As some of you know I am a windsurfer at heart so some sailing terminology even I don’t always understand!
As a bit of fun I have done some research of my own to share with you. Here is a list of sailing jargon. Some of it you will know and hopefully you will learn something too! If you would like a challenge, see if you can do an A to Z of nautical terms that are different to mine? Good luck 🙂
- Astern – towards the stern (rear of your boat) or the area behind your boat
- Burgee – a small flag you attach to the mast whilst your sailing to see the wind direction
- Cunningham – sail control that applies downhaul on your boat
- Deck – the top of the boat you sit or stand on
- Ensign – flag or banner used by ships to indicate their nationality
- Furl – to roll the sail smaller, pack the sail away
- Gnav – this is an upside down kicker used in double handers to create more room
- Hull – part of the boat that sits in the water
- In Irons – when your boat is pointing into the wind and not moving, sail flapping
- Jetty – a floating walkway used to moor boats, launch and land
- Kedge – smaller, lighter, secondary anchor
- Leeway – effect of the wind on the boat causing it to move sideways
- Mast – vertical pole supporting the sails and rigging
- Neap – type of tide that is when the sun and moon are at right angles
- Outboard – a motor mounted externally on a small boat
- Plane – to skim over the water at high speeds rather than push through it
- Quay – a reinforced bank often in a harbour for tying up to and unloading
- Rudder – the steering device in the water
- Shroud – a rope or cable holding the mast up side by side
- Turtle – when your boat turns completely upside down
- Underway – a boat that is moving under control
- V hull – shape of the underside of the boat cutting through the water
- Windward – the direction the wind is coming from
- Xebec – three masted Mediterranean sailing ship
- Yacht – a larger recreational boat or shi
- Z twist – clockwise twisted rope