A
- Abeam
- At right angles to the boat.
- Aft
- Towards the stern.
- Apparent wind
- The wind felt on a moving boat: the true wind plus the wind of her own motion.
B
- Backed (jib)
- Held on the windward side, so the wind pushes on its back.
- Battens
- Stiffening strips in the mainsail’s leech.
- Beam
- The boat’s width; also out to the side.
- Beam reach
- Sailing with the wind straight over the side.
- Bear away
- Turn away from the wind.
- Beat
- Sail to windward in a zigzag of tacks.
- Bend
- A knot that joins two ropes, such as the sheet bend.
- Bight
- A loop of rope made by folding it back on itself, not crossing.
- Boom
- The spar along the bottom of the mainsail.
- Bow
- The front of the boat.
- Bowline
- A knot that makes a fixed loop in the end of a rope; said “bo-lin”.
- Broad reach
- Sailing with the wind from behind the beam.
- By the lee
- Running with the wind on the same side as the boom: an accidental gybe is close.
C
- Cardinal mark
- A buoy north, east, south or west of a danger.
- Chart datum
- The level charted depths are measured from.
- Cleat
- A fitting to make a line fast on.
- Cleat hitch
- The way to make a line fast on a horn cleat: a turn, a figure of eight and a locking hitch.
- Clew
- The back bottom corner of a sail.
- Close-hauled
- Sailing as close to the wind as possible, sails pulled in.
- Close reach
- Sailing with the wind about 60° off the bow.
- Clove hitch
- Two turns round a rail or pile, the second tucked under itself; quick, but it can slip.
- Clutch
- A fitting with a lever that grips a line, so a winch can be used for another.
- Coachroof
- The raised part of the deck over the cabin.
- COLREGs
- The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
- Companionway
- The hatch and steps from the cockpit down into the cabin.
- Cunningham
- A line that pulls down the luff of the mainsail.
D
- Dan buoy
- A floating pole and flag, thrown to a person overboard.
- Draught
- How deep the boat is under water.
E
- Ease
- Let a sheet out.
F
- Fender
- A cushion hung over the side to protect the hull.
- Figure-eight knot
- A stopper knot in the end of a line, so it can’t run out through a block or clutch.
- Foot
- The bottom edge of a sail.
- Forestay
- The wire from the bow to the masthead.
- Furler
- Gear that rolls the jib up round the forestay.
G
- Galley
- A boat’s kitchen.
- Genoa
- A big jib that reaches back past the mast.
- Give-way vessel
- The one that must keep out of the way.
- Gybe
- Turn the stern through the wind.
H
- Halyard
- A line that hoists a sail.
- Head
- The top corner of a sail; the boat’s toilet is the heads.
- Head up
- Turn towards the wind.
- Heave-to
- Stop the boat with the jib backed and the tiller to leeward.
- Heel
- Lean over under the wind’s pressure.
- Hitch
- A knot that ties a rope to something, such as a rail, a ring or another rope.
I
- In irons
- Stopped head to wind.
J
- Jib
- The sail in front of the mast.
K
- Keel
- The heavy fin under the boat.
- Kicker (vang)
- A tackle holding the boom down.
- Knot
- One nautical mile per hour, about 1.85 km/h.
L
- Lateral mark
- A red or green buoy marking the side of a channel.
- Leech
- The back edge of a sail.
- Leeward
- Away from the wind; said “loo-ard”.
- Leeway
- The sideways drift of a boat to leeward, most when she’s sailing to windward.
- Luff
- The front edge of a sail; also to head up until it flaps.
M
- Mainsail
- The sail behind the mast.
N
- No-go zone
- The angles either side of the wind where a boat can’t sail.
O
- Outhaul
- A line that pulls the clew along the boom.
P
- Pinching
- Sailing slightly too close to the wind.
- Port
- The left side, facing forward.
- Prop walk
- The sideways push of the propeller, strongest astern.
R
- Reef
- Reduce the size of a sail.
- Reef knot
- A flat knot for tying the two ends of a reefing tie; never for joining two ropes.
- Rode
- The anchor chain or rope.
- Rolling hitch
- A hitch that grips a rope or pole and takes a pull along it.
- Round turn
- A rope taken twice round a rail or ring, so the friction takes the load.
- Rudder
- The steering fin at the stern.
- Run
- Sailing with the wind directly behind.
S
- Scope
- The length of rode let out, compared with the depth.
- Sheet
- A line that controls a sail’s angle.
- Sheet bend
- A knot for joining two ropes, even of different sizes.
- Shrouds
- Wires holding the mast up from each side.
- Spring
- A mooring line led diagonally fore or aft.
- Stand-on vessel
- The one that holds her course and speed.
- Standing part
- The long part of a rope, which takes the load, as opposed to the end you tie with.
- Starboard
- The right side, facing forward.
- Stern
- The back of the boat.
T
- Tack
- Turn the bow through the wind; also the front bottom corner of a sail, and which side the wind comes from (port or starboard tack).
- Telltale
- A strip of wool on a sail that shows the airflow.
- Tiller
- The handle that turns the rudder.
- Transit
- Two objects lined up, used to check position.
- Traveller
- A track that moves the mainsheet across the boat.
- Trim
- Adjust the sails; also pull a sheet in.
W
- Warp
- A heavy rope for mooring or towing.
- Whipping
- Twine bound round the end of a rope to stop it fraying.
- Winch
- A drum with a handle for pulling in a loaded line; a self-tailing one grips the tail itself.
- Windward
- Towards the wind.
- Working end
- The end of a rope you tie a knot with.