| GLOSSARY TERM |
STATE-SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS |
| ABAFT |
Toward the stern. |
| ABEAM |
Amidship, at a right angle to the centerline. |
| ABOARD |
On, in, or into a boat. |
| AFLOAT |
On the water. |
| AFT |
The after section of a vessel, or things to the rear of amidship
and near the stern. |
| AGROUND |
Touching or stuck on the bottom |
| AMIDSHIP |
The mid-section of a vessel. |
| ANCHOR |
Device used to secure a boat to the bottom of a body of water |
| ANCHOR ROPE |
The line, chain, or combination of line and
chain used to attach an anchor to a vessel. |
| ANS |
Aquatic Nuisance Species. |
| ASTERN |
Toward the stern. An object that is aft of a boat is said to
be astern of the boat. |
| ATHWART |
Across, usually in a direction perpendicular to a boat's
longitudinal axis. |
| AYE |
Yes, while on board a boat or ship. Means "I understand." |
| BACKFIRE |
Explosion of prematurely ignited fuel or of unburned exhaust gases in
an internal combustion engine |
| BAIL |
To remove water from a boat by pump or bailer. |
| BALLAST |
Heavy material such as iron, lead, or stone placed in the
bottom of the vessel to lower the center of gravity. |
| BATTENS |
Thin strips of wood, plastic, or other material set in
pockets and sewed into the sail to hold or improve the set of a
sail. On some racing boats, the battens extend from leech to
luff. |
| BEACON |
A post or buoy placed over a shoal or bank to warn
vessels; also a signal mark on land. |
| BEAM |
Imaginary line amidship at right angles to the keel of a
vessel; also the vessel's widest part. |
| BEARING |
The direction or point of the compass in which an
object is seen. |
| BELAY |
To make fast a line to a cleat or belaying pin; to cancel an
order. |
| BELOW |
Beneath, or under, the deck. One goes below when going
down into the cabin. |
| BEND |
To fasten by means of a bend or knot. |
| BILGE |
The lower, internal part of a boat's hull. |
| BLOCK |
A device with sheaves, or pulleys, through which the
direction of a sheet or line can be controlled and by which
extra leverage can be obtained. |
| BOLLARD |
A strong post for holding lines fast. |
| BOOM |
A spar used to extend the foot of the sail. |
| BOW |
The forward part or front of the boat. |
| BULKHEAD |
Vertical partition separating compartments in a boat. |
| CALKING (CAULKING) |
Forcing filler material into the seams of
the planks in a boat's deck or sides to make them watertight. |
| CAMBER |
The arch of a deck, sloping downward from the center
toward the sides. |
| CAN BUOY |
A cylindrical-shaped, green buoy bearing an odd
number and marking the port side of a channel from
seaward. |
| CAPACITY PLATE |
Must be in full view of the operator's station.
Gives maximum weight capacity, number of people, and/or
horsepower rating. |
| CAPSIZE |
To turn over. After capsizing, a boat's hull is above the
water. |
| CARBURETOR, BACKFIRE FLAME ARRESTOR |
Required equipment
on all motorboats except outboards and diesels. Reduces
chance of fire caused by backfires in internal combustion
engines. |
| CARDINAL POINTS |
The four main points of a compass: north,
east, south, and west. |
| CARVEL |
A system of planking in which the outside planking of
a boat is flush. The edges meet, giving the shell a smooth
surface. |
| CATAMARAN |
Boat with two hulls connected by a deck. |
| CENTERBOARD |
A pivoting board or metal plate, housed in a
slotted trunk, which can be raised or lowered. When lowered,
it reduces a sailboat's leeway (tendency to sideslip). |
| CHART |
A map of a body of water that contains navigation information
such as water depth. |
| CHINE |
The intersection of the sides and bottom of a boat. |
| CLEAT |
A piece of wood or metal with projecting ends to which
lines are made fast. |
| CLINKER |
A method of planking in which the lower edge of each
strake overlaps the upper edge of the next strake below. (Also
called lapstrake.) |
| COCKPIT |
A well or sunken space in the afterdeck of a small boat
for the use of the helmsman and crew. |
| COME ABOUT |
To change course, or tack, in a sailboat. |
| COMPASS |
The instrument which shows the heading of a vessel. |
| COUPLER |
The part of the trailer that attaches to the ball hitch on
a towing vehicle. Ball hitch and coupler sizes must match. |
| COWL |
Hooded opening designed to scoop in air. |
| CURRENT |
The movement of the water in a horizontal direction. |
| DAGGERBOARD |
A
vertical sliding centerboard on a
sailboat. |
| DECK |
Any permanent covering over a compartment. |
| DINGHY |
A small, open boat. |
| DISPLACEMENT HULL |
Type of hull that plows through the water
even when more power is added. |
| DOCUMENTED VESSEL |
Vessel registered with the U. S. Coast Guard. |
| DRAFT |
The depth of the vessel below the water line, measured vertically
to the lowest part of the hull. |
| DRY ROT |
A fungus decay which causes wood to become soft and fall
apart. |
| EBB |
An outgoing tide. |
| ESTUARY |
An inlet or arm of the sea where freshwater and saltwater
meet. |
| FATHOM |
Measure of nautical depth equal to six feet. |
| FEDERALLY CONTROLLED WATERS |
Waters on which vessels must
observe federal requirements, including coastal waters; the Great
Lakes; territorial seas; and bodies of water connected directly to
one of the above, up to a point where the body of water is less
than two miles wide. |
| FENDERS |
Cushions placed along the side of the boat to protect the
hull from damage. |
| FISHING VESSEL |
Vessel fishing with lines, nets, trawls, or other fishing
apparatus that restrict maneuverability. |
| FLARE |
The outward spread of the boat's sides from the water line to
the rail at the bow. |
| FLOOD TIDE |
The inflow of the tide; rising tide. |
| FOOT |
The lower edge of a sail. |
| FORE |
The forward part of a boat, or things forward of amidship. It
is the opposite of aft or after. |
| FORWARD |
Toward the bow. |
| FRAME |
Ribs of the hull, extending from the keel to the highest
continuous deck. |
| FREEBOARD |
The vertical distance on a boat's side from the water line
to the gunwale. |
| FURL |
To roll up a sail tightly and make it secure. |
| GALLEY |
The kitchen area of a
boat. |
| GIMBALS |
Swivels used to keep equipment level. |
| GIVE-WAY VESSEL |
The vessel required to take early and obvious action to avoid a collision when nearing another vessel. (See stand-on vessel.) |
| GUNWALE |
Upper edge of vessel's side (generally pronounced gunnel) |
| HALYARD |
A
wire and/or line used to hoist and lower a
sail, or the
line used to hoist a flag or signal. |
| HATCH |
An opening in a boat's deck so that persons or cargo can go
below. |
| HEAD |
A marine toilet. |
| HEADWAY SPEED |
The slowest speed at which it is still possible to maintain
steering |
| HELM |
The wheel or tiller by which a ship is steered. |
| HIKING STRAP |
A strap attached to floorboards or a centerboard
trunk under which a crewman can hook his foot, allowing him
to hike his body out over the side of the boat. |
| HULL |
The body of a boat. |
| HYPOTHERMIA |
A physical condition where the body loses heat faster
than it can produce it. |
| IDLE SPEED |
Slowest speed at which it is still possible to maintain steering
and which does not produce waves breaking (no white water)
off the vessel’s bow or sides. Exception: If adverse
conditions exist, “slow, no wake speed” is the
minimum speed necessary to maintain a safe course. |
| IGNITION SAFETY SWITCH |
A safety device that is designed to shut the engine down if the operator
is thrown from the proper operating position |
| IMPELLER |
Device used to pump and force water under pressure
through a steering nozzle at the rear of the vessel. |
| IN-SIGHT |
Only when vessels can be visually observed one from the
other. |
| JIB |
A
triangular sail set on a
stay, forward. A
genoa jib is larger in
size and is used in lighter winds. |
| JIBE |
To bring the stern through the wind. |
| KEEL |
The part of the boat attached to the bottom of some hulls to
keep the boat from sliding sideways through the water. |
| KNOT |
To bend a line. Also, a unit of speed equal to one nautical
mile (6,076.11 feet) an hour. One nautical mile is equal to
1.15 statute miles or almost 6,076.11 feet. One statute mile is
5,280 feet. Example: three nautical miles are equal to how many
statute miles? (Answer: 3 nautical miles x 1.15 = 3.45 statute
miles). |
| LEE |
The sheltered side opposite to that from which the wind blows. |
| LEECH |
The after edge of a fore-and-aft sail. |
| LEEWARD |
Direction toward which the wind is blowing, or downwind. Leeward vessel
refers to the vessel that is downwind of the other. |
| LEEWAY |
The amount a boat is carried sideways by the wind's force
or current. |
| LINE |
A rope or cable used on a vessel. |
| LISTING |
Leaning or inclining of a vessel toward one side. |
| LOG |
A record or diary of a vessel's journey |
| LUBBER'S LINE |
A mark or permanent line on a compass that shows
the course of the boat. |
| LUFF |
The forward edge of a fore-and-aft sail; also to cause the sail to
flutter. |
| MAIN |
The principal mast and sail. |
| MAINSAIL |
The largest sail hoisted directly on the mast. |
| MAKING WAY |
Making progress through the water. |
| MAST |
A spar set upright to support rigging and sails. |
| MIZZEN-MAST |
The aftermost mast of a ship. |
| MOOR |
To keep a vessel in place by setting anchor or tying the vessel to
a fixed object or buoy. |
| MOTOR |
A source of mechanical power. |
| MOTORBOAT |
Any watercraft 65 feet or less in length propelled by
machinery, whether or not such machinery is the principal source
of propulsion. |
| NAVIGATION |
The art of conducting a ship from port to port. |
NAVIGATION
RULES |
The nautical traffic rules for preventing collisions
on the water. |
| NO WAKE SPEED |
Slowest speed at which it is still possible to maintain steering
and which does not produce waves breaking (no white water)
off the vessel’s bow or sides. Exception: If adverse
conditions exist, “slow, no wake speed” is the
minimum speed necessary to maintain a safe course. |
| NUN BUOY |
A cone-shaped, red buoy bearing an even number and
marking the starboard side of a channel from seaward. |
| OAR |
A long, wooden instrument with a flat blade at one end and
used for propelling boats. |
| OVERBOARD |
Over the side or out of the vessel. |
| PAINTER |
A rope attached to the bow of a boat for making it fast. |
| PFD |
Personal Flotation Device (life jacket). |
| PITCH |
The up and down movement as the bow and stern rise and
fall due to wave action. |
| PLANING HULL |
Type of hull that is shaped to lift out of the water at
high speed and ride on the surface. |
| POINT |
One of 32 points of the compass equal to 11°; also a sailboat's
ability to sail close to the wind. |
| PORT |
The left side of a boat when you are facing the bow; also a
destination or harbor. |
| POWER-DRIVEN
VESSEL |
Vessel propelled by machinery. |
| POWER LOAD |
To load a vessel on a trailer using engine power instead of the winch. |
| PROPELLER |
Wheel or screw. Mechanism that pushes water to propel
the boat. |
| PYROTECHNICS |
Fireworks designed to be used as signal devices. |
| RIGGING |
Parts of a sailboat, including the lines, mainsail, headsail
(jib), boom, and mast. |
| ROLL |
The sideward motion of a boat caused by wind and waves. |
| RUDDER |
A device used for steering and maneuvering, usually flat
sheet metal attached to a stern or rudder post—not necessary on
outboards because the unit can be moved to change direction of
thrust. |
| RUNNING LIGHTS |
Lights required to be shown on boats underway
from sunset to sunrise. |
| SAE |
Society of Automotive Engineers. |
| SAILBOAT, aka SAILING VESSEL |
Any vessel under sail provided that
propelling machinery, if fitted, is not being used. |
| SCOPE |
The length of the anchor rope or chain. Six-to-one scope
means that the length of the anchor rope from the boat to the
anchor is six times the depth of the water. |
| SCUPPER |
A hole allowing water to run off the deck. |
| SEAPLANE |
Any aircraft designed to maneuver on the water. |
| SHEETS |
Primary lines used to trim a sail to a desired position. |
| SHROUDS |
Those wires or lines that run down from a mast to the sides
of the boat and serve as bracing. |
| SLOW-NO WAKE
SPEED |
Slowest speed at which it is still possible to maintain steering and which does not produce waves breaking (no white water) off the vessel’s bow or sides. Exception: If adverse conditions exist, “slow, no wake speed” is the minimum speed necessary to maintain a safe course. |
| STAND-ON VESSEL |
The vessel required to hold course and speed first
when nearing another vessel. However, it is also required to take
any action necessary to avoid a collision if the give-way vessel does
not take early and significant action. |
| STARBOARD |
The right side of a boat when you are facing the bow. |
| STEM |
The upright post or bar of the bow. |
| STERN |
The after end or back of a boat. |
| STOW |
To store items neatly and securely. |
| STRAKE |
Planks running fore and aft on the outside of a vessel. |
| SWAMP |
To fill with water. |
| TACK |
To come about so that the wind from one side is brought
around to the other side of the bow. |
| TAFFRAIL |
The rail around a boat's stern. |
| TIDE |
The alternate rise and fall of waters caused by the gravitational
attraction of moon and sun. |
| TILLER |
A bar or handle for turning a boat's rudder or an outboard
motor. |
| TITLE |
A legal document of ownership that allows for purchasing a
vessel on credit (liened title) or transferring ownership of a vessel
upon its sale. |
| TONGUE WEIGHT |
Amount of loaded trailer's weight that presses
down on the towing hitch. |
| TRANSOM |
The transverse planking which forms the afterend of a
small, square-ended boat. (Outboard motors are usually attached
to a transom.) |
| TRAPEZE |
A wire or rope secured near the top of the mast, with a
seat or sling on its lower end. In strong breezes, a crewman can
support himself in the trapeze and extend himself out over the
water to counteract the heeling force of the wind. |
| TRIM |
To arrange weights in a vessel in such a manner as to obtain
the desired draft at bow and stern; also to set a sail. |
| TRIMARAN |
Boat with three hulls, the center one being the largest. |
| UNBEND |
To cast-off or untie. |
| UNDERWAY |
Vessel in motion, i.e., when not moored, at anchor, or
aground. |
| VESSEL |
Every kind of watercraft, including a seaplane on the water,
used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on
water (Navigation Rule 3(a)). |
| WAKE |
Moving waves, created by vessel motion; also the track or path
that a boat leaves behind it when moving across the water. |
| WAY |
Movement of a vessel through the water. Technically it is underway
when not at anchor, aground, or made fast to the shore. The
common usage is interpreted as progress through the water—headway
when going forward and sternway when going backward. |
| WELL |
Area at the rear of a boat where the motor may be located. |
| WINDWARD |
Direction from which the wind is blowing, or upwind.
Windward vessel refers to the vessel that is upwind of the other. |
