Sailing / boating terms

Here are the 'real' definitions based on experience for those new to sailing. Paul ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (\_~ ~ (\_~ ~ (\_~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ EXPLANATION OF SOME COMMON SAILING TERMS * Amidships - condition of being surrounded by boats. * Anchor - a device designed to bring up mud samples from the bottom at inopportune or unexpected times. * Anchor Light - a small light used to discharge the battery before daylight. * Back Stay - Spending time at home. When your partner goes sailing in October. * Bare Boat - Clothing Optional. * Beam Sea - A situation in which waves strike a boat from the side, causing it to roll unpleasantly. This is one of the four directions from which wave action tends to produce extreme physical discomfort. The other three are `bow sea' (waves striking from the front), `following sea' (waves striking from the rear), and `quarter sea' (waves striking from any other direction). * Berth - a little addition to the crew. * Bilge - cheap beer (see freeboard) * Boat ownership - Standing fully -clothed under a cold shower, tearing up 100 -dollar bills * Boom - sometimes the result of a surprise jibe. * Boom - Called boom for the sound that's made when it hits crew in the head on its way across the boat. For slow crew, it's called `boom, boom.' * Bottom Paint - what you get when the cockpit seats are freshly painted. * Calm - Sea condition characterized by the simultaneous disappearance of the wind and the last cold beverage. * Chart - a type of map which tells you exactly where you are aground. * Clew - an indication from the skipper as to what he might do next. * Companionway - a double berth. * Course - The direction in which a skipper wishes to steer his boat and from which the wind is blowing. Also, the language that results by not being able to. * Cruising - Fixing your boat in exotic locations. * Crew - Heavy, stationary objects used on shipboard to hold down charts, anchor cushions in place and dampen sudden movements of the boom. * Current - Tidal flow that carries a boat away from its desired destination, or towards a hazard * Dead Reckoning - a course leading directly to a reef. * Deadrise - getting up to check the anchor at 0300. * Deck Fluff - a scantily clad North American Big Hair, commonly placed on the foredeck of a sailing yacht with the sole purpose to distract the competition while rounding the mark inside their position. * Deviation - any departure from the Captain's orders. * Dinghy - the sound of the ship's bell. * Displacement - when you dock your boat and can't find it later. * Draft - The gap in your oilies between the trousers and the jacket. * Estimated Position - a place you have marked on the chart where you are sure you are not. * First Mate - crew member necessary for skippers to practice shouting instructions to. * Fix - the crew's estimate of your current position. * Emergency Flares - old pair of trousers to change into if you fall overboard. * Flashlight - Tubular metal container used on shipboard for storing dead batteries prior to their disposal * Fluke - The portion of an anchor that digs securely into the bottom, holding the boat in place; also, any occasion when this occurs on the first try. * Foul Wind - breeze produced by flying turkey. * Freeboard - food and liquor supplied by the owner. * Gybe - A common way to get unruly guests off your boat. * Headway - what you are making if you can't get the toilet to work. * Head up - Leaving the boat toilet seat up. When boat skipper is female, leaving the head up is a serious offense * Heads - the deciding factor whether to set out or not. * Heave -Ho - what you do when you've eaten too much Ho. * Jack Lines - `Hey baby, want to go sailing?' * Jibe - either you like it or you don't and it gets you. * Keel - term used by 1st mate after too much heel by skipper. * Ketch - A sailboat with good wine in the cabin * Landlubber - anyone on board who wishes he were not. * Latitude - the number of degrees off course allowed a guest. * Log - Semi submerged object responsible for suddenly rousing the skipper on a night passage. * Mast - religious ritual used before setting sail. * Mate - the term used to refer to the skipper just before explaining that the hand bearing compass has fallen overboard * Mizzen - an object you can't find. * Motor Sailer - A sailboat that alternates between sail/rigging problems and engine problems, and with some booze in the cabin. * Noserly - What to call the wind direction when it comes from where you're going * Ram - an intricate docking maneuver sometimes used by experienced skippers. * Rhumb Line - two or more crew members waiting for a drink. * Sailing - The fine art of getting wet and becoming ill, while going no where slowly at great expense. * Schooner - A sailboat with a fully stocked liquor cabinet in the cabin * Sea Cock - (see Jack Lines) * Sheet - cool, damp, salty night covering. * Shroud - equipment used in connection with a wake. * Small Craft Warnings - Power Boats come in, Sailboats go out. * Spreaders - Barclay Card and Visa - useful for extending the sailing season. * Starboard - special board used by skippers for navigation (usually with "Port" on the opposite side.) * Stays - position in harbour when gales are forecast. * Stowaway - rapid handling of alcoholic spirits as the customs boat approaches. * Swell - a wave that's just great. * Square Rigger - a rigger over 30. * Sloop - A sailboat with beer and/or wine in the cabin. * Tack - A maneuver the skipper uses when telling the crew what they did wrong without getting them mad. * Tree - object to sit under, as a cure for seasickness. * Wind Indicator - Sensitive person who suddenly throws open the vents and hatches. * Warp - The other skipper's version of events. * Yawl - A sailboat from Texas, with some good bourbon stored down yonder in the cabin * Zephyr - Warm, pleasant breeze. Named after the mythical Greek god of wishful thinking, false hopes, and unreliable forecasts. - - * =

I'm always careful to give new sailors the pep-talk: "Front, bow. Back, stern. If ya don't get it right, squirt, I throw your ass out the little round window on the side." - Capt. Quint. From: "pw… [at] aol.com" <pw… [at] aol.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 7:30 AM Subject: [Cal_Boats] Sailing / boating terms Here are the 'real' definitions based on experience for those new to sailing. Paul > ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (\_~ ~ (\_~ ~ (\_~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ >EXPLANATION OF SOME COMMON SAILING TERMS >>> * Amidships - condition of being surrounded by boats. >>> * Anchor - a device designed to bring up mud samples from the bottom at inopportune or unexpected times. >>> * Anchor Light - a small light used to discharge the battery before daylight. >>> * Back Stay - Spending time at home. When your partner goes sailing in October. >>> * Bare Boat - Clothing Optional. >>> * Beam Sea - A situation in which waves strike a boat from the side, causing it to roll unpleasantly. This is one of the four directions from which wave action tends to produce extreme physical discomfort. The other three are `bow sea' (waves striking from the front), `following sea' (waves striking from the rear), and `quarter sea' (waves striking from any other direction). >>> * Berth - a little addition to the crew. >>> * Bilge - cheap beer (see freeboard) >>> * Boat ownership - Standing fully -clothed under a cold shower, tearing up 100 -dollar bills >>> * Boom - sometimes the result of a surprise jibe. >>> * Boom - Called boom for the sound that's made when it hits crew in the head on its way across the boat. For slow crew, it's called `boom, boom.' >>> * Bottom Paint - what you get when the cockpit seats are freshly painted. >>> * Calm - Sea condition characterized by the simultaneous disappearance of the wind and the last cold beverage. >>> * Chart - a type of map which tells you exactly where you are aground. >>> * Clew - an indication from the skipper as to what he might do next. >>> * Companionway - a double berth. >>> * Course - The direction in which a skipper wishes to steer his boat and from which the wind is blowing. Also, the language that results by not being able to. >>> * Cruising - Fixing your boat in exotic locations. >>> * Crew - Heavy, stationary objects used on shipboard to hold down charts, anchor cushions in place and dampen sudden movements of the boom. >>> * Current - Tidal flow that carries a boat away from its desired destination, or towards a hazard >>> * Dead Reckoning - a course leading directly to a reef. >>> * Deadrise - getting up to check the anchor at 0300. >>> * Deck Fluff - a scantily clad North American Big Hair, commonly placed on the foredeck of a sailing yacht with the sole purpose to distract the competition while rounding the mark inside their position. >>> * Deviation - any departure from the Captain's orders. >>> * Dinghy - the sound of the ship's bell. >>> * Displacement - when you dock your boat and can't find it later. >>> * Draft - The gap in your oilies between the trousers and the jacket. >>> * Estimated Position - a place you have marked on the chart where you are sure you are not. >>> * First Mate - crew member necessary for skippers to practice shouting instructions to. >>> * Fix - the crew's estimate of your current position. >>> * Emergency Flares - old pair of trousers to change into if you fall overboard. >>> * Flashlight - Tubular metal container used on shipboard for storing dead batteries prior to their disposal >>> * Fluke - The portion of an anchor that digs securely into the bottom, holding the boat in place; also, any occasion when this occurs on the first try. >>> * Foul Wind - breeze produced by flying turkey. >>> * Freeboard - food and liquor supplied by the owner. >>> * Gybe - A common way to get unruly guests off your boat. >>> * Headway - what you are making if you can't get the toilet to work. >>> * Head up - Leaving the boat toilet seat up. When boat skipper is female, leaving the head up is a serious offense >>> * Heads - the deciding factor whether to set out or not. >>> * Heave -Ho - what you do when you've eaten too much Ho. >>> * Jack Lines - `Hey baby, want to go sailing?' >>> * Jibe - either you like it or you don't and it gets you. >>> * Keel - term used by 1st mate after too much heel by skipper. >>> * Ketch - A sailboat with good wine in the cabin >>> * Landlubber - anyone on board who wishes he were not. >>> * Latitude - the number of degrees off course allowed a guest. >>> * Log - Semi submerged object responsible for suddenly rousing the skipper on a night passage. >>> * Mast - religious ritual used before setting sail. >>> * Mate - the term used to refer to the skipper just before explaining that the hand bearing compass has fallen overboard >>> * Mizzen - an object you can't find. >>> * Motor Sailer - A sailboat that alternates between sail/rigging problems and engine problems, and with some booze in the cabin. >>> * Noserly - What to call the wind direction when it comes from where you're going >>> * Ram - an intricate docking maneuver sometimes used by experienced skippers. >>> * Rhumb Line - two or more crew members waiting for a drink. >>> * Sailing - The fine art of getting wet and becoming ill, while going no where slowly at great expense. >>> * Schooner - A sailboat with a fully stocked liquor cabinet in the cabin >>> * Sea Cock - (see Jack Lines) >>> * Sheet - cool, damp, salty night covering. >>> * Shroud - equipment used in connection with a wake. >>> * Small Craft Warnings - Power Boats come in, Sailboats go out. >>> * Spreaders - Barclay Card and Visa - useful for extending the sailing season. >>> * Starboard - special board used by skippers for navigation (usually with "Port" on the opposite side.) >>> * Stays - position in harbour when gales are forecast. >>> * Stowaway - rapid handling of alcoholic spirits as the customs boat approaches. >>> * Swell - a wave that's just great. >>> * Square Rigger - a rigger over 30. >>> * Sloop - A sailboat with beer and/or wine in the cabin. >>> * Tack - A maneuver the skipper uses when telling the crew what they did wrong without getting them mad. >>> * Tree - object to sit under, as a cure for seasickness. >>> * Wind Indicator - Sensitive person who suddenly throws open the vents and hatches. >>> * Warp - The other skipper's version of events. >>> * Yawl - A sailboat from Texas, with some good bourbon stored down yonder in the cabin >>> * Zephyr - Warm, pleasant breeze. Named after the mythical Greek god of wishful thinking, false hopes, and unreliable forecasts. - - >>> * >>>=