NATUICAL TERMINOLOGY
LEE . . . The side sheltered from the wind.
LEEWARD . . . The direction away from the wind.
LEEWAY . . . The sideways movement of the boat caused
by wind or current.
LINE . . . Rope and cordage used aboard a vessel.
LOT . . . A record of courses or operation.
LUBBER’S LINE . . . A mark or permanent line on a
compass indicating the direction forward parallel to
the keep.
MIDSHIP . . . Approximately in a location equal distance
from bow to stern.
MOORING . . . An arrangement for securing a boat to a
mooring buoy or a pier.
NAUTICAL MILE . . . One minute of latitude; approxi-
mately 6076 feet or about 1/8 longer than the statute
mile of 5280 feet.
NAVIGATION . . . The art and science of conducting a
boat safely from one point to another.
NAVIGATION RULES . . . The regulations governing
the movement of vessels in relation to each other.
OUTBOARD . . . A detachable engine mounted
on a boat’s stern.
OVERBOARD . . . Over the side or out of the boat.
PIER . . . A loading platform extending at an angle
from the shore.
PILE . . . A wood, metal or concrete pole driven into the
bottom.
PILOTING . . . Navigation by use of visible refer-
ences, the depth of the water, etc.
PLANING . . . A boat is said to be planing when it is
essentially moving over the top of the water rather
than through the water.
PORT . . . The left side of the boat when looking
forward. Also used to refer to a harbor.
RUDDER . . . A vertical plate of board for steer-
ing a boat.
RUN . . . To allow a line to feed freely.
RUNNING LIGHTS . . . Lights required to be shown
on boats underway between sundown and sun up.
SCREW . . . A boat’s propeller.
SEA ROOM . . . A safe distance from the shore or
other hazards.
SEAWORTHY . . . A boat or boat’s gear able to
meet the usual conditions.
SECURE . . . To make fast.
SLACK . . . Not fastened; loose.
SOUNDING . . . A measurement of the depth of
water.
SQUALL . . . A sudden violent wind often accompa-
nied by rain.
SQUARE KNOT . . . A knot used to join two lines of
similar size. Also called a “reef knot.”
STARBOARD . . . The right side of a boat when look-
ing forward.
STEM . . . The most forward part of the bow.
STERN . . . The back-most part of the boat.
STERN LINE . . . A docking line leading from the stern.
STOW . . . To put an item away in its proper place.
SWAMP . . . To fill with water, but not settle to the
bottom.
TRANSOM . . . The stern cross-section of a square-
sterned boat.
TRIM . . . Fore and aft balance of a boat.
UNDERWAY . . . Vessel in motion.
V-BOTTOM . . . A hull with the bottom section in the
shape of a “V.”
WAKE . . . Moving waves, track or path that a boat
leaves behind it when moving across the water.
WAY . . . Movement of the vessel through the water
such as a headway, sternway or leeway.
WINDWARD . . . Toward the direction from which
the wind is coming.
YAW . . . To swing or steer off course.
NAUTICAL TERMINOLOGY
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