We put together a long list of sailing terms to make sure everyone's on the same page when they talk Chesapeake Bay sailing. If you are a racer or cruiser, newbie or seasoned sailor we hope you find this glossary helpful!
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z
A
Abaft:
Abandon Ship:
Abeam:
Aboard:
Adrift:
Aft:
Aground:
Ahead: Forward of the bow.
Ahoy:
All hands:
Anchor:
Anchorage:
Anchor's aweigh;
Anchor buoy:
Anchor chain:
Ashore:
Astern:
Avast:
Aye, aye:
Azimuth compass:
B
Backstays:
Bank:
Bar:
Barnacle:
Barrelman:
Bar pilot:
Beacon:
Beam:
Bear away:
Bear down:
Bearing:
Below: when you go into the cabin, it’s never “downstairs.” It’s always down below.
Berth:
Bilge:
Bimini:
Binnacle:
Bitt:
Bitter end:
Boat:
Bosun:
Booby:
Booby hatch:
Boom: the pole hanging horizontally above the cockpit that could boom into your head if you’re not careful.
Bow: the front end of the boat, or as sailors refer to it with a grin, “the pointy end.”
Bowline:
Bowsprit:
Brass monkey:
Bridge:
Buffer:
Bulkhead:
Buoy:
C
Cabin:
Cable:
Canister:
Capsize:
Capstan:
Careening:
Catamaran:
Centreboard:
Chafing:
Chafing gear:
Channel:
Charter:
Cleat: classic ones are shaped like anvils, but there are more modern versions with pinching teeth for securing lines on deck and on the dock.
Clew:
Club:
Cockpit: the area with seats near the steering station or helm.
Come about: to turn the bow of the boat through the wind. The skipper will say, “Ready about!” The crew responds, “Ready,” and they keep their heads down to avoid the boom. The skipper says, “Helmsalee” or “Hard-alee” and turns.
Companionway:
Compass:
Crow's nest:
Cuddy:
Cunningham:
Cutline:
D
Daggerboard:
Davy Jones Locker:
Daybeacon:
Dayboard:
Deadeye:
Deadrise:
Deck: anywhere you can walk around on the exterior of the boat.
Deck hand:
Directional light:
Disrate:
Dog watch:
Dolphin:
Downhaul:
Draft:
Draught:
Dressing down:
Driver:
Dunnage:
E
Embayed:
F
Fairwinds:
Fathom:
Fender:
Figurehead:
Fireship:
First Lieutenant:
First mate:
Fish:
Flag hoist:
Flank:
Flatback:
Fluke:
Following sea:
Foot: Bottom of the sail
Foredeck:
Forestays:
Freeboard:
Furl:
G
Galley:
Gangplank:
GPS:
Gybing: sometimes spelled jibing (never jiving). This is when the boat turns with the wind at your back. The skipper says, “Prepare to gybe!” The crew says, “Ready” and stays low to avoid the fast-moving boom. The skipper says, “Gybe ho” and turns.
H
Halyard:
Hammock:
Harbor:
Haul:
Head:
Heave:
Heel: the boat heels or leans at an angle while sailing. It does not keel over as one might after too much rum.
Helm: where the skipper steers with a wheel or a stick-like tiller.
Hold:
Horn:
Hull:
Hydrofoil:
I
Inboard:
J
Jack:
Jib: the smaller triangular sail attached at the bow.
Jigger-mast:
K
Keel: the heavy fixed fin on the bottom of the boat. (see heel)
L
Laddar:
Land lubber:
Lanyard:
Lay:
League:
Leech:
Leeward:
Lifeboat:
Line: a rope on a boat is always called a line. (see sheets)
Luff:
Luffing:
M
Mainsail: the big sail attached to the mast.
Mast: the vertical pole on deck or “the stick.”
Man overboard:
Marina:
Mast:
Masthead:
Mess:
Midshipman:
Mizzen:
Mizzen staysail:
Mooring:
N
Navigation:
O
Offshore:
Outhaul:
Outward bound:
Overbear:
Overhaul:
Overhead:
Overreach:
Ox-eye:
P
Parrel:
Personal Floatation Device: a personal flotation device or lifejacket. If someone asks you to wear one, don’t be offended. Lifejackets are not as silly looking as they used to be.
Pilot:
Pipe:
Pitch:
Pitchpole:
Pontoon:
Poop deck:
Port: the left side of the boat facing forward. Port and left are both four-letter words.
Q
Quarter berth:
R
Radar:
Range lights:
Reach:
Reef:
Reef points:
Rig:
Rigging:
Running Rigging:
Run:
S
Sail:
Sailor: We hope you know this one... a person who goes sailing for sport or recreation.
Sail plan:
Scuttle:
Scuttlebutt:
Sea anchor:
Seaman:
Shakes:
Sheer:
Sheets: lines attached to the sails to control them. Crew members help with sheets.
Ship:
Shoal:
Siren:
Skipper:
Sloop:
Slush fund:
Spinnaker: a parachute-like, triangular sail attached at the bow and used to propel a sailboat with the wind behind it. Sometimes called the kite or chute.
Spinnaker Pole:
Splice:
Squared away:
Standing rigging:
Starboard: the right side of the boat facing forward.
Stay:
Staysail:
Stem:
Stern: the back end of the boat, opposite the pointy end.
Sway:
Swigging:
T
Tailing:
Tailshaft:
Tally:
Three sheets to the wind:
Toe the line:
Topmast:
Topsail:
Towing:
Transom:
Traveller:
Trick:
Trim:
Twing:
U
Under way:
V
Vang:
W
Wake:
Wales:
Watch:
Watercraft:
Weather gage:
Weather deck:
Weather side:
Weigh anchor:
Well:
Wide berth:
Winch: cylindrical metal hardware—beer- or paint-can sized—on either side of the cockpit where sheets are wrapped clockwise to crank sails in and out.
Windward:
Windlass:
X
Y
Yard:
Yarr:
Yaw:
Z
There you have it! Our complete list of sailing terms. If you hear any words you don't understand or know of any we may have missed, reach out to us anytime at [email protected].
