5. GLOSSARY OF SAILING TERMS
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Lifeline: a wire or rope rigged around
the deck to prevent the crew falling
overboard.
Limber holes: gaps left at the lower
end of frames above the keel to allow
water to drain to the lowest point of
the bilges.
List: a boat’s more or less permanent
lean to one side, owing to the
improper distribution of weight, e.g.,
ballast or water.
Log: 1, an instrument for measuring
a boat’s speed and distance traveled
through the water; 2, to record in a
book the details of a voyage, usually
distances covered and weather.
Luff: the forward edge of a sail. To
luff up is to turn a boat’s head right
into the wind.
Luff groove: a groove in a wooden
or metal spar into which the luff of a
headsail is fed.
Lurch: the sudden roll of a boat.
M
Marlin spike: a pointed steel or
wooden spike used to open up the
strands of rope or wire then splicing.
Mast Step: the socket in which the
base of the mast is located.
Measured mile: a distance of one
nautical mile measured between
buoys or transits/ranges ashore, and
marked on the chart.
Member: a part of the skeleton of the
hull, such as a stringer laminated into
fiberglass hull to strengthen it.
Meridian: an imaginary line 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 shorter, 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
foredeck through which the anchor
chain passes to the locker below.
Noon Sight: a vessel’s latitude can
be found, using a sextant, when a
heavenly body on the observer’s
meridian is at its greatest altitude.
The sight of the sun at noon is the
one most frequently taken.
O
Off the wind: with the sheets slacked
off, not close-hauled.
On the wind: close-hauled.
Out haul: a rope used to pull out the
foot of a sail.
Overall length (LOA): the boat’s
extreme length, measured from the
foremost past of the bow to the
aftermost part of the stern, excluding
bowspirt, self-steering gear etc.
P
Painter: the bow line by which a
dinghy, or tender, is towed or made
fast.
Pintle: a rudder fitting with 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 different 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,
looking 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
starboard. A boat on the port tack
gives way to a boat on a starboard
tack.
Position line/ Line of position: a
line drawn on a chart, as a result of
taking a bearing, along which the
boat’s position 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
midway between the stern and the
beam; on the quarter means about 45
degrees abaft the beam.
R
Rake: the fore and aft deviation from
the perpendicular of a mast or other
feature of a boat.
Range: 1, see 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
certain dimensions of a yacht to
enable it to take part in handicap
races.
Reach: to sail with the wind
approximately on the beam; all sailing
points between running and close-
hauled.
Reef: to reduce the sail area by
folding or rolling surplus material on
the boom or forestay.
Reefing pennant: strong line with
which the luff or leech cringle is
pulled down to the boom when
reefing.
Rhumb line: a line cutting all
meridians at the same angle; the
course followed by a boat sailing in a
fixed direction.
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 deck fitting with
which the tensions of standing
rigging, e.g. stays, shrouds, etc. are
adjusted.
Roach: the curved part 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.
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