![]() ![]() The clew of the mainsail is held taut by the outhaul. ![]() CĬan – In the U.S., it’s an odd-numbered green buoy marking the left side of the channel when returning to harbor.Ĭast off – To release a line when leaving a dock or mooring.Ĭatamaran – A twin-hulled vessel with a deck or trampoline between the hulls.Ĭatboat – A boat with only a mainsail and an unstayed mast located at the bow.Ĭenterboard – A pivoting board that can be lowered and used like a keel to keep a boat from slipping to leeward.Ĭenterline – The midline of the boat running from bow to stern.Ĭhafe – Wear on a line caused by rubbing.Ĭhainplates – Strong metal plates which connect the shrouds to the boat.Ĭhannel – A (usually narrow) lane, marked by buoys, in which the water is deep enough to allow a vessel safe passage.Ĭhock – A guide mounted on the deck through which dock lines and anchor rode are run.Ĭleat – A nautical fitting that is used to secure a line.Ĭlew – The lower aft corner of a sail. Approximately 135 degrees from the bow of the boat.īulkhead – A wall that runs athwartships on a boat, usually providing structural support to the hull.īuoyancy – The ability of an object to float.īulwark – A solid side wall, often about waist high, from the outside edge of the deck to prevent someone from falling overboard.īurdened vessel – The vessel required to give way for another boat when the two may be on a collision course.īy the Lee – A sailboat running with the wind coming over the same side of the boat as the boom. Bīackstay – The standing rigging running from the stern to the top of the mast, keeping the mast from falling forward.īallast – Weight in the keel of a boat that provides stability.īarometer – An instrument that measures air pressure, an aid to forecasting the weather.īatten – A thin wood or fiberglass slat that slides into a pocket in the leech of a sail, helping to maintain an aerodynamic shape.īeam – The width of a boat at its widest point.īeam reach – Sailing in a direction at approximately 90 degrees to the wind.īear away – To “fall off” or head away from the wind.īearing – The direction from one object to another expressed in compass degrees.īelow – The area of a boat beneath the deck.īend – To attach a sail to a spar or a headstay or to attach a line to a sail.īilge – The lowest part of a boat’s interior where water on board will collect.īlanket – To use the sail or object to block the wind from filling a sail.īoat hook – A pole with a hook on the end used for grabbing hold of a mooring or retrieving something that has fallen overboard.īoltrope – The rope that is sewn into the foot and luff of some mainsails and the luff of some jibs by which the sails are attached to the boat.īoom – The spar extending directly aft from the mast to which the foot of the mainsail is attached.īoom vang – A block and tackle system, which pulls the boom down to assist sail control.īowline – A line running from the bow of the boat to the dock or mooring.īow spring – A line running from the bow of the boat parallel to the dock or mooring that stops the boat from moving forward along the dock.īowline – A knot designed to make a loop that will not slip and can be easily untied.īreast line – A short line leading directly from the boat to the dock.īroach – An uncontrolled rounding up into the wind, usually from a downwind point of sail.īroad reach – Sailing in a direction with the wind at the rear corner (the quarter) of the boat. AĪback – A foresail when against the wind, used when tacking to help the vessel turn.Ībaft – Toward the stern, relative to some object.Ībeam – On the beam, a relative bearing at right angles to the ship’s keel.Īdrift – A boat drifting without being propelled.Īft – At or towards the stern or behind the boat.Īground – A boat whose keel is touching the bottom.Īmidships – The middle section of a vessel with reference to the athwartships plane, as distinguished from port or starboard.Īpparent wind – The wind felt aboard a moving boat.Īthwartships – Across the boat from side to side. That’s why I put together this list of common sailing terms that’ll help you out the next time you head out on the water. ![]() Need to know sailing terminology will help you out when communicating with your crew members and captains of other vessels, so having a sailing terminology list handy can do a lot of good. There’s a massive amount of sailing terms that any sailor will eventually learn with time and it can seem daunting essentially learning a new language. ![]()
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