aback by the children she was babysitting; they were behaving incredibly poorly compared to the last time she had seen them. 

42. Tide Over

When a ship could not get under sail due to poor winds, they would ride the tide until the winds returned. 

The snack I fed my children should tide them over until I serve dinner later tonight. 

43. High and Dry

If a ship was caught in low tide or ran up on the shoals, it might end up being stranded with no hope of recovery. The term was to be caught high and dry, as in up out of the water. 

My so-called friends left me high and dry over the weekend when they decided to attend a party I don’t feel comfortable attending. 

44. In Deep Water

Once a ship reached deep water, if trouble occurred, the crew might not be able to salvage the cargo, the ship, or a person’s life. 

Emmett and Jay got themselves into deep water with the principal when they skipped 1st period and showed up late to 2nd. 

45. Sink or Swim

Tossing a person overboard resulted either in them sinking or swimming. The term was made popular in swashbuckling movies featuring pirates deciding on whether they should spare their captives or not. 

Being a new teacher truly is a sink or swim experience. Either you do well with it or struggle to make it through the first year. 

46. Dead in the Water

The lack of wind would keep ships from making progress on their voyage, often called being “dead in the water”. The term describes a more severe situation when no further progress may be possible. 

They were dead in the water without that internet connection and would probably have to turn in an incomplete assignment to make the due date. 

47. Making Waves

Winds and storms create waves at sea and can cause hazardous sailing conditions.

We have already finalized the project. If you criticize the work now, it will only make waves and insult the people who worked so hard on it. 

48. Rock the Boat

Smaller skiffs or boats easily move with the water, as well as the movement of the people on deck. Because of this, it is crucial to understand the balance of the boat to avoid unnecessary rocking that can put you off course or simply be uncomfortable. 

I don’t mean to rock the boat, but somebody needs to point out how wrong his behavior was and force him to take responsibility. 

49. Plain or Smooth Sailing

Calm waters and dependable winds create a smooth or plain sailing experience. These are ideal conditions when out on the water. 

After her drive through the mountains, it was smooth sailing to reach her final destination. 

50. Scraping the Barrel

Scraping empty barrels while at sea was common to get every last bit of food stored within it. It was important never to let anything go to waste, but it also meant nothing was left. 

Man alive, she really is scraping the barrel with her latest boyfriend! I wish she had better taste in men!

51. Learn the Ropes

Sails were raised and lowered with ropes, and knowing how to control the sails allowed a ship to take full advantage of the wind and sail safely. 

Although I was new to the job, it didn’t take me long to learn the ropes and get the hang of all my responsibilities. 

52. Through Thick and Thin

Both thick and thin pulleys and ropes were used for hoisting sails and flags, hence the term working through thick and thin. 

Despite the many challenges the project presented, the team worked through thick and thin to complete it on time and receive a winning score. 

53. Hand Over Fist

Raising and lowering sails on a pulley system required placing one hand over another in a consistent movement, i.e., hand over fist. It was a term used to explain the quickness of the job.

His new company made money hand over fist that first year due to the hustle of the business partners. 

The word mate has a long history of meaning friend or comrade and was adapted in British sailing vernacular to designate the titles and responsibilities of certain crew members. A first mate, for example, would be in charge of the duties of those below him. 

My friend from university are still good mates, and we get together at least once a year to catch up and relax. 

55. Batten Down the Hatches

With the arrival of bad weather, sailors need to secure the hatchways to avoid water from flooding the ship’s interior. To batten down the hatches means to prepare for this occasion. 

After the economy showed no sign of improvement, many businesses were ready to batten down the hatches to try and survive the fallout of inflation. 

How Much of Our Language Comes from Maritime Slang?

Although this is a comprehensive list, it isn’t complete, and some other more obscure phrases exist inspired by terms used when sailing was much more commonplace. Much of the English language is colored with references to maritime slang and directions and is used to help detail and explain various situations. Although we may use the terms slightly more different than their origin, the suggestion of their importance in our everyday language still lives on in speech and writing. 

Let’s Review

The English language is full of historical references and slang that we use every day without even knowing the origin. This helps color and detail the meaning of our words so we are better understood. 

Sailing phrases and nautical terms came from a time when transportation on ships was commonplace and a major world trade and travel solution. At one point or another, most people found themselves traveling on open water to get from one place to another. The language inspired by this is still alive and well in our everyday vernacular. 

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Sailing Terms and Phrases: A Comprehensive Guide to Nautical Jargon

by Emma Sullivan | Jul 19, 2023 | Sailboat Racing

Short answer sailing terms and phrases:

Sailing terms and phrases refer to language specific to the sport of sailing. They include terms related to boat parts, sailing maneuvers, wind direction, and navigation. Understanding these terms is crucial for effective communication and safe sailing practices.

Understanding the Basics: A Guide to Sailing Terms and Phrases

Welcome aboard, fellow sailors and landlubbers alike, as we embark on a voyage through the mesmerizing world of sailing terms and phrases. Whether you’re an enthusiastic beginner or a seasoned seafarer looking to brush up on your nautical knowledge, this guide will have you speaking like a true sailor in no time.

As with any specialized field, sailing has its own unique language that can bewilder even the most erudite wordsmiths. But fear not! We’re here to break down the basics and shed light on those mysterious terms that have been floating around in your mind like buoys at sea.

Let’s start by hoisting the main sail and diving headfirst into some essential terminology:

1. Port and Starboard: If someone shouts “Hard to port!” during your sailing adventure, don’t panic – they simply mean turn left. In maritime lingo, “port” refers to the left side of a vessel when facing forward, while “starboard” is the right side. Thinking of them as counterparts can help avoid confusion during moments of high-seas excitement.

2. Bow and Stern: Don’t forget where your front and back are while navigating the open waters. The bow is the forward part of the vessel (a great spot for taking epic photos), while the stern is located at the rear. Trust us – being able to differentiate between these two proves invaluable when following directions or describing intriguing sights.

3. Aft vs Forward: Just as knowing which way is up is vital for surviving gravity’s pull, understanding aft (the back part of a ship) versus forward (the front part) is crucial aboard a boat too! Being able to navigate with ease relies heavily on using these terms correctly when maneuvering around onboard.

Now that we’ve set our bearings straight let’s proceed further into more advanced seamanship jargon:

4. Shiver me Timbers: Ahoy, matey! Surely, you’ve heard this catchy phrase in pirate movies or read it in adventure novels. But do you know what it means? “Shiver me timbers” originated from the old seafaring days when wooden ships were prevalent. When they were hit by fierce storms or cannonballs, the creaking and vibrations of the hull made the timber “shiver.” Nowadays, it’s an exclamation expressing surprise or disbelief.

5. Nautical Mile: Avast, ye landlubbers! A nautical mile is a unit of measurement used specifically for sea and air travel. It’s equal to one minute of latitude along any meridian – approximately 1.15 statute miles (or about 1.85 kilometers). So, whether you’re voyaging across vast oceans or navigating through treacherous straits, understanding this term will keep you on course.

6. Windward and Leeward: When sailing the high seas, understanding wind patterns becomes crucial to harnessing their power effectively. Windward refers to the direction from which the wind is blowing (usually against your face), while leeward indicates the sheltered side where the wind is blocked by your vessel or other objects nearby. Skippers who can master these concepts will navigate their vessels with grace and ease.

7. Keelhaul: Now here’s a term that harkens back to darker maritime times! To keelhaul someone often meant dragging them under a ship’s keel as a form of punishment. Luckily for us nowadays, it has mostly been relegated to seafaring folklore and modern-day sailors rarely seek to employ such discipline.

So there you have it – a comprehensive yet entertaining guide to essential sailing terms and phrases that will surely make waves amongst your fellow salts-in-arms! From knowing your port from starboard all the way down to deciphering historical jargon like “shiver me timbers,” embracing these nautical expressions will not only deepen your understanding but also add a touch of maritime flare to your conversation.

So raise your glasses – or rather, yer grog – as you confidently navigate the mighty seas armed with newfound knowledge, humor, and a dash of seafaring slang. Bon voyage!

Exploring the World of Sailing: How Sailing Terms and Phrases Enhance Your Experience

Title: All Aboard! Unveiling the Secrets of Sailing: How Nautical Jargon Enhances Your Pleasure on the High Seas

Introduction: Welcome, fellow sailors and nautical enthusiasts, as we embark on an exciting voyage through the realm of sailing. Beyond the wind in our sails and the wide expanse of water beneath us lies a colorful world steeped in traditions, camaraderie, and rich terminology. In this blog post, we delve into how mastering sailing terms and phrases can elevate your experience on the open seas from ordinary to extraordinary. So hoist your anchor and adjust your compass – let’s set sail!

1) The Lingua Franca of Seafarers: Just as each industry has its unique lexicon, sailing boasts an impressive repertoire of its own jargon. While initially overwhelming to nascent sailors, these terms are not merely maritime buzzwords; they create a sense of belonging among seafaring communities globally. From ‘starboard’ to ‘jib’ or ‘tacking,’ understanding nautical terminology not only facilitates effective communication but also unlocks doors to a world where legends and rituals intertwine.

2) Paint Your Own Nautical Canvas: Imagine being able to articulate intricate details about your surroundings with painterly precision. As you acquaint yourself with sailing lingo, you gain access to an exquisite palette that will enable you to vividly describe cloud formations (cumulonimbus clouds), waves (swell), or even the wonders beneath (bioluminescence). By employing phrases such as “the sea rose like a mighty kraken” or “whispering zephyrs guided our course,” you’ll be painting masterpieces with words.

3) Channeling History’s Echoes: The language of sailing is deeply rooted in history, connecting us to generations past who braved unforgiving waters aboard wooden vessels. Embracing these linguistic relics imbues your journey with a sense of timelessness and reverence for those who came before us. Employing phrases like “avast ye scurvy dogs” or “there she blows!” lets you channel the spirit of earlier sailors, forging an indelible bond across ages.

4) The Poetry of Seamanship: Sailing brings together the precision of a science and the lyricality of art, creating an environment where language emotively intertwines with experience. By embracing sailing terms, you’ll find yourself effortlessly conversing in poetic cadences – from referring to land as the “shores of belonging” to desiring nothing more than catching a glimpse of the “dancing dolphins’ aqueous ballet.” These evocative expressions invite you to craft narratives that rival those crafted by Homer himself!

5) A Flotilla United by Secret Code: Picture yourself amidst a fleet regatta, surrounded by fellow sailors all fluent in this secret maritime lexicon. This peculiar linguistic bond establishes instant connections beyond conventional exchanges shared in mainstream society. An initiation into sailing terminologies is akin to unlocking a secret code, granting you access to new friendships built on shared experiences and mutual appreciation for life’s most elemental forces: wind, water, and adventure.

Conclusion: As we conclude our journey through the oceanic tapestry woven by nautical terms and phrases, it becomes evident that their power extends far beyond mere communication. Sailing lingo elevates your voyage from practicality to poetry, endowing each moment on deck with historical significance and artistic resonance. By embracing these traditions and enriching your sailing vernacular with colorful expression, you become part of a timeless legacy that has inspired dreamers and adventurers throughout centuries. So let us hoist our sails high while whispering tales told countless times before – may our newfound command over nautical terminology enhance our quest for freedom on the open seas!

Sailing Terms and Phrases Step by Step: From Beginner to Pro

Title: Sailing Terms and Phrases Step by Step: From Beginner to Pro – Unleashing the Sailor in You!

Introduction: Ahoy, aspiring sailors! Embark on an exciting journey into the world of sailing, where the wind becomes your silent ally and the vast ocean your playground. Whether you’re a beginner dipping your toes into this majestic realm or a seasoned sailor looking to polish your knowledge, our comprehensive guide will equip you with essential sailing terms and phrases. So batten down the hatches, and let’s sail through this blog together!

1. Setting Sail: Grasping the Basics Before we dive deeper into nautical jargon, let’s start by understanding fundamental concepts crucial for all sailors. We’ll cover key aspects such as wind direction, points of sail (angles relative to the wind), and boat maneuvers—tacking and gybing—to harness the wind’s power efficiently.

2. Navigating Seas of Terminology Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the essentials, it’s time to raise anchor on our expedition of sailing terminology. From bow to stern, we’ll unravel intricate vernacular such as port and starboard (left and right), keel (the underwater part keeping your vessel steady), rigging (the system supporting sails), and many more nautical gems.

3. Anchoring Your Knowledge: Knots & Ropes No sailor can be without a reliable knot repertoire! Discover step-by-step instructions for tying knots like reef knot (square knot), figure-eight knot, clove hitch, bowline, and more. Mastering these techniques ensures safety onboard while securing sails, tying lines around cleats, or attaching fenders effortlessly.

4. Weathering Any Storm: Meteorological Mastery Weather plays an indispensable role in sailing dynamics; understanding its patterns keeps both novices and experts safe at sea. Delve into concepts such as barometric pressure systems, reading weather charts, interpreting cloud formations, and utilizing meteorological apps. Equip yourself to anticipate wind shifts, gauge tides, and discern when a storm is approaching.

5. SOS – Safety on the Seven Seas Safety should always come first! Gain insights into maritime safety procedures, including personal flotation devices (PFDs), harnesses, life rafts, flares, distress signals, and emergency protocols to ensure your sailing experience remains secure and enjoyable.

6. Racing Ahead: Sail Trim & Performance Ready to up your game? Discover the art of sail trimming—the fine-tuning required to extract maximum speed from your vessel. Learn about cunningham lines, boom vangs, halyards, traveler controls—the subtle adjustments that balance power versus pointing ability during a regatta or an adventurous day sail.

7. Navigate Like a Pro: Charting Your Course Navigational skills are the backbone of any sailor’s toolbox. Dive into the world of nautical charts—those intricate maps guiding you amidst an ocean expanse—and grasp concepts such as understanding symbols and markings; plotting courses using latitude and longitude; employing GPS systems; avoiding hazards; and converting true headings into magnetic ones for compass navigation.

8. Tales from the Sea: Maritime Lore and Trivia Immerse yourself in captivating tales woven by seasoned sailors while exploring intriguing maritime traditions like baptizing ships or crossing the equator ceremoniously. Learn lesser-known facts about famous shipwrecks or legendary seafarers who etched their names in history—fueling your passion for adventures beyond imagination!

9. Starboard ahead! Sailing into Greener Horizons In this digital era of sustainable living, embark on a conversation regarding eco-friendly sailing practices aimed at preserving our breathtaking marine ecosystems. Explore tips for reducing carbon footprints while sailing—with alternatives like electric propulsion—and join the movement towards cleaner seas with recycling initiatives that minimize plastic waste onboard.

10 Ahoi, Captain! Mastering the Ropes Congratulations on reaching this stage of our sailing odyssey. Armed with an arsenal of sailing terms, navigational prowess, safety awareness, and a passion for the sea, you’re well on your way to becoming a true sailing pro. So hoist those sails high and brace yourself for limitless adventures that await you—the world is your oyster!

Epilogue: As you set sail on this journey from beginner to pro sailor, remember to embrace the wonders of the sea while respecting its power and beauty. With time, experience, and dedication, you’ll be speaking the language of seasoned sailors confidently. Bon voyage on your nautical endeavors; may fair winds forever fill your sails!

Frequently Asked Questions about Sailing Terms and Phrases Answered

Sailing is a unique and exciting experience that brings together the beauty of nature and the thrill of adventure. Whether you are an experienced sailor or a novice looking to learn more about this captivating activity, it’s important to understand the various sailing terms and phrases that are commonly used in the sailing community. To help you navigate through these sometimes confusing waters, we have put together a list of frequently asked questions answered with detailed professional explanations, sprinkled with witty and clever anecdotes. So sit back, relax, and let’s dive into the world of sailing terminology!

Q1: What exactly is a “jib”?

A1: Ah, the jib! This term refers to a triangular sail located at the front of the boat, usually attached to the forestay (the wire that holds up the mast). The jib serves as one of the primary sources of propulsion for sailing vessels. Think of it as the boat’s secret weapon – it catches wind and propels your vessel forward! Just like a jester adding an element of surprise in medieval courts.

Q2: Can you explain what “tacking” means?

A2: Tacking is perhaps one of the most fundamental maneuvers in sailing. It involves turning your boat into or across the wind so that your sails switch sides. Picture yourself maneuvering your way through rush hour traffic – except instead of cars, there are waves crashing against each other! Tacking allows sailors to make headway against windward, zigzagging their way to their destination like Shakespearean characters in a fiery debate.

Q3: I’ve heard people talk about “heeling.” What does it mean?

A3: Ahoy there! Heeling refers to when a sailboat leans over sideways due to strong winds pushing against its sails. This ‘Michael Jackson-esque’ dance move can be quite exhilarating for thrill-seekers, but it requires careful balance and control. Imagine holding a delicate ballet pose on a tilting stage while attempting to impress the judges. That’s what heeling is all about – finding the perfect equilibrium between adventure and stability.

Q4: What is meant by “mainsail”?

A4: The mainsail is the largest and most visible sail on a sailing vessel. It is typically attached to the mast and plays a crucial role in powering the boat forward when the wind hits it just right. This sail can be compared to the lead vocalist of a band – it takes center stage and commands attention, providing maximum power to propel your floating oasis across the water.

Q5: Can you explain what “port” and “starboard” mean?

A5: Ahoy, matey! Port refers to the left side of a boat when facing its bow (front), while starboard refers to its right side. Now, how do you remember which is which? Here’s a clever trick: port has four letters, just like LEFT, so it’s easy to associate them together. And starboard has more letters than port or left, so that must be RIGHT! Remember this little rhyme, and you’ll never steer your ship in the wrong direction again.

So there you have it – some frequently asked questions about sailing terms and phrases answered with detailed professional insight mixed with witty and clever comparisons. We hope this helps unravel some of the mysteries behind those nautical expressions that sailors throw around with ease. Happy sailing!

Mastering the Jargon: Unraveling the Language of Sailing

Sailing, with its long and storied history, offers enthusiasts an escape into a world rich in tradition and adventure. From battling treacherous waves to navigating the vast expanses of the open sea, sailors are no strangers to challenges. However, there is one aspect of sailing that can often leave beginners feeling adrift – the intricate and sometimes befuddling language used in this esteemed practice.

In this blog post, we aim to demystify the jargon of sailing, allowing novices to navigate conversations with seasoned sailors and ultimately feel more at home on deck.

Tacking and Jibing – Oh My!

One of the most fundamental concepts in sailing revolves around changing direction – but don’t call it turning! Sailors use specific terms like tacking and jibing to describe these maneuvers. Tacking involves turning into the wind by steering through a series of tight angles, while jibing entails turning away from the wind in a more fluid motion. So if you hear someone say “Prepare to tack!” or “Jibe ho!”, now you’ll know what they mean.

Hoist That Main Sail!

As you familiarize yourself with sailboats, you’ll swiftly encounter talk about different sails – mainsails being one of them. The mainsail is crucial for propelling your vessel forward and adjusting its position relative to the wind. When you hear someone shout “Hoist that main!” they’re simply telling their crewmates to raise or unfurl this essential sail. Remember, timing is key when hoisting your main as it affects your boat’s performance and maneuverability.

Trimming Your Sails

Ever wondered what sailors mean by “trimming” their sails? No, they’re not talking about giving them a haircut! Trimming refers to adjusting your sails’ position relative to the wind for optimal efficiency – something akin to finetuning your instrument. By playing with the sheets (lines that control sail shape), sailors can harness the wind’s power effectively, propelling themselves along smoothly and efficiently.

The Wind Angle – A Sailor’s Best Friend

Understanding wind angles is paramount for any sailor worth their salt. When sailors refer to “the point of sail,” they are describing the direction they are sailing relative to the wind. Different points of sail include close-hauled (sailing as close to the wind as possible) and running (sailing in the same direction as the wind). Knowledge of these angles determines how a skilled sailor adjusts their sails, achieving optimal speed and stability.

Raising Anchor – Setting Sail!

Embarking on a sailing adventure often begins with raising anchor or setting sail. However, it’s not just about hoisting a heavy object; there is an art to it! The crew works together seamlessly, making sure the anchor is secured safely before preparing to lift it from its watery resting place. With a well-coordinated effort, they can free themselves from shore and set out into open waters to seek out new horizons.

Navigating Lingo Land

As you delve deeper into sailing culture, you’ll soon notice a myriad of unique terms specific to this maritime world – jargon like ‘batten down the hatches,’ ‘hard-a-lee,’ or ‘full-and-by.’ Each phrase has its own charm and colorful history that adds character and camaraderie amongst sailors. Embrace this lexicon with enthusiasm, for it symbolizes connection with centuries-old traditions and ensures clear communication at sea.

So whether you decide to hoist your sails under clear blue skies or undertake epic adventures across stormy seas, mastering the jargon of sailing will undoubtedly enhance your experience. Armed with this newfound knowledge, you’ll be able to hold engaging conversations with fellow sailors while feeling like an old salty sea dog yourself. Fair winds ahead!

Exploring Yachts Sailing in Croatia: A Seafaring Paradise

If you’re dreaming of an unforgettable sailing experience amidst stunning landscapes and crystal-clear waters, look no further than Croatia. With its picturesque coastline, countless islands, and vibrant culture, Croatia offers an idyllic setting for yacht sailing adventures.

Why Choose Yachts Sailing in Croatia?

Croatia boasts over a thousand islands, each with its own unique charm waiting to be explored. From the lively ports of Split and Dubrovnik to the secluded coves of Hvar and Vis, there’s no shortage of destinations to discover. Navigate through the serene waters of the Adriatic Sea, soak up the Mediterranean sun, and immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of this coastal paradise.

The SkipperCity Experience

For the ultimate yachting adventure in Croatia, look no further than SkipperCity. With a fleet of luxurious yachts and experienced skippers at your service, SkipperCity ensures a seamless and unforgettable sailing experience. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a novice explorer, their expert team will tailor a bespoke itinerary to suit your preferences, ensuring every moment on board is nothing short of magical.

To embark on your own yachts sailing adventure in Croatia with SkipperCity, simply click here to visit their website and start planning your dream getaway. With their wide range of yachts and personalized service, you’ll be setting sail for adventure in no time.

Taking Your Boating Game Up a Notch with Essential Sailing Terms and Phrases

Are you ready to elevate your boating skills and impress everyone on board with your extensive knowledge of sailing terms and phrases? Look no further, as we’re here to help you take your boating game up a notch!

Sailing has its own unique language that can initially seem daunting to beginners. However, mastering these essential sailing terms and phrases not only enhances your understanding of the sport but also ensures seamless communication with fellow sailors. So let’s dive into this linguistic adventure and emerge as refined seafarers!

1. Bow: This term refers to the front part of the boat. Imagine standing at the bow, with the wind blowing through your hair, as you confidently navigate through the open waters.

2. Stern: The opposite of the bow, the stern is the back end of the vessel. Picture yourself lounging on the stern while basking in the sun, enjoying a leisurely day on your boat.

3. Port: When facing forward towards the bow, port refers to the left side of a boat or yacht. Remember it by associating “port” with “left,” both consisting of four letters.

4. Starboard: In contrast to port, starboard indicates the right side of a boat when facing forward. An easy way to remember is by imagining a bright star guiding you towards success.

5. Tacking: To change direction against or across the wind using sails is known as tacking. It involves turning or pivoting through head-to-wind coordination, allowing your boat to zigzag efficiently while harnessing variable wind angles.

6. Jib: A triangular sail positioned in front of a mast is called a jib and primarily aids in steering when sailing close-hauled or reaching conditions.

7. Mainsail: The largest sail on most boats, attached vertically along a mast toward aft (near stern) direction commands utmost respect – it’s called a mainsail! Mastering control over the mainsail is essential for maximizing speed and maneuverability.

8. Windward: The direction from which the wind is coming is referred to as windward. Sailing toward the windward side can be challenging yet exhilarating, requiring precise navigation techniques for optimal performance.

9. Leeward: The opposite of windward, leeward denotes the side away from the wind or downwind direction. When sailing on the leeward side, you’ll experience smoother conditions with less turbulence — a perfect opportunity for relaxation and enjoying your boating adventure.

10. Rudder: Acting as a ship’s steering mechanism, the rudder controls its movement by changing its course in response to the helmsperson’s commands. Mastering rudder control ensures smooth sailing and accurate navigation.

Now armed with these essential sailing terms and phrases, you can confidently navigate through any boating expedition while impressing your friends with your newfound knowledge! So hoist those sails, trim them accurately, and let these words navigate you towards becoming an impeccable sailor. Fair winds and following seas await you on this exciting journey!

Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t hesitate to apply these terms during your next sailing adventure. Happy sailing!

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A to Z of Nautical Terms: A Complete Glossary of Boat Terminology

Are you a new boat owner? Whether you bought a jet ski or a 40-foot cabin cruiser, you’re going to need to understand the lingo while you’re out on the water. Here’s a glossary of basic nautical terms to have you sounding like a sailor.

Toward the stern of the vessel.

A sail position with the wind striking on its leeward side.

Around or near the stern of the vessel.

At a right-angle to the boat’s center-line.

Lashing the helm to the leeward side to ride out bad weather without the sails set.

The center of the deck of the vessel between the fore-and-aft.

Automatic Identification System.

Apparent Wind

The speed and direction of the wind combined with the boat’s movement and the true wind speed and direction.

To look behind the boat while driving in reverse.

Automatic Radar Plotting Aid.

Athwartships

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

The act of measuring the angular distance on the horizon circle in a clockwise method, typically between a heavenly body and an observer.

When the wind starts to shift in an anti-clockwise direction.

Back a sail

Sheeting the sail to the windward direction, so the wind fills the sail on the leeward side.

The stay supports the aft from the mast, preventing its forward movement.

Baggywrinkle

The teased-out plaited rope wound around the stays or shrouds preventing chaffing.

Iron or lead weights are fixed in a low-access area of the vessel or on the keel to stabilize the boat.

A flexible and lightweight strip feeds into the sail leech’s batten pocket, supporting the roach.

Ballast Keel

A ballast bolted to the keel, increasing the vessel’s stability to prevent capsizing.

The widest point of the vessel or a traverse member supporting the deck. On the beam, objects are at a right-angle to the center-line.

Taking the action of steering the vessel away from the wind.

To tag a zig-zagging approach into the wind or close-hauling with alternate tacks.

The object’s direction from the observer measured in magnetic or true degrees.

To fasten the rope around the cleat using a figure-8 knot.

Securing the sail to the spar before hoisting it or connecting two ropes using a knot.

A sleeping quarters on a boat or a slip occupied by a vessel in a marina or harbor.

The loop or bend in a knot.

The round, lower part of the hull where the water collects.

The pulley fixed inside a plastic or wooden casing with a rope running around a sheave and changing to pulling direction.

Boot-Topping

The narrow-colored stripe is painted between the topside enamel and bottom paint.

The heeling action of the boat when it slews to the broadside while running downwind. Abroach usually occurs in heavy seas.

Broad Reach

The point of sailing the vessel between a run and the beam reach with the wind blowing over the quarter.

The partitioning wall in the vessel athwartship.

A measurement of distance equal to 0.1-sea mile, 185-meters, or 200-yards.

Center-Line

The center of the vessel along the aft-to-fore line.

Center-Board

A board lowers through a slot on the keel for reducing leeway.

The fitting slipping over the boom like a claw. It attaches to the main sheet after you finish reefing the sail.

Chart Datum

The reference level on the charts below which the low tide level. The sounding features below the chart datum. The datum level varies depending on country and area.

The metal, wooden, or plastic fitting used to secure ropes.

Close-Hauled

The skill of sailing close to the wind, also known as beating.

The lower, aft corner of the sail where the leech and foot meet.

Close Reach

The point where you’re sailing between the beam reach and the close-hauled or when the wind blows toward the forward of the beam.

The direction that you steer the vessel in degrees. Mariners can use true or magnetic readings or use a compass to plot the course.

Close-Winded

The act of sailing a boat close to the wind.

The rope loop at either end of the line reef points or an eye in a sail.

The difference between the direction indicated by the magnetic meridian and the compass needle, caused by carrying metal objects aboard the vessel.

Sailing with the wind blowing to the aft, in line with the center-line of the vessel.

Displacement

The displacement hull design displaces boat weight in the water and is only supported by its buoyancy.

The weight of the water displaced by the vessel is equal to the vessel’s weight.

The rope used to pull down the spar or sail.

To float the vessel with the wind or current. Or the distance covered by the boat while drifting in the current, measured in time.

The distance between the lowest point on the keel and the center-line of the vessel measured as a vertical distance.

The sea anchor thrown over the stern of a life raft or boat or to reduce drift.

Digital Selective Calling (a function on Marine radios ).

A retractable keel drawn into the vessel’s hull.

Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon.

Estimated Position.

Estimated Time of Departure.

Estimated Time of Arrival.

The fitting adjusting the feeding line allows you to change the direction of the lead line.

The raised border on cabin tables, chart tables, preventing objects from falling off the surface.

Measurement of water depth and rope lengths.

• 1 Fathom = 6-feet = 1.83-meters.

The vessel positioning plotted by two or more positioning lines.

The vertical distance between the top of the deck and the waterline.

The closest stay running between the masthead and stemhead, hankering the mainsail.

A large-size headsail is available in various sizes, overlapping the mainsail before hoisting in fresh to light winds on all sailing points.

Two concentric rings pivot at right-angles to keep objects horizontal despite the swaying motion of the boat.

Global Navigation Satellite System.

Global Maritime Distress and Safety System.

To change tack by turning the boat into the eye of the wind.

Booming out the headsail in a windward position using the whisker pole to hold it on the opposite side of the mainsail.

The fitting anchoring the mast to the boom, allowing free movement in all directions.

This metal rail surrounds the boat’s edges, allowing easy gripping to prevent falling overboard.

Turning the stern through the wind to change from one tack to another.

The spinnaker guy controls the steadying rope for the spar through the aft-fore position of the spinnaker pole. The foreguy keeps the spinnaker pole in the forward position.

Global Positioning System.

The rope hoisting the lower sails.

Highest Astronomical Tide.

The fitting for attaching the sail’s luff to a stay.

The deck opening provides the crew with access to the berth or cabin interior.

The streamlined surround of a forestay featuring the groove allows for the sliding attachment of the luff sides of the headsail.

Head-to-Wind

When the bow of the vessel points into the direction of the wind.

The forward motion of the vessel through the water.

The toilet.

The action of backing the jib and lashing the tiller to the leeward side in rough weather conditions. The heave-to encourages the vessel to reduce headway and lie quietly.

When the vessel exaggeratedly leans to one side.

International Maritime Organization.

International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

International Telecommunication Union

The lines on weather maps joining places with equal atmospheric pressure.

The temporary device for replacing damaged or lost gear.

The line running from aft-to-fore on both sides of the vessel. The jackstays allow for the clipping attachment of safety harnesses to prevent being lost at sea when falling overboard.

A secondary, smaller, lightweight anchor.

A dual-masted sailboat featuring a mizzen mast that’s slightly smaller than its mainmast, with a stepped forward position of the rudder post/stock.

The center-line of the vessel features the attachment of the ballast keel, allowing for the lowering of the center-board.

Kicking Strap

The line for pulling down the boom or keeping it in the horizontal position when on a run or reach.

A short length of line attached to an important object that you don’t want to lose, such as the jet ski key. The lanyard can connect to your wrist or lifejacket.

The aft edge of the triangular sail. Both side-edges of a square sail.

Lowest Astronomical Tide.

The shore on which the wind is blowing.

The natural tendency of vessels to bear away from the direction of the wind.

Moving in a direction away from the wind. The direction in which the wind is blowing.

The vessel’s leaning to one side due to improper distribution of weight in the boat’s hull.

The leading edge of the sail. Luffing up is turning the head of the boat into the wind.

The sideways motion off course resulting from the wind blowing on one side of the hull and sails.

The instrument for measuring the distance and speed of a boat traveling through the water. It is also the act of recording the details of a voyage in a logbook.

Marinized engine

A car engine or motorbike motor adapted for use in watercraft.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The keel socket locating the base of the mast.

Measured Mile

The distance marked on charts measures one nautical mile between islands at sea or onshore ranges.

The short after-mast on the yawl or ketch.

This imaginary longitudinal line circling the earth, passing through both poles, cutting at right-angles through the equator.

Mean Low Water Neaps.

Mean High Water Neaps.

Mean High Water Springs.

Mean Low Water Springs.

Maritime Mobile Service Identity.

The rope used for pulling out the sail’s foot.

Overall Length (LOA)

The extreme length of the vessel. The measurement from the aftmost point of the stern to the foremost points of the bow. This measurement excludes the self-steering gear, bowsprit, etc.

An emergency call requesting immediate assistance.

The bowline on a tender or dinghy for towing or making fast.

To gradually let out the rope.

The left-hand side of the vessel when looking forward.

Point of Sailing

The angles of the wind allowing for the sailing of the boat. Or the boat’s course relative to its direction and the direction of the wind.

Your vessel is on its port track when the wind is striking the boat’s port side first, and the mainsail is out to the starboard side.

Line of Position/Position Line

The line on charts shows the bearing of the vessel and the position where the boat mist lie. Or two positional lines providing a location fix.

The steel guard rail fitted to the bow to provide additional safety for the crew when working around the boat’s edge.

The steel guard rail fitted around the stern of the boat to prevent the crew from falling overboard.

The section of the vessel midway between the beam and the stern.

The difference in water levels between the high and low tides is the range of tides. Or the distance at which you can see the light.

The act of reducing the sail surface area through folding or rolling additional materials onto the forestay or boom.

Reefing Pennant

The sturdy line allowing you to pull down the leech cringle or luff to the boom while reefing.

When sailing with the wind blowing onto the beam, with all sailing points between close-hauled and running.

Riding Sail

The small sail you hoist to maintain the steerage way during stormy weather.

The imaginary line cuts through all meridians at the same angle. Or the course of the vessel moving in a fixed direction.

Rigging Screw

The deck fitting allowing for tensioning of the standing rigging.

The act of sailing with the wind to the aft of the vessel and with the sails eased into the wide-out, full position.

The curve in a leech sail extending beyond the direct line formed from clew to head.

Running Rigging

All moving lines like halyards and sheets used for trimming and setting sails.

Search and Rescue.

A vessel with two or more masts and the mainmast featured in the aftermost position.

Search and Rescue Transponder.

The toe-rail holes allowing water to drain off the deck.

The room in which the vessel can maneuver clear of submerged dangers.

The shut-off valve for the underwater outlet or inlet passing through the vessel’s hull.

This is French for “radio silence.” You’ll use it when reporting a distress call or incident at sea.

The act of hoisting a sail. Or how the sails fit or the direction of a tidal stream or current.

A procedure word for identifying safety calls.

A steel link featuring a removable bolt crossing the open end. The shackle comes in various designs, from “S” to “U” shapes and more.

The cables or ropes typically fund in pairs, leading from the mast to the chainplates at the deck level. These shrouds prevent the mast from falling to the side, and it’s part of your standing rigging.

The rope attaching to the boom to the sail’s clew allows for the trimming and control over the sail.

Skin Fitting

A through-hull fitting featuring a hole in its skin allows for air and water passing. The seacock is the accessory used for sealing the cavity when not in use.

A boat with a single-masted design for one headsail and one mainsail.

The general term for any metal or wooden pole on board a boat. The pole gives shape to the sails.

Safety of Life at Sea.

Speed Over the Ground

A lightweight, large balloon-shaped sail for running or reacting.

The horizontal struts attach to the mast and extend to the shrouds to assist with supporting the mast.

The act of joining wires or ropes using a weaving process interlacing the fibers in the cable or rope.

The sail will stall if the airflow over the sail surface breaks up, causing the vessel to lose its momentum.

Standing Part

The part of the line you don’t use when making a knot. Or the part of a rope you use to tie around the knot.

The metal post bolted to the deck in an upright position to support the guard railing.

Standing Rigging

The stays and shrouds provide permanent support to the mast.

Starboard Tack

The vessel is on the starboard tack when the boom is out to post, and the wind strikes the boat’s starboard side.

The right-hand side of the vessel when looking forward.

The rope or wire supports the mast in the fore-and-aft direction. It is a part of the standing rigging for your boat.

The sternward movement of the vessel towards the backward direction.

Steerage Way

The vessel has steerage when it reaches sufficient speed, allowing for steering or answering the helm.

The loop of rope or wire attaches the spar to the block to make a sling.

The railing around the vessel’s stern prevents the crew from falling overboard. Modern yachts do not have the elegant wooden railing of older models. Instead, they feature tubular steel or aluminum railings, called Pushpits.

Telegraph Buoy

The buoy marks the position of a submerged cable.

To pull on the end of the rope or cable, wound around a winch.

The compass mounted over the captain’s berth, allowing for the easy reference to what’s going on in the vessel’s helm.

The metal fitting forming eyes at the end of cables, wires, or ropes.

A description for any small boat, usually inflatable models. These boats will take supplies and people between a larger vessel and the shore.

Thermal Wind

The wind occurring from the difference in the heating of the sea and the land by the sun. The sun heats the land faster than the sea, resulting in the onshore wind from the sea replacing the air rising over the land, causing the “sea breeze” phenomenon.

Thumb Cleat

A small cleat featuring a single horn.

The wooden pegs featuring vertical pairs in the gunwale for constraining the oars for rowing.

Topping Lift

The rope linking the mast to the boom end. It supports the boom, allowing for its lowering and raising.

The progress on the vessel’s journey over the ocean. The trajectory line of the boat.

The sides of the hull between the waterline and the deck.

The netting stretching across the hulls of a catamaran.

A watch period or watch duty at the helm of the vessel.

Traverse beams forming part of the stern and fixed to the sternpost of a wooden ship.

Tricolor Lamp

A lamp displaying red in proper port sectors, green in the starboard sectors, and white astern. Some authorities permit the tri-color light on smaller boats instead of conventional stern and bow lights.

Turk’s Head

A decorative knot featuring variable numbers of interwoven strands that form a closed loop.

The direction and velocity of wind measured by stationary observers. Apparent wind is wind experienced by moving objects.

Sturdy steel fittings used for attaching standing rigging to the spar or mast.

The low, forward corner of the sail. Or the action of turning the boat through the wind to get it to blow on the other side of the sails.

Sailing close-hauled to work windward on an alternate course. The wind is on one side then the other.

The low strip of steel, wood, or strapping running along the edge of the deck. You’ll use it in combination with the hand railing to hold your feet to the deck to prevent falling overboard.

The rise and fall of the ocean are caused by the moon’s gravitational effect on the earth and the ocean.

The line moving from the mast had to the spar or the boom used in raising it.

To adjust the sail angle using sheets to achieve optimal efficiency from the sail. Or it describes the action of adjusting the load, influencing the fore-and-aft angle at which it floats.

The course of the boat making good on its travel plan. A fitting of on the boom or mast to the slide on the sail fit. The fitting along which the traveler runs for altering the sheet tension.

The speed and direction of the wind when anchored, stationary on the water, or land.

Turn Buckle

The apparatus used for tightening the standing rigging on the vessel.

A line used in raising something like a spinnaker pole vertically.

The vessel is underway when it releases it fastening to shore when it is not aground or at anchor.

See kicking strap.

The wind will veer when shifting in a clockwise direction. Veering can also mean paying out anchor rope or cable in a controlled manner.

Velocity Made Good

Very High Frequency

The disturbed water left behind (astern) the boat as it moves forward in the water, usually caused by a motor.

Weather Helm

The tendency of the vessel to turn into the wind.

The distance between the radio waves.

Weather Side

The side of the vessel to which the wind is blowing.

World Geodetic Survey of 1984 (most common chart datum).

A mechanical device featuring a cable or line attached to a motor. The winch pulls the boat aboard the trailer and helps with the vessel’s launch from the trailer. The winch also gives more pulling power to withdrawing nets or other apparatus from the water.

Whisker Pole

A lightweight pole used for holding the clew out of the headsail when on a run.

The winch features a vertical handle and a horizontal shaft used in hauling up the anchor chain.

The parts of the vessel that increase the drag on the boat. Examples would be the spars, rigging, etc.

The direction from which the wind blows toward the wind (the opposite way to leeward).

Cross Track Error. The perpendicular distance between two waypoints off track.

A dual-masted vessel with its mizzen stepped aft of its rudder post/stock.

John is an experienced journalist and veteran boater. He heads up the content team at BoatingBeast and aims to share his many years experience of the marine world with our readers.

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50 Nautical, Sailing & Boat Terms for Beginners 

Table of Contents

Last Updated on September 29, 2023 by Boatsetter Team

Boating has its own vocabulary and if you’re going to be spending time on the water, you should understand a few basic boat terms. Knowing these will make you safer as well as more useful whether boating on your own, chartering or helping friends on their boat.

Let’s divide these words into basic nautical terms and specific sailing terms, listed in alphabetical order.

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30 Commonly Used Nautical & Boating Terms

Here are a few expressions you’ll hear aboard both a powerboat and sailboat, or even at the dock before boarding your boat rental or charter.

• Aft – the direction toward the back or stern of a boat.
• Ashore – not on a boat but on land or a dock .
• Ballast – extra weight laid low in a boat to provide stability.
• Beam – the width of a boat at its widest point, usually the middle.
• Bow – the front of a boat. Multihulls like catamarans have more than one bow.
• Bunk – a built-in bed on a boat.
• Cabin – the sleeping accommodations on a boat .
• Cockpit – the main seating area of a boat that may also include the helm station .
• Crew – the people or staff that help drive and manage the boat.
• Deck – the top or horizontal structure that is laid over the hull of a deck.
• Dock line – the ropes used to tie a boat to a dock.
• Fender – a rubber, vinyl or foam bumper used to protect the boat at a dock; often referred to by novice boaters as “bumpers.”
• Forward – the direction toward the front or bow of a boat.
• Galley – the kitchen on a boat. It can be inside or out on deck.
• Head – the toilet or bathroom on a boat.
• Helm – the boat’s steering mechanism. It can be a tiller or a wheel.
• Helm station – the area where from which you command or drive a boat.
• Hull – the body or shell of a boat including the bow and stern.
• Keel – the longitudinal structure at the bottom of the hull and generally on the centerline. The keel helps with stability and tracking.
• Knot – either various loops tied in a line or a unit of speed which equals one nautical mile per hour.
• Line – any rope on a boat is referred to as a line – not a rope.
• Nautical mile – a unit of measurement used on the water. A nautical mile is approximately 1.2x a statue mile.
• Onboard – on a boat whether on deck, on the cockpit or below.
• Port – the left-hand side of a boat when you’re facing forward or toward the bow.
• Rudder – an appendage below the boat that is controlled by the wheel or tiller to steer the boat. A boat may have more than one rudder.
• Starboard – the right-hand side of a boat when you’re facing forward.
• Stern – the place at the back of a boat.
• Transom – the actual structure of the back edge of a boat.
• Wake – the turbulence left behind a moving boat.
• Waterline – the place where the hull of a boat meets the surface of the water.

20 Sailing & Sailboat Terms

Within boating, sailing has its own specific vernacular. You’ll want to understand it before you step aboard a sailboat to help crew or when taking a lesson.

• Apparent wind – the combination of true wind and the motion of the boat at the time. It’s the wind you feel onboard.
• Boom – the horizontal pole which extends from the mast aft. It holds the bottom of the mainsail.
• Ease – to adjust sails outward or away from the centerline of a boat.
• Halyard – the line used to raise a sail whether a mainsail or a headsail.
• Headsail – a sail that is forward of the mast. It can be a genoa, a jib, a staysail or a small storm sail.
• In irons – technically a point of sail when you’re head-to-wind meaning the bow is pointing directly into the true wind and the boat is unable to maneuver.
• Jibing (also spelled gybing) – changing direction where the stern swings through the eye of the wind.
• Leeward – the direction away from where the wind is blowing.
• Mainsail – the primary sail on a boat which is usually attached in some way to the mast and boom. On most sailboats it’s the primary source of power.
• Mast – the vertical pole that supports the sails. The mast itself is supported by the rigging.
• Points of sail – the boat’s direction under sail relative to the true wind . The points of sail are: close-hauled, close reach, beam reach, broad reach and dead run.
• Reefing – shortening or reducing the area of a sail to de-power a sailboat usually used in a strong wind.
• Sheet – the line that controls the angle of a sail. There are mainsheets, jib/genoa sheets and others.
• Shroud – a part of the boat’s rigging that supports the mast from side-to-side
• Stay – a part of the boat’s rigging that supports the mast fore and aft.
• Tacking – changing direction under sail where the bow swings through the eye of the wind.
• Trim – to adjust sails inward or closer to the centerline of a boat.
• True wind – the actual wind that is blowing – both direction and speed.
• Winch – a rotating drum used to help control lines with a lot of pressure on them. A winch is cranked with a winch handle.
• Windward – the direction from where the wind is blowing.

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Zuzana Prochazka is an award-winning freelance journalist and photographer with regular contributions to more than a dozen sailing and powerboating magazines and online publications including Southern Boating, SEA, Latitudes & Attitudes and SAIL. She is SAIL magazines Charter Editor and the Executive Director of Boating Writers International. Zuzana serves as judge for SAIL’s Best Boats awards and for Europe’s Best of Boats in Berlin. 

A USCG 100 Ton Master, Zuzana founded and manages a flotilla charter organization called Zescapes that takes guests adventure sailing at destinations worldwide. 

Zuzana has lived in Europe, Africa and the United States and has traveled extensively in South America, the islands of the South Pacific and Mexico. 

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30 Must-Know Sailing Terms, Phrases and Slang

June 9, 2024

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Set sail on an epic adventure across the high seas with language as your compass!

From the salty whispers of old seadogs to the crisp commands on a racing skiff, mastering these 30 essential sailing terms will transform you from a landlubber to a savvy sailor.

Hoist the sails and let’s navigate the nautical jargon together!

Must-Know Sailing Terms, Phrases and Slang:

• Gybe (jibe)

Table of Contents

#7 Gybe (jibe)

#12 leeward, #16 sail trim, #17 starboard, #20 telltale, #21 windward, #28 mainsail, #29 spinnaker, what are some sailing terms for beginners, what are some funny sailing terms, what is a famous sailing phrase.

The aft refers to the back of the boat or nearer to the stern. Sailors often say “move aft” when directing someone towards the rear end of the vessel, an essential term for orientation on board.

The beam of a boat is its widest part and is a critical dimension for stability. When winds blow from the side, they hit the beam, making an understanding of this term important for handling the vessel.

The bow is the front end of a sailing vessel. When facing forward, sailors will refer to things in front of the boat or point out objects by saying “off the bow.”

To capsize is to overturn in the water, causing the boat to flip onto its side or completely upside down. This term is crucial for safety discussions and is one sailors hope they rarely have to use.

The deck is the surface area on top of the boat that crew can walk on. It’s where the majority of sailing activity takes place and where equipment like winches and cleats are mounted.

To furl a sail is to roll or fold it up neatly, usually to reduce its surface area in strong winds or when not in use. Proper sail furling is essential for sail management and longevity.

A maneuver used to change the direction of a sailboat by turning the stern through the wind. This contrasts with tacking, where the bow moves through the wind. Gybing is often used when sailing downwind and requires careful handling to prevent the boom from swinging dangerously across the boat.

A line or rope used to hoist (raise) or lower sails on a boat. Each sail typically has its own halyard which is attached to the head of the sail; pulling on the halyard raises the sail up the mast to catch the wind.

The helm is the wheel or tiller used to steer a boat. Standing at the helm, a sailor has control over the vessel’s direction, playing a critical role in navigation and maneuvering.

A jib is a triangular sail set forward of the main mast, generally used to increase speed and manageability. Sailors adjust the jib to optimize boat performance in various wind conditions.

The keel is a structural component extending along the bottom of a boat’s hull, from bow to stern, providing stability and minimizing sideways drift. It’s crucial for balance and can house ballast to keep the vessel upright.

Leeward, or the lee side, refers to the side of a boat sheltered from the wind. Sailors often use this term to describe the direction downwind or an area with lesser wind pressure.

The mast is a tall, vertical pole on a ship that supports the sails and rigging. It’s a critical component for sailboats, as it serves as the focal point for sail attachment and wind harnessing.

Port denotes the left side of a boat when facing the bow. A mnemonic to remember is “port” and “left” both of which have four letters. It’s also marked with a red light at night.

A flat piece, usually made of wood, fiberglass, or metal, located beneath the boat that is used to steer. The rudder is controlled by the helm (steering wheel or tiller), allowing the skipper to guide the boat’s direction through the water.

The art of adjusting the position and shape of the sails in response to wind conditions and desired boat speed or direction. Proper sail trim optimizes the boat’s performance and efficiency, making it a crucial skill for effective sailing.

Refers to the right-hand side of a boat when facing forward toward the bow. Sailors need to remember “port” is left, “starboard” is right, crucial for navigation and obeying the rules of the water.

The back or aft-most part of a vessel, opposite of the bow. From the stern, sailors control steering and often find the propulsion system, essential for maneuvering and power management on the water.

In sailing, to tack is to turn the boat’s bow through the wind to change direction, also the lower corner of a sail. Skilled tacking is fundamental for making headway against the wind and requires precise crew coordination.

Strips of fabric or yarn attached to sails or rigging that indicate wind direction relative to the boat. Observing telltales helps sailors optimize sail trim and boat positioning for maximum efficiency.

The direction from which the wind is blowing, the opposite of leeward. Sailors often need to keep track of the windward side for strategic positioning, especially during racing or in crowded waters.

A two-masted sailing craft with the mizzenmast (the smaller second mast) positioned behind the rudder post. The yawl rig is favored for cruising due to its balance and ease of handling in various wind conditions.

The lowest compartment on a ship, below the waterline, where water typically collects and is often pumped out to prevent sinking. The bilge can also refer to the broader internal parts of a hull.

A horizontal pole that extends from the bottom of a mast, used to secure the bottom of a sail. It swings from side to side, and caution is needed to avoid it during maneuvers like tacking or gybing.

A device fixed to the deck or mast used to secure rope ends. Cleats can be horned, cam, or clam in shape, and are essential for holding lines in place, especially when mooring or adjusting sail trim.

The area where boats are parked, tied, and secured to a pier or wharf. Docks provide access to land for loading and unloading, as well as a place for maintenance and repair.

A unit of speed in nautical terms, equivalent to one nautical mile per hour. The term also refers to the tying of ropes in various configurations for securing and rigging purposes.

The primary and usually the largest sail on a typical sailboat, hoisted on the mainmast. It provides the main driving force for the sailboat and is manipulated for steering and speed control.

A spinnaker is a large, lightweight sail designed for sailing downwind or on a reaching course when the wind comes from behind the boat. When deployed, it fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat, significantly boosting speed. Widely used in racing for its effective wind harnessing, spinnakers come in various shapes and sizes tailored to different sailing conditions and boat types.

A mechanical device on a boat used to handle heavy loads, such as tightening the ropes (sheets) that control the sails. Winches provide mechanical advantage, making it easier to pull in or let out sails, especially under strong wind conditions. They are essential for managing larger sails and conducting precise adjustments.

“Aft,” “Bow,” “Stern,” and “Mainsail” are some sailing terms beginners should start with. These basic terms help novices understand directions and parts of the boat.

“Boom,” “Jib,” and “Bilge” are some funny sailing terms that can sound amusing outside the sailing context, bringing a lighter side to nautical vocabulary.

“Three sheets to the wind” is a famous sailing phrase, historically referring to a ship with its sheets (lines controlling the sails) flapping loosely in the wind, implying that the vessel is out of control, often used today to describe someone who is inebriated.

Meet Rev, one of our dedicated team members who embodies the essence of sports passion. When he’s not immersed in the world of sports content creation, Rev is busy honing his skills in esports and exploring the great outdoors through activities like hiking and basketball.

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Sailing Terminology List: 300+ Sailing Terms

There’s a massive amount of sailing terms that any sailor will eventually learn with time and it can seem daunting essentially learning a new language.

Need to know sailing terminology will help you out when communicating with your crew members and captains of other vessels, so having a sailing terminology list handy can do a lot of good.

That’s why I put together this list of common sailing terms that’ll help you out the next time you head out on the water.

Aback – A foresail when against the wind, used when tacking to help the vessel turn. Abaft – Toward the stern, relative to some object. Abeam – On the beam, a relative bearing at right angles to the ship’s keel. Aboard – On or in a vessel. Adrift – A boat drifting without being propelled. Aft – At or towards the stern or behind the boat. Aground – A boat whose keel is touching the bottom. Amidships – The middle section of a vessel with reference to the athwartships plane, as distinguished from port or starboard. Apparent wind – The wind felt aboard a moving boat. Astern – Behind the stern of the boat. Athwartships – Across the boat from side to side.

Backstay – The standing rigging running from the stern to the top of the mast, keeping the mast from falling forward. Bail – To empty the boat of water. Ballast – Weight in the keel of a boat that provides stability. Barometer – An instrument that measures air pressure, an aid to forecasting the weather. Batten – A thin wood or fiberglass slat that slides into a pocket in the leech of a sail, helping to maintain an aerodynamic shape. Beam – The width of a boat at its widest point. Beam reach – Sailing in a direction at approximately 90 degrees to the wind. Bear away – To “fall off” or head away from the wind. Bearing – The direction from one object to another expressed in compass degrees. Beating – A course sailed upwind. Below – The area of a boat beneath the deck. Bend – To attach a sail to a spar or a headstay or to attach a line to a sail. Bight – A loop in a line. Bilge – The lowest part of a boat’s interior where water on board will collect. Bitter end – The end of a line. Blanket – To use the sail or object to block the wind from filling a sail. Block – A pulley on a boat. Boat hook – A pole with a hook on the end used for grabbing hold of a mooring or retrieving something that has fallen overboard. Boltrope – The rope that is sewn into the foot and luff of some mainsails and the luff of some jibs by which the sails are attached to the boat. Boom – The spar extending directly aft from the mast to which the foot of the mainsail is attached. Boom vang – A block and tackle system, which pulls the boom down to assist sail control. Bottom – The underside of a boat. Bow – The forward part of the boat. Bowline – A line running from the bow of the boat to the dock or mooring. Bow spring – A line running from the bow of the boat parallel to the dock or mooring that stops the boat from moving forward along the dock. Bowline – A knot designed to make a loop that will not slip and can be easily untied. Breast line – A short line leading directly from the boat to the dock. Broach – An uncontrolled rounding up into the wind, usually from a downwind point of sail. Broad reach – Sailing in a direction with the wind at the rear corner (the quarter) of the boat. Approximately 135 degrees from the bow of the boat. Bulkhead – A wall that runs athwartships on a boat, usually providing structural support to the hull. Buoy – A floating navigation marker. Buoyancy – The ability of an object to float. Bulwark – A solid side wall, often about waist high, from the outside edge of the deck to prevent someone from falling overboard. Burdened vessel – The vessel required to give way for another boat when the two may be on a collision course. By the Lee – A sailboat running with the wind coming over the same side of the boat as the boom.

Cabin – The interior of the boat. Can – In the U.S., it’s an odd-numbered green buoy marking the left side of the channel when returning to harbor. Capsize – To tip or turn a boat over. Cast off – To release a line when leaving a dock or mooring. Catamaran – A twin-hulled vessel with a deck or trampoline between the hulls. Catboat – A boat with only a mainsail and an unstayed mast located at the bow. Centerboard – A pivoting board that can be lowered and used like a keel to keep a boat from slipping to leeward. Centerline – The midline of the boat running from bow to stern. Chafe – Wear on a line caused by rubbing. Chainplates – Strong metal plates which connect the shrouds to the boat. Channel – A (usually narrow) lane, marked by buoys, in which the water is deep enough to allow a vessel safe passage. Chart – A nautical map. Charter – To rent a boat. Chock – A guide mounted on the deck through which dock lines and anchor rode are run. Chop – Rough, short, steep waves. Cleat – A nautical fitting that is used to secure a line. Clew – The lower aft corner of a sail. The clew of the mainsail is held taut by the outhaul. The jib sheets are attached to the clew of the jib. Close hauled – The point of sail that is closest to the wind when the sails are hauled close to the centerline of the boat. Close reach – Sailing in a direction with the wind forward of the beam (about 70o from the bow). Coaming – The short protective wall that surrounds the cockpit or hatch. Cockpit – The lower area of the deck in which the steering and sail controls are located. Coil – To loop a line neatly so it can be stored, or a reel of line. Come about – To alter course so as to cause the bow of the boat to pass through the eye of the wind. Companionway – The steps leading from the cockpit or deck to the cabin below. Compass – The magnetic instrument which indicates the direction in which the boat is headed. Compass rose – The circles on a chart which indicate the direction of true and magnetic north. Course – The direction in which the boat is being steered. Crew – Besides the skipper, anyone on board who helps run the boat. Cunningham – A line running through a grommet a short distance above the tack of the mainsail which is used to tension the luff of the main. Current – The horizontal movement of water caused by tides, wind, and other forces. Cutter – A single-masted boat rigged with both jib and staysail.

Daysailer – A small sailboat. Dead downwind – Sailing in a direction straight downwind. Deck – The mostly flat area on top of the boat. De-power – Reducing the power in the sails by luffing, easing the sheets, or stalling. Dinghy – A small sailboat or rowboat. Displacement – The weight of the boat; therefore the amount of water that it displaces. Dock – The quay or pontoon where a boat may be tied up. Dockline – A line used to secure a boat to the dock. Dodger – A canvas protection in front of the cockpit of some boats that are designed to keep spray off the skipper and crew. Downhaul – A line used to pull down on the movable gooseneck on some boats to tension the luff of the mainsail. Draft – The depth of a boat’s keel from the surface of the water.

Ease – To let out a line or sail. Ebb – An outgoing tide.

Fairlead – A fitting that guides sheets and other lines in a way that reduces friction and therefore chafe. Fairway – The center of a channel. Fake – Lay out a line on the deck using large loops to keep it from becoming tangled. Fall off – Alter course away from the wind. Fast – To secure something. Fathom – A measure of the depth of water. One fathom equals six feet. Fender – An inflated rubber or plastic bumper used to protect a boat by keeping it from hitting the dock. Fend off – To push off. Fetch – The distance of open water to windward between the shore and the boat. Fid – A tapered spike used to open the lay of a rope when splicing. Flood – An incoming tide. Following sea – Wave pattern hitting the stern of the boat. Foot – The bottom edge of the sail. Fore – Another word for “forward”. Forepeak – An accommodation or storage area in the bow below the deck. Foresail – A jib or genoa. Forestay – The standing rigging running from the bow to the mast top and to which the foresail is secured. Forward – Towards the bow. Fouled – Another word for “tangled”. Fractional rig – When the forestay is attached to the mast some distance below the top. Foul weather gear – Water resistant clothing. Freeboard – The height of the hull above the water’s surface. Full – Not luffing. Furl – To fold or roll up a sail.

Gaff – On some boats, a spar along the top edge of a four-sided fore and aft sail. Genoa – A large foresail whose clew extends aft of the mast. Give way vessel – The vessel required, by the regulations, to give way in a collision situation. G.M.T. – Greenwich Mean Time. The time at the prime meridian in Greenwich, London, England. Now referred to as Universal Time Coordinated U.T.C. Gooseneck – The strong fitting that connects the boom to the mast. Great Circle – A line drawn on a chart which is accurate over a long distance, a section of the Earth which intersects the center of the Earth. Grommet – A reinforcing ring set in a sail. Ground tackle – Collective term for the anchor and rode (chain and line). Gudgeon – A fitting attached to the stern into which the pintles of a rudder are inserted. Gunwale – The edge of the deck where it meets the topsides. Gybe – Another alternative spelling of “jibe”.

Halyard – A line used to raise or lower a sail. Hank – A snap hook which is used to secure the luff of a foresail to the forestay. Hard a-lee – The call given to the crew that will initiate the action of tacking. Hard over – To turn the helm or tiller as far as possible in one direction. Hatch – A large covered opening in the deck. Haul in – To tighten a line. Head – The toilet on a boat as well as the top corner of a sail. Headboard – The small reinforcing board affixed to the head of a sail. Headed – A wind shift which causes the boat to head down or causes the sails to be sheeted in. Heading – The direction of the boat expressed in degrees. Head down – Changing course away from the wind. Head off – Another word for “head down”. Head up – Changing course towards the wind. Headsail – A jib/genoa attached to the forestay. Headstay – The standing rigging running from the bow to the top of the mast. Head to wind – When the bow of the boat is dead into the wind. Headway – Forward progress. Heave – To throw. Heave to – To hold one’s position in the water by using the force of the sails and the rudder to counteract each other. Holding ground – The seabed or bottom ground in an anchorage. Hove to – A boat that has completed the process of heaving to with its aback, its main trimmed, and its rudder positioned to hold the vessel close to the wind. Heavy weather – Strong winds and large waves. Heel – The lean of the boat caused by the wind. Helm – The tiller. Helmsman – The person responsible for steering the boat. Hull – The body of the boat, excluding the rig and sails. Hull speed – The theoretical maximum speed of a sailboat determined by the length of its waterline.

Inboard – Inside of the rail of the boat. In irons – A boat that is head to wind and unable to move or maneuver.

Jackstay – A wire or webbing strap attached at the front and back of a vessel along the deck to which a safety harness line may be clipped. Jib – The small forward sail of a boat that is attached to the forestay. Jibe – To change the direction of the boat by steering the stern through the wind. Jibe oh – The command given to the crew when starting a jibe. Jiffy reef – A quick reefing system allowing a section of the mainsail to be pulled down and tied to the boom. Jury rig – An improvised temporary repair.

Kedge – A smaller anchor than the main or bower anchor. Often used for maneuvering or kedging off. Kedge off – To use an anchor to pull a boat into deeper water after it has run aground. Keel – The heavy vertical fin beneath a boat that helps keep it upright and prevents it from slipping sideways in the water. Ketch – A two-masted sailboat on which the mizzen (after) mast is lower than the mainmast and is located forward of the rudderpost. Knockdown – A boat heeled so far that one of its spreaders touches the water. Knot – One nautical mail per hour.

Land breeze – A wind that blows over the land and out to sea. Lash – To tie down. Lay – To sail a course that will clear an obstacle without tacking. Lazarette – A storage compartment built into the cockpit or deck. Lazy sheet – The windward side jib sheet that is not under strain. Lead – To pass a line through a fitting or block. Lee helm – The boats tendency to turn away from the wind. Lee shore – Land which on the leeward side of the boat. Leech – The after edge of a sail. Leeward – The direction away from the wind that is the direction that the wind is blowing to. Leeward side – The side of the boat or sail that is away from the wind. Leeway – The sideways slippage of the boat in a downwind direction. Lifeline – Rope or wire supported by stanchions. Lift – The force that results from air passing by a sail or water past a keel that moves the boat forward and sideways. Line – A rope. L.O.A. – The maximum Length Overall fore and aft along the hull. Lubber line – A line on a magnetic compass to help the helmsman steer the correct course. Luff – The leading edge of a sail as well as the fluttering of a sail caused by aiming too close to the wind. Lull – A decrease in wind speed for a short duration. L.W.L. – The length fore and aft along the hull measured at the waterline.

Magnetic – In reference to the magnetic north rather than true north. Mainmast – The taller of two masts on a boat. Mainsail – The sail hoisted on the mast of a sloop or cutter or the sail hoisted on the mainmast of a ketch or yawl. Mainsheet – The controlling line for the mainsail. Marlinspike – A pointed tool used to loosen knots. Mast – The vertical spar in the middle of a boat from which the mainsail is set. Masthead – The top of the mast. Maststep – The fitting in which the foot of the mast sits. Mizzen – The small aftermost sail on a ketch or yawl hoisted on the mizzenmast. Mizzenmast – The shorter mast aft of the main mast on a ketch or yawl. Mooring – A permanently anchored ball or buoy to which a boat can be tied.

Nautical mile – Standard nautical unit of distance equal to one minute of arc of the Earth’s latitude or 6080 feet. Navigation rules – Laws established to prevent collisions on the water. No-go zone – An area into the wind in which a sailboat cannot produce power to sail. Nun – A red even numbered buoy marking the right side of a channel when returning to port.

Offshore wind – Wind blowing away from the shore and out to sea. Offshore – Away from or out of sight of land. Off the wind – Not close-hauled point of sail. On the wind – Sailing upwind in a close-hauled point of sail. Outboard – Outside the rail of a boat. Outhaul – The controlling line attached to the clew of a mainsail used to tension the foot of the sail. Overpowered – A boat that is heeling too far because it has too much sail up for the amount of wind.

Painter – The line attached to the bow of a dinghy. Pay out – To ease a line. P.F.D. – A Personal Flotation Device such as a life jacket. Pinching – Sailing too close to the wind. Pintle – Small metal extension on a rudder that slides into a gudgeon on the transom. Point – To steer close to the wind. Points of sail – Boat direction in relation to the wind. Port – The left-hand side of the boat when facing forward, a harbor, or a window in a cabin on a boat. Port tack – Sailing on any point of sail with the wind coming over the port side of the boat. Prevailing wind – Typical or consistent wind direction. Puff – An increase in wind speed. Pulpit – A guardrail at the bows of a vessel.

Quarter – The sides of the boat near the stern.

Rail – The outer edges of the deck. Rake – The angle of the mast. Range – The alignment of two objects that indicate the middle of a channel. Reach – One of the several points of sail across the wind. Ready about – The command given to the crew to prepare to tack. Ready to jibe – The command given to the crew to prepare to jibe. Reef – To reduce the area of a sail. Reeve – To pass a line through a ring or block. Rhumb line – A straight line drawn on a Mercator chart, which intersects all meridians at the same angle. Rig – The design of a boat’s masts, standing rigging and sail plan. Rigging – The wires and lines used to support and control sails. Roach – The sail area aft of a straight line running between the head and clew of a sail. Rode – The line and chain attached from the boat to the anchor. Roller-furling – A mechanical system to roll up a headsail around the headstay. Rudder – A vertical blade attached to the bottom of the hull which is used to steer the boat. Run – Point of sailing when the wind is coming from dead astern. Running rigging – The lines used to control the sails.

Sail ties – Lengths of line or webbing used to secure sails when they are dropped or to secure the unused portion of a reefed sail. Schooner – A two-masted boat whose foremast is the same height or shorter than its mainmast. Scope – The length of anchor rode paid out in relation to the maximum depth of water. Scull – To propel a boat with a single oar fixed in a notch through the transom. Scupper – A cockpit or deck drain. Sea breeze – A wind that blows from the sea onto the land. Seacock – A valve which opens and closes a hole used as an intake or discharge from the boat. Secure – The make safe or tie down. Set – The direction of the current as well as to trim the sails. Shackle – A metal fitting at the end of a line used to attach the line to a sail or another fitting. Shake out – To remove a reef. Sheave – The wheel inside a block or fitting over which the line runs freely. Sheet – A line used to control a sail by pulling it in or easing it out. Shoal – An area of shallow water. Shroud – Standing rigging at the side of the mast. Singlehanded – Sailing alone. Skeg – A vertical fin in front of the rudder. Sloop – A single-masted sailboat with mainsail and headsail. Sole – The floor in a cockpit or cabin. Spar – A pole used to attach a sail on a boat, for example, the mast, the boom, or a gaff. Spinnaker – A large downwind headsail not attached to the head stay. Splice – The joining of two lines together by interweaving their strands. Spreader – A support strut extending athwartships from the mast used to support and guide the shroud from the top of the mast to the chainplate. Spring line – A dock line running forward or aft from the boat to the dock to keep the boat from moving fore or aft. Squall – A fast moving short intense storm. Stanchions – Stainless steel or aluminum supports at the edge of the deck which holds the lifelines. Standing rigging – The permanent rigging of a boat, including the forestay, backstay, and shrouds. Starboard – The right-hand side of the boat when looking forward from the stern. Starboard tack – Sailing on any point of sail with the wind coming over the starboard side of the boat. Stay – A wire support for a mast, part of the standing rigging. Staysail – Any sail which is attached to a stay. Steerage way – The minimum speed of the boat through the water that allows the rudder to function efficiently. Stem – The foremost tip of the boat. Stern – The aft part of the boat. Stern spring – A line running from the stern of the boat parallel to the dock or mooring that stops the boat from moving backward along the dock. Stow – To store properly. Swamped – Filled with water.

Tack – To alter course so as to cause the bow of the boat to pass through the eye of the wind. Tackle – A series of blocks and line that provide a mechanical advantage. Tail – To hold the end of a line so as to keep it under tension on a winch. Telltales – Short lengths of yarn or cloth attached to the sails which indicate when the sail is properly trimmed. Tide – The rise and fall of water level due to the gravitational effects of the sun and the moon. Tiller – A long handle attached to the rudder which is used to steer the boat. Toe rail – A low rail around the outer edge of the deck. Topping lift – A line used to hold the boom up when the mainsail is lowered or stowed. Topsides – The sides of a boat between the waterline and the deck. Transom – The vertical surface of the stern. Trim – To adjust the sail controls to create optimum lift from the sails. Trimaran – A three-hulled vessel. True wind – The actual speed and direction of the wind as you would feel when standing still. Tune – To adjust the boats standing rigging. Turnbuckle – A mechanical fitting attached to the lower ends of stays allowing the standing rigging to be adjusted.

Underway – A boat that is not attached to the ground by either anchor or mooring lines. Upwind – Towards the direction of the wind. U.S.C.G. – United States Coast Guard. U.T.C. – Universal Time Coordinated. As the modern term for Greenwich Mean Time, this is the standard reference time which is used internationally for navigational information.

Vang – A block and tackle system, which pulls the boom down to assist sail control. Veer – A clockwise change in the wind direction. Vessel – Any sailboat, powerboat, or ship.

Wake – Waves caused by a boat moving through the water. Waterline – The horizontal line on the hull of a boat where the surface of the water should be. Weather helm – The tendency of the boat to head up towards the wind, this increases as the sailboat becomes overpowered. Whip – To bind together the strands at the end of a line. Whisker pole – A pole temporarily mounted between the mast and the clew of the jib. Used to hold the sail out and keep it full when sailing downwind. Winch – A deck-mounted drum with a handle offering a mechanical advantage when used to trim sheets. Windward – Towards the wind. Windward side – The side of the boat closest to the wind. Wing-and-wing – Sailing downwind with the jib set on the opposite side to the mainsail. Working sails – The mainsail and the standard jib. Working sheet – The leeward sheet that is under tension.

Yard – The horizontal spar from which a square sail is suspended. Yawl – A two-masted vessel on which the mizzenmast is mounted aft of the rudderpost.

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Sailing Terms: A Complete Guide

Last Updated by

June 15, 2022

Learning sailing terms when you first get into boating can be a daunting task.

Some sailing terms are logical, like 'fore' means forward or front of the boat, while others might as well be in a different language. Athwartship, for example. Nothing in our daily lexicon gives any clues as to what that might mean. Like it or not, it's time to dust off the old noodle and get to memorizing some new vocab words!

Knowing the difference between a clew and a tack, a luff and a leech, will help you communicate with your sail maker regarding which part of your sail needs resewn. If you need to have your rigging adjusted, you must know the difference between your shrouds and your stays, your standing rigging vs. your running rigging.

By educating yourself in the correct names of all parts of your sailboat, you can avoid situations in which you may need to use terms such as ‘thingy’ or ‘that round part at the end of that thing’. While even the most seasoned sailor occasionally troops over the vernacular, it is always beneficial to have as wide a nautical vocabulary as possible. Many in the sailing community get by without knowing the entire sailing dictionary, but if you’re interested in avoiding vocabulary embarrassment, check out the list I’ve compiled of sailing terms that every sailor ought to know.

I’ve been sailing on and off throughout my life and I know from experience that it is incredibly helpful to know the correct terms for each part of your sails, rigging, and boat.

Sailors are among the kindest, most helpful people you’ll ever meet. But, if you’re looking for help on why you’re not getting the most speed out of your mainsail and you know don’t know the correct terms for each part of the sail, it may be hard to get advice from you fellow sailor on why ‘the back of the mainsail is flappy’. They would be more likely to give useful advice if you’re able to tell them that you’re struggling to keep wind in the roach of your mainsail. Check out my list of sailing terms and see if a few don’t stick. I’ve done my best to include pictures when possible.

Table of contents

Sailing Terms

Abeam : When an object, craft or island is abeam your vessel, that means that it is off the side of your boat. It is 90 degrees from the centerline of your boat.

Abaft : Toward the stern. “Honey, have you seen my boat shoes?” “They’re abaft the navigation table!” This is the opposite of forward.

Aft : In the stern of the boat. For example, the back cabin is referred to as the aft cabin.

Apparent wind : The wind direction and speed which the crew observes to be blowing in combination with the true wind. This is often different from the true wind direction and speed due to the boat's motion.

Astern : The area behind the boat. If you go astern, you are going in reverse.

Athwartship : Directionally perpendicular to the centerline of the boat.

Backing (a sail) : Forcing the sail to take wind into its opposite side by pulling the sail to the opposite side of the boat.

Backstay : The wire that runs from the back of the boat to the mast head. This prevents the mast from falling forward.

Bailer : Any scoop-like container that is used to remove water from within a vessel’s hull.

Ballast : Weight which adds stability to the vessel. The weight usually is composed of lead or iron and placed low in the boat's hull, such as within the keel.

Batten : a thin, flexible strip (often fiberglass) that is inserted into the main sail to help it stay open to the wind. The batten runs from the back edge of the sail (leech) toward the front edge (luff).

Beam : The width of the vessel at its widest point.

Beam reach : Sailing with the wind blowing perpendicular to the direction the boat is traveling.

Bearing off or Bearing away : Steering the boat away from the direction in which the wind is blowing.

Bend : a knot which connects two ropes.

Berth : A slip, a mooring, or a bed within the boat.

Bight : A bend or loop in a rope. When a rope forms a bight, it has changed direction 180 degrees.

Bilge : The lowest area within a boats hull. This area collects water which is then pumped overboard by a bilge pump.

Bimini : The covering over the cockpit. Usually constructed from a stainless steel frame covered with canvas or fiberglass. It provides protection from sun and rain, but not wind.

Binnacle : The pedestal centrally located in the cockpit that generally holds the steering wheel and navigational instruments.

Block : A pulley.

Boom : This pole runs perpendicular to the mast and holds the bottom of the mainsail in place. Its position is adjustable side to side as needed for the wind direction.

Boom vang : A tackle which ensures that the boom does not lift upward from wind pressure in the mainsail.

Boot Top or Boot Stripe : The stripe of tape or paint between the boat's underwater (bottom) paint and it’s above water (topside) paint.

Bow : Front end of the boat

Bowsprit : The forward most protruding pole or platform which some boats possess. This spar allows for the sails and rigging to be attached further forward.

Broach : When a boat sailing downwind accidentally ends up sideways to the waves and heels over dangerously. This can be caused by large seas or poor steering.

Broad reach : Sailing with the wind coming off your stern quarter. If you’re standing at the helm facing the bow, the wind is blowing halfway between the side and the back of the boat.

Bulkhead : The walls in a boat which run athwartship, or perpendicular to the centerline of the vessel.

Capsize : When a vessel tips over past 90 degrees.

Catamaran : A vessel with two hulls.

Centerboard : A retractable keel which helps the sailboat maintain course and stability underway. When raised, the vessel is able to enter shallow waters.

Centerline : An imaginary line that runs from the center of the bow to the center of the stern.

Chainplate : A metal plate that is secured to the boat's hull to which wires supporting the mast are attached. The chainplates may be exterior or interior, visible or hidden.

Chandlery : A store that sells boat supplies and parts.

Cleats : The wooden or metal piece to which ropes are secured.

Chock : A fitting that a line passes through to change direction without chafing.

Clew : The lower back corner of a sail. This is where the foot and leech of the sail meet.

Close-hauled : Sailing as close to the direction the wind is coming from as possible with the sails pulled in tight. (See Points of Sail for infographic.)

Close Reach : Sailing between close hauled and beam reach. (See Points of Sail for infographic.)

Coamings : The lip around a hatch or window which stops water from entering. Also the raised area around the cockpit to keep out water.

Cockpit : The area from which steering occurs. This can be in the center of the boat or in the back of the boat.

Companionway : The doorway into the cabin.

Cotter pin : a bendable metal pin which is inserted into a metal rod then bent to lock it in place.

Daybeacons : Markers for navigation which are on posts. These are red or green.

Dead run : Sailing with the wind coming from directly behind the boat. Sails are fully out to catch the wind.

Dead reckoning : Determining a vessel's position by knowing the direction and speed traveled.

Dinghy : A small boat which is used to travel to shore from the main vessel. This can be propelled oars or a motor.

Dodger : The structure at the front of the cockpit which protects the cockpit and companionway from wind and spray. This is generally made of stainless steel frame covered with canvas and plastic windows. It can also be a solid structure with solid windows.

Dismasting : When the mast breaks off the boat. This can occur due to rigging failure or structural failure of the mast.

Displacement : The weight of the water that would otherwise be in the place of the boats hull.

Drogue : A sea anchor which is deployed to help control the drift of a vessel. It can be constructed like a parachute, bucket, or even a rope dragging behind the boat.

Ebb tide : After high tide when the water is receding towards low tide.

EPIRB : Stands for Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. This device transmits a distress signal to emergency services and notifies them of a vessel's location.

Fairlead: A fitting which encloses a line within a smooth ring and helps guide its direction.

Fathom : A measurement of water depth equal to 6 feet.

Fid : A pointed tool used when splicing a line.

Fiddle : The raised edge around a table which prevents objects from falling off as the boat rocks or heels.

Fix : Determining a vessel's location by using the compass bearing of two or more fixed points of reference such as landmarks or buoys.

Fin keel : A fixed, ballasted keel which is centrally located beneath the hull. It does not run the full length of the hull.

Flogging : When a sail flaps noisily because it is not being filled by the wind.

Flood tide : Time period between low tide and high tide when the water is rising.

Foot : The bottom edge of a sail.

Fore : At or near the bow of a vessel.

Forestay : The wire which leads from the bow to the top of the mast. The forward most sail attaches to the forestay either directly or by use of a roller furling system.

Full keel : A fixed, ballasted keel which runs the full length of the hull.

Furling system : A system around which the sail wraps when not in use and is unwrapped for sailing. This may be around the forestay or within the mast.

Freeboard : The distance on a vessel from the waterline to the deck.

Galley : The kitchen on a boat.

Gelcoat : A colored resin which is painted onto the outside surface of a boat and forms a protective glossy layer.

Genoa : A large forward sail which, when fully extended, comes back past the mast. Larger than a jib sail.

Gimbals : Often attached to a boat's stove, it is the fitting which allows an object to maintain an upright position when a vessel heels.

Gooseneck : The point at which the boom attaches to the mast. It allows the boom to move in all directions.

Ground tackle : The anchor, chain, and line used to fix a boat to the bottom when anchoring.

Gunwale : Pronounced “gunnel”. This is the top edge of a boat's hull.

Halyard : The line which attaches to a sail to raise it.

Hanks : The clips that attach the front edge (luff) of a sail to the forestay.

Hatch : An opening window in the cabin roof much like a skylight.

Head : Bathroom on a boat. Also, the uppermost corner on a sail.

Headway : The forward motion of a vessel through the water.

Heave to : A method of controlling a boat’s position to the waves and limiting headway by backwinding the forward sail and keeping the rudder hard over into the wind.

Heel : The tilt that occurs to a boat's hull when the sails are filled with wind.

In-Irons : When a sailboat is bow into the wind with sails flapping. No steerage is possible as the vessel has no forward motion. (See Points of Sail for infographic.)

Jackline or Jackstay : Lines that are run from the bow to the stern. To these safety lines, sailors attach a lanyard connected to their harness so that they may work on deck without fear of being swept overboard in rough seas.

Jib : A triangular forward sail.

Jib sheets : Lines used to control the jib.

Jibing : Pronounced with a long i sound. Steering the boat from one downwind direction to another downwind direction by turning the stern of the boat through the wind. This will cause the sails to move across the boat to the other side, i.e. from port to starboard.

Kedge anchor : A small, lighter second anchor.

Keel : The bottom most part of a boat's structure. This part provides ballast and stability.

Ketch : A sailboat with two masts. The forward mast is the taller mast.

Knot : Regarding speed, one knot is equal to one nautical mile per hour.

Lazyjacks : Light lines that run from the boom to the mast and help contain the mainsail while it’s being lowered to the boom.

Leech : The back edge of a sail. If the sail is square, then this term refers to the outside edges of the sail.

Lee shore : The shore onto which the wind is blowing. On an island, the side of the island facing into the wind is the lee shore.

Leeward : The direction to which the wind is blowing. If the wind is coming from the north, then south is leeward.

Luff : The forward edge of the sail.

Lying a-hull : When a vessel is drifting with all of it’s sails down.

Mainsail : Pronounce main’sil. The primary sail of a boat that is hoisted up or unfurled from the mast.

Mayday : An emergency call put out over a marine radio when there is clear and present danger to the crew of the vessel.

Mizzen : The shorter mast behind the main mast on a ketch.

Monohull : A vessel with a single hull.

Mooring field : An anchorage in which permanently anchored buoys are present to which vessels may be secured.

Multihull : A vessel with more than one hull such as a catamaran or trimaran.

No-sail zone : This is an area 45 degrees to either side of directly into the wind. It is not possible for a boat to sail in this zone as the sails cannot fill with wind. Tacking is necessary. (See Points of Sail for infographic.)

On the hard : When a vessel is out of the water and being stored on land.

Painter : The line which secures the bow of a dinghy to the main boat.

Pan Pan : Pronounced pon-pon. This is an urgent distress radio call which is used when a vessel needs assistance. It is one step below Mayday.

Points of sail : The vessels course in relation to the direction of the wind.

Port : The left side of the boat when facing forward.

Port tack : Sailing with the wind hitting the port side of the vessel and the sails are out on the starboard side.

Pulpit : The metal rails at the bow of the boat which protect the crew from going overboard.

Pushpit : The metal rails at the back of the boat to protect the crew from going overboard.

Quarter : The back corner area of the boat. This area is 45 degrees behind, or abaft, the beam of the vessel.

Reef : reducing the size of the sail in high winds for the safety of the crew and equipment. This is done by either tying or rolling the sail to the boom or forestay.

Rigging : All the wires and ropes used to hold the mast in place and adjust the sails.

Roach : The outer back edge area of the mainsail. If you were to draw a diagonal line from the head of the sail to the clew (back corner), the roach would be outside this diagonal line.

Roller furling : A system which rolls the sail up when not in use. The sail is stored on the roller either at the mast or boom for the mainsail, and at the forestay for the jib or genoa.

Rudder : Steering fin at the back of the boat. Controlled by a steering wheel or tiller from the cockpit.

Running : Sailing in a downwind direction.

Running rigging : The lines, such as sheets and halyards, which control the sails.

Schooner : A sailing vessel with two or more masts. The mainmast is at the back.

Seacock : a valve which can be open or closed to allow water to flow in or out of a through hull fitting.

Scope : The length of chain and line that is between the anchor and the boat.

Scuppers : Deck drains which allow water to flow overboard.

Securite : Pronounced securi-tay. This is a radio call to provide mariners with local marine safety information.

Shackle : A metal U or D shaped link which has a removable pin through the ends.

Sheet : A line or rope which connects to the clew (back corner) of a sail. It is used to control or trim the sail.

Shrouds : Wires or ropes which run from the deck chainplates to the mast. The shrouds prevent the mast from moving side to side.

Skeg : A section of the hull from which the rudder hangs. It provides a variable amount of protection to the rudder depending on its size.

Sloop : A single masted sailboat with a mainsail and a foresail.

Slugs : Fittings on the front edge (luff) of the mainsail that slide into the mast track for hoisting the sail.

Spinnaker : A large, light, often colorful sail that is used off the bow of the boat for sailing downwind (running).

Splice : Connecting two lines together by weaving their strands together.

Spreaders : The horizontal arms extending out from the sides of the mast.

Spring line : Dock lines positioned from the bow to a midship point on the dock or from the stern to a midship point on the dock. This line configuration helps decrease forward and backward motion of the boat while docked.

Stanchions : The metal posts along the outside edge of the deck through which the lifelines run.

Standing rigging : The wires and ropes, such as the shrouds and stays, that are permanently in place and hold up the mast.

Starboard : The right side of the boat when facing forward.

Starboard tack : Sailing with the wind hitting the starboard side of the boat and the sails out on the port side.

Stays : The wires or ropes which run from the bow and stern to the mast top to keep the mast from moving forward or backward.

Steerage way : When a vessel is moving through the water with enough speed to allow the rudder to steer the boat.

Stern : The back end of a boat.

Storm jib : A small, strong forward sail used in heavy winds.

Swing : The circular motion of an anchored boat around it’s anchor due to wind and water movement.

Tack : The forward lower corner of a sail.

Tacking : Turning the boat across the direction the wind is coming from to change course direction. This causes the sails to travel to the other side of the boat.

Tender : Small boat used to transport from shore to the main boat.

Tiller : A bar which controls the rudder and is used to steer the boat from the cockpit. It is used in place of a steering wheel.

Toe rail : The raised lip around the edge of the deck. This can be constructed of wood, fiberglass, or aluminum. It helps prevent items from rolling overboard.

Topping lift : A wire or rope which runs from the back end of the boom to the mast top. This line controls the height of the boom.

Trysail : A small, strong storm sail that is used in place of the mainsail in high winds.

Trim : To adjust the sails.

Winch : A round, drum-like mechanical device used to pull on a line to raise or adjust sails.

Windlass : A winch used to raise and lower the anchor.

Windward : The direction from which the wind is blowing.

Wing on wing : Sailing downwind with the mainsail out on one side and the foresail on the opposite side.

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Beth lives on board her 1983 30ft S2 sailboat with her husband, 6 year-old son, and her two fur babies. She has been sailing and boating for most of her life. Beth has been blessed to experience cruising in the Great Lakes, the Bahamas, and in Alaska. She loves to travel and adores living on her tiny boat with her family.

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Top 100 Essential Sailing Terms Every Crew Must Know

In the world of sailing, communication is key. The complex lingo utilized by sailors is far more than just jargon — it's an integral part of safe and effective teamwork. Here Cruisers Directory, we aim to help crew members brush up on sailing vernacular or beginners get a head start with our carefully curated list of the top 100 essential sailing terms everyone should know. Whether you are an experienced sailor or a complete novice, this comprehensive guide is your indispensable companion at sea.

1. Abeam: At a right angle to the length of the boat. 2. Aft: Towards the stern (back) of the ship. 3. Amidships: The middle section of a boat. 4. Anchorage: A designated area where vessels anchor. 5. Astern: Behind the boat. 6. Ballast: Weight added to the boat to increase stability. 7. Beam: The widest part of a boat. 8. Berth: The bed on a boat; also a slip in a marina. 9. Bilge: The lowest part of a boat's interior hull. 10. Binnacle: A casing on the deck that holds the ship’s compass. 11. Boom: The horizontal pole extending from the mast to hold the bottom of a sail. 12. Bow: The front part of the boat. 13. Bowsprit: A pole extending forward from the boat's bow, to which the forestays of a ship are fastened. 14. Broad Reach: Sailing with the wind coming from behind, and slightly to the side, of the boat. 15. Buoy: A floating device that can have many uses, as to mark a channel, anchor a boat or indicate position. 16. Capsize: When a boat turns over in the water. 17. Chart: A map used for navigation. 18. Cleat: A fitting to which lines are made fast. 19. Coaming: A raised lip around a hatch to prevent water entry. 20. Cockpit: Area towards the stern of the boat where the helm is. 21. Crew: The people who operate a ship. 22. Deckhand: A member of the crew who helps perform manual tasks on a boat. 23. Displacement: The weight of water displaced by a floating boat, giving the vessel's weight. 24. Doldrums: A nautical term referring to a calm sea with no wind. 25. Draught/Draft: The depth of water needed to float a vessel. 26. Ebb: The outgoing or falling tide. 27. Fathom: A measurement of depth in the sea (6 feet). 28. Fender: A cushioning device used to protect the boat. 29. Foresail: Any sail set forward of the main mast. 30. Freeboard: The distance from water to the lowest point of the boat's deck. 31. Galley: The kitchen on a boat. 32. Gybe/Jibe: To change direction when sailing downwind. 33. Halyard: A line (rope) for hoisting (raising) the sails. 34. Head: The bathroom on a boat. 35. Helm: The wheel or tiller controlling the rudder. 36. Hull: The main body of the boat. 37. Jib: A sail set forward of the mast. 38. Keel: The boat's backbone; a weighted structure at the bottom of the hull, giving the boat stability. 39. Knot: A measurement of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. 40. Latitude: The distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees. 41. Leeway: The sideways drift of the boat caused by wind or currents. 42. Longitude: The distance east or west of the prime meridian at Greenwich, England. 43. Main Sail: The primary and largest sail on a boat. 44. Mast: Vertical pole on a boat which holds the sails. 45. Mooring: An arrangement for securing a boat to a mooring buoy or a pier. 46. Nautical Mile: Distance measurement at sea, which is about 1.15 statute miles. 47. Navigation: The science of plotting a course for a boat. 48. Port: When facing forward, the left side of the boat. 49. Quartermaster: The person in charge of steering the ship. 50. Quay: A stone or concrete platform lying alongside water for loading and unloading ships. 51. Reef: To reduce the area of a sail. 52. Rudder: The steering device mounted at the stern of the ship. 53. Sail: Fabric attached to the mast that catches the wind and propels the boat. 54. Salon/Saloon: The living area in the boat, often part of the galley. 55. Seaworthy: A boat able to safely navigate through waters. 56. Skipper: The captain or master of a boat. 57. Starboard: When facing forward, the right side of the boat. 58. Stern: The back part of a boat. 59. Tack: To change the boat's direction by moving the bow through the wind. 60. Tender: A small boat used to ferry people and supplies to and from a larger boat. 61. Tide: The rise and fall of the ocean's surface. 62. Transom: The flat surface forming the stern of a boat. 63. Trim: Adjustment of the sails to optimize performance. 64. Vessel: Another name for a boat or ship. 65. Winch: A device used to pull in or let out ropes or cables. 66. Yacht: A pleasure boat, can be powered by wind, motor or both. 67. Yaw: The swaying motion of a boat moving from side to side off its course. 68. Zephyr: A light wind. 69. Hoist: To raise something, often a sail. 70. Leech: The aft (back) edge of a sail. 71. Jib Sheet: The line that controls the jib. 72. Bowline: A type of knot. 73. Clew: The lower corner of a sail. 74. Fluke: The part of the anchor that digs into the bottom. 75. Gimbal: A device that keeps an object level. 76. Hatch: An opening in the deck to the interior. 77. Heave: The vertical rise and fall of a boat. 78. Inboard: More towards the center of a vessel. 79. Kedge: A light anchor used in kedging or warping a boat. 80. Luff: The forward edge of a sail. 81. Pelorus: A navigational tool used to measure angles between objects. 82. Rhumb Line: A line on the earth's surface that cuts all meridians at the same angle. 83. Sloop: A one-masted sailing boat with a mainsail and jib rigged fore and aft. 84. Telltale: A piece of material attached to a sail to indicate wind direction. 85. Vang: A line used to control the boom's movement. 86. Waterline: Where the hull meets the surface of the water. 87. Xebec: An historic sailing ship with lateen sails used mostly in the Mediterranean Sea. 88. Yawl: A two-masted sailing vessel, similar to a ketch but with a smaller mizzen mast. 89. Zephyr: A light or west wind. 90. Figure Eight Knot: A stopper knot. 91. Genoa: A type of large jib or staysail which overlaps the main sail, sometimes eliminating it. 92. Impeller: The rotating part of a centrifugal pump. 93. Jackline: A line used to clip on a safety harness. 94. Ketch: A two-masted sailboat, the aft mast (mizzen) is shorter and set aft of the rudder post. 95. Log: A record of courses or operation. 96. Mizzenmast: The mast aft of a ship's mainmast. 97. Noon Sight: A sextant observation of the sun at noon to determine latitude. 98. Overboard: Over the side or out of the boat. 99. Pintle: The pin or bolt on which the rudder pivots. 100. Quarter: The sides of a boat between the stern and the midship.

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• Glossary: essential terms a sailor should know

We have put together a comprehensive list of essential sailing terms to enhance your nautical knowledge. Delving into diverse areas such as meteorology, navigation, and boat equipment, our glossary covers sail types, boat components, and crucial units of measurement and abbreviations that every sailor should be familiar with. Plus, you'll find terms unique to charter boats, the boat rental process, safety at sea, signalling aids, and modern sailboat technology.

Anchor windlass is a mechanical device used to hoist and lower the anchor and its chain on a boat. It operates under high tension and typically has its own circuit breaker to protect it from electrical overloads. When using an anchor windlass, it is essential to allow for short breaks during operation to prevent it overheating and any resultant damage to the equipment.

Anticyclone is an area of high air pressure.

Apparent wind is the wind we perceive when we are on board and results from the vector sum of the real wind and the wind generated by our motion while sailing. The topic of apparent wind is covered in detail in our article — Apparent vs. true wind .

Autopilot is a device designed to steer a boat along a predetermined course. It independently adjusts the rudder as required, ensuring the vessel follows the set path to its destination as accurately as possible. 

Baby net or safety net is a safety feature that prevents small children from falling off the deck into the water. It is a net similar to a fishing net, which is installed along the boat's railings. A baby net does not come as standard with a rental boat, so always discuss it with the salesperson when booking if you want to order the net from the charter company. We discuss safety features in our article — Sailing with kids: how to keep all of you safe and happy .

Safety nets on the boat effectively prevent children from falling into the water.

Barber hauler is a sail control device used to adjust the angle of the jib or genoa sail in relation to the wind, mostly found on more sporty boats. It consists of a line or tackle system attached to the clew of the sail, allowing sailors to fine-tune the sail's position for optimal performance and improved windward efficiency.

Bathing or swim platform , is a foldable structure located at the stern of a boat, providing easy access to the water for swimmers or during training activities. When sailing, it is advised to keep the bathing platform closed and secured in place, rather than left extended.

Batten is the reinforcement in the mainsail. Mainsails are generally classified based on their shape and construction, with variations such as full-batten, partial-batten, or no-batten mainsails.

Beaufort scale  is a widely recognized scale in the sailing world. It categorizes wind forces and their corresponding effects on sea surface conditions, allowing skippers to estimate wind strength visually. By observing the behaviour of the sea surface and the wind's impact on it, sailors can use the Beaufort scale to make informed decisions about their sailing course and speed.

Bearing compass is a type of compass that is used to determine the bearing, or direction, of an object or location relative to the compass itself. It is commonly used in navigation to determine the direction of a distant landmark or to maintain a specific course while sailing.

Bimini  is an alternative term for a sun canopy that provides shade for the helmsman's station and the rear portion of the cockpit. In the rain, it serves as a slight protection from the water. Often, however, sailors fold it up for sailing, and sometimes there is no other way to do it, as the mainsail sheet passes through it.

Boom is a horizontal spar, typically made of aluminum or carbon fiber, that attaches to the mast and holds the foot of the mainsail. It runs perpendicular to the mast and is held in place by a combination of topping lift, mainsheet, and outhaul.

Bora is a powerful, cold wind originating from the north to north-east that frequently affects the Adriatic Sea. It can pose a significant risk to sailors navigating the region. To learn more about the Bora and its impact on sailing in Croatia, check out The Bora: the scourge of the Adriatic .

Bow thruster  is a mechanism located at the bow of a vessel that assists with maneuvering while in port. It is not intended to replace the main engine and should not be used while sailing. The primary function of a bow thruster is to help shift the boat's bow to port or starboard. It's essential to operate the bow thruster with caution, as it has a high voltage. Use short, intermittent presses (2-3 seconds) rather than prolonged holds to prevent the bow thruster from burning out and becoming inoperable.

Bowsprit is a spar that extends from the bow of a sailboat. It is used to attach the forestay, which supports the mast, and to extend the sail area forward. On historic ships it is slightly angled upwards towards the sky. On more modern boats it extends straight out from the bow and may be retractable or foldable to make docking and storage easier.

Brackish water is water that is neither salty like the sea nor fresh like freshwater streams. Its salinity is somewhere in between. It is most often found at the mouths of rivers or in lakes by the sea.

Breeze is a periodic wind phenomenon caused by differences in air temperature between day and night. According to the time when it occurs, it is distinguished between day (sea) and night (land). The breeze is a beautiful sailing breeze. Read more about breezes in our guide — Understanding land and sea breezes: how they can affect your sailing .

Buoy field  is an arrangement of multiple buoys within a bay, anchored to concrete blocks on the seabed. Typically, a fee is charged by the operator for using these buoys, but the cost is generally lower than docking at a pier or marina.

Cardinal marks are navigational aids that indicate the location of safe water relative to a hazard. They are named after the four cardinal points: North, East, South, and West.

Cardinal marks

Charter company owns the boats that are available for rental and acts as a partner to businesses like ours. We feature their boats in our search portal .

Check-in is the process of taking over a charter boat. You can find out more about what you need to look out for in our guides Boat check-in: examining a yacht down to the last screw and Inspecting your rental boat: a complete checklist and guide

Check-out is the handing over of the boat to the charter company at the end of your yacht charter holiday.

Cirrus clouds are characterized by their wispy, hair-like appearance, resembling algae, tufts, or manes. These clouds are translucent, cast no shadow of their own, and have extremely fine fibres.

Cleat  is a metal object attached to the deck of a boat used to secure the boat. It may also be on a pier.

Cleats can also be found on the pier.

Cockpit is an area towards the rear of a sailboat, typically designed for the crew to steer, navigate, and control the boat. It is the central location where the helm, rudder, and various lines, winches, and controls for sails are accessible.

Code Zero is a unique sail that isn't found on all sailboats. It is similar to a larger, deeper genoa but made from a lighter material. The sail is equipped with its own furling line and endless loop for easy deployment and storage.

COG (Course Over Ground) refers to the direction of a vessel's movement measured in relation to the earth's surface or the seabed.

COLREG  is a shortened term in English that stands for the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. These regulations provide rules for watercraft operation, ensuring clear right-of-way guidelines.

Cumulus clouds are generally puffy and white, with a flat base and a rounded top. They can have a cauliflower-like appearance, and their edges may be well-defined or fuzzy. 

Cunningham is a type of rope that runs from the base of the mast to the lower edge of the mainsail, allowing the sailor to stretch the edge of the sail downward. It is typically located on the side of the mast that is opposite to the outhaul.

Cyclone is an area of low air pressure.

Dew point  is the temperature at which the air becomes saturated with water vapour and begins to condense into dew.

Dinghy , also known as a tender , is a small boat often used by sailors to transport themselves and their supplies to and from their anchored or moored boat. Dinghies can be inflatable or made of hard materials like fiberglass or aluminum.

Dodger,  also known as  sprayhood,  is a protective structure mounted at the front of the cockpit on a sailboat. It shields the cockpit and companionway from wind, spray, and waves, providing shelter and improved comfort for the crew

EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) is an emergency distress beacon that is used to transmit a distress signal to rescue authorities in the event of an emergency situation

Fender is a cushioning device made of rubber, plastic or foam that is used to protect a boat's hull from damage when it is moored against a dock, pier or another vessel. 

Flare is a signalling device used to call for help in an emergency. Its misuse is punishable.

Fog horn is a signalling device that produces loud, low-pitched sound blasts to warn other vessels of the presence of your boat in conditions of reduced visibility, such as fog or heavy rain.

Foil is a hydrodynamic device that is used to lift the hull of a boat out of the water and reduce drag. Foil technology is also used in other water sports such as windsurfing, kiteboarding, and wingfoiling.

This is what a foil looks like on a racing catamaran.

Gangway is a temporary bridge or walkway that connects a boat to a dock, allowing people to move between the two structures.

Gennaker is an additional sail that is similar to a genoa. It is made of lighter material, which makes it ideal for lighter winds. Gennakers often have distinctive colours, and there are several reasons why sailors might want to rent and try one out.  Check out our 5 reasons to rent a gennaker .

Genoa , also known as genoa jib , is a type of sail that is positioned forward of the mast and is used on sailing boats. It typically covers the area from the mast to the bow of the boat, and is larger than the mainsail. It can range in size from 100% to 150% of the foretriangle, which is the triangle formed by the mast, forestay, and deck.

GPS , which stands for Global Positioning System, is a satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information anywhere on Earth. Sailors can use an electronic GPS device to accurately determine their position on the water.

Gulets are double-masted boats designed and built based on traditional Turkish wooden sailing boats. One of the typical destinations for gulets, which we also offer, is Turkey.

Gybe or jibe is a sailing maneuver where the sailboat's stern is turned through the wind to change the wind direction from one side of the boat to the other, usually while sailing downwind. The boom of the sail swings across the boat during a gybe, and it should be performed carefully to prevent accidents and damage to the boat and crew.

Harness is a safety device used in sailing that is attached to a sailor's body or life jacket and secured to the boat's deck with a buckle to prevent falling overboard.

Halyard  can is a rope used to raise different types of sails such as the mainsail, jib, genoa, spinnaker, and gennaker. Each sail will typically have its own dedicated halyard to hoist it up the mast.

Hatch is an opening on the deck or cabin top of a boat used for ventilation, access, or as an emergency exit.

Horseshoe life buoy is a U-shaped buoyant device made of foam or other buoyant material, and is used as a safety device in the event of a person falling overboard. It is typically kept on board a boat, often near the stern on the railings.

Impeller is a small component (propeller) in the engine that provides suction and circulation of seawater in the engine cooling. Because it is such a crucial component, you will usually find a spare one on board.

Isobar is a line on a synoptic chart that connects two points where the atmospheric pressure is the same.

Isolated hazard refers to a navigational mark or buoy placed in the sea to indicate a potential danger, such as a shoal, rock, or other underwater obstruction located in open water. While it is possible to sail around an isolated hazard, it is generally recommended to maintain a safe distance by navigating around it in a larger arc.

Isotherm is a line connecting two points of the same temperature.

Check out more tips for sailors:

Jib is the term for a headsail that fills no more than 100% of the area between the forestay and the mast.

Jugo , also known as Sirocco , is a moody and unpredictable south to south-easterly wind found in the Adriatic. Find out more about it in our guide — The Croatian Jugo wind: when and where it occurs and why to be on the lookout! !

Keel , which is the heaviest component located beneath a boat and has the lowest center of gravity, plays a vital role in maintaining the vessel's stability. It typically accounts for up to 40% of the boat's weight and can have a fin or bomb shape. The keel's primary purpose is to stabilize the boat and prevent it from capsizing by helping to restore it to a horizontal position when it is tilted due to wind or waves.

Kicker , also known as a boom vang or vang , is a mechanical device consisting of ropes or a piston that is connected between the deck, boom, and the base of the mast. It is used to control the shape of the mainsail by adjusting the tension on the leech of the sail and controlling the boom's vertical position.

Knot can be the one on the rope or also a unit indicating the speed of the boat. It's equivalent to 1.852 kilometres per hour.

Lazy bag (sometimes called a lazy pack  or stack pack ) is a large cover designed to store a folded mainsail on the boom.

The lazy bag is attached to the boom and the mainsail falls into it when it is folded.

Lazy jacks are lines holding the lazy bag.

Leech  or  leach is the back edge of the sail.

Libeccio or Lebić  is a south-westerly to westerly wind and is typical of northern Corsica, the coast of France, Italy and also the Adriatic, where it usually arrives just after the Jugo/Sirocco. Read more about this wind in our article — The Libeccio/Lebić: a stubborn, unpredictable wind .

LOA  stands for  Length Overall , which is the maximum length of a vessel measured from the foremost point of the bow to the aftermost point of the stern, typically along the waterline.

Logbook is a document where a sailor writes down details of a voyage including weather, the boat's course, position and other information.

Mainsail , sometimes also referred to colloquially as the "main," is the sail that is hoisted up the mast of a sailboat.

Mainsheet track or traveller  is the rail on which the   mainsheet car or block moves back and forth, allowing for adjustment of the angle of the mainsail relative to the wind. Racing boats typically have the mainsheet track located in the cockpit for maximum adjustability, while recreational sailboats may have it located closer to the mast.

Marina is just another name for a harbour for recreational boaters. A marina often has social facilities, a shop, offices of charter companies, etc.

Marinero is a Spanish term for a marina worker who assists with various tasks, such as helping boats to dock and providing assistance to boaters with any issues or needs they may have while in the marina.

Mast is a tall vertical spar that supports the sails on a sailing vessel. It is typically located in the center of the boat and is stepped (or mounted) on the keel or deck. The mainsail is hoisted up the mast and attached to it, while the jib or headsail is usually attached to the forestay, which is a cable or wire that runs from the top of the mast to the bow of the boat. 

Meltemi  is a dry northerly wind that occurs mainly in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean, from late May to late September. Read more about this wind in our guide — The Greek Meltemi: friend or foe? .

Mistral  is a cold wind found, for example, in France. It works on a similar principle to the Croatian bura. For more information, check out our article — The Mistral: a turbocharger for experienced sailors .

MOB stands for Man Overboard , which refers to the emergency situation where a crew member has fallen into the water and immediate action is required to retrieve them. Find out more in — Man Over Board (MOB): a step-by-step guide .

Mooring  can refer to any type of permanent anchor or buoy to which a boat can be tied up .  Commonly on the Adriatic, it consists of a concrete block on the bed and a rope leading to shore. The boats are then moored to it at the pier or jetty. It is a very convenient and easy way to moor a boat.

Mooring bollard  is a sturdy vertical post or pole, often made of metal or wood, that is used as a mooring point for boats.

Bollards serve both recreational boats and transport or cargo ships. Therefore, it is often large in size.

Mooring hook is pole with a hook used by boaters to grab onto a mooring buoy or other floating object in the water and retrieve the mooring rope attached to it.

Nautical flag alphabet (International Code of Signals) is a special set of characters, words and flags that sailors around the world use to communicate.

The nautical alphabet is also used in aviation.

Nautical mile is a unit of distance at sea. 1 NM equals 1.852 m. But be aware that it differs in length to a land mile!

Occluded front  is a type of weather front that occurs when a fast-moving cold front overtakes a slower-moving warm front. This results in the warm air being lifted off the ground and creating clouds and precipitation.

Offshore typically refers to sailing or boating in open water, away from the coast or shore. This type of sailing can involve more challenging conditions and requires greater skill and experience. Read more about it our article — Beyond the shoreline: 10 things to consider when offshore sailing .

Outboard engine or outboard motor is a small portable engine designed to power a dinghy. It is ordered as an extra with the boat rental.

What the seagull's sitting on is an outboard motor.

Outhaul is a control line on a sailboat that adjusts the tension of the mainsail foot, which is attached to the boom. It allows the sailor to control the depth and shape of the mainsail along the boom.

Plotter is an electronic device used for navigation that displays and tracks the boat's position and movement using GPS technology. It is often located in the cockpit.

Port (side) is the term for the left-hand side of the boat when facing forward.

Porthole  is a term for a small, usually circular window on a boat or ship.

Preventer  or boom preventer is an auxiliary line or rope that is rigged from the end of the boom to a sturdy point on the deck, mast, or other secure attachment point on the boat. The purpose of the preventer is to restrict the boom's movement and prevent an accidental or unintentional jibe, which can happen when sailing downwind or on broad reach courses.

Propeller is a device consisting of blades that rotate to provide propulsion for a boat's engine. It is often located at the stern (back) of the boat and is powered by the boat's engine.

Propwalk is a phenomenon that occurs when a boat's propeller produces a lateral force that causes the boat's stern to move to one side when the engine is in gear. This is particularly noticeable at slow speeds and when maneuvering in tight spaces, such as a marina or dock.

Propwash is the turbulence created by the rotation of the propeller. Propwash deflecting off an angled rudder allows even large boats to turn in a tighter space.

Quebec flag signal (yellow) in the International Code of Signals means "My vessel is healthy and I request free pratique" which is a signal made by a ship entering port to request permission to enter and clear customs and immigration. It is usually used when sailing abroad. To learn more about crossing borders, take a look at Can you cross national borders with a charter boat?

Reefing  is a technique used to reduce the area of the sail in order to maintain control of the boat and prevent it from being overpowered in strong winds. Charter boats usually have 2 or 3 degrees of reefing available.

Railing  is another term for the guardrails around a yacht.

Rigging refers to the system of ropes, wires, and hardware that support and control the sails and masts on a boat or ship. It includes not only the mast, boom, and standing rigging (wires or rods that support the mast), but also the running rigging (ropes that control the sails), such as halyards, sheets, and control lines.

Rudder blade is the part of the steering system that is underwater. A boat may have one or two rudder blades.

Safety line is a line running along the deck of the boat by which sailors fasten their harnesses to prevent them from falling into the water when the boat is heeling or in large waves. The safety line is not automatically installed on the boat and must be installed separately.

Self-tacking jib is a type of headsail that is specifically designed to tack without the need for adjusting the sail position or manually pulling on the sheets. The sail is attached to a track or a traveler that runs athwartships on the boat and allows the sail to pivot and change sides without having to be moved or adjusted manually.

Shackle is a small metal device used to attach a line to a sail. It is used to connect the sail to the halyard or other lines on the boat. It can also be used to connect different sails together or to connect a sail to a spar or other structural element of the boat.

Sheet is a rope or line used to control the angle and shape of a sail. There are different sheets for different sails, such as the mainsheet for the mainsail, the jib sheet for the jib sail, and the spinnaker sheet for the spinnaker sail.

Shrouds are actually a type of standing rigging, which are the fixed lines or wires that support the mast of a sailboat. They run from the mast to the sides of the boat, and help to keep the mast upright and stable.

Spreader  is a horizontal strut that extends from the mast to the side of a sailboat, providing support for the mast and helping to spread the shrouds that support the mast.

Spinnaker pole  is a long and sturdy pole used to hold the clew (bottom corner) of a spinnaker sail out from the mast of a sailing boat.

Steering wheel is the device used to control a boat's direction. It is connected to the rudder blade through a steering mechanism. Boats can have one or two steering wheels depending on size and design.

Storm sails are special sails, usually orange in colour, whose small surface area and strong material allow sailing in storms. The sails are not installed on the boat all the time, they need to be unpacked from the hold when needed. Ask at check-in where the storm sails are located on the boat.

Storm sails often have a distinctive colour.

Skipper is just another name for the captain, the skipper of a yacht. Would you like to become a skipper too? Take a look at our sailing courses .

Spinnaker is a large, lightweight and often colourful sail that is designed to be used when sailing off the wind, such as on a reach or a downwind leg.The spinnaker is attached to the boat's mast and is supported by a spinnaker pole.

Spin-out refers to a situation in which a boat, while sailing downwind, loses control and starts turning towards the wind.

Sprayhood is a protective covering, typically made of canvas or other durable material, that is installed over the companionway (entrance to the cabin) of a sailboat. Its primary purpose is to shield the cockpit and the interior of the boat from wind, spray, and rain while underway

SRC stands for Short Range Certificate , which is a certification required for operating a marine VHF radio.

Starboard is the term used to describe the right-hand side of a boat when facing forward.

Stay is a term used to refer to a piece of rigging that helps support the mast of a sailing vessel. It typically runs from the top of the mast to the bow of the boat, forming a triangle shape along with the mast and the boat's deck.

Stratus is a type of low-level cloud characterized by its uniform, featureless appearance that often covers the entire sky.

Synoptic map , also known as a weather map, is a graphical representation of current weather conditions created using data collected from weather stations, satellites, and other sources.

Tack is the maneuver of turning the sailboat against the wind.

Telltales are pieces of yarn or fabric that are attached to a sail, stay, or rigging on a sailboat. They are used as a guide for trimming or adjusting a sail by providing information about the airflow around the sail.  

Telltales on a sail

Tender is another word for dinghy.

Tiller is a rod used to move the rudder blade and control the direction of the boat. It is often used on smaller sailboats instead of a steering wheel. In case of an emergency, there might be a spare tiller onboard as a backup.

Topping lift  or topenant is a line that runs from the end of the boom to a point high on the mast, which supports the boom and prevents it from dropping too low when the mainsail is not raised.

Trade wind is a wind that blows steadily towards the equator from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere, usually found in tropical regions.

Transom is the reinforced vertical portion located at the stern of a boat. It connects the sides of the boat, giving it form and structure. The transom is also where an outboard motor is typically attached to the vessel and where the boat's name may be painted.

True wind is the actual wind that exists in the environment and is not affected by the motion of the body or the vessel. It is the wind that would be felt if the vessel were stationary.  Find out more in our article — Apparent vs. True Wind .

We found nothing for this letter except in the nautical alphabet (U: Uniform – you are heading into danger). If you can think of something to go here, get in touch.

Venturi wind is a localised wind flow originating and blowing out of a strait, for example between hills or rocks.

VHF  (short for Very High Frequency ) is electromagnetic waves that allow radio communication between ships, aircraft, ports, etc. 

Winch  is a mechanical device consisting of a drum that rotates either manually or powered by an electric or hydraulic motor. The rope or line is wrapped around the drum and as it rotates.

Drum-shaped rope winch.

Wind vane (otherwise known as a weather vane, wind indicator or a wind sock) is a small device at the end of the mast whose arrow indicates where the wind is blowing from.

If you can think of a term that could be here, please write to us.

Which of our boats will you take out on the waves?

Practice your sailing terminology on the water. get in touch and we'll find the perfect sailing boat for you..

Denisa Nguyenová

• Nautical Sayings And Phrases

Nautical Sayings and Phrases

While many everyday sayings certainly have genuine nautical origins, there are others which have unproven claims and still more where it is easy to find a logical link…..even though not necessarily valid.

So if you are at a “loose end” and want to “know the ropes”, then “sling your hook”, “batten down the hatches” and “get underway” with these Nautical Sayings.

• At a loose end –  unoccupied.  Nautically, loose ends are unattached ones which are not doing their job. “Tying up loose ends” is used to mean finalising details of a matter as a sailor makes fast the loose ends to ensure the boat is shipshape.
• Batten down the hatches – prepare for trouble. Battening down of walkways and hatches was done when bad weather was imminent. Ships hatches were often open or covered with a wooden grating. When bad weather was expected the hatches were covered with tarpaulins and edged with thin wooden battens to stop them from blowing off.
• Between the devil and the deep blue sea – faced with two dangerous alternatives. The derivation seems obscure, but try this one. The “devil” is the seam between the deck planking and the top plank of the ship’s side. It would have to be watertight and would need filling or caulking regularly, which would require a sailor to stand on the very edge of the deck or even be suspended over the side. A dangerous place to be.
• Chock a block – crammed tightly together to prevent movement.  Chocks are wedges used to secure moving objects and a block and tackle is a pulley system used on sailing ships to hoist the sails. A possible derivation is that when two blocks of rigging tackle were so close together they couldn’t be tightened further, it was said they were “chock-a-block”.
• Cut and run – run away. It is possible that it derives from ships making a hasty departure by cutting the anchor rope and running with the wind.
• Full to the gunwales – full to the brim or packed tight. Pronounced “gunnels”, it is the upper edge of a ship’s side in large vessels and the piece of timber extending round the top side of the hull in smaller craft. It probably first referred to heavily loaded ships.
• Get underway – begin a journey. The “under” is likely to have meant “on the” and the “way” is the forward progress of the ship through the water so it actually means “on their way”.
• Give a wide berth – a good distance. Originally a berth was a place where there was sea room to moor a boat. The meaning of “berth” was probably “bearing off”. Sailors were warned to keep a wide bearing off something they needed to keep away from. It could also refer to anchoring a boat far enough away from another so that they did not hit each other when swinging with the wind or the tide.
• Hard and fast – rigidly adhered to – without doubt. A ship that was “hard and fast” was beached firmly on land. Land was known as “The hard” as in Buckler’s Hard.
• Hand over fist – quickly and continuously. It describes the action of hauling on a rope using alternate hands, so it is probably nautical. In the 18th century though, it had a different meaning –“making steady progress”.
• In the doldrums – in low spirits or feeling drowsy or dull.  In 19th century the word “doldrum” meant a “dullard or dull fellow” so “the doldrums” was a general state of low spirits. In the middle of the century the word was used to denote the state of ships experiencing becalming in the area just north of the equator, between the Trade Winds. The name was then used geographically to refer to the area itself rather than the state of the ships.
• Keel over – to fall over - also a sailor’s term for dying. When the boat’s keel comes out of the water it is very likely to capsize. To be on an even keel – calm and steady. The boat would float upright without listing.
• In the offing -  imminent or likely to happen soon. “Offing” is that area of sea that can be seen from land, so when a ship was seen to be “in the offing” it would be expected to dock before the next tide. The adjective “off” in a sailing context means “away from”.
• Knowing the ropes – understanding the principles. In square rigged ships there were miles of ropes in the rigging and the only way of keeping track of their functions was to memorise where each of them went. It took and experienced sailor to “know the ropes”.
• Log book – an official record book.  An early way to measure a boat’s progress through the sea was to throw overboard a wooden board or “log” with a string attached. The rate at which the string was paid out as the ship moved away from the log was measured by counting knots in the string. These measurements were recorded in a book, the “log book” and from here we also get “knot”- the unit of speed at sea.
• On your beam ends – hard up or in a bad situation. The beams were the horizontal timbers of a boat. If the end of these beams were touching the water you were in imminent danger of capsizing.
• Ship-shape and Bristol fashion – in first class order. The derivation could be that Bristol has one of the most variable tide flows anywhere in the world and the water level can vary by more than 30 feet between tides. Before the harbour was built boats moored here were beached at low tide so they had to be of sturdy construction and their cargoes well stowed. On the other hand it could refer to Bristol’s high standards of equipment and service, when it was the major British west-coast trading port, before the growth of Liverpool.
• Sling your hook – to leave or clear off. Those who believe it has a nautical origin think it refers to the sailors pulling up the anchor before leaving.
• Pipe down -  a request for silence. The boatswain’s pipe was used to give signals to the crew of sailing ships. “Piping down the hammocks” was the last signal of the day, to go below decks and retire for the night. Also when an officer was “piped down” he was dismissed.
• Three sheets to the wind – very drunk. In sailors’ language, a sheet is a rope. If three sheets are not attached to the sails as they ought to be, the sail will flap and the boat will lurch around in a drunken fashion. Sailors had a sliding scale of drunkenness. Tipsy was “one sheet”, whereas falling over was “three sheets”.
• All at sea – in a state of confusion.  In the days of sail before navigational aids, boats out of sight of land, or having lost their bearings, were in an unknown position and in danger.
• By and large – on the whole, or generally speaking. In the days of sail “large” was a term describing the wind when it was blowing from a point behind the ship’s direction of travel. When this favourable “large” wind was blowing the “largest” sails could be set and the boat could travel downwind. “By” is a nautical term meaning “in the direction of”….eg “by the wind” means to face more or less into the wind. It could be that to sail “by and large” meant the ability to sail not only with the wind but also against it. However, another theory is that to steer a course “by and large” was to keep slightly off the wind, so there was less need for constant adjustment in steering direction.
• Dead in the water – not going anywhere or brought to a halt. A ship that was “dead in the water” had no wind in its sails to make it come alive and was therefore not able to move forward.
• Fathom out – to deduce something from the facts. A fathom is a unit of measurement – the distance from finger tip to fingertip with arms outstretched. In 14th century, “fathoming” meant embracing someone, so to “fathom out” may have just been a way of measuring with outstretched arms.
• Foot loose – free to do as one pleases (maybe romantically unattached). The lower edge of the mainsail is called the “foot”. If this is not attached it will hang or fly free and be much more difficult to control.
• Go by the board – finished with (thrown or lost overboard). The “board” is the side or the decking of the ship. The phrase could refer to things that went over the side or that merely fell on the deck.
• Grog or Groggy – a ration of alcohol or the state of drinking too much. In 1740 Vice Admiral Sir Edward Vernon issued a decree that the sailors’ daily ration of half a pint of rum should be diluted with an equal amount of water. The sailors referred to the Vice Admiral as “Old Groggy” because of the impressive Grogram cloak which he wore on deck. Hence the disdainful nickname of “grog” was given to their watered down drink. Sailors who drank too much were referred to as “groggy”.
• Let the cat out of the bag – disclose a secret. This refers to the cat o’ nine tails, a whip made of rope with nine unbraided strands at the end, used to flog sailors. The “cat” refers to the scratches and wounds the sailors would incur from the flogging. The “cat” was kept in a bag and when it was brought out there was obviously going to be trouble ahead.
• No room to swing a cat – a very confined space.  When a sailor was punished by flogging with the “cat o’ nine tails”, the whole ship’s company was required to witness it. The deck became very crowded and there was sometimes “no room to swing a cat”.
• Over a barrel – to be in a situation where one cannot change one’s mind. The most common form of punishment for sailors was flogging. The culprit was tied either to a grating, the mast, or over a barrel. “Kissing the gunners daughter” was being tied to the barrel of a deck cannon while it was fired.
• Push the boat out – to spend generously. Boats are often too large to be handled by one individual, especially when they are beached and need to be pushed back into the water. It was an act of generosity to help someone to push their boat out into the water. It later became used to mean buying a round of drinks or standing someone a treat.
• Shake a leg ( or show a leg) – rouse yourself and get out of bed. “Show a leg” seems to have been the Royal Navy command for putting a foot out of your hammock and getting up. Another meaning could derive from the 19th century when women were sometimes allowed on board when the boat was in port. Legs were hung over the side of a hammock so that the hairy men’s legs could be distinguished from the more shapely and smooth women’s legs.
• Shiver my timbers – an oath expressing annoyance or surprise. It is not certain whether this was a genuine sailor’s oath or just a literary invention, but by the 14th century the meaning of “shiver” was to “break into pieces”. So in a nautical context it would mean “if so and so happens let my boat break to pieces!”
• Slush Fund – money put aside to bribe or influence. In 18th century “slush” or “slosh” was the fat or grease skimmed off by the cook when boiling up salted beef. This “slush” was a perk for the ship’s cook who sold it when the ship reached port. The money derived in this way was known as the “slush fund”.
• Square meal – a substantial, nourishing meal. Many people believe the phrase to refer to the square plates used by sailors. But as far back as the 16th century the word “square” was used to mean “proper”, “honest” or “straightforward”. This is more likely to be the derivation of the phrase.
• Take the wind out of his sails – to take away someone’s initiative, disconcert or frustrate them. This could derive from the art of sailing so that you “steal” the wind from another boat. A boat under sail can be slowed down if another boat sails between it and the wind, preventing their sails from filling.
• Touch and go – in a precarious situation. This refers to the situation a vessel would be in, in shallow water, when it touched the bottom but did not become grounded and was able to move off again.
• Whistle for the wind – hope for the impossible. This possibly derives from the nautical superstition that the wind could be summoned to help a becalmed vessel by whistling for it. Possibly it was thought that the wind would blow in sympathy with the sailors’ blowing. Conversely they should refrain from whistling during a gale. Some sailors believe that whistling raises not a fair wind but a storm.

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A superyacht captain shares 3 things people who want to charter a luxury vessel should know

• Vacationing on a superyacht may sound like it's all Champagne and sunbathing.
• But before boarding a luxury vessel, superyacht captain Kelly Gordon advises keeping certain things in mind.
• Yachting is a summer pastime with risks and nuances for clients and crew.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez soaking up the sun. Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian's wedding . Beyoncé's carefree jump into the ocean.

One of these images is likely what comes to mind when you hear the word "superyacht," a phrase generally used to describe a yacht over 80 feet in length.

While ultra-luxurious vessels are associated with all things carefree, tragic events such as the sinking of the Bayesian superyacht off the coast of Sicily on Monday is a reminder that yachting is a pastime with unique risks and nuances. It's unclear what the protocols were on the Bayesian.

For those keen on the idea of chartering a superyacht, captain Kelly Gordon, 42, told Business Insider there are a number of important factors to consider before hopping on board.

Gordon fell in love with yachting after she stepped aboard a yacht for the first time in her mid-20s.

Hellbent on reaching captain level, Gordon quickly worked her way up the chain of command. She's spent most of her time sailing the Bahamas and the Caribbean and is now based in Florida, where she works as a captain on a 108-foot-long privately owned vessel.

Gordon, who has over 12,600 followers on Instagram , shares three factors to keep in mind before boarding a chartered superyacht.

Think of the process of chartering a superyacht as buying a house

One of the most important things to do when chartering a superyacht is to work with a charter broker, Gordon says.

"The charter manager's job is to No. 1: find you a safe boat," Gordon said, adding that in her experience, "Not all programs put safety as high up on the list as it should be."

She also likes to equate charter brokers to Realtors in that they take on the role of finding you the best option for your taste.

"You find one that you gel with really well and has a good reputation, and then you discuss with them what your budget is, where you want to go, what your activity levels are, what your personalities are like," Gordon said.

Pairing clients with a crew that aligns with their characteristics is a huge part of a charter broker's job, Gordon said.

"If you think about it, you're living with that crew for 24/7, around the clock," she said. "You're not going put someone that just wants to sit and read books all day with a crew that's extremely active."

Find a crew that is competent and prioritizes safety

Charter brokers also help match clients with a competent crew that prioritizes safety.

"I don't know that many people realize just how much their life is in our hands when we cast those lines and we go to sea," Gordon said.

Part of that is having a safety briefing, which Gordon carries out every time she welcomes clients onto a chartered vessel before leaving a dock.

A thorough safety briefing includes informing clients about the location of safety equipment and lifejackets and the procedures for events such as a fire, a person falling overboard, or the boat sinking.

"You should have a safety briefing, and if you don't get one, you should ask for one," Gordon said.

The process, she added, can be different on privately owned yachts, where passengers may be familiar with the vessel.

The Bayesian is a private yacht owned by tech tycoon Mike Lynch; it's not yet known what kind of safety protocols staff and guests were trained on.

Make sure there's a member of the crew on watch 24/7

"A lot of charter guests think when they go to sleep, the crew goes to sleep," Gordon said.

But that shouldn't be the case, she added. "You want to be on a boat knowing that someone's up, because if the weather changes or the anchor starts to drag, you need somebody that's up and ready to go and get everybody else to handle it."

Among the biggest weather risks are tornados, which can be extremely difficult to predict and prepare for whether you're on land or at sea.

"I'm from the Midwest, where tornados pop up," Gordon said. "It's hard to see a tornado coming, and if you do see it coming, the tornado goes where it wants to go."

Most often, that leaves people near the weather event with just minutes to ready themselves, which is even trickier "in the middle of the night."

While rapid changes in weather are tough to contend with, Gordon recommends researching the areas you are sailing in beforehand, like you would when visiting a new country.

"It's no different than if you're going on vacation on land," she said. "You want to know where you're going. Don't put that just all on the crew."

While the research doesn't have to be as extensive as the crew should be doing, it's important to still be "responsible for your own self as well as your family and your guests."

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on Microsoft Start.

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2024 Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame Induction to add Pat Healy and Steve Tupper

Kingston, August 29, 2024 – The Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame, Sail Canada and the Great Lakes Museum are pleased to announce that the class of 2024 will include two additional members, Pat Healy and Steve Tupper, to be inducted into the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame, for now a total of 16.

The induction ceremony will take place  Saturday, October 5th, 2024 , at the  Royal Vancouver Yacht Club , in British Columbia,  from 2 pm to 5 pm . Details regarding tickets are available below.

Steve Tupper and Pat Healy will join the list of 2024 inductees into the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame, which now will include:

– Caroll-Ann Alie : Three-time World Champion in windsurfing (1984, 1985 and 1988) – Gracefield, QC

– Rob Ball : long-time C&C Yachts Chief Designer (posthumous) – Oakville, ON

– David Cook : 1996 Paralympic Silver Medalist in Sonar (posthumous) – Victoria, B.C.

– Jackie Gay : 2016 Paralympic Silver Medalist in Skud – Victoria, B.C.

-Pat Healy:  National Team Head Coach through three Olympics Games, three Pan American Games and two Goodwill Games – Toronto, ON

– Eric Jespersen : 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist in Star – Port Alberni, B.C.

– Ken Kelly : 1996 Paralympic Silver Medalist in Sonar – Moose Jaw, SK

– Stacie Louttit : 2008 Paralympic Bronze Medalist in Skud 18 – Victoria, B.C.

– Brian MacDonald : 2000 Paralympic Bronze Medalist in Sonar – Vancouver, B.C.

– Ross Macdonald : 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist in Star and 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist in Star – Vancouver, B.C.

– Don Martin : designer and builder including the Martin 16 – Vancouver, B.C.

– John McRoberts : 2008 Paralympic Bronze Medalist in Skud 18 and 2016 Paralympic Silver Medalist in Skud – Victoria, B.C.

-Steve Tupper:  National Team Coach, Executive Director of BC Sailing, ISAF Race Official and Board Sailing Committees member (posthumous) – Vancouver, B.C.

– Kirk Westergaard : 1996 Paralympic Silver Medalist in Sonar – Victoria, B.C.

– David Williams : 2000 Paralympic Bronze Medalist in Sonar (posthumous) – Vancouver, B.C.

– Mike Wolfs : 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist in Star – Mississauga, ON

The Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame is a collaboration between The Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Museum (formerly known as Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston) and Sail Canada. Inductees must be Canadian citizens and can be inducted in any of the three categories: sailor, technical or contributor.

For the time being, inductees are chosen by the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame Management Committee, with representation from across the country. The selection process is based on criteria established in the CSHOF By-Laws. In the future, it is intended that the nomination process will be opened up to the sailing public.

Get your tickets now

Sailing fans can now buy tickets for the 2024 induction ceremony to be held at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, 3811 Point Grey Road, Vancouver, B.C., from 2 pm to 5 pm on Saturday, October 5 th , 2024.

The cost is $30 per person and includes a one-year membership to the Great Lakes Museum. Seating will be limited to 150 people with priority given to family and friends of the inductees. Media will also be invited to attend. Tickets can now be purchased online at  https://www.sailing.ca/product/2024-canadian-sailing-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony/ . 

About Sail Canada Established in 1931, Sail Canada is the national governing body for the sport of sailing in the country. Sail Canada is a leading international sailing nation, proud of its world class athletes, lifelong participants and inclusive culture. The organization and its members are committed to excellence by developing and training its leaders, athletes, sailors, instructors, coaches and officials. With the valued support from our partners, the Provincial Sailing Associations and our member clubs, schools, organizations and stakeholders, sailing is promoted in all its forms. By setting standards and delivering programs from home pond to podium for Canadians of all ages and abilities, from dinghies to keelboats, cruising to navigation, windsurfing to powerboating and accessible sailing, Sail Canada sets sail for all, sail to win and sail for life.

A sport in the Olympic program since the first Games in 1896, except in 1904, the pursuit of success in these Games is what fuels the focus of Sail Canada as Canadian athletes have so far achieved nine Olympic and five Paralympic medals. For more details:  www.sailing.ca .

About the Great Lakes Museum

The Great Lakes Museum (formerly known as the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston) is a charitable organization founded in 1975, whose mission is to inspire an enduring connection to the maritime heritage of Kingston and the Great Lakes. The museum holds a vast collection of artefacts, archival materials, periodicals and ship plans, including the C&C Yachts and George Cuthbertson Collections. For more details:  www.marmuseum.ca .

Information:  Patrick Godbout Communications Manager Sail Canada Email:  [email protected] Phone: 514-213-9897

Chair, Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame Management Committee

Email:  [email protected]

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