Glossary
15.2
A
Aback: describes a sail when the wind strikes it on the
lee side.
Abaft: towards the boat’s stern.
Abeam: at right angles to the center-line of the boat.
Aft: at or near the stern.
Amidships: the center of the boat, athwartships and fore
and aft.
Anti-fouling: a poisonous paint compound used to pro-
tect the underwater part of a hull from marine growths.
Apparent wind: The direction and speed of the wind felt
by the crew. It is a combination of true wind and that
created by the movement of the boat.
Astern: behind the boat; to go astern is to drive the
boat in reverse.
Athwartships: at right angles to the fore and aft line of
the boat.
B
Back: when a wind backs, it shifts anticlockwise.
Back a sail: to sheet it to windward so that the wind fills
on the side that is normally to leeward.
Backstay: a stay that supports the mast from aft and
prevents its forward movement.
Ballast: extra weight, usually lead or iron, placed low in
the boat or externally on the keel to provide stability.
Ballast keel: a mass of ballast bolted to the keel to
increase stability and prevent a keel boat from capsiz-
ing.
Batten: a light, flexible strip fed into a batten pocket at
the leech of the sail to support the roach.
Beam: 1, the maximum breadth of a boat; 2, a trans-
verse member that supports the deck; 3, on the beam
means that an object is at right angles to the centerline.
Bear away: to steer the boat away from the wind. the
direction of an object from an observer, measured in
degrees true or magnetic.
Beat: to sail a zigzag course towards the wind, close-
hauled on alternate tacks.
Belay: to make fast a rope around a cleat, usually with
a figure-of-eight knot.
Bend: 1, to secure a sail to a spar before hoisting; 2, to
moor a boat; 3, a sleeping place on board.
Bight: a bend or loop in a rope.
Bilge: the lower, round part inside the hull where the
water collects.
Block: a pulley in a wooden or plastic case, consist-
ing of a sheave around which a rope runs. It is used to
change the direction of pull.
Boot-topping: a narrow colored stripe painted between
the bottom paint and the topside enamel.
Bottlescrew: see Rigging screw.
Broach: when a boat running downwind slews broad-
side to the wind and heels dangerously. It is caused by
heavy following seas or helmsman’s error.
Broad reach: the point of sailing between a beam reach
and a run, when the wind blows over a quarter.
Bulkhead: a partition wall in a boat normally fitted
athwartships
C
Caulk: to make the seams between wooden planks
watertight by filling with cotton, oakum or a compound.
Cavitation: the formation of a vacuum around a propel-
ler, causing a loss in efficiency.
Center-board: a board lowered through a slot in the
keel to reduce leeway.
Center-line: center of the boat in a fore and aft line.
Center of effort (COE): the point at which all the forces
acting on the sails are concentrated.
Center of lateral resistance (CLR): the underwater
center of pressure about which a boat pivots when
changing course.
Chain pawl: a short lug which drops into a toothed rack
to prevent the anchor chain running back.
Chain plate: a metal plate bolted to the boat to which
the shrouds or backstays are attached.
Chart datum: reference level on a chart below which
the tide is unlikely to fall. Soundings are given below
chart datum. The datum level varies according to coun-
try and area.
Chine: the line where the bottom of the hull meets the
side at an angle.
Cleat: a wooden, metal or plastic fitting around which
rope is secured.
Clevis pin: a locking pin through which a split ring is
passed to prevent accidental withdraw.
Clew: the after, lower center of a sail where the foot and
leech meet.
Close-hauled: the point of sailing closest to the wind;
see also beat.
Close reach: the point of sailing between close-hauled
and a beam reach, when the wind blows forward of the
beam.
Close-winded: describes a boat able to sail very close
to the wind.
Coaming: the raised structure surrounding a hatch,
cockpit, etc., which prevents water entering.
Cotter pin: soft, metal pin folded back on itself to form
an eye.
Course: the direction in which a vessel is steered, usu-
ally given in degrees; true, magnetic or compass.
Cringle: 1, a rope loop, found at either end of a line of
reef points; 2, an eye in a sail.
D
Dead run: running with the wind blowing exactly aft, in
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