BOATING TERMINOLOGY

Abaft - behind (on the boat) toward the stern; The rudder is located abaft the propeller.
Abeam - beside the boat, but not aboard.
Aboard - on a boat.
Afloat - on the water.
Aft - toward the stern of a boat; "Go aft and look in the cockpit."
Aloft - above the hull; in the air.
Amidships - near the middle of a boat.
Astern - behind the boat; backwards.
Awash - barely floating; mostly submerged.
Bail - to dip water out of a boat.
Ballast - weight in a boat which affects the boats trim.
Bare Steerageway - the slowest speed necessary to control the boat.
Beam - greatest width of a boat; the side of a boat.
Below - inside a boat; "Let’s go below and have lunch."
Berth - a sleeping area in a boat; a place to moor a boat.
Bilge - the deepest part of the inside of a boat (where water and fumes may collect).
Bow - the front of a boat.
Bow Line - line going forward diagonally from a boat’s bow to secure it to whatever is there.
Breast Line - line going sideways from a boat.
Bridge - upper helm station in some motorboats.
Buoy - floating aid to navigation.
Cabin - flat -topped, cylinder shaped buoy.
Can - flat topped, cylinder shaped buoy.
Capsize - turn upside down.
Chafe - wearing through of a line, sail, etc. from rubbing.
Chart - map of navigable waters.
Cleat - a T - shaped fitting to which mooring lines are hitched.
Cockpit - outside sitting area in a boat.
Collision Course - two boats aimed to get to the same spot on the water at the same time.
Compass - basic tool used for finding directions.
Current - horizontal movement on water.
Day Beacon -unlighted fixed aid to navigation.
Deck - fixed covering of the boats hull.
Displacement Boat - boat meant to move through the water, not skim over it.
Draft - least depth of water needed to allow a boat to clear the bottom.
Drift - speed of a current’s flow.
Ebb - current pouring out of a body of water, toward its mouth.
Fair Lead - a line unobstructed between its terminals, such as between a bow chock and a piling.
Fender - protection for a boat.
Flood - current toward a body of water’s source.
Forward - toward the bow; ahead.
Freeboard - height of a boat’s gunwale above the water (varies with location).
Galley - a boat’s kitchen.
Give Way Boat - boat with the first clear chance to take avoiding action when on a collision course.
Ground Tackle - gear used for anchoring.
Gunwale - the top edge of a boat’s hull.
Hatch - window mounted horizontally in the cabin roof.
Head - a boat’s toilet; or the top corner of the sail.
Headstay - wire from the bow to the upper part of a sailboat’s mast.
Heel - sideways learning of a boat die to the wind.
Helm - a boat’s steering area; also the steering gear.
High Water - the tide’s highest point before it starts to fall.
Hull - a boat’s shell.
Hull Speed - top speed for a displacement boat.
Knot - nautical mile per hour ( a measure of speed).
Lee of the Land - near a shore which provides protection from wind and waves.
Lee Shore - land downwind of a boat.
Leeward - downwind; away from the source of wind.
Leeway - boat’s sideways movement through the water, due to the wind pushing it to leeward.
Length - horizontal distance from bow to stern measured along the center line, and excluding anything attached with clamps, screws, or bolts.
Light - a fixed, lighted navaid.
List - sideways tilt of a boat due to poor boat trim.
Low Water - the tide’s lowest point before it starts.
Make Way - to propel yourself through the water.
Masthead Light - white light showing red and green running lights of boats motoring at night.
Mooring - a place to secure a boat in the water.
Nautical Mile - 6076 feet; 1.15 statute miles.
Naviad - any buoy, beacon or light whose purpose is to aid navigation.
Nun - buoy shaped like a rocket’s nose cone.
Planing Boat - boat hull designed to skim on the water.
Port - "window" on a boat.
Port Side - a boat’s left side.
Port (to) by a boat’s left side.
Quarter - side of a boat abaft the beam.
Rode - line (chain or fiber) which joins an anchor to an anchored boat.
Rudder - flat board which redirects (aims) current or propeller wash to steer a boat.
Running Lights - lights to be displayed by a boat underway at night or in restricted visibility.
Scope - ratio of anchor rode length to vertical distance from the anchor lead (chock or roller) to the bottom.
Scupper - water drain hole in the deck of a boat.
Sidelights - a boat’s red and green lights.
Slack Water - the moment when a tidal current changes direction.
Sole - a boat’s floor.
Spar - a type of buoy.
Spring Line - line secured neat amidships and led ashore mostly forward or aft, to keep a boat from surging ahead or astern.
Stand Tide - the moment the tide changes direction up or down.
Stand on the Boat - boat given the second clear chance to take avoiding action between two boats on a collision course.
Starboard - on or along a boat’s right side.
Starboard Side - a boat’s right side.
Stern - a boat’s back end.
Stern Light - white light which shows abaft a boat underway at night.
Stern Line - line leading diagonally aft from the stern to secure a boat.
Sternway - boat’s backward movement through the water or over the bottom.
Strainer - obstruction in a river which allows water through, but not solids.
Swamp - to fill with water.
Tidal Current - horizontal flow of water due to the gravity of the moon and the sun.
Tidal Range - how far the tide rises and falls.
Tide - vertical movement of water die to gravity of the moon and the sun.
Tiller - handle used to steer some boats.
Transom - the outside flat part of a boat’s stern.
Trim - fore and aft and side to side balance of a boat.
Underway - to be floating in the water, attached to nothing.
Wake - waves made by a boat’s movement through the water.
Winward - toward or into the source of the wind.

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