:: NAUTICAL TERMINOLOGY ::

Nautical Terminology

Bow: The front of the ship, also called the prow.

Stern: The rear of the ship.

Starboard: Right side of the ship as you're facing the bow. This term is a corruption of the words, "steering board". The steering oar was always placed on the right side of the ship at the stern.

Larboard: Left side of the ship as you're facing the bow. To avoid damaging the steering oar, ships always come to moor with the left side against the jetty. It is also thereby, from the left side of the ship that crew and passengers board.

Forward: Toward the bow.

Aft: Toward the stern.

Fore-and-aft rig: A sail plan in which the sail is in line with the hull of the ship.

Hull: The body of the ship.

Keel:  The spine of the ship.

Steering oar: The blade used to control the ship's direction, mounted as previously discussed, on the right side of the stern.

Tiller: The handle for the steering oar.

Beam: The side of the ship. If the wind is abeam, it is coming from the side, at a right angle to the ship's keel.

Yardarm, or yard: A spar (wooden pole) that is hoisted up the mast, carrying the sail.

Masthead: The top of the mast.

Bulwark: The part of hte ship's side above the deck.

Gunwale: The upper part of the ship's rail.

Belaying pins: Wooden pins used to fasten rope.

Oarlock, or rowlock: Pegs that hold an oar in place.

Telltale: A pennant that indicates the wind's direction.

Tacking: To tack is to change direction from one side to the other, passing through the eye of the wind.
If the wind is from the north and you want to sail northeast, you would perform one tack so that you are heading NE, and you would continue to sail on that tack for as long as you need.
However, if thewind is from the N and you want to sail due north, you would have to do so in a series of short tacks, going back and forth on a zig zag course, crossing through the wind each time, slowly making ground to the north. This is a process known as "beating into the wind".

Wearing: When a ship tacks, it turns into the wind to change direction. When it wears, it turns away from the wind, traveling in a much larger arc, with the wind in the sail, driving the ship around throughout the maneuver. Wearing was a safer way than tacking.

Reach, or reaching: When the wind is from the side of the ship, the ship is sailing on a reach, or reaching.

Running: When the wind is from the stern, the ship is running.

Reef: To gather in part of the sail and bundle it against the yardarm to reduce the sail area. This is done in high winds to protect the sail and the mast.

Trim: To adjust the sail to the most efficient angle.

Halyard: A rope used to haul the yard up the mast. (Haul-yard, get it?)

Stay: A heavy rope that supports the mast. The Backstay and the forestay are heavy ropes running from the top of the mast to the stern and the bow.

Sheets and shrouds: Many people think these are sails, which is a logical assumption. But in fact, they're ropes. Shrouds are thick ropes that run from the top of the mast to the side of the ship supporting the mast. Sheets are the ropes used to control or trim the sail -to haul it in and out according to the wind strength and direction. In an emergency, the order might be given to "let fly the sheets!" The sheets would be released, letting the sail loose and bringing the ship to a halt.

Way: The motion of the ship. If a ship is under way, it is moving according to its course. If it is making leeway, the ship is moving downwind so it loses ground or goes off course.

Back water: To row a reverse stroke.


Credits go to: "Brotherband Chronicles. Book 1: The Outcast", by John Flanagan.

more nautical terminology here.