Nautical sailing terms nomenclature

Nautical & Sailing Terms & Nomenclature In Honor of Doyle and Virginia McClain of the sailing vessels Eric and Reverie Who guided their ships through the Caribbean And their son through Life One of the most exhaustive and easily understood glossaries of sailboarding (windsurfing) and sailboating terms & nomenclature anywhere on the web Italian Full Rigged tall ship Amerigo Vespucci sailing through New York Harbor showing off all its square rigged sails, staysails, and studding sails See nautical terminology below Nautical, Seafaring & Sailing & Sailboating Terms & Nomenclature Sailboard, Sailboat & Ship (Man of War) Illustrations and Diagrams Entries of General interest to SAILING are in BLACK Entries of Specific importance to SAILBOARDING are in DARK BLUE Entries of Primary Importance to SQUARE RIGGED or WOODEN SAILING SHIPS are in BROWN A beautiful, full color illustration of a sailboard (Windsurfer) and rig, showing its nomenclature and terms Sailing, sailboat nomenclature, 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phrases, sailing commands, seafaring commands A beautiful, full color illustration of a sailboat (sloop) and rigging, showing its nomenclature and terminology Sailing, sailboat nomenclature, sailboard nomenclature, sailboarding nomenclature, sailing nomenclature, windsurf nomenclature, windsurfing nomenclature, sailing terms, sailboarding terms, sailboat terms, sailboating terms, sailboard terms, sailing glossary, windsurf glossary, windsurfing terms, windsurf terms, windsurf nomenclature, board sailing nomenclature, board sailing dictionary, board sailing glossary, board sailing parts, sailboard terminology, sailing terminology, windsurfing terminology, sailing dictionary, sailboard dictionary, sailboat dictionary, sailboarding dictionary, windsurf dictionary, windsurfing dictionary, windsurfer illustration, sailboard illustration, sailboat illustration, sailing illustration, sailboarding illustration, sailboard drawing, sailboat drawing, windsurfer drawing, sailing definitions, 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words, windsurfer words, windsurfing words, sailboard words, sailing words, sailboat words, sailboating words, board sailing words, nautical words, nautical phrases, sailing phrases, sailboating phrases, sailing commands, seafaring commands Diagram of a square rigged man of war sailing ship, showing its nomenclature See sailing terms and terminology below Sailing, sailboat nomenclature, sailboard nomenclature, sailboarding nomenclature, sailing nomenclature, windsurf nomenclature, windsurfing nomenclature, sailing terms, sailboarding terms, sailboat terms, sailboating terms, sailboard terms, sailing glossary, windsurf glossary, windsurfing terms, windsurf terms, windsurf nomenclature, board sailing nomenclature, board sailing dictionary, board sailing glossary, board sailing parts, sailboard terminology, sailing terminology, windsurfing terminology, sailing dictionary, sailboard dictionary, sailboat dictionary, sailboarding dictionary, windsurf dictionary, windsurfing dictionary, 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seamen's terminology, seamen's vocabulary, maritime terms, maritime definitions, maritime terminology, maritime vocabulary, maritime glossary, maritime lexicon, maritime nomenclature, windsurf words, windsurfer words, windsurfing words, sailboard words, sailing words, sailboat words, sailboating words, board sailing words, nautical words, nautical phrases, sailing phrases, sailing commands, seafaring commands, sailboating phrases, square rigged ship, square rigger diagram, square rigged ship diagram, square rigged ship illustration, square rigger illustration, A (TOP OF PAGE) (Sailboard Diagram) (Sailboat Diagram) (Warship Diagram) Aback - the condition of a ship's sails when the wind bears against their front surfaces They are laid aback, when this is purposely effected to deaden her way by rounding in the weather-braces; and taken aback, when brought to by an unexpected change of wind, or by inattention in the helmsman. All aback forward, the notice given from the forecastle, when the head-sails are pressed aback by a sudden change in the wind Abaft - a relative position toward the stern of a vessel from another object; as, "abaft the forward hatch" Abeam - at right angles to, or beside the boat Able Bodied Seaman - a member of the deck crew who is able to perform all the duties of an experienced seamen; certified by examination; must have three years sea service Also called Able Seamen and A.B Aboard - on or in the boat About Ship! - the command given to order the crew to tack a vessel Above Board - on or above the deck, in plain view, not hiding anything Above Deck - on deck, not over it - that would be "Aloft" Above-water Hull - the part of the hull that is out of the water; between the waterline and the deck Absolute Bearing - the bearing of an object in relation to North; either True North or Magnetic North See also: Relative Bearing, Magnetic Bearing, True Bearing, and Bearing Abreast -side by side, even with, or by the side This can refer to two or more vessels or other objects Abyss - that volume of ocean that is profoundly deep or lying below about 300 fathoms from surface Acockbill or A-Cock-Bill Hanging at the cathead, ready to let go, as an anchor Said of a square-rigger's yard; topped up; having one yardarm higher than the other Acoustic Navigation - the use of a sonic depth finder to gauge water depth and bottom features for information to determine a ship's location Admeasure - a formal measurement of a vessel for the purpose of documentation Admiral - an officer of the highest rank and command in the fleet, and who is distinguished by a flag displayed at his main-top-mast-head Admiral of the Fleet - the officer who superintends the naval forces of a nation, and who is authorized to determine in all maritime decisions Admiralty Law - the law of the seas, a term for maritime law derived from the British Admiralty department that governs naval affairs Admiralty Pattern Anchor or Admiralty Anchor - an older (1840's), but very good anchor design that features long arms with a long iron stock set perpendicular to the arms and at the top end of the shank No longer used for large ships but continues in use for small boats and for moorings Although it has great holding power in a penetrable bottom it is extremely awkward and the long stock is vulnerable to mechanical damage When in position the upstanding arm may foul a chain or pierce the hull of a vessel Also called Fisherman's Anchor See the illustration at Anchor Adrift - not moored or anchored, driven without control by the wind, currents, and seas Afloat - floating on the surface of the water; not aground Afore - Near the bow further forward Opposite of abaft An illustration showing the general directions onboard a ship Click On Image To Enlarge in New Window Aft or After - toward the stern or behind it See illustration at right After Bow Spring Line - a mooring line fixed to the bow of the boat and leading aft where it is attached to the dock This prevents the boat from moving forward in its berth Its opposite, the forward quarter spring line, is used to keep the boat from moving aft in its berth Afterdeck - all parts of the upper deck of a ship that lies abaft amidships After Leading - a line that goes from its point of attachment toward the stern After-Sails - all sail which are extended on the mizen-mast, and on the stays between the mizen and main-mast They are opposed to the head-sails, which include all spread on the fore-mast and bowsprit Against the Sun - Anti-clockwise circular motion Left-hand lay ropes are coiled against the sun Agonic Line - an imaginary line on the earth's surface where there is no magnetic declination in relation to True North and South The agonic line is a line of longitude on which a compass will show true north, since where magnetic declination is zero, magnetic north coincides with geographic north Age of Sail - the period in which international trade and naval warfare were dominated by sailing ships Agger - two consecutive high and low tides that show little range Aground - when the hull or keel is touching, resting or lodged on the bottom of the body of water you have been sailing on Ahead - forward, in front of the vessel Ahead Reach - the distance traveled by a ship underway at full speed with engines reversed until she comes to a full stop Ahoy - a seaman's call to attract attention; like "Hello" Aid to Navigation - a marker or device external to your craft, designed to assist in determination of position of the craft, or of a safe course, or to warn of dangers View a downloadable and printable US Coast Guard brochure about aids to navigation Airs - a measurement of wind speed Here is a table showing Airs and their relation to jib usage on a knockabout or sloop STANDARD JIB SELECTION FOR VARIOUS WIND CONDITIONS ON A KNOCKABOUT OR SLOOP Light Airs -10 Knots 110% - 150% Genoa (Optional) Moderate Airs 10 - 20 Knots 90% - 110% Working Jib Heavy Airs 20 Knots or more 60%- 90% Storm Jib Upwind - Windward The area and sailing courses that are toward the source of the wind V (TOP OF PAGE) (Sailboard Diagram) (Sailboat Diagram) (Warship Diagram) Vaka - the main hull of a trimaran, Proa, or similar sailing vessels Vane - a small flag flown at each mast head to show wind direction Vang - a rope leading from gaff to either side of the deck, used to prevent the gaff from sagging Vanishing Angle - the maximum degree of heel after which a vessel becomes unable to return to an upright position Variation - an effect on compass readings caused by the fact that True North and Magnetic North are not located in the same spot on the earth's surface, causing differences in readings of True North and Magnetic North as a vessel moves about the seas The lines of force between the north and south magnetic poles not run in parallel lines, so the difference between the magnetic and true north varies all over the globe Variation is shown on good charts and since there is no way to correct the compass for variation, the course must be adjusted to take it into account You must subtract Westerly variation from the Compass Reading to find the true course and add Easterly variation Thus, if the variation at a particular place in the world is 10° West, the True course will be less than the Compass course, i.e if your Compass reads 275°, your True course is 265° If the variation were10° East, the Compass course to steer would be 270° to be on a True course of 260° Compare to Deviation V-Berth - the two forward berths, configured in a "V" pattern to fit into the bow of a small vessel V-Bottomed Hull - a displacement hull whose underwater hull has a deep "V" shape as the sides meet at the bottom V-Drive - a mechanism that allows a boats engine to be mounted 180° from normal It is a transmission mounted forward of the engine which reverses the direction of the shaft so that it can exit aft This arrangement is used in some small powerboats so that the engine may be mounted all the way aft to free up cockpit space Vector - a line drawn to represent both magnitude and direction; such as leeway a vessel makes in a given time period as a result of wind or water currents Veer - to turn a vessel away from the wind; Wear to have the wind shift in a clockwise direction Opposite of Back to slacken or pay out a line, chain or cable to lead a line around a bitt or block, thereby changing its direction for a purchase Veer and Haul - to alternately pull sideways on the bight (middle) of a line and then pull on its snubbed end so as to further tighten the line Also called Swigging or to Sweat and Tail Vent - an opening for a vessel's ventilation system Ventilator or Vent - an opening, fitted with cowls (scoops) to direct the flow of fresh air and vapors in or out of ducts Very Light - a flare or fireball shot into the air as a warning or signal of distress Very Pistol - handgun used to launch flares into the sky as a warning or signal of distress, named for Edward Very (1847-1910) an American Naval officer who designed a breech loading, short barrel pistol to launch marine flares A flare gun Vessel - a craft for traveling on, through, or under the water Ships, powerboats, sailboats, rowboats, barges, submarines, houseboats, sailboats, and canoes are vessels; docks and buoys are not Vessel Documentation - a national form of registration It is one of the oldest functions of Government, dating back to the 11th Act of the First Congress Documentation provides conclusive evidence of nationality for international purposes, provides for unhindered commerce between the states, and admits vessels to certain restricted trades, such as coastwise trade and the fisheries Since 1920, vessel financing has been enhanced through the availability of preferred mortgages on documented vessels A vessel must measure at least five net tons and, with the exception of certain oil spill response vessels, must be wholly owned by a citizen of the U.S Vessels of five net tons or more used in fishing activities on navigable waters of the U.S or in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), or used in coastwise trade must be documented unless the vessel is exempt from documentation Coastwise trade is generally defined as the transportation of merchandise or passengers between points in the U.S or the EEZ In addition, towboats operating between points in the U.S or the EEZ or between the EEZ and points in the U.S and dredges operating in the U.S or the EEZ must be documented Net tonnage is a measure of a vessel's volume It should not be confused with the vessel's weight, which may also be expressed in tons Most vessels more than 25 feet in length will measure five net tons or more For information about how tonnage is determined, including a web-based interactive form that calculates tonnages, visit the U.S Coast Guard Marine Safety Center's web site at the Marine Safety Center's Tonnage Page Vessels that not operate on the navigable waters of the U.S or in the fisheries in the EEZ, are exempt from the requirement to be documented Also exempt are coastwise qualified, non-self-propelled vessels used in coastwise trade within a harbor, on the rivers or lakes (except the Great Lakes) of the U.S or the internal waters or canal of any state There are different types of documentation A Certificate of Documentation may be endorsed for fishery, coastwise, registry, or recreation Any documented vessel may be used for recreational purposes, regardless of its endorsement, but a vessel documented with a recreational endorsement only may not be used for any other purpose Registry endorsements are generally used for foreign trade The basic requirements for documentation are to demonstrate ownership of the vessel, U.S citizenship, and eligibility for the endorsement sought VHF - Very High Frequency Radio frequencies between 30 and 300 megahertz, used for marine radio transmission and reception Marine VHF radio is installed on all large ships and most seagoing small craft It is used for a wide variety of purposes, including summoning rescue services and communicating with harbors, locks, bridges and marinas VMG or Velocity Made Good - the calculation of the speed on the ideal route towards the goal For instance, if you have to sail a heading that is 45° to starboard or port of your goal, and sail at 10 knots on that heading, you will have only knots Velocity Made Good Volume (of a sailboard) - the amount of water displaced, usually given in liters, by a sailboard that is submerged The higher the volume, the heavier the sailor and larger the sail, the board will support Voyage - a round trip involving an outward passage and homeward passage to Passage Compare W (TOP OF PAGE) (Sailboard Diagram) (Sailboat Diagram) (Warship Diagram) Waist - the central part of a vessel's deck between the forecastle and the quarterdeck Wake - the swell or waves caused by a boat passing through water Wakeless Speed - the low speed at which a vessel is propelled through water without creating waves that might cause nuisance, disruption, or damage to others Compare to Dead Slow and Bare Steerage Speed Wales - a number of strong and thick planks running length-wise along the ship, covering the lower part of the ship's side Wardroom - originally known as the Wardrobe Room, a place where officers kept their spare wearing apparel It was also the space where any loot, secured from enemy ships, was stored In an effort to have some privacy on a crowded ship, officers would sometimes take their meals in the Wardrobe Room Today, the Wardroom aboard ship is where officers take their meals, relax and socialize Warp - to pull the stern of a vessel to one side using a small anchor (a kedge) in order to change the ship's heading, as when having to turn in a small radius while at anchor to turn a docked vessel by applying force to the lines tied to the dock Compare to Kedge Wash - the turbulence behind a vessel or from its propeller Watch - a period of time during which a part of the crew is on duty; usually for four hours at a time, except near dinner time, when watches are usually two hours long (Dog Watches) Most of the crew of a ship are divided up into between two and four duty groups called watches, depending on the size of the crew Each watch takes its turn with the essential activities of manning the helm, navigating, trimming sails, and keeping a lookout Changes of watch are marked by strokes on the ship's bell; usually starting at eight bells - Midnight (2400 hours), 4:00 A.M (0400 hours), 8:00 A.M (0800 hours), Noon (1200 hours), 4:00 P.M (1600 hours)(First Dog Watch), 6:00 P.M (1800 hours) (Last Dog Watch), , and 8:00 P.M (2000 hours) The purpose of the Dog Watch is to shift the watches each night, so that the same watch shall not be on deck at the same hours throughout a voyage In order to affect this, the watch from four to eight P.M (the Dog Watch) is divided into two half-watches, one from four to six p.m., and the other from six to eight p.m By this means they divide the twenty-four hours into seven watches instead of six, and thus shift the hours every night The choice of time also allows both watches, if there are only two, to eat an evening meal at about the traditional time, usually at two bells (5:00 P.M.) (1700 hours) during the First Dog Watch, and at the change of the watch at four bells (6:00 P.M.) (1800 hours) (beginning of Last Dog Watch) Ship's Watches Watch Name Bells Rung 12 Hour Clock Bells Midnight Middle Watch thru thru Bells 4:00 AM Bells 4:00 AM Morning Watch thru thru Bells 8:00 AM Bells 8:00 AM Forenoon Watch thru thru Bells Noon Bells Noon Afternoon Watch thru thru Bells 4:00 PM Bells 4:00 PM First Dog Watch thru thru Bells 6:00 PM Bells 6:00 PM Last Dog Watch thru thru Bells 8:00 PM Bells 8:00 PM First Watch thru thru Bells Midnight 24 Hour Clock 2400 Hours thru 0400 Hours 0400 Hours thru 0800 Hours 0800 Hours thru 1200 Hours 1200 Hours thru 1600 Hours 1600 Hours thru 1800 Hours 1800 Hours thru 2000 Hours 2000 Hours thru 2400 Hours Watch and Watch - the regular alternation in being on watch and off watch of the two watches into which a ship's crew is commonly divided If a ship has enough crew to divide them into three or more duty groups or watches, then they are not "Watch and Watch" Water Ballast Tank - water held in tanks onboard a vessel as ballast This makes taking on or getting rid of ballast quick and easy Some high tech vessels can move significant amounts of water into the windward tank or tanks quickly in order to keep the vessel on an even keel Waterline - an imaginary and moving (But sometimes painted on (Actually, the painted stripe is the "Boot Top" or "Boot Stripe")) line circumscribing the hull that matches the surface of the water As the vessel heels, pitches, rolls, lists, or takes on cargo, the waterline changes in a lines plan the contour lines that represent horizontal, lengthwise slices of the hull's surface, parallel with its load waterline The portion of the hull above the waterline of a well trimmed boat sitting at rest in calm water is the "topsides" and the portion below is the "bottom." Waterspout - a small-diameter column of rapidly swirling and upward-moving air in contact with a water surface that sucks water into the air Waterspouts are almost always produced by a swiftly growing cumulus cloud They may assume many shapes and often occur in a series, called a waterspout family, produced by the same upward-moving air current Waterspouts are closely related to other atmospheric phenomena such as tornadoes, whirlwinds, and fire storms Waterway - a heavy plank or timber, about twice the thickness of the deck planking, extending fore-and-aft the whole length of a vessel's deck, laid against the frames or bulwark stanchions, forming a channel to the scuppers, which are cut through it for the purpose of draining water off the deck Water Start - In sailboarding, a technique for getting underway while the sailor is down in the water and by filling the sail with wind overhead, the sail lifts the sailor onto the board and into a sailing posture Learning this technique totally changes your enjoyment of the sport for the better Wave - undulations of the sea The height of a wave is measured vertically from trough to crest; the length is the distance between crests; the period is the time between two successive crests There are numerous conditions that cause waves; wind, underwater disturbances of the bottom, earthquakes on land, land or ice falling into the water, etc There are three basic types of wave: Non-breaking Spilling Breakers, whose crest topples gently over and pours down the face of the wave without breaking free of the wave's surface Plunging Breakers, whose crest arcs and falls free, forward, onto the wave Non-breaking waves may become spilling or plunging breakers as they approach shallower water; an opposing current (tidal, river, etc.) flows against the wind; or if the wind pumps more energy into the wave system in a short time Wave Board - Small, light, more maneuverable sailboards for use in breaking waves and surf Characteristically, sailors on wave boards perform high jumps while sailing against waves, and they ride the face of a wave performing narrow linked turns (bottom turns, cutbacks, and top-turns) in a similar way to surfing Wave boards usually have a volume between 65 and 90 liters, with a length between 230 and 260 centimeters, and 50 to 60 centimeters in width A general rule is for a sailor to use a wave board whose volume in liters is about the same as the sailor's weight in kilograms - more volume providing additional flotation for sailing in light winds, and less for high winds, where less volume is needed to achieve planing In recent years, the average width of wave boards has increased slightly, as the length has shrunk, while the range of volume has been maintained the same more or less - according to board designers this makes wave boards easier to use under a wider range of conditions by sailors of different abilities The most common sizes of sails used with wave boards are in the range of 4.0 to 6.0 square meters, depending on the wind speed and the weight of the sailor Wave Fin - a sailboard skeg that angles toward the stern and is shaped like an inverted dorsal fin of a dolphin Wave Sail - an RAF sailboard sail that is designed with a high foot so that the foot won't get caught on waves while sailing in the surf Way - movement of a vessel through the water such as headway, sternway or leeway Wearing or Wearing About or Wearing Ship - a jibe (gybe) through more than 180 degrees, performed by square-rigged vessels in order to avoid the dangers that squarerigged vessels face when tacking Opposite of a "Chicken Jibe" See "Jibe" Weather - to pass to windward of another vessel or object out a squall or storm to successfully ride Weather Deck - the deck that is exposed to the weather; usually either the main deck or, in larger vessels, the upper deck Weather Gage - favorable position over another sailing vessel with respect to the wind Weather Helm - a tendency of a vessel with poorly trimmed sails to continually try to turn upwind On a sailboard, this can be corrected by moving the mast base sternward in the mast track Weather helm indicates that the forces acting on the sail are out of balance with the center of lateral resistance Most of the time, weather helm is considered a problem and the aim is to reduce the amount of effort required to steer the vessel A little weather helm is good in limited amounts since it gives the helm a positive feel when steering and allows the helmsman to monitor how the boat reacts to changing wind conditions However, any time you're struggling to fight the helm and the rudder is cranked over to one side just to keep the boat going straight, not only are you tiring yourself out unnecessarily, but you are also slowing the vessel down Some helmsmen like the feel of a little weather helm because it can also indicate when to follow advantageous wind shifts, called lifts, when heading upwind To control excessive weather helm, first make sure that your sails are trimmed well inboard Then start easing the mainsail's traveler to leeward (if you have an adjustable traveler), or tighten the vang and ease the mainsheet Opposite of Lee Helm Also see Balanced Helm Weather Shore - the coast lying in the direction from which the wind is blowing; as opposed to the Lee Shore Weather Side - the side exposed to the wind Windward side Weatherly - a ship that is easily sailed and maneuvered; makes little leeway when sailing to windward Weed Fin - a skeg for a sailboard that is angled sharply toward the stern and has a straight leading edge in order to avoid snagging seaweed Weigh Anchor - to heave up (raise) (an anchor) preparatory to sailing Well - a place in the ship's hold for the bilge pump Westerlies - The Westerlies, anti-trades, or Prevailing Westerlies, are the prevailing winds in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees latitude, blowing from the high pressure area in the horse latitudes towards the poles These prevailing winds blow from the west to the east The winds are predominantly from the southwest in the Northern Hemisphere and from the northwest in the Southern Hemisphere The Westerlies are strongest in the winter and times when the pressure is lower over the poles, while they are weakest in the summer and when pressures are higher over the poles The Westerlies are particularly strong, especially in the southern hemisphere, where there is less land in the middle latitudes to cause the flow pattern to amplify, or become more north-south oriented, which slows the Westerlies down The strongest westerly winds in the middle latitudes can come in the Roaring Forties, between 40 and 50 degrees south latitude The Westerlies play an important role in carrying the warm, equatorial waters and winds to the western coasts of continents, especially in the southern hemisphere because of its vast oceanic expanse The full wind circulation includes both the Westerlies and the Tradewinds See illustration at Prevailing Winds of the World Wetsuit - a snugly fitting permeable neoprene body suit that retains the warmth of the wearer Wetted Surface - the total area of the wet portion of a vessel; hull and rudder Wharf - a construction of wood, steel, or other non-solid mass, formed or running parallel to shore on a river, sea, or other navigable water for tying up to and loading and unloading vessels or berthing Compare to a Quay, Jetty, and Pier Used loosely, a dock Wheel - a circular, usually spoked, hand wheel for controlling the tiller and rudder on a vessel Many small vessels have no wheel, only a tiller Whip - binding the strands at the end of a line or on an eye splice with small marline or cord to add strength and keep it from fraying See Knot on this page Whipping - a binding knot tied with small line on the end of a larger line, used to prevent the end of the larger line from fraying Serving See at Knot on this page Whisker Pole - a light spar which holds the jib out away from the mast when sailing downwind Similar, but lighter in weight and strength than a spinnaker pole Whistle Signal - a standard communication signal between vessels by means of horn, whistle or similar devise, to indicate change in course, danger, or other right of way situations The whistle signals required by Rules of the Road are described in blasts; a short blast is a blast of about second in duration, a prolonged blast, to seconds, and a long blast should be to 10 seconds Whitecap - a small, wind-generated, breaking wave with white froth at the breaking point of the wave White Horses - waves in wind strong enough to produce foam or spray off the wave tops Widow Maker - a term for the bowsprit (many sailors lost their lives falling off the bowsprit while tending sails) Wig Wag - an obsolete, but simple, method of transmitting Morse code using one flag attached to a staff The flag is held vertically and waved to the right to signal a dot and to the left to signal a dash The space between words is indicated by lowering the flag in front of the signalman Compare to Semaphore Flags Wildcat - a sprocketed wheel in a modern windlass with indentations for the links of the anchor chain The wildcat, when engaged, either hauls in or pays out the anchor chain When disengaged, the wildcat turns freely and the only control of the anchor chain is the friction brake Winch - a metal drum shaped device used to assist in trimming sails and other situations where an increase in mechanical advantage is needed in hoisting or hauling A line is wrapped around the drum once or more, depending on how much friction is required, and a crank is used to turn it, or it may be run by electrical power Drum Winch - a winch on which a line is wrapped two or three times and the free end (tail) is usually dropped onto the deck or into the cockpit Self-Tailing Winch - winches that have a "stripper" or cleat to maintain tension Snubbing Winch - This is a vertical spool with a ratchet mechanism similar to a conventional winch, but with no crank handle or other form of drive The line is wrapped around the spool and can be tightened and reeled in by pulling the tail line, the winch takes the load once the pull is stopped with little operator tension needed to hold it They also allow controlled release of the tension by the operator using the friction of the line around the ratcheted spool They are used on small sailing boats and dinghies to control sheets and other lines Reel Winch - a winch that stores the line by winding it up in layers; like in on a fishing reel Usually used for steel halyards, etc See Sailboat Winches at Mauri Pro Sailing for more information Windage - wind resistance of the boat Windbound - a condition wherein the ship is detained in one particular station by contrary winds Wind Chill Factor - the dangerous cooling effect of wind due to evaporation and removal of heat from an object that can cause hypothermia even in moderate temperatures Windfall - a rush of wind from the high land a stroke of good luck Windlass - a winch mechanism, usually with a horizontal axis Used where mechanical advantage greater than that obtainable by block and tackle was needed (such as raising the anchor on ships) In the "Age of Ships" the windlass set below the Capstan, which drove the windlass, on another deck Now, most windlasses are powered by electricity, hydraulically, pneumatically or via an internal combustion engine For more information see Anchor Windlass" at Wikipedia Windline - a line on the surface of the water caused by wind of a higher velocity (gusts) hitting the water's surface, causing larger ripples to form, and marked by a darker surface appearance Watch for these wind lines upwind of your position They indicate the nearly precise position of stronger wind that will affect you momentarily Windmill - in rowing, to raise the oars too high out of the water and then bury them too deep on the power stroke Wind of Motion - the wind created by the movement of a vessel through the air Wind-Over-Tide - sea conditions with a tidal current and a wind in opposing directions, leading to short, heavy seas Wind Scoop - a funnel used to force wind into a hatch and ventilate the area below decks Wind Shadow - turbulence to leeward of a sail, point of land, or other structure Wind's Eye - the direction from which the true wind comes Wind Ship Pronounced with a long "I" as in "Find" - to turn a vessel end for end; at a dock, for instance Windsurfer - the trademarked name of the sailboard patented by Hoyle Schweitzer and Jim Drake in 1968 and manufactured by Windsurfing International in Torrence, California They defended their patent rather unsuccessfully and the patent expired in 1987 Wind Shift - a change in direction of the true wind Wind Snob - someone who refuses to sail unless the wind is sufficiently high for his or her, obviously superior, skills Windvane - a non-electrical, relatively inexpensive, reliable, mechanical self-steering device for a boat, usable in virtually all conditions except "no wind" In a mechanical windvane self-steering gear the sensor is not a compass but a wind sensitive vane This vane sensor or air vane is set for a desired point of sail The sensor is connected to a steering device of some kind When the angle of the wind relative to the course of the boat (the apparent wind) changes, this change is registered by the air vane, which activates the steering device to return the boat to the selected point of sail Windvane self-steering does not steer a constant compass course but a constant point of sail When using the vane gear in practical life you first sail the boat on the desired compass heading Then you trim and balance the boat for this course After the boat is balanced the vane sensor is set and the vane gear is engaged to steer the boat at the point of sail which corresponds to your desired compass course If the wind changes direction, the vane gear, steering at a preset angle to the wind, will cause the yacht to change course away from the desired compass heading This property seems to create a feeling that vane gears cannot be "trusted" like autopilots That, however, is a faulty assumption On a sailboat it is actually preferable to use a selfsteering device that steers by the apparent wind, keeping the boat from gybing or backing its sails, which an autopilot could in a wind change If it is extremely important to steer a straight compass course while sailing, both an autopilot and a vane gear have to be supervised A change in wind direction will require retrimming in both cases to stay on the desired heading Out at sea the wind does not change often or drastically in direction Moderate deviations can be tolerated The vane gear will steer more efficiently as it steers by the wind, keeping the boat at optimum trim when you go upwind and minimizing the chance of an accidental gybe when you go downwind Compare to Auto Pilot Windward - upwind Windward Helm - Same as Weather Helm - the tendency of a sailboat to turn upwind when the helm is released On a sailboard, this can be corrected by moving the mast base sternward in the mast track Wing and Wing - positioning of the mainsail and jib on opposite sides of the centerline as when running Wishbone Boom - an elliptical boom that splits at the mast and goes around each side of the sail, reconnecting at its tail at the clew of the sail; as on a sailboard Workboat - a vessel used for chores like ferrying stores, or putting down or moving moorings Working Sails - the everyday set of sails used under normal sailing conditions; as opposed to "Racing or Light Wind Sails" or "Storm Sails" See Sail on this page or Sail Plan at Wikipedia.org Worms - See Teredo Worm Worm, Serve, and Parcel - to protect a section of rope from chafing by: laying yarns (worming) to fill in the cuntlines, wrapping marline, small chord or other small line around it (serving, also called whipping), and stitching a covering of canvas (parceling) over all Y (TOP OF PAGE) (Sailboard Diagram) (Sailboat Diagram) (Warship Diagram) Yacht - a recreational boat It designates two rather different classes of watercraft, sailing and power yachts Yachts are differentiated from working ships mainly by their leisure purpose, and are basically fancy houseboats However, since the level of luxury on larger yachts has seen an increasing trend, the use of the word yacht to mean any sailing vessel has been diminishing and is more and more limited to racing yachts or cruising yachts Yacht lengths generally start at 32-35 feet (10-11 m) and go up to hundreds of feet A mega yacht generally refers to any yacht (sail or power) above 100 ft (34 m) and a super yacht generally refers to any yacht over 200 ft (70 m) This size is small in relation to typical cruise liners and oil tankers Yankee - a fore-sail flying above and forward of the jib, usually seen on bowsprit vessels Yar or Yare (pronounced "yahr" - (Said of a ship) quick to the helm; easily handled or maneuvered Yard - the horizontal spar from which a square sail is suspended Not to be mistaken for yardarm the spar from which a quadrilateral fore-and-aft sail like a spanker or lugsail is suspended an area where boats are built, stored or repaired Compare to Gaff and Sprit Yardarm - the very end of a yard Often mistaken for a "yard", which refers to the entire spar; as in to hang "from the yardarm" Yare or Yar (pronounced "yahr" - (Said of a ship) quick to the helm; easily handled or maneuvered Yaw - A vessel's motion rotating about the vertical axis, so the bow rotates from side to side This is caused by over-steering or by heavy seas Compare to Pitch, Roll, Headway, Sternway, Leeway, Drift, Surge, and Heave Yawl - a dual masted, fore-and-aft rigged vessel whose aftermost mast is much shorter and is abaft the cockpit Compare to other sailboat types Yoke - the crosspiece fitted on the rudder head of a small boat and used for steering where a tiller would be impractical A pair of lines leading from the ends of the yoke control the rudder Z (TOP OF PAGE) (Sailboard Diagram) (Sailboat Diagram) (Warship Diagram) Zephyr - a gentle breeze The west wind Z-Twist - twisted rope with a right-hand or counter clockwise lay, the most common twist in twisted rope; opposite of S-twist Zodiak - a brand of very popular inflatable and rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) used by SCUBA divers because of their stability and ease of boarding from the water and as tenders by much of the boating community Zulu Time - the difference between local time and Greenwich Meridian Time or Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Zulu time is sometimes denoted by the letter "Z", a reference to the equivalent nautical time zone (GMT), which has been denoted by a Z since about 1950 Since the NATO phonetic alphabet and amateur radio word for Z is "Zulu", UTC is sometimes known as Zulu time This is especially true in aviation, where Zulu is the universal standard This ensures everyone, regardless of location is using the same 24-hour clock, thus avoiding confusion when navigating between time zones See Universal Time For further information see the following: Sailboats at Wikipedia.org Types of Ships at Wikipedia.org Sail Plans for Ships at Wikipedia.org Parts of a Sail at Wikipedia.org Basic Sailboating Lessons at Spinnaker Sailing Rick McClain wishes to thank the many resources used to compile this page; especially: Wikipedia, Burr Hazen's Windsurfing Bible, Royn Bartholdi's Great Sailboarding Web Site The Bluejackets' Manual - United States Navy The Ashley Book of Knots by Clifford W Ashley Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling by Charles F Chapman American Practical Navigation by Nathaniel Bowditch For a copious explanation of mariner's terms from the 1700's, see: William Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine Published 1769 & 1780 and a Personal Thank You to: Jeff Longmore at Thin Film Technology for his contribution of knowledge on AntiFouling and Teredo Worms I certainly hope that if you detect errors, non-working links, see a need for additions, have comments or criticism about my page, or just felt like this was a worthwhile resource; you'll please contact me at the email address below ... its nomenclature and terms Sailing, sailboat nomenclature, sailboard nomenclature, sailboarding nomenclature, sailing nomenclature, windsurf nomenclature, windsurfing nomenclature, sailing terms, ... sailboarding terms, sailboat terms, sailboating terms, sailboard terms, sailing glossary, windsurf glossary, windsurfing terms, windsurf terms, windsurf nomenclature, board sailing nomenclature, board sailing. .. sailing ship nomenclature, sailing ship terms, sailing ship glossary, sailing ship parts, sailing ship terminology, sailing ship dictionary, sailing ship illustration, sailing ship drawing, sailing