Sailing Terms

General Terms

Aft - Toward the stern, or back of the boat

Apparent Wind - The result of wind direction modified by the boat's forward movement

Crew - The person (or people) who assist the helmsman by trimming the sails

Ease - Let out, as in "ease the sheets or sails"

Forward - Toward the front of the boat

Helmsman - The person who steers the boat

Knot - A measure of wind or boat speed, also refered to as nautical miles per hour. One nautical mile = 6060ft.

Leeward                                                       

The side of the boat the boom is on. Also, away from the wind or downwind.

Port side - The left side of the boat when facing forward

Port tack - When the wind blows over the port side of the boat and the boom is on the starboard side.

To port - To the left

Starboard side - The right side of the boat when you're facing forward

Starboard tack - When the wind blows over the starboard side of the boat and the boom is on the port side.

To starboard - To the right

Trim - To pull in, as in "trim the sheets or sails"

True wind - The wind strength or direction felt when the boat is stationary

Windward - The side of the boat opposite the side of the boom is on; also, towards the wind or upwind (a "windward" boat is toward the wind from the "leeward" boat)

When You're Sailing

Beam reach - The point of sail at which the boat is sailing at a 90 degree angle to the wind

Bear off  - To alter the boats course away from the wind (also known as "fall off" and "head down")

Broad reach - The point of sail at which the boat is sailing away from the wind but not straight downwind

Close hauled - The point of sail at which the boat is sailing as close to the wind as possible

Close reach - The point at which the boat is sailing toward the wind but not close hauled

Course - The direction you are sailing according to compass or wind angle

Draft - The vertical distance, or depth, measured from the waterline to the lowest point of the boat

Gybing - Turning the stern of the boat through the wind with the sails changing the side they are on.

Head to wind - The point at which the boat is aimed straight into the wind with the sails luffing (also known as "irons)

Head up - To alter course toward the wind

Heel - The angle at which the boat leans over during sailing

Heeling - The boat leaning to one side during sailing

Helm - A boat's steering apparatus - either a wheel or a tiller

In "irons" - Stuck head to wind, sails luffing and no steerage

In the lee - To leeward of a wind blocking object, as in "in the lee of a bridge"

Luffing - Sails flogging in the wind

Run - The point of sail at which the wind is blowing from directly behind the boat

Sails

Genoa - A large jib that overlaps the mainsail

Jib - The forward sail attached to the forestay

Mainsail - The primary sail attached to the mast and boom

Spinnaker - A large, light sail used for sailing downwind

Parts of sails

Batten - A strip of stiff material inserted into a sail pocket to shape its leech

Clew - The aft bottom corner of a sail. Sheets attach to the clew of a jib, genoa or spinnaker; the outhaul attaches to the clew of the mainsail

Foot - The bottom edge of a sail

Head - The top corner of the sail to which the halyard attaches

Leech - The aft edge of a sail

Luff - The front edge of a sail

Tack - The forward bottom corner of a sail

Boat Parts

Block
The nautical term for a pulley

Boom
A horizontal pole that attaches to the mast and is used to extend the foot of the mainsail

Bow
The forward part of a boat

Centerboard
A pivoting plate used to balance a boat and lessen leeway

Cleat
A fastening around or in which lines can be secured

Hull
The primary structural body of a vessel, not including superstructure, masts or rigging

Keel
A boat’s fixed underwater part used to prevent sideways drift and provide stability

Line
Any piece of boat on a rope

Mast
A pole placed vertically on a boat used to support sails

Painter
A line attached to a small boat’s bow used to tie it to a dock or another boat

Rudder
A boat’s movable underwater steering board

Shackle
A metal fitting commonly used to connect sails and halyards

Shrouds and stays
Wires that hold the mast upright (the front one is the forestay)

Spreader
Struts attached to the mast to increase the holding power of the shrouds

Stern
A boat’s afterpart

Tiller
A wooden or metal “stick” used to turn the rudder

Transom
A boat’s afterpart that is square to its centerline

Wheel
A steering apparatus

Winch
A metal drum-shaped object around which lines are wrapped to make trimming them easier