Bold

Ordinary Seaman

Bold Italic

Able Seaman

Plain Text

Leading Seaman

Italic

Other Useful Sailing Terms

Abeam

On a bearing square to the boat's centreline

Aft

Towards the stern

Ahead

In front of (the boat)

Amidships

Middle of the boat

Astern

Behind the boat

Awning

Waterproof 'tent' for covering over the yacht

Back

To 'back' a sail is to pull it up to windward

Beam

Width of the boat, or towards the boat's side

Bear Away

Alter the boat's course away from the wind

Beat

Head up to windward, often by a series of tacks

Belay

To make fast, to secure

Block

A Pulley

Bobstay

Wire between the bow of hull and the bowsprit

Boom

Horizontal spar supporting the foot of a sail

Bow

Front of the boat

Bowsprit

Spar projecting ahead of bow for attaching Jib

Broaching

Turn sideways to wind, & risk being swamped

Broad Reach

Reach with the wind blowing over the quarter

Burgee

Small triangular flag at the top of the mast

Cleat

Fitting to which a rope can be secured

Clew

Bottom back corner of sail

Close Reach

Reach with the wind forward of the beam

Close-Hauled

With Sheets in tight to sail close to the wind

Cockpit

Undecked area near stern for crew to sit in

Cringle

Reinforced eye in the sail, usually for reefing

Cross Trees

Bracing spars attached to mast for rigidity

Crutches

Wooden props to hold up spars when not sailing

Downwind

To leeward, where the wind id blowing to

Ebb

Tide going out

Fairlead

Guide for a rope where it changes direction

Fairway

Main channel (in restricted waters)

Fender

Soft item to protect sides of the boat

Flood

Tide coming in

Foot

Bottom edge of sail

Foredeck

Area of deck between the bow and the mast

Forepeak

Storage space under foredeck in front of mast

Forestay

Stay between mast and forward part of boat

Forward

(also For'ard) Towards the front

Gaff

Spar supporting top edge of a 4-sided sail

Going About

Turn bow through the wind to change tack

Gooseneck

Swivelling joint which attaches boom to mast

Goosewing

Jib on opposite side to mainsail when running

Gunwale

Edge where deck meets hull

Gybe

Turn stern of boat through the wind

Gybe-all-standing

An uncontrolled gybe

Halyard

Rope or wire used to hoist sail

Head

Top corner of 3-sided, top edge of 4-sided sail

Head to Wind

When a boat's bow is pointing into the wind

Heave to

Near-stationary and controlled, sails flapping

Heel

To lie over under pressure of wind

Helm

Tiller or wheel for steering the boat

Helmsman

Person who steers boat

High Water

Time of maximum depth of water (high tide)

Hoist

Raise, usually with a rope

In irons

Head to wind and stationary, unable to sail away

Jib

Triangular sail set forward of the mast

Jibsheet

Rope controlling the position of the jib

Leech

The stern edge of a sail

Leeward

The direction to which the wind is blowing

Leeway

Be blown sideways to leeward across the water

Low Water

The time of minimum depth of water (low tide)

Luff

Forward edge of sail

Luff-Up

Alter course to sail closer to the wind

Mainsail

Usually the largest sail, set on the main mast

Mainsheet

Rope which controls the position of the mainsail

Make Fast

Secure by use of rope

Mast

Spar which supports sails vertically

Midships

In or towards the middle of the boat

Mudweight

Heavy weight used for mooring in open water

Painter

Rope on the bow of a dinghy for making fast

Peak

Corner of 4-sided sail at top end of Gaff

Point

Direction of sailing, e.g. close to the wind

Port

Left-hand side of boat looking forward

Quant

Pole used for pushing the boat along

Quarter

Side of the boat between midships and stern

Reach

A straight stretch of a river or estuary channel

Reaching

Any point of sailing which is not a beat or run

Reef

Reduce sail area by tying down or rolling up

Rigging

Ropes & wire to support or control spars & sails

Rond Anchor

Anchor used for mooring to river banks (Ronds)

Rowlock

Shaped support for oar used when rowing

Run

Sail with wind astern

Running Rigging

Sheets and halyards to hoist and position sails

Sailing by the Lee

Running with wind and boom on the same side

Shackle

Link with one opening end

Sheet

Rope used to control sail

Shorten Sail

Change to smaller size, or reef

Shrouds

Stays which support mast sideways

Spar

Pole or tube which supports sails or rig

Spill Wind

Ease sheets so sails are no longer full of wind

Splice

Intertwine strands at end of a rope to form a loop

Squall

Sudden gust of wind

Standing Rigging

Wires holding mast or stationary spars in place

Starboard

Right-hand side of boat, looking forward

Stay

Wires to support the mast or other fixed spars

Stern

Back of the boat

Sternway

Going backwards (usually unintentionally)

Swigging

A technique for tensioning sail halyards

Tabernacle

3-sided 'box' in which the base of the mast pivots

Tack

Lower forward corner of sail

Tacking

Change direction by turning bow through the wind

Throat

Corner of 4-sided sail at lower end of Gaff

Thwart

Seat fixed across the boat

Tiller

Lever attached to rudder used for steering

Topping Lift

Rope to raise boom and take weight off mainsail

Transom

Flat vertical stern panel of hull

Under Way

A boat moving (making way) through the water

Upwind

Windward, where the wind is coming from

Warp

Heavy rope, usually for mooring

Weather

Windward

Weather Helm

Tendency of a boat to turn towards windward

Windward

The direction from which the wind is blowing

Yacht

Sailing vessel with a cabin