Sailing terminology can be daunting for beginners starting out, especially if English is not your first language. We’ve put together a glossary list of the main sailing terms you may hear during our RYA training courses.
For quick reference, read our 10 Sailing Terms For Beginners and article about sailing terminology for the different lines (ropes) on a sailing yacht – Sailing Lines: Think You Know The Ropes?
Sailing Terminology – Glossary
A
Abaft – toward the stern, relative to some object.
Abate – the true wind abates or moderates when it blows less strongly than before.
Abeam – a relative bearing at right angles to the centerline of the ship’s keel.
Adrift – anything floating and not attached to the shore or sea bed.
Afloat – floating at sea.
Afore – in, on, or toward the front of a vessel.
Aft – in, on or behind the stern of the vessel.
Aground – resting on or touching the ground or bottom (usually involuntarily).
Ahead – directly in front of the vessel.
Ahoy! – a cry to draw attention. Term used to hail a boat or a ship, as “Boat ahoy!”
Almanac – an annual publication containing information on, for example, buoyage, tides, signals, glossaries, and positions of heavenly bodies.
Aloft – going up the mast or in the rigging.
Amidships – the centre part of the vessel.
Anchor aweigh – the anchor is said be aweigh at the point when it breaks free of the sea bed when it is being hauled in.
Anchor rode – the anchor line, rope or cable connecting the anchor chain to the vessel.
Apparent wind – the combination of the true wind and the headwind caused by the boat’s forward motion.
Ashore – on the land.
Astern – towards or behind the vessel.
As the crow flies – a direct line between two points (which might cross land) which is the way birds (crows) travel rather than ships which must go around land.
Autopilot – equipment that allows the boat to automatically follow a compass course or a course relative to wind direction.
Awash – so low in the water that the water is constantly washing across the surface.
B
Back stay – a stay that supports the mast from aft.
Bail – to remove water from the bilges or cockpit.
Bailer – a utensil used to bail water out of a boat.
Ball – a black signal shape displayed when a vessel is at anchor by day.
Ballast – additional weight placed low in the hull to improve stability.
Bar – a shallow area (shoal) close by a river mouth or harbour entrance.
Bare poles – no sails are set and boat is driven by the force of the wind on the spars and rigging.
Batten – a flexible strip of wood or plastic used to stiffen the leech of a mainsail.
Batten pocket – a pocket on the leech of a mainsail to contain the batten.
Beacon – a lighted or unlighted fixed aid to navigation attached directly to the earth’s surface.
Beam – the breadth of the vessel.
Beam sea – a sea where waves are moving perpendicular to the direction a ship is moving.
Bear away – to alter course away from the wind.
Bearing – the direction of an object from an observer.
Beating/ Beat to – sailing as close as possible towards the wind (perhaps only about 60°) in a zig-zag course to attain an upwind direction to which it is impossible to sail directly.
Beaufort scale – a scale of measurement of the force of the wind.
Below deck – beneath the deck.
Berth – a place where a vessel can be tied up; or a sleeping place on a vessel; or to give an obstruction a wide berth by keeping well clear.
Bilge – the compartment at the bottom of the hull of a ship or boat where water collects and must be pumped out of the vessel.
Bimini top – open-front canvas top for the cockpit of a boat, usually supported by a metal frame.
Binnacle – strong housing to protect the steering compass.
Block – a pulley made of wood, metal or plastic.
Boat hook – a pole, generally made of wood or light alloy, with a hook at one end, used for picking up moorings and buoys.
Boom – spar that supports the foot of a sail.
Bow – the forward part of a boat.
Breakwater – a structure to protect a harbour or beach from the force of the sea.
Broach – when a sailing vessel loses control of its motion and is forced into a sudden sharp turn, often heeling heavily and in smaller vessels sometimes leading to a capsize. The change in direction is called broaching-to. Occurs when too much sail is set for a strong gust of wind, or in circumstances where the sails are unstable.
Bulkhead – a vertical partition below decks.
Buoy – a floating object of defined shape and colour, which is anchored at a given position and serves as an aid to navigation.
C
Cabin – sheltered room where crew and passengers live and sleep.
Capsize – when a ship or boat lists too far and rolls over, exposing the keel. On large vessels, this often results in the sinking of the ship.
Cast off – to let go of a line.
Chain plate – a fitting which is bolted to the hull, to which the shrouds are attached.
Chart – map giving many details about the area covered by water and details about the adjacent land.
Cleat – a fitting with two horns round which a line is secured.
Clew – the after lower corner of a sail to which sheets are fitted.
Coachroof – the part of the cabin that is raised above the deck to provide height in the cabin
Cockpit – a space lower than deck level in which the crew can sit or stand.
Collision course – the course of a vessel which, if maintained relative to that of another would result in a collision.
Companionway – a raised and windowed hatchway in the ship’s deck, with a ladder leading below and the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins.
Course – the direction in which the vessel is being, or is to be, steered.
D
Deviation – the deflection of the needle of a magnetic compass caused by the proximity of ferrous metals, electrical circuits or electronic equipment.
Displacement – the weight of water displaced by the immersed volume of a ship’s hull, exactly equivalent to the weight of the whole ship.
Dividers – navigational instrument for measuring distance on charts.
Dodger – screen fitted to give the crew protection from wind and spray.
Downstream – the direction towards which the stream flows.
Downwind – direction to leeward.
Draught – the vertical distance from the lowest part of the keel to the seabed.
E
Ease out – to let a line out gradually.
Ebb – the period when the tidal level is falling.
Ensign – the principal flag or banner flown by a ship to indicate her nationality.
EPIRB – electronic position indicating radio beacon that transmits a distinctive signal on a distress frequency.
F
Fairlead – a ring, hook or other device used to keep a line or chain running in the correct direction or to prevent it rubbing or fouling.
Fender – an air or foam filled bumper used in boating to keep boats from banging into docks or each other.
Fetch – the distance across water which a wind or waves have travelled.
Flood – the period when the tidal level is rising.
Following sea – seas that are moving in the same direction as the vessel is heading.
Foot – the lower edge of the sail.
Foredeck – the part of the deck that is forward of the mast and coachroof.
Forehatch – a hatch forward, usually in the foredeck.
Forestays – long lines or cables, reaching from the bow of the vessel to the mast heads, used to support the mast.
Forward – toward the bow of the vessel (pronounced “forward”).
Freeboard – the height of a ship’s hull (excluding superstructure) above the waterline. The vertical distance from the current waterline to the lowest point on the highest continuous watertight deck.
Furl – to roll or gather a sail against its mast or spar.
G
Galley – the area where food is prepared and cooked.
Give way – to alter course in order to concede passage to another vessel.
Give way vessel – the vessel whose duty it is to keep clear of another, she should take early and substantial action to avoid a collision.
Go about – to change tack by altering course to bring the wind on the other side.
Gooseneck – fitting which attaches the boom to the mast.
Grab rail – rails fitted above and below decks to grab at when the vessel heels.
Guard rail – safety line or cable fitted round the vessel to prevent the crew falling overboard.
Gunwale – the upper edge of the side of a vessel.
Gybe – to change from one tack to another by turning the stern through the wind.
Gybe-oh! – the call to indicate that the helm is being put across to gybe.
H
Hand-bearing compass – portable magnetic compass with which visual bearings are taken.
Harden in – to haul in the sheets to bring the sail closer to the centreline; the opposite of ease out.
Hatch – an opening in the deck that allows access to the accommodation.
Haul in – to pull in.
Head to wind – to point the stem of the vessel into the wind
Heading – the direction in which the vessel’s head is pointing
Heads – the lavatory on the vessel.
Heave to – stopping a sailing vessel by lashing the helm in opposition to the sails. The vessel will gradually drift to leeward, the speed of the drift depending on the vessel’s design.
Heel – to lean over to one side.
Helmsman – the member of the crew who steers the vessel.
Hoist – to raise an object vertically with a halyard.
Hull – the body of a vessel excluding masts, rigging and rudder.
I
IALA – international association of lighthouse authorities which is responsible for he international buoyage system.
Inshore – near to or towards or in the direction of the shore.
J
Jackstay / jackline – often steel wire with a plastic jacket, from the bow to the stern on both port and starboard. A crew member clips his safety harness to a jackline, allowing him to walk along the deck while still being safely attached to the vessel.
Jib – a triangular staysail at the front of a ship.
Jury rig – both the act of rigging a temporary mast and sails and the name of the resulting rig. A jury rig would be built at sea when the original rig was damaged, then it would be used to sail to a harbor or other safe place for permanent repairs.
K
Keel – the central structural basis of the hull.
Kicking strap – a line, tackle or hydraulic ram running from the mast at or just above deck level to a point part-way along the boom of a yacht’s mainsail or mizzen. Its function is to pull the boom down, flattening the sail in strong winds, reducing twist and preventing the boom from kicking up when running.
Knot – the unit of speed at sea in nautical miles per hour; or a series of loops tying a line.
L
Lanyard – a short length of line used to secure an object such as a knife.
Lash down – to firmly secure firmly with line.
Lee – the direction towards which the wind blows.
Lee-oh! – the action of putting the helm across to go about.
Leeward – in the direction that the wind is blowing towards.
Leeway – the amount that a ship is blown leeward by the wind. Also the amount of open free sailing space available to leeward before encountering hazards.
Line – correct name for the “ropes” on a vessel.
List – a permanent lean to one side or the other.
Log – a devise to measure a vessel’s speed or distance travelled through the water.
Luff – the leading edge of a sail.
M
Mainsail – the principal sail.
Make fast – to secure the vessel with lines to either a buoy, jetty or pontoon.
Making way – a vessel that is being propelled through the water.
Mayday – the internationally recognised radio distress signal.
Monohull – a vessel with a single hull.
Mooring buoy – a non-navigational buoy to which a vessel can moor.
O
Oilskins – waterproof clothing worn in foul weather.
Offshore – Away from shore.
Outhaul – the line that hauls the mainsail along the boom.
P
Painter – the line at the bow of a dinghy.
Pan Pan – the internationally recognised radio urgency signal which has priority over all calls except Mayday.
Pay out – to let out a line out gradually.
Pilot – an expert in local waters. A specially knowledgeable person qualified to navigate a vessel through difficult waters.
Pinch – to sail too close to the wind so that the sail loses driving power.
Pitch – the up and down motion of the bow and stern of a vessel.
Plot – to find a vessels position by laying off bearings on a chart.
Port – the left hand side of the vessel looking forward.
R
Race – a strong tidal stream.
Radar reflector – a special fixture fitted to a vessel or incorporated into the design of certain aids to navigation to enhance their ability to reflect radar energy. In general, these fixtures will materially improve the visibility for use by vessels with radar.
Reaching – sailing across the wind from about 60° to about 160° off the wind. Reaching consists of “close reaching” (about 60° to 80°), “beam reaching” (about 90°) and “broad reaching” (about 120° to 160°).
Ready about! – a call to indicate imminent tacking.
Reef – to temporarily reduce the area of a sail exposed to the wind, usually to guard against adverse effects of strong wind or to slow the vessel.
Rigging – lines and cable used to support the masts and to control the spars and sails.
Round up – to head up into the wind.
Roving fender – a spare fender held ready by a crew member in case of emergencies.
Run/running – to sail with the wind dead astern.
S
Sail locker – place where sails are stowed.
Saloon – the main cabin.
Scupper – drain hole in the toe-rail.
Sea anchor – a stabilizer deployed in the water for heaving to in heavy weather. It acts as a brake and keeps the hull in line with the wind and perpendicular to waves. Often in the form of a large bag made of heavy canvas.
Seacock – a stop-cock next to the hull to prevent accidental entry of water.
Shipping lane – a busy track across the sea or ocean.
Shipshape – neat and efficient.
Shroud – a line or cable serving to hold a mast up from side to side.
Slack off – to ease or pay out a line.
Sole – the floor of a cabin or cockpit.
Spar – general term for all poles used on board such as a mast, boom and yard.
Spinnaker – a large sail flown in front of the vessel while heading downwind.
Spinnaker pole – a spar which is used to hold the spinnaker out.
Spray hood – a folding canvas cover over the entrance to the cabin.
Spreaders – a spar on a sailboat used to deflect the shrouds to allow them to better support the mast.
Squall – a sudden increase of wind speed often associated with a line of low dark clouds representing an advancing cold front.
Stanchions – metal posts supporting the guardrails.
Stand by to gybe! – a warning, given by the helmsman, that he is about to gybe.
Stand on – to maintain course and speed of your vessel because you have right of way.
Starboard – the right hand side of the vessel looking forward.
Stay – part of the standing rigging which provides support fore-and-aft.
Stern – the afterpart of the boat.
Stow – put away in a proper place.
Swinging room – the area encompassed by the swing that excludes any risk of collision or grounding.
T
Tacking – zig-zagging so as to sail directly towards the wind.
Take in – lower a sail.
Take the helm – steer the vessel.
Tell tales – lengths of wool or ribbon attached to a sail or shroud to indicate the airflow or apparent wind direction.
Tidal stream – the horizontal movement of water cause by the tides.
Tide – the vertical rise and fall of the waters in the oceans in response to the gravitational forces of the sun and moon.
Toe rail – a low strip running around the edge of the deck like a low bulwark. It may be shortened or have gaps in it to allow water to flow off the deck.
Transit – two fixed objects are in transit when they are in line.
Transom – the flat transverse structure across the stern of the hull.
Trim – to adjust the sails by easing or hardening in the sheets to obtain maximum driving force.
U
Underway – a vessel that is moving under control: that is, neither at anchor, made fast to the shore, aground nor adrift. Way refers to speed sufficient to steer with the rudder.
W
Warp – to move a vessel by hauling on a line or cable that is fastened to an anchor or pier; especially to move a sailing ship through a restricted place such as a harbour.
White horses – breaking waves away from shore with foamy crest.
Winch – a fitting designed to assist the crew hauling in or easing out line.
Winch handle – a removable handle used for operating a winch.
Windlass – the winch used for lifting the anchor.
Windage – wind resistance of the boat.
Windward – the direction from which the wind is coming.
Can you think of any sailing terminology that you found difficult to understand when you started out? Let us know!