GLOSSARY OF SAILING TERMS
PAGE 12
Member: a part of the skeleton of the
hull, such as a stringer laminated into
fiberglass hull to strengthen it.
Meridian: an imaginary lin
e encircling
the Earth that passes through the
poles and cuts at right angles through
the Equator. All lines of longitude are
meridians.
Mizzen: 1, the sho
r
ter, after-mast on a
ketch or yawl; 2, the fore and aft sail
set on this mast.
N
Navel pipe:
a metal
pipe in the fore-
deck through which the anchor chain
passes to the locker below.
Noon Sight: a vessel’s la
titude can
be found, using a sextant, when a
heavenly body on the observer’s me-
ridian is at its greatest altitude. The
sight of the sun at noon is the one
most frequently taken.
O
Off the wind: w
i
th the sheets slacked
off, not close-hauled.
On the wind: close-haule
d.
Out haul: a rope used to pull out the
foot of a sail.
Overall length (OAL): the bo
at’s ex-
treme length, measured from the
foremost past of the bow to the after-
most part of the stern, excluding bow-
spirt, self-steering gear etc.
P
Painter: the bow line by which a din-
ghy, or tender, is towed or made fast.
Pintle: a rudder fitting wit
h a long pin
that fits into the gudgeon to form a
hinged pivot for the rudder.
Pitch: 1, the up
and down motion of
the bows of a boat plunging over the
waves; 2, the angle of the propeller
blades.
Point of sailing: the diffe
rent angles
from which a boat may sail; the boat’s
course relative to the direction of the
wind.
Port: the left-hand side of the boat,
looki
ng forward (opp. of starboard).
Port tack: a boat is on
a port tack
when the wind strikes the port side
first and the mainsail is out to star-
board. A boat on the port tack gives
way to a boat on a starboard tack.
Position line/ Line of position: a line
draw
n on a chart, as a result of taking
a bearing, along which the boat’s posi-
tion must be, i.e. two position lines
give a fix.
Pulpit: a metal
guard rail
fitted at the
bows of a boat to provide safety for
the crew.
Pushpit: a metal guard rail fitted at
the stern.
Q
Quarter: the portion of the boat mid-
way between the stern and the beam;
on the quarter means about 45 de-
grees abaft the beam.
R
Rake: th
e fore and aft deviation from
the perpendi
cular of a mast or other
feature of a boat.
Range: 1, se
e transit; 2, of tides, the
difference between the high and low
water levels of a tide; 3, the distance
at which a light can be seen.
Rating: a method of measuring cer-
tain dimen
sions of a yacht to enable it
to take part in handicap races.
Reach: to sa
il with the wind approxi-
mately on the beam; all sailing points
between running and close-hauled.
Reef: to reduce the sail area by fold-
ing or rolling surplus m
aterial on the
boom or forestay.
Reefing pennant: stron
g line with
which the luff or leech cringle is pulled
down to the boom when reefing.
Rhumb line: a line cutting
all meridi-
ans at the same angle; the course fol-
lowed by a boat sailing in a fixed di-
rection.
Riding light to anchor light: an all-
around
white light, usually hoisted on
the forestay, to show that a boat under
50 ft. (15m.)is at anchor. It must be
visible for 2 mls. (3 km.).
Rigging screw: a de
ck fitting with
which the tensions of standing rigging,
e.g. stays, shrouds, etc. are adjusted.
Roach: the curved p
art of the leech of
a sail that extends beyond the direct
line from head to clew.
Run: to run with the
wind aft and with
the sheets eased well out.
Running rigging: all the moving
lines, such
as sheets and halyards,
used in the setting and trimming of
sails.
S
Scope: the l
ength of ro
pe or cable
paid out when mor anchoring.
Scuppers: 1, hole
s in the toe rail that
allow water to drain off the deck; 2,
drain cockpit through hull.
Seacock: a valve that shuts off an
underwater inlet or outlet passing
through the hull.
Seize: to bind two rope
s together, or a
rope to a spar, with a light line.
Serve: to cover and protect a splice
or
part of a rope with twine bound tightly
against the lay.
Serving mallet: tool with a groove
d
head, used when serving a rope to
keep the twine at a constant and high
tension.
Set: 1, to hoist a sail; 2, the way in
whic
h the sails fit; 3, the direction of
tidal current or steam.
Shackle: a metal link wi
th a remov-
able bolt across the end; of various
shapes: D, U.
Sheave: a grooved wh
eel in a block
or spar for a rope to run on.
Sheet: the rope atta
ched to the clew
of a sail or to the boom, enabling it to
be controlled or trimmed.
Shrouds: ropes or wires,
usually in
pairs, led from the mast to the chain
plates at deck level to prevent the
mast falling sideways; part of the
standing rigging.
Sloop: a single-ma
sted sailing boat
with a mainsail and one head sail.
Spar: a general term for any wooden
or metal
pole, e.g., mast or boom,
used to carry or give shape to sails.
Spindrift: spray blown along the sur-
face of the se
a.
Spinnaker: a large, light, balloon
shaped sail set when reaching or run-
ning.
Splice: to join ro
pes or wire by unlay-
ing the strands and interweaving
them.
Split pin: see
cotter pin.
Spreaders: horiz
ontal struts attached
to the mast, which extends to the
shrouds and help to support the mast.
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