Boat Terms
Commonly Used Boating Terms
Boating Terminology
Below is a list of commonly used boating and nautical terms. If you are a boat owner or are looking to purchase a boat, it is important to know the correct boating terminology to ensure you stay safe while on the water.
| Abaft | Aft of; towards the stern from a designated location |
| Aft | Towards, at, or near the stern |
| Amidships | In the vicinity of the mid length of a vessel as distinguished from the ends |
| Anode | An electrolyte carrying a positive charge |
| Ballast | Any solid or liquid weight placed in a vessel to increase the draft, to change the trim, or to regulate stability |
| Beam | The maximum breadth of the hull |
| Berth | Where a vessel is docked or tied up |
| Bilge | Intersection of bottom and side. The lower parts of holds, tanks and machinery spaces where bilge water may accumulate |
| Bow | The forward end of a vessel |
| Broach | To be turned 90 degrees off course, usually owing to a wave action from astern |
| Bulkhead | A term applied to the vertical partition walls that divide the interior of a vessel into compartments or rooms |
| Chine | Abrupt change in the transverse shape where a vessel’s side and bottom come together |
| Cleat | A fitting having two arms or horns around which ropes may be made fast |
| Dead rise | Angle rise from the keel to the chine |
| Derrick | A device for hoisting and lowering heavy weights, cargo, stores, etc. |
| Displacement Hull | A hull that moves through water, displacing a weight of water equal to it’s own weight |
| Dock | A place for mooring a vessel, usually between two piers |
| Draft | The depth of the vessel below the water line, measured vertically to the lowest part of the hull, propeller, or other reference point |
| Electrolysis | The effect of an electric current passing through an electrolyte in transferring ions from one part to another |
| Even Keel | A ship is said to be on an even Keel when the Keel is horizontal |
| Fathom | Equivalent to 6 linear feet |
| Fender | The term applied to devices built into or hung over the sides of a vessel to prevent rubbing or chafing against other vessels or piers |
| Ferro-cement | Structural material comprising a relatively thin layer of cement intimately reinforced with steel rods and mesh |
| Flukes | The parts of an anchor that are intended to dig into the bottom |
| Forecastle (Fo’c’s’le) | A superstructure fitted at the extreme forward end of the upper deck |
| Founder | Sink and go to the bottom |
| Freeboard | The distance from the water line to the upper surface of the freeboard deck at the side |
| Galley | A cook room or Kitchen on a vessel |
| Gangway | A passageway, side shell opening, or ladder used for boarding or leaving a vessel |
| Gunwale | The upper edge of a boat’s sides |
| Halyard | Lines used in hoisting sails, signals, flags, etc. |
| Head | Toilet; believed to be derived from ‘vessels head’ when a small platform outside the bulwarks near the bow was the only semblance of sanitary facilities |
| Helm | The wheel or tiller controlling the rudder or outboard motor |
| Hull | The structural body of a vessel |
| Keel | Principal fore-aft component of a vessels framing, located along the centre line |
| Ketch | A vessel with fore and aft sailing rig with two masts, the forward one being somewhat larger than the other |
| Knot | 1 Nautical mile per hour. Nautical mile = 1852 metres |
| Lee | The side away from the wind |
| Mooring | Securing a vessel at a pier or elsewhere by several lines so as to limit it’s movement |
| Mooring Buoy | A floating structure firmly anchored to the bottom and to which a vessel may moor |
| Nautical Mile | 1 nautical mile is an International measurement of distance at sea level (1.85 kms). |
| Planing Hull | A type of hull shaped to glide easily across the water at high speed |
| Poop | A superstructure fitted to the after end of the upper deck |
| Port Side | The left hand side of a vessel when looking forward |
| Quartering Sea | A series of waves approaching a vessel at about 45 degrees off the bow or stern |
| Rigging | Chains, wire ropes, fibre lines, and associated fittings and accessories used to support masts and booms used for handling cargo and stores and for other purposes |
| Rudder | A device used to steer a vessel |
| Sacrificial Anode | Metal parts fitted to the hull of a vessel to provide a transfer of ions to t he cathodic part of an electrolytic coupling and so protect other parts of the vessel that would otherwise waste away through electrolysis |
| Schooner | A sailing vessel fitted with two or more masts carrying fore and aft sails. When it is fitted with two masts, the forward may be shorter than the other |
| Scuppers | Drains from decks to carry off rain or sea water |
| Shank | In an anchor, the straight section between the chain attachment and the flukes |
| Shoal Water | Shallow water |
| Sloop | A sailboat with a single mast and fore and aft rig, usually with a single jib and mainsail |
| Spring Line | A mooring rope oriented at a small angle to the vessels centre line |
| Starboard Side | The right hand side of a vessel when looking forward |
| Stays | Fixed wire ropes leading forward from aloft on a mast to the deck to prevent the mast from bending aft. Backstays lead from aloft to aft |
| Stern | After end of a vessel |
| Stow | To put away. To stow cargo in a hold |
| Tiller | An arm, attached to rudder stock, which turn the rudder |
| Transom | The stern cross section of a square sterned boat |
| Windlass | The machine used to hoist and lower anchors |
| Yawing | Weaving motion of a vessel to port and starboard off course |
