Sailing Terms

Here is some interesting schooner/sailing vocabulary A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Abaft
toward or at the stern of a ship; further aft

Afterdeck
deck behind a ship's bridge

Aftergaurd
men who work the aft sails on the quarterdeck and poop deck

Ahull
with sails furled and helm lashed to the lee-side

Amidships
midway between the bow and stern of a ship

Astern
at the stern of a ship

Backstay
stay extending from ship's mastheads to the back (aft) of the ship

Baggywrinkle:
clumps of frayed rope that protect the sails from chafing against the lines.

Ballaster
one who supplies ships with ballast

Bargemaster
Owner of a barge

Bee
Hardwood on either side of bowsprit through which forestays are reeved

Belay
To secure a rope by winding on a pin or cleat

Bilge
Lowest point of inner hull of a ship where ship's are drained from with a pump

Binnacle
Case in which a ship's compass is kept

Bitts
Posts mounted on a ship for fastening ropes

Bluepeter
Blue flag with white square in centre used as ship's signal

Boatsains Mate
Ship's crewmember in charge of equipment and maintenance

Bobstay
A stay used on ships to steady the bowsprit

Bollard
A short post on a wharf or ship to which ropes are tied

Boltrope
A strong rope stitched to edges of a sail

Boom:
Free-swinging spar attached to the bottom edge of of a sail, riding on the mast, Red Witch has two.

Bosun:
Boatswain

Bottomry:
Using the ship as collateral to finance a sea voyage

Bow:
Front of ship

Bower:
Anchor carried at bow of a ship

Bowline:
Rope used to keep weather edge of a sail taut
Also a common knot use by sailors

Bowsprit:
a long spar attached to the bow; used to attach sails which hang out over the ocean.

Brails:
Ropes on edge of sail for hauling up

Bream:
To clean a ship's bottom by burning off seaweed

Bulwark:
The side of a ship above the deck

Bumpkin:
A spar projecting from stern of ship

Bunk:
Red Witch has 5 sleeping berths, called bunks

Bunt:
Middle of the sail

Buntline:
A rope attached to middle of square sail to haul it up to the yard

Burgee:
small ship's flag used for identification or signalling

Camber:
slight arch or convexity to a beam or deck of a ship

Capstan:
the drum-like part of the windlass, which is a machine used for winding in rope, cables or chain connected to an anchor cargo.

Careen:
to turn a ship on its side in order to clean or repair it

Cathead:
projection near the bow of a ship to which anchor is secured

Chine:
the intersection of the middle and sides of a boat

Chock:
metal casting with curved arms for passing ropes for mooring ship

Clew:
The aft, bottom corner of sail with hole to attach ropes

Coaming:
raised edge around ship's hatches to keep water out

Companionway:
stairs from upper deck of ship to lower deck

Cordage:
ropes in the rigging of a ship

Cringle:
loop at corner of sail to which a line is attached

Crosstrees:
horizontal pieces of wood that cross the mast up high, acting as spreaders for the shrouds.

Davit:
small cranes, usually located aster, that are used to raise and lower smaller boats from the deck to the water.

Deadeye:
loop at corner of sail to which a line is attached

Ditty bag:
rounded wooden block with hole used to set up ship's stays

Dead-eyes:
blocks in the shroud rigging to adjust tension

Dogwatch:
a short, evening period of watch duty on a ship

Downhaul:
rope for holding down or hauling down a sail or spar

Ensign:
Large navel flag

Escutcheon:
part of ship's stern where name is displayed

Fairlead:
ring through which rope is led to change its direction without friction

Fardage:
wood placed in bottom of ship to keep cargo dry

Figurehead:
ornament or (usually female) bust attached to the bow of a ship

Fo’c’sle:
contraction of “fore castle” (fore= foreword); the living quarters inside the hull of a ship.

Forecabin:
cabin in fore part of ship

Forecastle:
short raised deck at fore end of ship; fore of ship under main deck

Foremast:
the mast in the forepart of a vessel, nearest the bow.

Forepeak:
the crew’s quarters, located in the bow.

Foresail:
the lowest square sail on the foremast.

Forestay:
stay leading from the foremast to the bow of a ship

Frames:
the wooden ribs that form the shape of the hull.

Freeboard:
distance between waterline and main deck of a ship

Futtock:
rib of a ship

Gaff:
a free-swinging spar attached to the top of the sail.

Gaff-topsail:
triangular topsail with its foot extended upon the gaff

Galley:
the kitchen of a ship.

Gangway:
either of the sides of the upper deck of a ship

Garboard:
plank on a ship’s bottom next to the keel

Grapnel:
small anchor used for dragging or grappling

Groundage:
a charge on a ship in port

Gudgeon:
metal socket into which the pintle of a boat's rudder fits

Gunnage:
number of guns carried on a warship

Guwale:
upper edge of the side of a ship

Gybe:
To past the stern of the boat through the wind, opposite of tack

Halyards:
lines used to haul up the sail and the wooden poles (boom and gaff) that hold the sails in place.

Hank:
A series of rings or clips for attaching a jib or staysail to a stay

Hawse:
distance between ship's bow and its anchor

Hawsehole:
hole for ship's cable

Hawsepipe:
hole for ship's cable

Hawser:
large rope for mooring or towing a ship

Hatch:
an opening in the deck for entering below.

Headsail:
sail set forward of the foremast of a ship

Helm:
Ship's steering wheel

Highliner:
the best of its type of fishing boat. Word originates from a time when the crew used to fish from the deck of a vessel. The best fisherman got the highest place on deck, up in the bow, so his line was the highest above the sea.

Hold:
the space for cargo below the deck of the ship ( as in “fish hold”).

Holystone:
sandstone material used to scrape ships' decks

Inboard:
inside the line of a ship's bulwarks or hull

Jack:
ship's flag flown from jack-staff at bow of vessel

Jack-block:
pulley system for raising topgallant masts

Jettison:
to throw overboard.

Jib:
a triangular foresail in front of the foremast.

Jumbo:
the larger of the headsails.

Keel:
the timber at the very bottom of the hull to which frames are attached.

Knockabout:
a type of schooner without a bowsprit.

Lazyjacks:
lines from topping lifts to under boom which act as a net to catch the sails when lowered.

Lines:
ropes used for various purposes aboard a boat.

Mainmast:
the tallest mast of the ship; on a schooner, the mast furthest aft.

Mainsail:
the lowest square sail on the mainmast.

Mast:
a large wooden pole used to hold up the sails.

Pay out:
to feed line over the side of the boat, hand over hand.

Pilothouse:
a small cabin on the deck of the ship that protects the steering wheel and the crewman steering.

Planking:
wood boards that cover the frames outside the hull.

Queen topsail:
small stay sail located between the foremast and mainmast.

Rigging:
the lines that hold up the masts and move the sails (standing and running rigging).

Rudder:
a fin or blade attached under the hull’s stern used for steering

Scuppers:
holes through the ship sides which drain water at deck level over the side.

Sail:
a piece of cloth that catches the wind and so powers a vessel.

Sailing rig:
the equipment used to sail a boat, including sails, booms and gaffs, lines and blocks.

Schooner:
sailing ships with at least 2 masts (foremast and mainmast) with the mainmast being the taller. Word derives from the term "schoon/scoon" meaning to move smoothly and quickly. ( a 3-masted vessel is called a "tern").

Sheet:
piece of line fastened to the sail and used to position relative to the wind.

Shroud:
a line or wire running from the top of the mast to the spreaders, then attaching to the side of the vessel.

Sole:
the inside deck of the ship.

Spar:
a pole or a beam.

Stay:
a line or wire from the mast to the bow or stern of a ship, for support of the mast (fore, back, running, and triadic stays).

Stay sail:
any sail attached to a stay.

Stem:
the timber at the very front of the bow.

Topmast:
a second spar carried at the top of the fore or main mast, used to fly more sail.

Transom:
the planking that forms the stern and closes off the sides.

Wheel:
device used for steering a boat.

Widow-maker:
a term for the bowsprit (many sailors lost their lives falling off the bowsprit while tending sails).

Yankee:
a fore-sail flying above and forward of the jib, usually seen on bowsprit vessels.

Yawl boat:
smaller powered boat used to provide steerage-way when not under sail.