Vocabulary Flashcards
1
Q
Of a sail, when the wind is on the “wrong” side
A
Aback
2
Q
Toward the stern, as in “_____ the beam”
A
Abaft
3
Q
Off the boat at right angles to its centerline
A
Abeam
4
Q
Toward the stern or behind the boat
A
Aft
5
Q
Toward the stern
A
After
6
Q
When the hull or keel is touching the bottom
A
Aground
7
Q
A buoy or other device deployed to mark a channel, a navigational feature, or a hazard
A
Aid to navigation
8
Q
Above the deck, usually in the rig
A
Aloft
9
Q
At or toward the middle of the boat
A
Amidships
10
Q
A device lowered to the bottom while secured to the boat to hold the boat stationary
A
Anchor
11
Q
The combination of true wind and the wind effect of motion as felt aboard a moving boat
A
Apparent wind
12
Q
Behind the stern
A
Astern
13
Q
Across the boat from side to side
A
Athwartships
14
Q
The act of setting a sail aback
A
Backing or Backwinding
15
Q
A wire support from the top of the mast to the stern
A
Backstay
16
Q
Weight placed low in the boat to give it stability
A
Ballast
17
Q
A slat inserted in the leech of a sail to support the sailcloth
A
Batten
18
Q
A pocket sewn into the sail to hold a batten
A
Batten Pocket
19
Q
An aid to navigation that’s fixed in place
A
Beacon
20
Q
The width of a boat at its widest point
A
Beam
21
Q
The region of the boat’s sides halfway between bow and stern
A
Beam
22
Q
The point of sail where the wind is abeam of the boat
A
Beam reach
23
Q
To turn the boat away from the wind, fall off
A
Bear away
24
Q
To sail to windward close-hauled
A
Beat, beating
25
A knot used to tie a line to another line or to an object.
Bend
26
To attach, as a sail to a spar
Bend on
27
Hidden from the wind, as when one sail is _______ by another
Blanketed
28
A pulley
Block
29
A pole with a hook on one end useful for snagging a line or a ring
Boathook
30
A rope sewn into the edge of a sail, often used to attach it to the mast or boom.
Bolt rope
31
The seabed or bed under any body of water
Bottom
32
The spar that supports the foot of the mainsail
Boom
33
An item of running rigging, often a block and tackle, used to hold down the boom
Boom vang
34
The forward part of a boat
Bow
35
A knot that forms a loop in the end of a line
Bowline
36
A dock line tied between the bow of a boat and a dock
Bow line
37
The point of sail between a beam reach and a run
Broad reach
38
A floating object anchored to the bottom
Buoy
39
Sailing on a run with the wind on the same side as the mainsail
By the lee
40
A room in the interior of a boat
Cabin
41
A fitting with spring-loaded jaws used to secure a line
Cam cleat
42
A cylindrical buoy used as an aid to navigation
Can buoy
43
To turn over
Capsize
44
To undo completely a line that has been secured
Cast off
45
A boat with two hulls
Catamaran
46
A board that pivots down from the bottom of the boat to provide sideways resistance
Centerboard
47
Damage caused to a sail or a line by rubbing
Chafe
48
Material used to prevent chafe
Chafing gear
49
Metal fabrication attached to the hull and to which a stay or shroud is connected
Chainplate
50
A narrow passage; a deeper-water route often marked with aids to navigation
Channel
51
A nautical map
Chart
52
A fixed fairlead through which dock lines are led
Chock
53
A fitting used to secure a line under load
Cleat
54
The aft lower corner of a sail
Clew
55
The point of sail where a boat sails as close to the wind as possible
Close-hauled
56
The point of sail between close-hauled and a beam reach
Close reach
57
The area of the boat, usually recessed into the deck, from which the boat is steered and sailed
Cockpit
58
To make up a line into tidy loops
Coil
59
A line that has been coiled
Coil
60
To tack
Come about
61
The entrance from the cockpit or deck to the cabin
Companionway
62
The direction in which a boat is being steered
Course
63
An eye formed by sewing a rope or metal ring into, e.g., a sail
Cringle
64
A line used to tension the luff of a sail
Cunningham
65
A board that lowers vertically down from the bottom of the boat to provide sideways resistance
Daggerboard
66
The generally horizontal surface that encloses the top of the hull
Deck
67
A small boat
Dinghy
68
A place where a vessel is berthed, but generally used to refer to the pier, quay, or pontoon to which it's tied when in that berth
Dock
69
To bring a boat to its dock
Dock
70
A line used to tie a boat, in its dock
Dock line
71
The process of bringing a boat into its dock
Docking
72
A line used to tension the luff of a sail by pulling down the boom at the gooseneck
Downhaul
73
In the direction toward which the wind is blowing
Downwind
74
The depth of a boat below the water
Draft
75
The curvature of a sail
Draft
76
To let out a line that has load on it
Ease
77
Directly to windward
Eye of the wind
78
Smooth, unobstructed
Fair
79
A fitting used to lead a line fair and at the correct angle to a winch, cleat, or other fitting.
Fairlead
80
To lay out a line in parallel lengths so it can run freely
Fake, flake
81
To turn away from the wind, bear away
Fall off
82
A cushion, usually an inflated cylinder of rubber or similar material, placed between a boat and a dock
Fender
83
A piece of hardware that is fixed to the boat or its spars
Fitting
84
To lay in even loose folds, as a sail
Flake
85
The bottom edge of a sail
Foot
86
The direction parallel with the centerline of a boat
Fore-and-aft
87
The forward part of the deck, usually forward of the forwardmost mast
Foredeck
88
A sail set forward of the mainsail, often a jib or a headsail
Foresail
89
A stay that supports the mast from forward
Forestay
90
Toward the bow
Forward
91
Tangled, snagged
Fouled
92
The height of the hull above the waterline
Freeboard
93
About a sail, when it is not flapping or luffing
Full
94
To stow a sail on a spar or a stay
Furl
95
General term for equipment aboard a sailboat
Gear
96
A large jib that extends aft of the mast
Genoa
97
Under the Navigation Rules, the vessel that is obliged to adjust its course or speed to avoid collision with another vessel
Give-way vessel
98
To be moving backward
Going astern
99
An articulated fitting that connects a boom to a mast
Gooseneck
100
A metal ring set into a sail
Grommet
101
Collective term for a boat's anchors and their rodes
Ground tackle
102
The top edge of the deck where it joins the hull
Gunwale
103
An increase in wind speed that lasts just a short while
Gust
104
A line used to raise and lower a sail
Halyard
105
A metal clip or fabric tab used to attach a sail's luff to a stay
Hank
106
The announcement by the helmsman that he is about to tack the boat.
"Hard a-lee!"
107
A covered opening in the deck
Hatch
108
The top of a sail
Head
109
A boat's position when its bow is pointing directly into the wind
Head to wind
110
A reinforcement at the head of a sail
Headboard
111
To steer away from the wind, bear away, fall off
Head down
112
A metal or plastic cover that fits over a forestay to accept the luff tape of a jib when it's hoisted
Headfoil
113
Any sail set forward of the forwardmost mast; a jib
Headsail
114
The stay between the top of the mast and the bow
Headstay
115
To steer more toward the wind
Head up
116
Motion forward
Headway
117
To hold a boat almost stationary by setting the sails and rudder in opposition
Heave-to
118
Of a boat - to lean sideways under the pressure of the wind on the sails
Heel
119
The tiller or wheel with which the boat is steered
Helm
120
The person at the helm steering the boat
Helmsman
121
An extension to the tiller that allows the helmsman more freedom of movement.
Hiking stick
122
A type of knot, used to attach a line to an object or to another line.
Hitch
123
To haul aloft
Hoist
124
The watertight structural shell of a boat
Hull
125
Toward the centerline of the boat; inside the hull
Inboard
126
Of a boat that's head to wind, having lost all headway
In irons
127
A device that holds a line by an internal mechanism, rope clutch.
Jammer
128
A triangular sail set forward of the mainmast
Jib
129
To turn the boat so that its stern passes through the wind
Jibe
130
Announcement by the helmsman that he is about to steer the boat into a jibe; also a warning that an accidental jibe is imminent.
"Jibe-Ho!"
131
A line attached to the clew of a jib used to adjust its angle to the wind
Jibsheet
132
When hoisting a sail, to haul on the halyard at the mast
Jump
133
The main structural member along the bottom of a boat's hull; on a sailboat often an appended fin-shaped structure that contains ballast
Keel
134
A sailboat that has a keel and ballast, usually combined
Keelboat
135
A fastening made by entwining a rope, line, or cord with itself or with other ropes, lines, or cords
Knot
136
Unit of speed: one nautical mile (6,076 feet) per hour
Knot
137
Of a rope's strands, the direction they are twisted, as in right-hand or left-hand.
Lay
138
Of, for example, a jibsheet, the windward one that's not under load
Lazy
139
The after (back) edge of a sail
Leech
140
Sheltered area to leeward of something (boat, building, island) that's protected from the wind
Lee
141
The tendency of a sailboat when sailing to turn downwind
Lee helm
142
The side away from the wind, or downwind side
Lee side
143
The direction, or side of the boat, away from the wind
Leeward
144
A wire supported on stanchions around the perimeter of the deck to prevent crew from falling overboard
Lifeline
145
A length of rope that has a specific purpose on board
Line
146
A storage compartment
Locker
147
Of a mainsail, for example, that is attached to its boom at its tack and clew but not along its foot.
Loose footed
148
The forward edge of a sail
Luff
149
The fluttering of a sail when the boat is too close to the wind for the sail's trim
Luff
150
To head up so the sails \_\_\_\_
Luff
151
Tape with an integral bolt rope that is sewn to the luff of a sail.
Luff tape
152
The boom that supports the mainsail
Main boom
153
The principal mast on a sailboat
Mainmast
154
The sail attached to the aft side of the mainmast
Mainsail
155
The line used to control the main boom and thus also to trim the mainsail
Mainsheet
156
To secure, as when tying a line to a cleat
Make fast
157
General term for an aid to navigation
Mark
158
A fixed vertical spar that holds up a sail or sails
Mast
159
To tie up (a boat)
Moor
160
A permanently set anchor
Mooring
161
A buoy attached to a mooring and to which a boat can be moored
Mooring buoy
162
A boat with more than one hull
Multihull
163
To conduct a vessel's passage on a body of water
Navigate
164
The act of navigating
Navigation
165
A map used for the purpose of navigation.
Navigation chart
166
A light required to be displayed on a vessel in darkness and poor visibility
Navigation light
167
Laws established to prevent collisions on the water
Navigation Rules
168
The zone in relation to the wind where the sails cannot generate power
No-sail zone
169
A buoy with a cone-shaped top used as an aid to navigation
Nun buoy
170
Any point of sail where the wind is abaft the beam
Off the wind
171
Any point of sail where the wind is forward of the beam
On the wind
172
Away from the centerline of a boat; outside the gunwale
Outboard
173
A portable motor that attaches (usually) to the stern of a boat
Outboard
174
A line used to tension the foot of the mainsail
Outhaul
175
A structure built over the water on pilings
Pier
176
To sail too close to the wind, so that the sails luff
Pinch
177
A moored floating structure to which a boat can be tied
Pontoon
178
The direction a boat is sailing relative to the wind
Point of sail
179
A harbor
Port
180
The left-hand side of a boat when facing forward
Port
181
Any course where the wind is blowing on the port side of the boat
Port tack
182
An increase of wind strength of short duration, usually with less strength than a gust
Puff
183
A guardrail at the bow or stern of a boat to which (usually) the lifelines are connected
Pulpit
184
The sides of a boat between the beam and the stern
Quarter
185
A solid structure to which vessels tie up to load and unload
Quay
186
Any point of sail between close-hauled and a run
Reach
187
The command used to signal the crew to prepare to tack.
"Ready about!"
188
An area of rock or coral, usually submerged, that presents a hazard to navigation
Reef
189
To reduce the area of a sail that is exposed to the wind
Reef
190
To attach, as a sail
Rig
191
The total assembly of sails, spars, and rigging aboard a sailboat
Rig
192
Wires and lines used to support spars and to control sails
Rigging
193
The line and/or chain that connects an anchor to the boat
Rode
194
A mechanism for furling a sail by rolling it around its stay
Roller furling
195
To a sailor, raw material for making up lines
Rope
196
Of a boat, to spontaneously turn head to wind.
Round up
197
The movable appendage attached to a boat under the water and with which it can be steered.
Rudder
198
The point of sail on which the wind is aft.
Run
199
The adjustable rigging used to raise and lower or trim the sails
Running rigging
200
Length of webbing used to secure sails
Sail tie
201
A Sailboat that is essentially a surfboard with a sail.
Sailboard
202
Material from which sails are made
Sailcloth
203
Sailing on a run with the wind on the same side of the boat as the mainsail
Sailing by the lee
204
The ratio of the length of anchor rode deployed to the vertical distance from the boat's bow to the bottom
Scope
205
To make fast (as a line)
Secure
206
To make safe
Secure
207
A device on a winch that enables it to grasp and gather the tail of a line as it is wound in on the Winch
Self-tailer
208
A closable metal connector used in rigging
Shackle
209
A tool for tightening and loosening a shackle
Shackle key
210
A line used to control the alignment of a sail relative to the boat and the wind
Sheet
211
A wire that provides athwartships support to the mast
Shroud
212
A navigation light that shines on one side of the boat in an arc that extends from the bow to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam
Sidelight
213
A berth where a boat docks between piers, pontoons, or pilings
Slip
214
A sailboat with one mast, a mainsail, and one headsail
Sloop
215
To hold a line under tension by wrapping it around a cleat or a winch
Snub
216
A pole used to support a sail, e.g. mast, boom
Spar
217
A large, lightweight, rounded sail used when sailing downwind
Spinnaker
218
An athwartships strut on a mast that holds a shroud away from the mast
Spreader
219
A metal post that supports lifelines
Stanchion
220
Rigging, e.g. shrouds and stays, that supports spars and that remains in place when a boat is not sailing
Standing rigging
221
In a situation when two vessels converge, the vessel that must maintain its course and speed
Stand-on vessel
222
The right-hand side of a boat when looking forward
Starboard
223
Any course where the wind is blowing on the starboard side of the boat
Starboard tack
224
A piece of standing rigging that supports a mast in the fore-and-aft direction
Stay
225
A navigation light that shines on both sides of the boat in an arc from the bow to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam; used on a sailing vessel that is under power
Steaming light
226
The aft part of the boat
Stern
227
A navigation light that shines on both sides of the boat in an arc from the stern to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam
Stern light
228
To put away in a seamanlike manner
Stow
229
Part of a self-tailer
Stripping arm
230
To ease a loaded line while snubbing it to keep it under control
Surge
231
The forward lower corner of a sail
Tack
232
To change course by turning the bow of the boat through the wind
Tack
233
A course designation according to the side of the boat onto which the wind is blowing (port or starboard)
Tack
234
A line reeved through a series of blocks to gain mechanical advantage
Tackle
235
The end of a working line (e.g. halyard, sheet) after the winch or snubber that is taking the load
Tail
236
To pull on the tail of a line
Tail
237
A bag in which line tails are stowed to keep them tidy
Tail bag
238
A short length of light yarn or similar material attached to a sail to indicate the flow of air across it and thus the state of the sail's trim
Telltale
239
The movement of a body of water caused by the gravitational effects of the moon and sun
Tide
240
A lever used to control the angle of the rudder and thereby steer the boat
Tiller
241
A line or wire that supports a boom when it is not being supported by its sail
Topping lift
242
The more or less flat surface that closes the hull at the stern
Transom
243
A car-and-track system that allows the mainsheet's attachment point to the deck to be moved athwartships
Traveler
244
To adjust a sail by hauling in on the sheet
Trim
245
The position a sail is set relative to the wind
Trim
246
A vessel with three hulls
Trimaran
247
The wind as observed at a stationary point
True wind
248
In the direction from which the wind is blowing
Upwind
249
A piece of running rigging used to restrain a spar
Vang e.g. boom vang
250
Used as an all-inclusive term in the Navigation Rules to describe any ship or boat or craft capable of being navigated
Vessel
251
The line around the interface between the hull and the surface of the water
Waterline
252
The side of a boat from which the wind is blowing; windward side.
Weather side
253
The tendency of a boat when sailing to head up into the wind
Weather helm
254
A device consisting of a gear-driven drum that is operated with a handle to provide mechanical advantage when hauling on a line; also used to snub a line
Winch
255
The resistance a boat's hull, rig, and superstructure present to the wind
Windage
256
Toward the wind
Windward
257
The side upon which the wind is blowing
Windward side
258
Sailing on a run with the jib and mainsail set on opposite sides of the boat
Wing on wing
259
Sailing wing on wing
Winging the jib
260
Of a sheet, the one that is currently being used to trim the sail
Working
261
A gentle breeze, perfect for a quiet evening sail
Zephyr
