Nautical Terms

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a'lee sailing   Away from the direction of the wind. Opposite of windward.
aback sailing 1 A condition in which the sails are pushed back against the mast by the wind, rather than blown forward by it.
abaft terms   Toward the rear (stern) of the boat. Behind.
abeam terms 1 On a bearing or direction at right angles to the fore and aft line of a vessel.
aboard terms   On or within the boat.
above deck terms   On the deck (not over it see ALOFT)
abreast terms   Side by side; by the side of.
accommodation ladder equipment 1 A ladder or flight of steps between a ship's decks, or to and from a small boat alongside.
adrift terms   Loose, not on moorings or towline.
aft terms 1 At or towards the stern or after part of a ship, as either a word of position or motion.
aft spring seamanship 1 A line running aft from the fore part of the vessel to a point aft on the wharf. It prevents forward movement of the vessel relative to the wharf.
aground terms 1 Touching or fast to the bottom.
ahead terms 1 In a forward direction.
aids to navigation navigation   Artificial objects to supplement natural landmarks indicating safe and unsafe waters.
ALL STATIONS communications 1 A code phrase used in communications that means "everyone who can hear this transmission."
aloft terms 1 Above, overhead, also anywhere about the upper yards, masts, and rigging of ships.
amidships terms 1 In or toward the center of the boat.
anchorage terms   A place suitable for anchoring in relation to the wind, seas and bottom.
anemometer sailing 2 A device which measures wind speed.
astern terms 1 Backwards or behind. In movement, that of a ship going backwards. In direction, directly behind a vessel.
athwartships terms   At right angles to the centerline of the boat; rowboat seats are generally athwart ships.
aweigh terms   The position of anchor as it is raised clear of the bottom.
azimuth ring navigation  


back splice ropework   A splice made in the end of a rope to prevent the rope from fraying. This is an alternative to whipping, but increases the diameter of the rope thus cannot be used if a line must be rove through blocks.
back stays rigging 1 A rope or shroud extending from the top of a mast aft to a ship's side or stern to help support the mast.
back, to ship parts 3 To back a square sail is to brace the yards so that the wind presses on the forward side of the sail to take the way off the ship.
baffles ship parts 3 Partitions in tanks to prevent fluids from sloshing about and leading to free surface effects on stability.
baggy-wrinkles rigging 1 The "fuzzy things up there" on the stays and shrouds made from old rope that prevent the sails from chafing.
bail terms 1 To bail is the process of emptying out the water from a boat or small vessel. The term implies that this is done by hand, not my mechanical means.
ballast ship parts 3 Additional weight carried in a ship to give her stability and/or provide a satisfactory trim fore and aft.
bare poles ship handling 3 With no sails set. “Under bare poles” means that the ship is running before a gale with no canvas set.
barquentine rig types 2 A vessel resembling a barque, but square-rigged on the foremast only, main and mizzen being fore-and-aft rigged.
batten sails 2 A thin wooden or plastic strip which fits into a long, narrow pocket in the leech of a Bermuda mainsail in racing and cruising yachts to hold the leech out when sailing.
batten down terms   Secure hatches and loose objects both within the hull and on deck.
beam terms   The greatest width of the boat.
beam reach sailing 1 A point of sail where the wind is coming directly across the beam of the ship, or 90° to the ship's heading.
beam/breadth ship parts 2 The width of a ship at its widest part.
beams ship parts 2 One of the transverse members of a ship’s frames on which the decks are laid.
bear off ship handling 2 To steer a course not as close to the wind or an object.
bear up sailing 2 To steer a course closer to the wind or an object.
bearing terms   The direction of an object expressed either as a true bearing as shown on the chart, or as a bearing relative to the heading of the boat.
becalmed navigation 2 A sailing ship is said to be becalmed when there is no wind and thus unable to move. They may then be forced to use the "iron sail" (the engine) to make way.
belay line handling 1 The operation of making fast a rope by making turns with it round a cleat or pelaying pins. Also a general order to stop or cease.
belaying pin ship parts 1 Short lengths of wood, iron, or brass set up in racks in convenient places in the ship around which the running rigging can be secured or belayed.
below terms   Beneath the deck.
bermuda rig rig types 2 A sail plan in which the main and/or mizzen sail, or the foresail or a schooner, is of a triangular shape, very long in the luff. This rig is now almost universal in all modern yachts.
berth/bunk ship parts 1 A place in which to sleep on board ship.
bight ropework 1 The part of the rope or line, between the end and the standing part, on which a knot is formed.
bilge ship parts 1 The interior of the hull below the floor boards.
bilge keels ship parts 3 Longitudinal projections fixed one on each side of a ship, parallel to the keel, at or just below the turn of the bilge and protruding downwards.
bilge strake ship parts 3


binnacle navigation 1 The stand in which a compass is mounted. For a magnetic compass it is usually provided with means of mounting various correctors for adjustment and compensation of the compass. It also usually encloses some means to faintly illuminate the compass at night so it can be seen by the helmsman to steer by.
bitter end ropework 1 The last part of a rope or chain.The inboard end of the anchor rode.
bitts ship parts 2 Sturdy upright pillars, usually two, affixed to a strong part of the ships frame, to which lines are secured. This used to be where the cables were secured when the ship rode at anchor.
blackwall hitch ropework   Used to secure a rope to a hook. It is liable to slip if subjected to more than ordinary strain.
block rigging 1 A wooden or metal case in which one or more sheaves are fitted. They are used for various purposes in a ship, either as part of a purchase to increase the mechanical power applied to ropes or to lead them to convenient positions for handling.
blocks (and tackle) seamanship  


boat terms   A fairly indefinite term. A waterborne vehicle smaller than a ship. One definition is a small craft carried aboard a ship.
boat hook equipment   A short shaft with a fitting at one end shaped to facilitate use in putting a line over a piling, recovering an object dropped overboard, or in pushing or fending off.
bobstay rigging 1 A rope or chain used to steady the bowsprit of a ship. There are usually two bobstays, one run from the bowsprit cap, the other from the jibboom, both run to the stem.
bolster rigging 1 (a) A cushioned or a piece of soft wood covered with tarred canvas, placed on the trestletrees and against the mast, for the collars of the shrouds to rest on, to prevent chafing. (b) Anything used to prevent chafing.
bolt rope sails 2 A rope sewn into the canvas at the edge of a sail to strengthen it.
boom rigging 1 A spar used to extend the foot of a fore-and-aft sail.
boom crutch ship parts 1 A temporary fitting in which the boom is stowed and held secure when anchored or on a mooring. A boom crutch generally takes two forms: a metal shaft with semi-circular arms on top into which the boom fits, or a small wooden structure in the form of an X. See also gallows.
boot top ship parts 3 A painted line that indicates the designed waterline.
bosuns chair rigging 2 A short board secured in a bridle used to sway a person aloft for maintenance work.
bow ship parts 1 The front part of the vessel.
bow line seamanship 1 A docking line leading from the bow.
bowline ropework 1 A knot used to form a temporary loop in the end of a line.
bowsprit rigging 1 A spar running out from a ship's bow to which the forestays are fastened.
brace pendant rigging 2


braces rigging 1 Lines rove to the ends of yards in a square rigged ship by which the yards are braced, or swung, at different angles to the for-and-aft line of the ship to make the most of the wind.
brakish ship terms 3 slightly salty; having a salty or briny flavor, as in when some salt water finds its way into the fresh water tanks.
breast line seamanship 1 A line running perpendicular from the vessel to the wharf. The breast line prevents the vessel moving away from the wharf.
bridge ship parts   The location from which a vessel is steered and its speed controlled. "Control Station" is really a more appropriate term for small craft.
bridle terms   A line or wire secured at both ends in order to distribute a strain between two points.
brigantine rig types 2 a two-masted vessel, as a brig, but square-rigged on the foremast and fore-and-aft rigged on the mainmast.
brightwork terms 1 Varnished woodwork and/or polished metal.
broach, to ship handling 2 A vessel is said to broach, or broach-to, when it comes up to the wind and is beam-on to the running seas. This is a very dangerous situation as the seas can easily wash over the vessel abeam knocking it onto the beam ends from which it might not be able to right itself.
broad ship parts 1 Opposite of 'fine' or a slightly larger relative angle. It may be used in reporting objects relative to the ship as in "broad on the port bow."
broad reach sailing 1 A point of sail where the wind is blowing on the ship's quarter, or about 90° to 170° from the ship's course.
brow ship parts 1 The gangway for the use of passengers and crew from ship to shore when a ship is alongside a wharf or quay in harbour.
bulkhead ship parts 1 A vertical partition separating compartments.
bulls eye sailmakers terms 2 A circular piece of wood, usually lignum vitae, hollowed in the centre to take a rope and grooved around the outside to accommodate a strop which enables it to be fixed in position where required. Its main purpose is to change the lead, or direction, of the rope where a block for this purpose is not required.
bulwarks ship parts 1 The planking or woodwork, or steel plating in the case of steel ships, along the sides of a ship above her upper deck to prevent seas washing over the gunwales and also persons on board inadvertently falling or being washed overboard in rough weather.
bunt sails 2 The middle section of a square sail where it is cut full to form a belly so as to catch more wind.
bunt panel sails 1 The middle portion of a square sail shaped like a pouch to catch more and increase the effect of the wind.
buntlines rigging 1 Ropes attached to the footropes of square sails, led up through blocks attached to the yards. When hauled up they spill the wind out of the sails for reefing or, hoisted right up to the yard, for furling.
buoy equipment   An anchored float used for marking a position on the water or a hazard or a shoal and for mooring.
buoyancy ship handling 3 The inwards and upwards force of water on an object immersed in water.
burdened vessel terms   That vessel which, according to the applicable Navigation Rules, must give way to the privileged vessel. The term has been superseded by the term "give-way".
cabin ship parts   A compartment for passengers or crew.
cabin trunk ship parts 2


cable ship parts 2 The cable is what attaches the ship to the anchor when the anchor is let out.
camber ship parts 3 The athwartships curve of a ship’s deck, usually giving a fall towards the sides of a quarter of an inch to each foot.
cap-rail ship parts 2


capsize terms   To turn over.
cardinal points navigation 1 Any of the four principal directions marked on a compass: north, east, south, or west.
careen, to terms 3 The operation in the olden days of heaving a ship over on one side to clean the bottom of weeds and barnacles or for repair.
carlings ship parts 2 or carlines, pieces of squared timber fitted fore and aft between the deck beams of a wooden ship to provide support for deck planking.
carry away, to ship parts 3 The breaking, or parting, of objects on board ship, particularly applicable in the case of masts and yards.
carvel planking ship construction 3 A wooden vessel or boat in which the side planks are all flush, the edges laid close and caulked to make a smooth finish, as compared to clinker-built, in which the side planks overlap.
cast off line handling 1 To let go.
cast off, to sails  


cat rig rig types 2 A small sailing boat's rig consisting of a relatively large gaff and boom mainsail or lugsail set on a mast stepped very close to the boat's stem, and carrying no headsails.
catamaran ship construction   A twin-hulled boat, with hulls side by side.
cathead ship parts 2 A heavy piece of timber projecting from the bow of the ship for the purpose of holding an anchor.
catspaw ropework   A catspaw is used to shorten a rope sling. It can also be used to secure a sling or the bight of a rope to a hook when the strain on both parts of the bight is approximately equal.
caulking ship construction 3


ceiling ship parts 2 The inside planking or plating in the holds of a merchant vessel, laid across teh floors and carried up the sides of the holds to the level of the beams.
center of buoyancy ship handling 3


center of effort sailing 3


center of gravity ship handling 3


center of lateral resistance sailing 3


centerboard ship parts 2 A device which as it is raised or lowered increases the vessel’s lateral area and keel of a boat of shallow draft, so that when lowered it reduces its resistance to leeway.
chafing gear ship parts 2 Tubing or cloth wrapping used to protect a line from chafing on a rough surface.
chain plates ship parts 2


chain sling rigging 2


Channel 16 communications 1 The VHF channel used for emergency communications.
chart navigation   A map for use by navigators.
check line handling 1 The operation of easing away slowly, particularly as in connection with a purchase such as the falls of a lifeboat or the sheets of sails.
chine ship construction   The intersection of the bottom and sides of a flat or v-bottomed boat.
chock ship parts 2 A fitting through which anchor or mooring lines are led. Usually U-shaped to reduce chafe.
claw off, to terms 3 The operation of beating to windward in a sailing vessel to avoid being driven onto a lee shore. The expression implies danger of shipwreck because of a rough sea and a strong onshore wind.
cleat ship parts 1 A fitting to which lines are made fast. The classic cleat to which lines are belayed is approximately anvil-shaped.
clew sails 1 The lower aftermost corner of a sail. The corner of the sail that sheets are attached to.
clewlines rigging 1 The line or tackle of a lower square sail in a square-rigged ship, by means of which the clews are hauled up to the yard and trussed when the sail needs to be furled or goose-winged.
clinker planking ship construction 3 A method of boat building in which the lower edge of each side plank overlaps the upper edge of the one below it. It is normally only used in small boat building. This is in contrast to carvel construction which is smooth when finished.
close reach sailing 1 A point of sail where the wind is coming from forward of the beam, between about 60° to 90° from the ship's heading.
close-hauled sailing 1 A point of sail where the ship is sailing as close to the wind as possible. Also called "on the wind."
cloth tabling sails 1 The name given to an extra strip of canvas sewn around the edges of sails to reinforce them where the boltrope is sewn on.
clove hitch ropework 1 A knot for temporarily fastening a line to a spar or piling.
coaming ship parts   A vertical piece around the edge of a cockpit, hatch, etc. to prevent water on deck from running below.
coamings ship parts 2 The name given to the raised lip, usually about six to nine inches high, with which openings in the upper deck are framed to prevent any water on deck from running down the opening to the space below.
cockbill rigging 2 Or a-cockbill. When the anchor is hanging at the cathead ready for letting go, or after is has been raised out of the water. Also, yards can be trimmed a-cockbill if they are at an angle to the deck.
cockpit ship parts   An opening in the deck from which the boat is handled.
coil ropework   To lay a line down in circular turns.
coming about sailing 1 Another term used for tacking. A ship comes about when her head passes through the wind from one tack to the other.
companionway ship parts 1 A staircase to a cabin.
compass bearing navigation 1 Bearing relative to compass North.
compass card navigation 1 The part of a compass on which the direction graduations are placed. It is usually in the form of a thin disk graduated in degrees, clockwise from 0° (North) to 360°, and sometimes also in compass points.
compass rose navigation 1 A circle on a chart graduated in degrees, clockwise from 0° at the reference direction to 360°, and sometimes also in compass points.
course navigation   The direction in which a boat is steered.
cringle sails 2 A rope grommet worked into the boltrope at the edge of a sail as reinforcement at a stress point.
cross trees rigging 2 light timber spreaders fixed athwartships across the trestle-trees at the upper ends of the lower masts and topmasts to give support to the tops and to spread the top mast and topgallant mast shrouds.
crosstrees rigging 1 The two horizontal crosspieces at the upper ends of the lower masts in fore-and-aft-rigged vessels, serving to spread the shrouds.
cuddy ship parts   A small shelter cabin in a boat.
current navigation   The horizontal movement of water.
cutter rig types 2 A small decked ship with one mast and bowsprit, with a gaff mainsail on a boom, a square yard and topsail, and two jibs or a jib and staysail.
dagger board ship parts 1 A drop keel, or sliding centerboard of wood or metal which can be raised or lowered inside a case through a slot in a shallow draught boat's keel.
dead ahead terms   Directly ahead.
dead astern terms   Directly aft.
deadeyes rigging 2 A circular block of wood, usually of lignum vitae, though sometimes of elm, grooved around the circumference and pierced with three holes. They are used in pairs to secure the shrouds to the chain plate. A lanyard is reeved through the holes and a purchase is thus created. The term “dead” was used because although they perform the function of a triple purchase they have no moving parts (i.e. sheaves). Sometimes called “dead-man’s-eye” because of the resemblance of these blocks with their three holes to a human skull.
deadlight ship parts 3 A metal plate which is hinged inboard above a scuttle or port and can be let down and secured by a butterfly nut to protect the glass of the scuttle in heavy weather. Also used in warships to darken a ship at night so that no light was visible to the enemy.
deck ship parts 1 A permanent covering over a compartment, hull or any part thereof.
deckhead ship parts 1 The underside of the deck above the one you are on. A nautical term for "ceiling."
deviation navigation 1 The angle between the magnetic meridian and the axis of a compass card, expressed in degrees east or west to indicate the direction in which the northern end of the compass card is offset from magnetic north. Deviation is caused by disturbing magnetic influences in the immediate vicinity of the compass.
dinghy terms   A small open boat. A dinghy is often used as a tender for a larger craft.
displacement ship construction 3 The weight of water displaced by a floating vessel, thus, a boat's weight.
displacement hull ship construction   A type of hull that plows through the water, displacing a weight of water equal to its own weight, even when more power is added.
dock terms   A protected water area in which vessels are moored. The term is often used to denote a pier or a wharf.
dolphin terms   A group of piles driven close together and bound with wire cables into a single structure.
double purchase seamanship  


double sheetbend ropework   Used as an alternative to the sheet bend, and is more secure.
double up seamanship 1 To double up is to put two of each lines from the ship to the wharf. This is done to ensure additional security of the lines.
double whip seamanship   A purchase used for hoisting. It consists of two single blocks with the standing part of the fall made fast near, or to, the upper block. Its mechanical advantage is 2, and it cannot be rove to advandage.
douse sailing 1 To douse a sail is to lower it, in the case of fore-and-aft rig, or to spill the wind out of a sail using buntlines to gather the sail to the yard.
down below terms 1 On a deck lower than the one you are currently on.
downhaul rigging 1 A single rope fitted in large sailing ships for hauling down a jib or staysail when shortening sail.
draft ship construction 2 The depth of water a boat draws.
draft ship parts 2 The depth of the ship’s keel from the surface of the water. This is also the amount a ship is said to draw.
drogue ship handling 2 Usually an improvised contraption by which a sailing vessel is slowed down in a following sea to prevent her being “pooped” by waves coming up astern. Should not be confused with a “sea anchor” which keeps a ships bow to the seas.
drop the line line handling  


earring sails 2


ease line handling 1 To ease, is a good maritime term meaning, in general, to take pressure off. A sailing ship on the order "ease her" is luffed, or brought close to the wind in order to reduce the wind pressure on her sails in a heavy blow. Similarly in sailing yachts, the sheets are eased, sometimes to take pressure off the sail to reduce the angle of heel, and at others to produce a squarer aspect of the sail to the wind.
ebb navigation 3 A receding current.
electrolysis ship parts 3 The passage of an electric current through an electrolyte (i.e. ions from salts in solution) with subsequent migration of positively and negatively charged ions to the negative and positive electrodes.
eye splice ropework  


fairlead ship parts 1 A means of leading a rope in the most convenient direction for working, perhaps with a leading block to alter its direction or with eyes or cringles to keep it clear of obstructions.
fathom terms 2 A unit of measurement of distance equal to six feet. Usually found on charts to denote depth of water, or to describe length of lines.
fend off terms 1 To fend off is the operation of bearing a vessel off, by a spar, boathook, or fender, in order to prevent violent contact when coming alongside.
fender equipment   A cushion, placed between boats, or between a boat and a pier, to prevent damage.
fid sailmakers terms 2 A large tapering pin, usually of wood, used to separate strands of a rope when splicing.
fiddles ship parts 2 A rack affixed to mess tables on board ship in rough weather to prevent crockery, glasses, cuttlery, etc. from sliding off to the deck as the ship rolls. The simplest fiddles may just be a raised lip along the edge of the table.
fife rail ship parts 1 A a circular or semi-circular rail around the base of a mast which holds belaying pins to which the halyards of the sails are secured.
figure eight knot ropework 1 A knot in the form of a figure eight, placed in the end of a line to prevent the line from passing through a grommet or a block.
fine terms 1 close to, as "fine on the port bow" means not dead ahead, but close to it on the port side of the bow.
fisherman's bend ropework   This is an alternative to a round turn and two half hitches and is usually employed for bending a boat's cable to the ring of the anchor. It is more suitable to a jerking pull, but will jam and is not easy to undo. The end should be stopped to the standing part.
flare ship construction   The outward curve of a vessel's sides near the bow. A distress signal.
flood navigation 3 A incoming current.
floorboards ship construction   The surface of the cockpit on which the crew stand.
fluke equipment   The palm of an anchor.
following sea navigation   An overtaking sea that comes from astern.
foot sails 1 The lower edge of a sail.
foot ropes rigging 1 A rope suspended below a yard, upon which sailors stand when reefing or furling sails, formerly called horses.
fore terms 1 Forward, towards the front of the vessel. Opposite of aft.
fore stay rigging 1 A stay extending from the head of the foremast to the bowsprit of a ship.
fore top rigging 1 A platform at the top of a ship's foremast.
fore-and-aft terms   In a line parallel to the keel.
forefoot ship parts 3 The point in a ship where the stem is joined to the forward end of the keel.
forepeak ship parts 1 A compartment in the bow of a small boat.
forward terms 1 Toward the bow of the boat.
forward spring seamanship 1 A docking line runing from aft on the vessel to forward on the wharf.
fouled terms 2 Any piece of equipment that is jammed or entangled, or dirtied.
founder, to terms 3 The act of a ship which sinks at sea, generally understood to be by the flooding of her hull either through springing a leak or through striking a rock.
frames ship parts 2


free surface ship parts 3


freeboard ship construction 2 The minimum vertical distance from the surface of the water to the gunwale.
freeing ports ship parts 1 Ports cut in the bulwarks of a ship to allow seawater which has been shipped to run away over the side. The doors on these ports are usually hinged on the top and situated outboard so that they can be forced open by the pressure of water on the deck, but held tightly closed against the bulwarks by the pressure of the sea if the ship rolls to an extent where they are underwater. See also scuppers.
full-and-by sailing 2 Sailing almost close-hauled, with all sails filled and pulling strongly.
furl sails 1 To furl is theoperation of taking in the sails of a vessel and securing them with gaskets.
futtock band rigging 2


futtock cheeks rigging 2


futtock shrouds rigging 2 One of the iron rods extending from a band on the lower mast to the futtock plate, used to brace the base of the topmast.
gaff rigging 1 A spar, to which the head of a fore-and-aft sail is bent.
gaff rig rig types 2 A gaff is a spar to which the head of a four-sided fore-and-aft sail is laced and h oisted on the after side of the mast. Two halyards are necessary to hoist this type of rig: a throat halyard, attached to the gaff near the mast tightens the luff, and a peak halyard, attached to the gaff to raise the head of the sail.
galley ship parts 1 The kitchen area of a boat.
gallows ship parts 1 A raised wooden frame consisting of two uprights and a wooden cross-piece on which the spare booms and spars in a square rigged ship rested.
gangway ship parts   The area of a ship’s side where people board and disembark.
garboard strake ship parts 3 The first plank on the outer hull of a wooden vessel next to the keel, onto which it it rabbeted. It runs from the stem to the stern post, and is similarly rabbeted into those timbers.
gasket ship parts 1 A rope, plaited cord, or strip of canvas used to secure a sail, when furled, to a yard or boom of a vessel.
gear terms   A general term for ropes, blocks, tackle and other equipment.
gimbals ship parts 3 a device consisting of a ring or base on an axis, that permits an object, as a ship's compass, mounted in or on it to tilt freely in any direction, in effect suspending the object so that it will remain horizontal even when its support is tipped.
give-way-vessel navigation   A term used to describe the vessel which must yield in meeting, crossing, or overtaking situations.
gooseneck rigging 2 A metal fitting on the inboard end of a boom of a sailing vessel by which it is attached to a mast. It allows the boom to swing side to side and up and down.
GPS navigation 2 Global Positioning System. A system of more than two dozen satellites in geo-synchronous orbit around the earth transmitting signals to GPS receivers on Earth. The receivers then determine their position based on various calculations.
grab rails ship parts   Hand-hold fittings mounted on cabin tops and sides for personal safety when moving around the boat.
gravity ship parts 3


gripe, to ship handling 3 The tendency of a sailing vessel to come up into the wind when sailing close-hauled, and thus to carry too much weather helm to correct this tendency.
grommet sails 2 A ring formed by laying up a single strand of rope three times about itself. These are sometimes worked into a boltrope of sail as a reinforced eye called a “cringle”. Also small brass rings fastened to canvas by pinching between a punch and die.
ground tackle equipment   A collective term for the anchor and its associated gear.
gun tackle seamanship   Usually applied to a purchase consisting of two single blocks, but which is not used for hoisting; it cannot then be called a 'double whip' as this term is applied only when it is used for hoisting. In the gun tackle the standing part of the fall is always made fast to one of the blocks. The name originates from the small tackle which was used to run out hte old muzzle-loading gun carriages after they recoiled.
gunwale ship parts   The upper edge of a boat's sides.
gybing sailing 1 To change from one tack to the other with the wind passing over the stern.
halyards rigging 1 The lines used to raise or lower the sails, attached either to the yard, gaff, or peak, depending on the type of ship and rig.
handy-billy ship parts 3 A small jigger purchase or watch tackle, used on board ship for a variety of purposes, especially in handling cargo in the holds. It is rove with one double and one single block.
hank sails 2 Clips on the leech of a sail for securing to a stay. Usually found on headsails or staysails. The hanks keep the sail bunched up so it does not catch wind and billow out.
hard chine ship construction 3 An abrupt intersection between the hull side and the hull bottom of a boat so constructed.
hatch ship parts 1 An opening in a boat&8217;s deck fitted with a watertight cover.
haul line handling 1 The seaman's word meaning to pull. Virtually every line that needs a pull to perform its function are hauled at sea, never pulled.
hawse hole ship parts 2 A hole in the forecastle deck, or upper deck, through which the anchor cable passes. This could also be a hole cut in the ships side through which the anchor cable passes.
head ship parts 1 A marine toilet. Also the upper corner of a triangular sail.
head sails 1 The upper edge of a sail.
head rope seamanship  


head up sailing 2 To move the ship’s head closer into the wind. As a ship heads up, the sails may start luffing. If a ship heads up too far it may go into irons.
heading navigation   The direction in which a vessel's bow points at any given time.
headway navigation 1 The forward motion of a boat. Opposite of sternway.
heart ship parts 3 A form of deadeye which was used for setting up the stays of a square rigged ship in the same way deadeyes were used to set up the shrouds.
heaving line seamanship 1 A light line with a small weight at the end used for heaving from ship to shore when coming alongside. A heavier wire rope or hawser is attached on the ship which can then be hauled ashore using the heaving line.
heaving to sailing 1 A setting of the sails, usually backed, such that the ship makes make liitle or no headway.
heel rigging 1 The lower end of a mast or boom.
heel ship parts 2 The lower end of the stern post.
heel (of spar) rigging 2 The lower end of a mast, boom or bowsprit.
helm ship parts 1 The wheel or tiller controlling the rudder.
helm's a'lee ship handling 2 A term used when tacking. The helm is a'lee when the tiller is "put down" hard to leeward thus making the ship "come about."
helm's a'weather ship handling 2 A term when used when gybing or wearing ship. The helm is a'weather when the tiller is "put up" hard to weather (windward) thus making the ship "wear" or gybe.
helmsperson terms   The person who steers the boat.
high water navigation 3 The term “tide” includes one complete cycle of one high water (HW) and one low water (LW). It is therefore incorrect to refer to the state of a particular tide as “high tide“ or “low tide“, when what is really meant is high water or low water.
higher high water (mean & large) navigation 3 HHWLT = higher high water, large tide. Average of the highest high waters, one from each of the 19 years of prediction. HHWMT = Higher high water, mean tide. Average of all the higher high waters from 19 years of prediction. See http://dev.atlas.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/facts/tides.html
hitch ropework   A knot used to secure a rope to another object or to another rope, or to form a loop or a noose in a rope.
hogging ship parts 3 The condition of a ship in which the bow and stern have drooped. A hogging stress can be caused by a vessel riding the crest of a wave where the stern and bow are unsupported in the troughs.
hold ship parts   A compartment below deck in a large vessel, used solely for carrying cargo.
hold line handling 1 Keep or sustain in a particular position.
hoops rigging 2


horse rigging 2 (1) the footrope of a yard on which sailors stand when aloft working on the sails. (2) an elevated rod, fixed at both ends and parallel to the deck to which the sheets can be led, lateral movement made possible by a traveller which slides from side to side along the horse.
hounds rigging 1 Projections at the mast-head serving as shoulders for the top or trestle-trees to rest upon.
hull ship parts 1 The main body of a vessel.
in irons sailing 1 A point of sail headed directly into the wind, without steerageway. A point of sail closer to the wind than close hauled. A ship generally cannot sail "in irons" and must "bear off" to catch more wind and gain headway.
in its gear rigging 2


in its lifts rigging 2


in stays sailing 1 A point of sail where the vessel is headed directly into the wind with steerageway.
inboard terms   More toward the center of a vessel; inside; a motor fitted inside a boat.
inclinometer sailing 2 A device that indicates, in degrees, how much a ship is heeling to one side or the other.
initial stability ship parts 3


intracoastal waterway navigation   ICW: bays, rivers, and canals along the coasts (such as the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts), connected so that vessels may travel without going into the sea.
jackstay rigging 2 Ropes, battens, or iron bars placed on a yard or spar and set taut, either for bending the head of a sail to, or acting as a traveller.
jacobs ladder equipment   A rope ladder, lowered from the deck, as when pilots or passengers come aboard.
jaws rigging 2 A fork in the end of a spar, i.e. a gaff, designed to fit around another, i.e. a mast.
jetty terms   A structure, usually masonry, projecting out from the shore; a jetty may protect a harbor entrance.
jib boom rigging 1 A spar that extends the bowsprit.
jig tackle rigging 1 Or jigger, is a light tackle consisting of a double single block, multiplying the power by four when rove to advantage and used for many small purposes on board ship. It also often used on the standing part of the throat and peak halyards to give them the final sweating up.
keel ship parts 1 The backbone of a vessel. The keel runs fore and aft the whole length of the vessel. Everything else is built up from it.
ketch rig types 2 A sailing vessel with two masts, the mizzen being stepped before the rudder head, while in a yawl it is stepped abaft it.
knees ship parts 2 A timber or metal bar fashioned into a right-angle to provide strengthing and support at the points of intersection of the timbers in a wooden ship.
knock sails 2


knot navigation   A measure of speed equal to one nautical mile (6076 feet) per hour.
knot ropework   A fastening made by interweaving rope to form a stopper, to enclose or bind an object, to form a loop or a noose, to tie a small rope to an object, or to tie the ends of two small ropes together.
knotmeter navigation 2 A ship's version of a speedometer. It measures the speed of the ship through the water in knots, or nautical miles per hour.
L.O.A. ship parts 2 Length Over All. The length of a vessel from the point farthest forward to the point farthest aft.
L.W.L ship parts 2 Length at the Water Line. The length of the vessel's hull at the water line. This is usually less than the L.O.A.
lacing sails 2


lanyards rigging 2 Lanyards are reeved between the deadeyes to act as the falls for the purchase in tightening the shrouds.
latitude navigation 1 The distance north or south of the equator measured and expressed in degrees.
lazarette ship parts 2 A storage space in a boat's stern area.
lead line seamanship  


lee sailing   The side sheltered from the wind.
lee cloths ship parts 2 These are strips of cloth or webbing rigged to keep people from rolling out of their bunks in heavy seas. The tendency is to roll to leeward, hence the term lee cloths.
lee helm sailing 3 Opposite of 'weather helm' where the helm (think tiller) must be put over to the lee to have the ship steer a straight course and not fall off the wind (turn the direction the wind is blowing).
lee shore navigation  


leech sails 1 The after edge of a sail.
leeward sailing 1 The direction away from the wind. Opposite of windward.
leeway sailing 1 The sideways movement of the boat caused by either wind or current.
let go line handling 1 Let line out, opposite of haul.
let go and haul! line handling 1 The order given to execute the evolution of squaring up the yards. Hands to windward let go the weather braces, and the hands on the leeward side haul in on the lee braces.
limber holes ship parts 3 Holes cut in the floor timbers of wooden ships on either side of the keelson to allow free passage for the bilge water to run down to the pump well.
line ropework   Rope and cordage used aboard a vessel is called a line when it is used for a specific purpose.
list ship handling 2 A ship is said to list when it is inclined to one side or the other. This is usually due to a shift in cargo or flooding of some part of the hull. This is not the same as “heel&8221; which is caused by wind pressure on the sails.
log navigation   A record of courses or operation. Also, a device to measure speed.
longitude navigation 1 The distance in degrees east or west of the meridian at Greenwich, England.
low water navigation 3 The term “tide” includes one complete cycle of one high water (HW) and one low water (LW). It is therefore incorrect to refer to the state of a particular tide as “high tide“ or “low tide“, when what is really meant is high water or low water.
lower low water (mean & large) navigation 3 LLWMT = Lower low water, mean tide. Average of all the lowest low water, one from each of the 19 years of prediction.
LLWLT = Lower low water, large tide. Average of the lowest low water, one from each of the 19 years of prediction.
See http://dev.atlas.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/facts/tides.html
lower shrouds rigging 1 A set of ropes or wire cables stretched from the top of a lower mast to the sides of a vessel for support.
lubber's line navigation   A vertical mark or permanent line on the inside of a compass bowl which indicates the direction the ship's bow is heading. Thus a course can be steered by bringing the lubber's line to the point on the compass card which shows the desired course.
luff sails 1 The foremost edge of a sail.
luff tackle seamanship   See also 'jig tackle.' A double whip purchase used to help haul on halyards, espeically on the head sails, otherwise the luff will be loose and the efficiency of the sail diminished.
luffing sailing 1 When the sails are not completely filled with wind. The luff, or forward edge, is rippling in the wind.
lunar day navigation 3 The period of time it takes the moon to complete one rotation on its axis in relation to the Sun.
MAFOR communications 2 The MAFOR decode table is published in the Radio Aids to Marine Navigation (RAMN). This code is used to provide weather information for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway only.
main top rigging 1 A platform at the top of a ship's mainmast.
make fast line handling 1 This order is usually given after "belay." It means to make the belay more secure with additional turns and stow the bitter end properly.
manifest ship handling 2 The ship's manifest is a list of all persons aboard.
manifold ship parts 2


marconi rig rig types 2 Same as a “Bermuda rig”. A triangular fore-and-aft mainsail set with the full length of the luff attached to the mast.
marlinspike equipment 2 A tool for opening the strands of a rope while splicing.
marlinspike hitch ropework  


marry, to (a line) ropework 2


mast rigging 1 An spar set upright from a ship's keel to support rigging, yards and sails.
MAYDAY communications 1 A call made over the emergency channel, Channel 16, to indicate a ship in distress.
midship ship parts   Approximately in the location equally distant from the bow and stern.
mitre sails 2 The seam in a sail where cloths which run in two different directions are joined. Triangular sails such as staysails and jibs are normally made in this way.
mixed, mainly diurnal (MD) navigation 3 Diurnal means daily, so MD means tides that are sometimes two unequal high waters and low waters at irregular spacing over a lunar day, and sometimes only one HW and one LW in a day.
mixed, mainly semi-diurnal navigation 3 semi-diurnal means half daily, so these are tides that have two high waters and two low waters each lunar day, but with marked inequalities in height and irregularities in spacing.
moored ship handling   A ship is moored when she has two anchors down.
mooring seamanship   An arrangement for securing a boat to a mooring buoy or a pier.
moorings ship handling   Anchors and cables laid down and buoyed, ready for a ship to be secured to.
mouse sailmakers terms 2 A mousing is used to prevent a hook from unhooking, or to prevent the pin of a shackle from unscrewing and coming undone. It can also increase the strength of a hook.

To mouse a hook turns of twine or wire are taken across the bill and the back of the hook.

To mouse a shackle turns of twine or wire are taken through the hole in the head of the bolt (pin) and around the lug.
mousing ropework 2 A mousing is used to prevent a hook from unhooking, or to prevent the pin of a shackle from unscrewing and coming undone. It can also increase the strength of a hook.

To mouse a hook turns of twine or wire are taken across the bill and the back of the hook.

To mouse a shackle turns of twine or wire are taken through the hole in the head of the bolt (pin) and around the lug.
muster terms 1 To muster is the operation of assembling the crew of a ship on deck.
nautical mile navigation   One minute of latitude; approximately 6076 feet, about 1/8 longer than the statute mile of 5280 feet.
navigation navigation   The art and science of conducting a boat safely from one point to another.
navigation rules navigation   The regulations governing the movement of vessels in relation to each other, generally called steering and sailing rules.
neap tides navigation 3 Occur when the Moon is at right angles to the sun relative to the Earth (in first quarter or the last quarter) resulting high waters are lowest and low waters are highest.
offing navigation 3 The distance that a ship at sea keeps away from the land because of navigational dangers, fog, or other hazards. Generally taken to mean that a ship stays in waters too deep to anchor.
outboard terms   Toward or beyond the boat's sides. A detachable engine mounted on a boat's stern.
outhauls rigging 1 A line or purchase by which a sail is hauled outboard along a spar.
overboard terms   Over the side or out of the boat or ship. Usually as in "MAN OVERBOARD"
overhaul line handling 1 To overhaul is to increase the distance apart of the blocks of a tackle by running the rope back through the sheaves.
overhaul terms   To overtake another vessel. To loosen the parts of a tackle. To ease up. To slacken. To free the fall of a tackle. To overhaul, also means to examine.
PAN-PAN communications 1 A call made over the emergency channel, Channel 16, to indicate a ship in difficulty, though not imminent danger.
panel sailmakers terms 2


panting stresses ship parts 3


parcelling ropework 1 The intermediate step of: worming, parcelling, and serving a rope. Parcelling is tarred canvas wound around a rope as waterproofing.
parral rigging 2


parral band rigging 2


parral bead rigging 2


parral collar rigging 2


parral rope rigging  


parral span rigging 2


partners rigging 2 A framework, consisting of stout plank, secured to the decks of wooden ships round the holes through which pass the masts or the spindle of the capstan, thus strengthening the deck in these places.
pay out sails 1 To pay out is the act of slackening a cable or rope so that it can run out freely to a desired amount. This differs from "casting off" in that when a rope or cable is paid out it is re-secured in a new position, when it is cast off it is let go completely.
peak sails 1 The upper after corner of a sail.
pendant sailmakers terms 2


pier terms   A loading platform extending at an angle from the shore.
pile terms   A wood, metal or concrete pole driven into the bottom. Craft may be made fast to a pile; it may be used to support a pier (see PILING) or a float.
piling terms   Support, protection for wharves, piers etc.; constructed of piles (see PILE)
piloting navigation   Navigation by use of visible references, the depth of the water, etc.
pin rail ship parts 1 A piece of wood drilled out to hold belaying pins that is secured to the shrouds.
pinching sailing 1 to sail as close as possible to the wind.
pintle and gudgon ship parts 1 A vertical metal pin attached to the leading edge of the rudder of a small boat. Normally two pintles are fitted to a rudder, and they drop into gudgeons, or rings, fixed to the boat's stern, when the rudder is placed, or hung in position.
pitch, to ship handling 2 A ship pitches when it pivots about an axis athwartships as when a wave lifts the bows, then passing down the length of the ship, lifts the stern, giving the ship a fore-and-aft motion.
pitchpole, to ship handling 2 A vessel which is upended in heavy seas so that it turns stern over bows.
planing terms   A boat is said to be planing when it is essentially moving over the top of the water rather than through the water.
planing hull ship construction   A type of hull shaped to glide easily across the water at high speed.
Plimsoll Marks ship parts 3 The Plimsoll mark and load lines are the marks on the side of merchant ships to denote the greatest depth to which they may safely be loaded under various conditions in accordance with regulations. They are named after Samuel Plimsoll, a member of the British Parliament who rendered a great service to seamen by introducing these regulations to Parliament, and were ratified under the Merchant Shipping Acts of 1876 and 1890.
pooped ship handling 2 A vessel is pooped when a large wave washes over it from astern.
port ship parts 1 The left side of a boat looking forward. A harbor.
port navigation   A harbour.
portlight ship parts 2


pounding stresses ship parts 3


preventer rigging 2 The name given to any additional rope or wire rigged temporarily to back up any standing rigging in heavy weather. Usually associated with stays and shrouds, but may also be rigged on gear to prevent unwanted movement, of a staysail boom, for instance.
priveleged vessel navigation   A vessel which, according to the applicable Navigation Rule, has right-of-way (this term has been superseded by the term 'stand-on').
propeller ship parts 1 The rotating screw of a steamship or motor vessel by which she is forced through the water.
quarter ship parts   The sides of a boat aft of amidships.
quartering sea navigation   Sea coming on a boat's quarter.
quartering sea/wind ship handling 2 A quartering wind or sea is one that is coming at the ship from abaft the beam, but not dead astern.
rack seizing ropework  


racking stresses ship parts 3


RADAR navigation 2 An abbreviation for RAdio Direction And Range, a method of detecting objects by sending out pulses of radio waves; if these strike anything they are reflected back and the time taken for these echoes to return is measured in and displayed on a cathode ray tube.
rake ship parts 3 The angle, in relation to the perpendicular, of a ship’s masts and funnels, which can be raked forward or aft.
range (mean & large) navigation 3


reaching sailing 1 A point of sail with the wind more or less on the vessel's beam.
reciprocal bearing navigation 1 A bearing differing by 180° or one masured in the opposite direction of a given bearing.
reef sails 1 To reef is the operation of shortening sail in a vessel by reducing the area exposed to the wind.
reef knot ropework 1 The knot used in reefing sails, and in first aid tying bandages. Also called a square knot.
reef nettles sails 1 Also called reef points. Pieces of line worked into and through the sail for stopping up reefs.
reeve, to line handling 3 the activity of passing the end of a rope through the throat and thus on to the sheave of a block when forming a tackle, or through an eye, thimble or cringle. When the end of a rope is passed through anything it is said to be rove through it.
reference ports navigation 3


relative bearing navigation 1 Bearing relative to the heading of a vessel expressed as an angle from the heading and the direction of the object.
reserve buoyancy ship handling 3


roach sailmakers terms 2 The curve in the side or foot of a sail. Square sails have a hollow roach in their foot to keep them clear of the stays when sharply braced.
rode ropework   The anchor line and/or chain.
roll, to ship handling 2 A vessel is said to roll when it pivots around an axis running fore-and-aft. This is the side-to-side rocking motion of a ship.
rolling hitch ropework 1 A hitch used to bend a rope to a spar.
rope ropework   In general, cordage as it is purchased at the store. When it comes aboard a vessel and is put to use it becomes line.
rope grommet ropework  


round seizing ropework  


round stitch ropework  


round turn ropework  


round turn and two half hitches ropework 1 A knot used to tie a rope which remains under tension to a ring or post.
rubbing strake ship parts 3 A piece of half-rounded timber or rubber running the length of a small vessel or dinghy from bow to stern on either side just below the gunwale to act as a permanent fender to protect the side of the vessel when coming alongside.
rudder ship parts 1 A vertical plate or board for steering a boat.
run line handling   To allow a line to feed freely.
running sailing 1 A point of sail where the wind is blowing from dead astern.
running free sailing 1 Sailing when the wind is blowing nearly from astern.
running lights navigation   Lights required to be shown on boats underway between sundown and sunup.
sagging ship parts 3 The tendency of the hull of a ship to settle amidships when her weight is supported at the bow and stern as by crests of waves where amidships is in a trough.
sail balance sailing 3 The sails set are said to be balanced if they neither cause the ship to turn on it's own into the wind nor away from it, neither should they press the bows into the seas, nor excessively lift the bows.
sailing by the lee sailing 1 A ship is said to be sailing by the lee when the vessel is running, but with the wind blowing from the same quarter as the boom is lying.
sailing free sailing 1 When the vessel is between full-and-bye and beam reaching.
sailing full and by sailing 1 Sailing as close to the wind as possible with all sails full.
sailmakers palm sailmakers terms 2 a device, usually made of leather, that fits over a person's thumb and palm that has a small metal cup with dimples in it. The sailmaker's palm is worn so that the cup is positioned in the palm of the dominant hand. (Thus there are different palms for Lefties and Righties.) The eye end of a Sailmaker's needle is positioned in the metal cup and pushed through heavy material being sewn.
satellite navigation navigation   A form of position finding using radio transmissions from satellites with sophisticated on-board automatic equipment.
schooner rig types 2 A vessel rigged with fore-and-aft sails on her two or more masts, and originally carried square topsails on the foremast, though later, with the advance in rig designs, these were changed to jib-headed or jackyard-topsails.
scope navigation   Technically, the ratio of length of anchor rode in use to the vertical distance from the bow of the vessel to the bottom of the water. Usually six to seven to one for calm weather and more scope in storm conditions.
screw ship parts   A propeller. So named because of the screw-like action of the propeller through the water that gives the vessel motion.
scuppers ship parts 1 Draining holes cut through the bulwarks of a ship on the waterways to allow any water on deck to drain away down the ship's side. Scupper shutters are flaps fitted over the outboard side of the scuppers and hinged so that the pressure of water inboard will swing them open while water pressure outside the ship will keep them firmly closed. See also freeing ports.
scuttle ship parts 1 A round porthole.
sea cock ship parts   A through hull valve, a shut off on a plumbing or drain pipe between the vessel's interior and the sea.
sea room navigation   A safe distance from the shore or other hazards.
seam sailmakers terms 2


seam roaching sails 1 roach: an outward curve in the leech of a fore-and-aft sail.
seamanship seamanship   All the arts and skills of boat handling, ranging from maintenence and repairs to piloting, sail handling, marlinespike work, and rigging.
seaming compound ship parts 3


seaworthy terms   A boat or a boat's gear able to meet the usual sea conditions.
secondary ports navigation 3


secure line handling   To make fast.
seizing ropework  


semi-diurnal (SD) navigation 3 means half-daily. A semi-diurnal tide has an oscillation of about 12 hours which would result in two high tides and two low tides each day.
serving ropework 1 The final, and finishing, step of: worming, parcelling, and serving a rope. Serving is the "small stuff" wound round a rope to prevent it chafing.
set navigation   Direction toward which the current is flowing.
set sailing 1 A sail is set when it is hoisted and sheeted home to the wind.
set sailing   To hoist or make sail.
shadow pin navigation 1 A small rod or pin used to cast a shadow on an instrument, such as a magnetic compass to determine the direction of the sun.
sheepshank ropework   Used to shorten the bight of a rope temporarily.
sheer ship parts 3 The upward curve of the deck of a ship towards the bows and stern, with the lowest point of the upper deck level in the waist.
sheer strake ship parts 3 The top strake, or plank, of a wooden vessel next below the gunwale It runs from stem to stern, level with the upper deck of the vessel.
sheet in sails 1 To sheet in is to haul on the sheets so that the sail catches more wind.
sheetbend ropework   Is used to secure a rope's end to a small eye or a larger rope.
sheets rigging 1 A purchase or single line used for trimming a sail to the wind.
ship seamanship   A larger vessel usually thought of as being used for ocean travel. A vessel able to carry a "boat" on board.
shipshape terms   Everything smart above and below in a proper seamanlike manner.
shrouds rigging 1 A set of ropes or wire cables stretched from the masthead to the sides of a vessel to support the mast.
single up seamanship 1 To single up is to take in lines securing the ship to the wharf in order that there is only one set of lines instead of two as in when "doubled up."
single whip seamanship   A purchase consisting of a fall rove through a single standing block. No mechanical advantage is gained. It is used for hoisting light loads, and where speed of hoisting is an important factor.
slack line handling   Not fastened; loose. Also, to loosen.
slack water navigation 3 is the state of the tide when it is neither ebbing nor flowing, when it is changing from one to the other. This may last for a few minutes or a few hours depending on local geographic conditions and the relationship between the Earth, Moon, and Sun.
slippery reef knot ropework  


sloop rig types 2 A sailing vessel with a single mast, fore-and-aft rigged setting a single headsail.
snow rig types 2 A small sailing vessel, resembling a brig, carrying a main foremast and a supplementary trysail mast close behind the mainmast.
soft chine ship construction 3


sole ship parts 2 Cabin or saloon floor. Timber extensions on the bottom of the rudder. Also the molded fiberglass deck of a cockpit.
sole ship parts 2 Cabin or saloon floor. Timber extensions on the bottom of the rudder. Also the molded fiberglass deck of a cockpit.
sounding navigation   A measurement of the depth of water.
spanish burton seamanship 3 A purchase in which two singel blocks are used, the upper block being fitted with a hook, eye, or tail and its standing part forming the strop of the lower block. The power gained is four times, but the lift is very limited in comparison with a normal purchase. A double Spanish burton has the same arrangementbut employs a double block in additition to the two singles, increasing the power gained to six times.
spreader rigging 1 A horizontal support used to spread shrouds on a mast.
spring line seamanship   A pivot line used in docking, undocking, or to prevent the boat from moving forward or astern while made fast to a dock.
spring tides navigation 3 Occur when the Moon and Sun are in line with the Earth (at Full Moon or New Moon) resulting in high waters are highest and low waters are lowest.
sprung terms   Damaged by cracking or splintering. A spar is sprung when the fibres of the wood are injured by straining.
squall terms   A sudden, violent wind often accompanied by rain.
square knot ropework   A knot used to join two lines of similar size. Also called a reef knot.
square up sailing 1 To square up a yard, the braces are adjusted so that the sail catches more wind.
SSB communications 1 An abbreviation for Single Side Band.
stand of tide navigation 3 the period at high or low water during which no rise or fall can be detected.
stand-on-vessel navigation   That vessel which has right-of-way during a meeting, crossing, or overtaking situation.
standing end ropework 1 That part of a line which is made fast. The main part of a line as distinguished from the bight and the hauling part.
starboard ship parts 1 The right side of a boat when looking forward.
stay rigging 1 A heavy rope or cable, usually of wire, used as a brace or support for a mast or spar.
steerage way sailing   When a vessel moves through the water so that she can be steered. Said of a vessel that has just enough movement to answer her helm.
stem ship parts   The forward most part of the bow.
stem/king post ship parts 3


stern ship parts 1 The after part of the boat.
stern line seamanship 1 A docking line leading from the stern.
sternway ship parts