Here are some terms used in sailing with explanations as to what they mean. If you are new to sailing dont stress,you will pick them up as you go along
A
ABACK The sail pressed backwards by the wind
ABOUT To go about, to tack
AFT Towards the back of the boat
AMIDSHIPS In the middle of the boat
ASTERN Behind the boat
B
BACKING The wind changing direction in an anti clockwise direction
BAIL To remove water from the boat by hand
BEAUFORT SCALE Scale of wind strength used internationally
BEAM Breadth of boat at widest point
BEAT To sail to windward close hauled
BEFORE THE WIND Running with the wind astern
BEAR AWAY Change direction away from the wind
BERMUDA RIG Triangular fore and aft sail set on a tall mast
BOOM A spar which is used to extend the foot of the sail
BROACH To come around broadside onto the wind and at the same time heeling over at an extreme angle
C
CAPSIZE To turn a boat over so that she will not right by herself
CAST OFF To let go any lines tying the boat to another object
CATSPAW A very light puff of wind that just disturbs the surface of the water
CAMCLEAT A fitting comprised of two sprung cams through which ropes can run in one direction.
CLEW The lower aft corner of a fore and aft sail
CLEW OUTHAUL Line or tackle for tensioning the foot of a sail
CLOSE HAULED Sailing as close as possible to the wind
CLOSE REACH Slightly freer than close hauled
D
DINGHY Small open boat for either sailing or rowing
DIRTY WIND Turbulent wind left by a sailboat
DOWNWIND To leeward; running before the wind
DRAFT Depth of boat from bottom of keel to the waterline
F
FAIRLEAD Any boat fitting which guides a rope in the direction required
FALL OFF When the head or bow of a boat moves away from the wind
FEND OFF To push another boat away or hold boat off the dock
FOOT The bottom edge of a sail from tack to clew
FORWARD Near or towards the bow
FORESTAY A stay leading from the masthead to the bow to stop the mast falling backwards
FREEBOARD The distance between the waterline and the deck
FULL Said of a sail with plenty of draft (fullness)
FURL To roll up
G
GENOA A very large jib that considerably overlaps the mainsail
GHOSTING To move when there is no recognisable wind
GO ABOUT To change from one tack to another
GOOSENECK A universal joint fitting on the mast to which the boom is attached
GUDGEON A fitting into which the pin of a pintle is inserted. It enables the rudder to pivot
GYBE To change from one tack to the other with the wind from aft
Aquarius Sailing Club Basic Dinghy Sailing
35
H
HALYARDS Lines used for hoisting sails
HEADING Direction in which the boat is pointing
HEAVE TO To stop the boat with the jib backed and the tiller held to leeward
HEEL Very bottom of the mast; also said of a boat inclined to either port or starboard by the action of
the wind
HELM General description of the means of steering
HIKE OUT To sit on the side deck and lean outboard to add stability to the boat
HEAD UP Turn towards the wind
HULL SPEED The maximum speed a hull, not capable of planing, can achieve
I
INBOARD In the boat, also nearer the middle of the vessel
IN IRONS The boat lays head to wind with the sails flapping
J
JIB Sail set forward of the mast
JIB SHEET Line that controls the set of the headsail/jib
K
KICKING STRAP Pulley system between boom and foot of mast designed to tension the leech of the sail
L
LEACH After edge of a fore and aft sail
LEE HELM When the natural tendency of a boat is to turn away from the wind unless rudder correction is
applied
LEEWARD Direction away from the wind; downwind
LIFT A sail lifts when the wind strikes the leeward side so that it is no longer full
LOA Length overall, the extreme measurement of a boat including all extensions
LUFF To change the boats direction towards the wind
M
MAINSAIL Sail set on the mast
MAINSHEET Sheet used to control the mainsail
MAST A spar, placed vertically on a vessel for spreading sails
MONOHULL Vessel with one hull
P
PAINTER A rope attached to the bow of a small boat by which it may be made fast
PAY OFF When the boat’s head turns away from the wind
PINCH To sail too close to the wind
PINTLE Metal pin on a boat’s sternpost or rudder stock on which the rudder hangs by its gudgeons
PLANE When a sailboat rises up on its own bow wave and reaches speeds far in excess of those normally
associated with its waterline length.
POINT The ability of a sailboat to sail close to the wind well or badly
PORT Left hand side of the boat facing forward
PORT TACK When the wind comes from the port side and the boom is on the starboard side.
R
REACH Any point of sailing between close-hauled and running
REEF To reduce the working area of a sail
RIG General term for spars, sails and rigging
ROUND UP Come head to wind
RUDDER Moveable underwater part of a boat used for steering
RUNNING RIGGING The generic term for sheets and halyards. The ropes which hoist and sheet sails
Aquarius Sailing Club Basic Dinghy Sailing
36
S
SELF BAILERS Devices in the bottom of a dinghy’s hull or in the transom; if they are opened, when the dinghy is
sailing fast, any water in the bottom of the boat will be sucked out.
SET To hoist and trim sails
SHACKLE U-shaped link with a retained pin used for connecting links and eyes
SPILL THE WIND Let the sails out so as to decrease the pressure on the sails
STANDING RIGGING Permanent wire supports for the mast
STARBOARD The right hand side of the boat looking forward
STARBOARD TACK When the wind comes from the starboard side and the boom is to port
STAYS Rigging that supports the mast fore and aft
SPINNAKER A lightweight three-cornered sail set from a spinnaker pole and the head of the mast controlled
by a sheet and a guy.
T
TILLER/TILLER EXTENSION An attachment to the rudder via the rudder stock by which the rudder is controlled
THWART A seat running across a dinghy
TRAVELLER Device for altering the position of the mainsheet lead to suit varying weather conditions
TRIM Fore and aft adjustment of weigh in the boat
U
UPWIND In the direction of the wind; to windward
V
VANG (SEE KICKING STRAP) Tackle to prevent boom rising; kicking strap
W
WAY Movement of a boat through the water
WEATHER HELM When a sailboat has a natural tendency to come up into wind unless rudder correction is applied
(opposite to lee helm)
WINDWARD Towards the wind
WIND SHADOW The area affected by the turbulent air from a sailboat’s sails