If your bags are packed and your excitement is already sky-high, there’s just one more thing you need! Whether you’re an experienced sailor or stepping on board for the very first time, it’s a great idea to check out (and maybe even bring along) a list of the key sailing terms you’ll hear once you arrive on the ship.
Some words may seem obvious, but when it comes to sailing, a little extra knowledge never hurts. Dive in and get ready for the adventure!
A-B
Aft – Back of the ship.
Aloft – Anything high up on the mast, rigging, or other parts of the ship that are above the highest solid structure of the ship.
Anchor – A way of ‘parking’ the ship. It’s a chain or rope with a heavy metal hook at the end that digs into the sea floor to keep the ship from drifting away. Ideally, you drop the anchor in a spot without rocks or underwater plants.
Apparent wind – The wind you feel on the ship, which is created by the real wind plus the breeze generated by the ship’s own movement.
Ashore – On land, not on board the ship.
Beam – The width of the boat at its widest point.
Belay – To make fast a rope around a cleat usually with a figure of eight knot.
Block – A pulley in a wooden or plastic case, consisting of a sheave around which a rope runs. It is used to change the direction of pull.
Boom – The long horizontal pole that sticks out from the mast and holds the bottom of the sail. It also makes a loud “boom!” if it swings and hits you, so stay alert and keep clear!
Bow – Front of the ship. Opposite to the aft and synonym of prow.
Bridge – It is the command center of the ship, where navigation and operations are controlled.
Bunk – A built-in wooden bed on a ship.
C-D
Cabins – The bedrooms on a ship. Some have two beds, some have three or four… and some even more!
Chart – A special nautical map used to check your position and plan your next trip at sea.
Cleat – A wooden, metal or plastic fitting around which a rope is secured.
Clew – The lower corner of a mainsail, jib or genoa (and either lower corner of a spinnaker) where the sail is attached to the sheet.
(To) coil – To neatly lay a rope in circular loops so it doesn’t tangle. This keeps it organized, easy to handle, and ready to run smoothly when you need it. Be careful, ropes can be picky and are usually coiled in only one ‘right’ way!
Compass – A tool that uses Earth’s magnetic field to point toward magnetic north. Sailors use it to know which direction the ship is heading and to set the right course.
Course – The direction the boat is sailing.
Crew – The team of sailors who work together to sail the ship.
Dinghy – A small inflatable boat used for quick trips between the ship and the shore. It’s the ship’s little runabout.
Draft – Not a type of beer! It’s the minimum depth of water the boat needs to float, measured from the waterline down to the lowest point of the hull.
Deck – The ‘roof’ or main surface covering the hull of the boat. It’s where (almost) all the action happens.
Deck hand – A crew member responsible for maintaining, cleaning and mooring the vessel.
Deviation – A magnetic compass can be thrown off by metal objects on the boat, like electronic equipment. The difference between the correct magnetic reading and what the ship’s compass shows is called deviation, and it can change depending on the boat’s heading.
Downhaul – A rope attached to the tack of the sail, used to pull the mainsail down or tighten it to make the sail work more efficiently
E-F-G
Ease – To let the sail out, basically the opposite of pulling it in.
Ensign – The flag that shows the boat’s home country.
Fast / To make fast – To secure a rope to something so it stays firmly in place.
Fender – The big rubber “bubbly” bumpers that hang off the side of the boat or pontoon to prevent damage. Some are really heavy, so maybe hit the gym before you board!
First mate – The second-in-command in a sailing vessel. They assist the captain and hold the highest authority among the mates.
Flemish – To coil a rope flat on the deck when it’s not in use. This neat spiral is called ‘flemishing’ or ‘flemishing down’.
Foredeck – The part of the deck located in front of the mast.
Foresail – Any sail set between the mast and the forestay.
Forestay – A strong wire running from the top (or near top) of the mast to the bow. It keeps the mast from tipping backward, and the front edges (luffs) of the jib or genoa are usually attached.
Galley – The ship’s kitchen, where happiness gets cooked.
Gangway – The narrow walkway used to get on or off the boat.
Gybe (also jibe) – To change direction by turning the stern of the boat through the wind. On small boats, this is when you need to watch out for the boom swinging across!
H-I-J
Happy hour – A time for cleaning the ship, while having fun with your crew-mates. Turn up the volume on the music and make your vessel shipshape!
Halyard – A rope used to raise or lower sails and flags.
Hanks – Metal clips used to attach sails to stays. No relation.
Head – The nautical term for a ship’s toilet or bathroom. Fun fact: the word comes from old sailing ships, where the toilet was located at the bow (head) so the wind and waves could help wash away and keep smells from drifting through the ship.
Head to wind – When the bow points directly into the wind, making the boat hard to control under sail.
Heading – The direction the boat is currently pointing.
Head up – To steer more toward the wind.
Heeling – The boat leaning over because of the wind pushing on the sails. Makes cooking especially fun!
Helm – Steering system of a ship.
In Irons – When the boat turns straight into the wind and loses all forward movement, making steering impossible until the sails catch wind again.
Itinerary – The planned route for your trip. It’s made in advance, but can change depending on weather or preference.
Jackstay – A strong line running along the deck that you clip your safety harness to.
Jib – The triangular sail in front of the mast. Together with the genoa, it forms the set of foresails.
K-L-M
Keel – A heavy, fin-like structure under the vessel which keeps it upright and prevents the wind from pushing it sideways.
Knot – Not just something you tie! It’s also a unit of speed: 1 knot = 1,852 km/h (or one nautical mile per hour). Tip: remember the number by imagining typing it into your phone: 852 are all in line).
Lanyard – A short line attached to one object, such as a knife, with which it is secured to another.
Latitude – How far north or south you are from the equator, measured in degrees.
Lazyjack – A set of lines running from the mast to the bottom that help guide the mainsail down neatly.
Leeward – The side of the boat sheltered from the wind, the opposite of windward.
Length Overall (LOA) – The full length of the boat from bow to stern.
Length Water Line (LWL) – The length of the boat where it actually sits in the water.
Lifelines – Safety lines running along the deck’s edges.
Log – An instrument that measures the boat’s speed, and also the diary (logbook) where you record everything that happens during the day.
Longitude – How far east or west you are from the Greenwich Meridian, measured in degrees.
Mainsail – The ship’s main sail, the one that generates most of the power while sailing.
Mast – The tall vertical pole that holds the sails, supported by the forestay, backstay, and shrouds.
Mizzen – The fore-and-aft sail set on the shorter after-mast, which is also call the mizzen.
Mooring – Another way of ‘parking’. Securing the boat to a buoy anchored to the seabed so the boat won’t drift.
N-O-P-R
Nautical Mile – A unit of distance on the water: 1 NM = 1,852 meters.
Navigation – Figuring out where you are and where you’re going (and sometimes planning it too!).
Outhaul – The rope used to stretch the foot of the sail to control its shape.
Overboard – Over the side of the boat into the water. First rule: don’t go there!
Piloting – Using fixed reference points (usually on a chart) to de3termine your position and choose your course.
Port – The left-hand side of the boat when you’re facing the bow. Opposite of starboard.
Port tack – Sailing across the wind with the wind hitting the port (left) side first.
Regatta – A ship race or a whole series of them.
Reefing – Reducing the size of a sail, usually when the weather gets rough.
Rig – The system of ropes, cables, and chains that support the mast and sails.
Running – Sailing directly downwind.
S
Sails – The boat’s wind-powered ‘engine’ that turns into speed. Sailors constantly trim them for maximum efficiency.
Saloon – The main indoor living area, where you’ll try to warm up after a cold watch!
Set – To hoist a sail. The way in which the sails fit. The direction of a tidal current or stream.
Sextant – A tool used in celestial navigation to measure angles between the horizon and stars.
Sheets – The ropes used to adjust the sails by pulling them in or letting them out.
Shipshape – Keeping a sailing vessel in perfect order, everything (ropes and equipment) in its proper place to ensure safety and functionality at sea.
Skipper – The captain of the boat.
Spinnaker – A large, light balloon-shaped sail used on some boats when reaching or running.
Standing rigging – The fixed lines (like the forestay, backstay, and shrouds) that support the mast.
Starboard – The right-hand side of the boat when facing the bow, opposite of port.
Starboard tack – Sailing across the wind with the wind hitting the starboard (right) side first.
Stay – Wire or rope which supports the mast in a fore-and-aft direction, part of the standing rigging.
Stern – The back of the boat.
(To) steer – To control the ship’s direction using the rudder, which is operated with either a tiller or a wheel.
T-W
Tack – Changing the course from side to side across the wind.
Tacking – Zig-zagging to sail towards the wind.
Tide – The vertical rise and fall of the oceans caused principally by the gravitational attraction of the moon.
Trainee (crew) – You’ll be part of this crew! Team of young sailors eager to learn everything about sailing with the help of the professional crew and mentors.
Trim – Adjusting the sails for best performance.
True wind direction – The actual direction the wind is blowing from (as opposed to the apparent wind).
Watch Leader – The person responsible for leading and distributing tasks on watch.
Watches – Crew teams that take turns sailing, resting, and eating.
Waterline – The line where the hull meets the sea.
Winch – A mechanical device with a drum and handle that helps haul or adjust ropes with extra power.
Windward – The direction the wind is coming from, and the side of the vessel that it hits first.
Wing to wing – Sailing directly downwind with the main sail on one side and the foresail on the other. It is quite a sight!
