Nautical Terms
Learning and using proper nautical terms in times of an emergency may save valuable time and lives. Following are some common nautical terms. Knowing these terms will help boaters better communicate with persons aboard the boat as well as with fellow mariners.
Amidships
Amidships is the middle area between the bow and stern.
Aweigh
When the anchor is lifted from the bottom it is said to be Aweigh or anchors aweigh.
Bailing
When water is being dipped or scooped out of the boat it is called Bailing.
Beam
Beam is a measurement of the widest part of the vessel which is typically somewhere close to the middle of the vessel.
Bilge
The Bilge is an area at the interior bottom of the boat where water from leaks or sea spray accumulates and then pumped overboard using a bilge pump.
Binoculars
Binoculars are usually hand held devices used to magnify objects in the distance and are essential in locating man overboards (MOBs).
Boat verses Ship
Boats are smaller then Ships. As defined in the Navigation Rules the dividing point between a boat and a ship would be 20 meters (65.6 feet).
Boat Hook
A Boat Hook is a shaft with a hook on one end and used to extend ones reach, to retrieve objects from the water, or helping in retrieving a MOB, they can also be used to push with to fend off.
Bow and Stern
The front end of a boat is called the Bow, when moving toward the bow the proper term is going forward. The rear of a boat is called the Stern, when moving toward the stern the proper term is going aft.
Chafing
Chafing occurs when a line or some other part of the vessel rubs against a rough surface and causes wear.
Chain Locker
A "Chain Locker is found in the bow of the boat and used to store the anchor chain and/or line.
Compass
A magnetic Compass points to magnetic north and is used to navigate the vessel. The magnetic compass requires no electric power and is an essential safety part of any vessel to avoid getting lost when you can no longer see your destination.
Deckhouse, Cabin and Cuddy
Boats may be the open type or may have a Deckhouse, Cabin or Cuddy to use as shelter against the elements. A deckhouse or cabin is an enclosed area while a cuddy is a small relatively open type of shelter.
Deck
The Deck is the portion of the vessel attached to the hull in which the cabin or superstructure sits.
Dinghy
A Dinghy is a small boat carried on or towed behind a larger vessel. A dinghy can serve as a valuable lifesaver if abandoning ship becomes necessary.
Draft
Draft is the vertical measurement from the waterline to the lowest portion of the bottom of the boat, usually either the keel or propeller.
Fenders
Fenders are constructed from soft rubber or plastic and used between boats and other objects such as pilings, piers, and docks to protect the boat from damage.
Flotsam
Flotsam is material floating on the surface of the water from a wrecked vessel.
Forepeak
The Forepeak is the compartment in which the chain locker is found which is found in the bow of the boat.
Freeboard
Freeboard is the measurement from the waterline to the deck.
Going Aloft
Going Aloft is a term used for climbing the rigging or masts.
Going Topside and Going Below
Going Topside is moving from a lower deck to an upper deck or cabin of the boat, while
"Going Below" is moving from an upper deck to a lower deck or cabin.
Grab Rails
Grab Rails are placed both on deck and below deck on the overhead for personal safety when moving around.
Grounding
Grounding is when the vessel touches the bottom due to being in water not adequate in depth for the vessel. It is said to be aground when it is stuck in the bottom.
Hail
To Hail or call another vessel on the
marine radio to establish communications.
Hard
Hard means fully or completely as in hard to starboard or to turn fully to the right.
Headway, Sternway and Leeway
Headway is when the vessel is making forward motion and Sternway is when it is moving backwards. Leeway is when the vessel is moving to the side.
Heel
On a sailboat the force of the wind on the sails which causes the boat to move forward also causes it to lean away from the wind and is referred to as heeling or to Heel.
Helm
The Helm is the area with the wheel or tiller. The person who is at the helm is called the helmsman regardless if they are male or female.
Hull
The Hull of a boat is the bottom portion of the vessel that sits in the water and extends upwards to the deck.
Jetsam
Jetsam is material floating on the surface that has been deliberately thrown overboard.
Keel
Each boat has a Keel, the backbone of the boat which runs along the center bottom of the boat that the hull is built on.
Lazarette
Lazarettes are compartments in the aft deck and are used for general storage.
Length Overall (LOA)
LOA is the measurement along the centerline from the bow to the stern excluding any appendages such as pulpits.
Length at the Waterline (LWL)
LWL is the measurement along the centerline at the waterline under a normal load.
Lifelines
Lifelines are made of wire or chain installed above the toe rail connected between stanchions (posts used to support the lifeline). If they are made of a solid material they are called liferails. They are used to help keep people from falling overboard.
Life Preserver
A Life Preserver also known as a
Personal Floatation Device (PFD) provides buoyancy to keep a person afloat while in the water. They can be in the form of vests, belts, jackets, cushions and life rings. Be sure to use only Coast Guard approved PFDs.
Lines
A Line is a rope used on a boat; the term rope is not used on a boat. Lines can be used to secure the boat to a structure referred to as mooring lines or dock lines. A painter is a line from the bow of a dinghy used for towing or securing it to a dock.
Mayday
Mayday is a distress call made on the marine radio channel 16 to the Coast Guard when a life is in danger.
Navigating
Navigate comes from the Latin words, navis meaning ship and agree meaning to drive. Navigating is to drive or steer a vessel on an intended course.
Oars and Paddles
Oars and Paddles are long shafts used to propel the boat through the water. Paddles can be used on small boats in an emergency if the engine fails.
Overboard
If an object falls over the side and into the water it is said to be Overboard.
Man Overboard is what is yelled when a person falls off of the vessel un-intentionally.
Port and Starboard
When looking forward towards the bow of the boat the entire right side of the boat is called the Starboard side, the entire left side is called the Port side. One way to remember this is that the word right has more letters then left and the word starboard has more letters then port. The front left side of the boat is the port bow and the front right is the starboard bow. The left center side of the boat is the port beam and the right center side is the starboard beam.
Propeller
The Propeller is attached to the engine by a shaft which penetrates the hull and is used to drive the vessel. A stuffing box is used to seal the hole where the shaft penetrates the hull.
Pulpit
The Pulpit is a waist high extension of railing made of rigid tubing and is an important safety feature. The lifelines attach to the pulpits therefore they should be solidly mounted. If the pulpit is on the bow it is called a bow rail or pulpit and if it is on the stern it is referred to as a stern pulpit or push-pit.
Quarter
Quarter is the rear quadrant from the beam to the stern. The left rear of the boat is the port quarter and the right rear is the starboard quarter.
Rub Rails
Rub Rails are protrusions on the sides of the hull to protect the vessel from docks, pilings and other boats when coming along side of them.
Rudder
The Rudder is a flat surface near the rear of the boat connected to the wheel or tiller used to steer the boat.
Skeg
The Skeg is the structural support in front of the rudder post used to protect the rudder.
Swim Step or Swim Platform
Swim Platforms are attached or built into the transom while Swim Steps are ladders or steps that hang down into the water, both aid in boarding from swimming or dinghy use. Swim Platforms are very helpful in man-overboard (MOB) recovery because they are at water level and allow people easier access to the water. Always be sure to shut off the engines when people are in the water near the boat. Putting the engine in neutral is not safe because the propeller can continue to turn enough to do bodily injury and there is the possibility that someone may inadvertently lean on the gear selector, putting the boat into motion.
Steerageway
When a vessel is moving fast enough to have the ability to steer it is said to have Steerageway.
Stowed
When something is put in its proper place it is referred to as being Stowed.
Toe Rail
The Toe Rail is a narrow strip on top of the deck on the outside edge designed for safety to help prevent slipping off of the deck.
Transom
The Transom is the flat side of the hull at the stern of the vessel. If the stern is pointed like the bow then it has no transom and is referred to as a double-ender or canoe stern.
Underway verses Adrift
When a boat is moving, either by power or sail, it is called being Underway. A boat moving forward is moving ahead. When the boat moves backwards, it is going astern. The vessel is Adrift when it is moving solely due to the wind or current.
Vessels and Yachts
A Vessel is a broad term used to describe all waterborne vehicles. A Yacht is used to describe a vessel used for pleasure verses one that is used for work. There are no formally established size limits but the term yacht is usually reserved for vessels 40 feet and over. The term, Mega Yacht, is used for vessels 80 feet and over and Super Yacht is used for those vessels that are longer then 150 feet.
Wake and Wash
The Wake is the disturbed water that flows from the boat as a result of the boat moving through the water and Wash is caused by the turning of the propeller.
Waterline and Boot-Top
Waterline refers to the point at the surface of the water as the vessel floats in the water while the Boot-top is the stripe of contrasting paint above that point separating the bottom anti fouling paint (applied to reduce the accumulation of marine growth) and the sides of the boat.
Wheel and Tiller
A Wheel is attached to the rudder with a mechanical linkage or hydraulic lines used to turn the rudder and change the course of the vessel, the Tiller is a lever directly attached to the top of the rudderpost in place of the wheel.
Windward and Leeward
Windward is the direction from which the wind is blowing while Leeward is the opposite direction from which the wind is blowing. Knowing the windward side and leeward side is particularly helpful when mooring, unmooring and operating in heavy weather.
