Learn Sailing and Boating Terms!

 

Know your bow from your stern and keep your head out of the toilet when preparing for a boating trip like a BSA Sea Base sailing adventure. The critical terms to know are highlighted below: port/starboard, bow/stern, sheet, halyard, tack, gybe, reefing, helm, heel, winch, and points of sail.

Sailing & Boating Terms for a BSA Sea Base Trip on a Morgan 41 Sailboat

• Abeam - Directly beside the boat, at a right angle to the centerline.

• Aft - Toward the back (stern) of the boat.

• Anchor - A heavy device dropped to the bottom to keep the boat from drifting.

• Astern - Behind the boat.

• Beam - The width of the boat at its widest point.

• Beam Reach - Sailing with the wind coming directly from the side; usually one of the fastest and most comfortable points of sail.

• Berth - A sleeping bunk or assigned sleeping space on the boat.

• Bilge - The lowest inside part of the hull where water collects.

• Boom - The horizontal pole attached to the bottom of the mainsail. Hello, McFly!!

• Bow - The front of the boat.

• Bulkhead - A vertical wall or partition inside the boat.

• Cabin Sole - The floor inside the cabin.

• Capsize - When a boat tips over.

• Chart - A nautical map used for navigation.

• Cleat - A metal or plastic fitting used to tie off ropes (lines).

• Close-Hauled - Sailing as close into the wind as possible.

• Cockpit - The open seating and steering area of the sailboat.

• Compass Heading - The direction the boat is pointed, measured in degrees.

• Course - The direction the boat is intended to travel.

• Crew - Everyone working aboard the boat.

• Deck - The upper surface you walk on outside.

• Dinghy - A small boat used to travel to shore or between boats.

• Dock Lines - Ropes used to secure the boat to a dock.

• Draft - How deep the boat extends below the waterline.

• Fender - A cushion placed between the boat and dock to prevent damage.

• Foredeck - The front deck area near the bow.

• Forward - Toward the front (bow) of the boat.

• Galley - The kitchen area on the boat. Yeah, you already knew this.  Big surprise...

• Genoa - A large headsail used for extra power in lighter winds.

• Gunwale - The upper edge of the boat’s side.

• Gybe (Jibe) - Turning the stern through the wind so the sails switch sides. Can happen suddenly if not controlled.

• Halyard - A line used to raise or lower a sail.

• Head - The bathroom on a boat.

• Heading Up - Turning the bow closer toward the wind.

• Headsail - Any sail set forward of the mast, such as a jib or genoa.

• Heel - The leaning of the sailboat caused by wind pressure on the sails.

• Helm - The steering position or steering wheel/tiller.

• Helmsman - The person steering the boat.

• Hull - The main body of the boat.

• In Irons - When a sailboat points directly into the wind and loses steering ability.

• Jib - The smaller triangular sail in front of the mast.

• Keel - The heavy fin below the boat that provides stability and prevents sideways drift.

• Knot - A nautical mile per hour (1 knot = 1.15 mph).

• Leeward (Lee) - The side away from the wind.

• Line - The nautical term for rope.

• Mainsail - The large primary sail attached behind the mast.

• Mast - The tall vertical spar supporting the sails.

• Mooring Ball - A floating buoy permanently anchored to the bottom for tying up boats.

• Navigation Lights - Colored lights used at night to indicate direction and right-of-way.

• Offshore - Away from land.

• On Watch - Assigned duty period for crew tasks or lookout. Sample Anchor Watch Schedule

• Point of Sail - The boat’s direction relative to the wind.

• Port - The left side of the boat when facing forward.

• Reefing - Reducing sail area in stronger winds.

• Rigging - All the lines, cables, and hardware supporting or controlling sails.

• Rudder - The underwater steering surface controlled by the helm.

• Running - Sailing with the wind coming from directly behind.

• Running Lights - Another name for navigation lights.

• Sail Trim - Adjusting sails for best performance.

• Sea State - The condition of the waves and water surface.

• Sheet - A line used to control a sail’s angle to the wind.

• Skipper - The captain or person in command of the boat. Not this guy, we hope!

• Starboard - The right side of the boat when facing forward.

• Stern - The back of the boat.

• Tack —

  1. Turning the bow through the wind so sails switch sides.

  2. Also refers to the side from which the wind is blowing.

• Telltales - Small ribbons or yarn on sails used to show airflow and proper sail trim.

• Thru-Hull - An opening or fitting that passes through the hull below or near the waterline.

• Tiller - A steering handle connected directly to the rudder (some sailboats use these instead of wheels).

• Underway - A boat that is moving and not anchored or tied up.

• V-Berth - A V-shaped sleeping area in the bow.

• Wake - Waves created behind a moving boat.

• Watch - A scheduled duty shift aboard the boat.

• Waypoint - A specific navigation point entered into GPS or charts.

• Windward - The side facing the wind.

• Winch - A mechanical drum used to pull in lines under tension.

• Yacht - A recreational sailboat or powerboat.

• Yaw - Side-to-side swinging movement of the boat’s bow.