Before you go on your first sailing trip, it’s important to know some essential nautical terms. Without knowing these common terms, you might find yourself feeling lost when the captain starts throwing around orders. To make life easier for you before renting your sailboat, learn these nautical terms and be the best co-captain you can be.
Here are 20 nautical terms you must know.
- Aboveboard
In plain view above or on the deck, and not hiding anything.
- Abandon ship
This is used to signal people on board to immediately leave the vessel, mostly when there’s danger looming.
- Ahoy
This is a cry for drawing attention and for hailing a ship or boat.
- All hands
This refers to the entire company on the ship, including enlisted personnel and officers.
- GPS
A Global Positioning System is a satellite-based system that uses radio-navigation to provide worldwide coverage. It sends timing, position, and navigation information to land, marine, and air users.
- Beacon
This is a fixed aid to navigation that is directly attached to the surface of the earth. It can be both unlighted and lighted.
- First Mate
This is the second in command of the ship.
- Binnacle
The stand that is used for mounting the compass of the ship.
- Buoy
A floating object with a defined color and shape that is anchored at pre-determined positions. Buoys serve as navigational aids.
- Bridge
This is a structure that’s present over the weather deck. It extends the vessel’s full width and houses the command center too.
- By the board
This refers to anything gone overboard.
- Decks
These are the structures that form the horizontal surfaces of the ship. These are also a structural part of your ship.
- Capsize
This is a term used to describe when a boat lists way too far and rolls over such that it exposes the keel. On large ships, capsizing often causes the ship to sink.
- Careening
Careening is when the ship is tilted on the side to repair or clean the hull below the waterline.
- Catamaran
A catamaran is a vessel that has two hulls.
- Clean bill of health
This is a certificate that’s issued by a part that indicates the ship doesn’t carry any infectious disease.
- Compass
As you might know, this is a navigational instrument used for directions.
- Harbor
A harbor is a place where ships are docked either to protect them from the weather or just to store them. Harbors are both natural and man-made.
- Know the ropes
This is a common phrase and a sailor that knows the ropes is essentially familiar with the miles of ropes and cordage involved in navigating a ship.
- As the crow flies
This is an expression used to define a direct line in between two points. It got its name because this is the way crows travel instead of ships that have to go around the land.
Other important nautical terms
Apart from these twenty terms, there are a few more important ones. These are:
- Daybeacon
This is a fixed structure which is unlighted and has a dayboard for the identification of the time of day.
- Deckhand
This refers to the person whose job is to aid the deck supervisor in various tasks such as maintenance, anchoring, mooring, and other activities happening on deck.
- Flank
This is the maximum speed of the vessel. It is even faster than the vessel’s full speed.
- Davy Jones
This is a common idiom that refers to the sea’s bottom.
- Azimuth compass
This is an instrument used for ascertaining the sun’s position in accordance to the magnetic north.
We’re certain that with these essential nautical terms, you’ll feel more comfortable and confident hitting the waters for the first time. Memorise these terms and you’ll have nothing to worry about except taking in the magical views and the perfect breeze.
