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babystay See stay. back, aback 1) On the wrong side or in the contrary direction. When a sail is backed or aback it is trimmed to windward rather than to leeward, as is usual. A back eddy is a current flowing against the main current. 2) A counterclockwise wind shift. When the wind shifts from north to west it backs or is a backing wind. Compare with veer. 3) Back off, see pawl. back down To go backward or stern first. backstay See stay. backwind 1) Air flowing aft off one sail and into another. The second sail is backwinded. 2) A type of dirty air. baggywrinkle A bushy winding of yarns secured to a spreader or stay to help prevent chafe on sails. bail To remove bilge water with a bucket or sponge, Bailers (self-bailers) are retractable sluices in the bilge of a boat through which bilge water drains when the boat is moving rapidly. balance To adjust the weights, rigging, or sails so a boat handles easily. A balanced (well-balanced) boat is one that is easily steered without excess weather or lee helm. bale A curved metal strap, usually on a spar for hanging a block. ballast Weight in a sailboat that resists heeling force and thereby improves stability. Fixed ballast, usually consisting of lead, may be internal ballast in the bilge or external ballast in the keel. Movable ballast is weight that can be moved on deck to the windward side, for example the crew or water ballast, which is water pumped into a tank at the windward rail. ball valve See seacock. bank A large area of shallow water. bar An area of shoal water at the entrance to a river or harbor. Barber hauler A line used to adjust the athwartships lead of a jibsheet. Invented by Merrit Barber. bareboat See charter. barge 1) A large flat-bottomed vessel for carrying cargo, towed behind or pushed by a tugboat. 2) To force an opening between boats. 3) A derogatory term for a boat that means ugly and slow. barney post A post in a sailboat's cockpit, to which the mainsheet and other sail controls are led. barometer, aneroid barometer, barograph, the glass An instrument that displays atmospheric pressure in inches or millibars and therefore is useful in predicting weather. A barograph (recording barometer) records barometric readings over several days. bass boat A low flat-bottomed powerboat without a cabin, smaller than about 20 feet, powered by a large outboard motor as well as by a small trolling engine. It may have a fishing chair. batten A thin wooden or synthetic slat inserted into a pocket in the leech of a sail to help the sail hold its shape. A full-length batten extends the width of the sail. batten down To prepare a boat for rough weather by closing all ports, hatches, and other openings. beach boat A boat small and light enough to be easily pulled up on shore. beach club, B.C. A boating an swimming club. beacon See daybeacon. beam 1) A boat's width, often abbreviated bm. The maximum beam is the greatest width. A beamy boat is relatively wide for her length. Something that is abeam or on the beam is at a right angle to the boat. A beam wind or beam sea comes directly from the side. When a boat is on a beam reach, the wind is a beam wind or on the beam. When a boat is on her beam's end she is heeled dangerously far. 2) A structural support for the deck, often deck beam. bear away, bear off Head off. bearing A direction between objects, for example between your boat and a lighthouse. A compass bearing is in magnetic degrees as shown on a compass. A relative bearing is the inscribed angle between the objects. A crewmember takes a bearing or cuts a bearing. The range and bearing to a way-point or other point is the distance and course to it. beat Sail close-hauled. A dead beat is a leg directly into the wind. Beaufort Scale Pronounced "bofort scale". A system for estimating wind speed and describing sea conditions, developed in the late eighteenth century by Sir Francis Beaufort, a British admiral. The system has 12 categories, called "Forces", ranging from Force 1 (calm) to Roce 12 (hurricane). becalmed Without wind. bedding compound A thick paste used to seal joints and fill holes. before the wind Sailing on a run, with the wind astern. belay 1) To cleat. A belaying pin, found in many traditional sailboats, is a vertical metal rod used in place of a cleat to secure lines. 2) Terminate. "Belay that" is an order to stop an activity or to stop talking. bell 1) Bell buoy, see buoy, buoyage. 2) Ship's bells, see ship's clock. below, belowdeck(s) In the cabin or under the deck. bend 1) To bend on a line or sail is to attach it so it is ready for use. To unbend it is to detach it. 2) A knot used to tie lines to each other. 3) A bendy mast is easily bent or curved in order to change the shape of the mainsail. Prebend is bend put into the mast by adjusting the rigging before sails are hoisted. Bergstrom and Ridder rig, B&R rig A mast with backswept spreaders that provide support fore and aft as well as athwartships. Often seen on very large cruising sailboats. Bermuda Race A family of sailboat races from the U.S. East Coast to Bermuda (a distance of approximately 700 miles), the oldest of which is the one from Newport, R.I., sponsored in even-numbered years by the Cruising Club of America. Bermudian rig See rig. berth 1) For a person, a bed in a boat. Also bunk. A settee berth is a bench that is convertible into a berth. A pilot berth is a narrow berth under the side deck. A quarter berth is under the afterdeck. A pipe berth has a pipe frame and can be folded up against the hull. 2) For a boat, the place where she is moored or docked. 3) A wide berth is a margin of safety. 4) A crew's berth is a position in a crew. bight 1) See line. 2) A bight of land is a bend in the shore or coastline. bilge The lowest part of the hull. Bilge water collects there due to leaks or spray. Water is removed by a hand-operated manual bilge pump or by an electric bilge pump activated by hand or by a float switch, an electric switch triggered by the rise of a small buoy in the bilge. The float switch may also set off an audible bilge alarm. A bilge sniffer senses the presence of gas fumes in the bilge and sounds an alarm. A bilge blower exhausts gas fumes. Bilge keel, see keel. Bimini top, Bimini A removable awning that swings up over the cockpit. bin Stowage compartment. binnacle Pronounced "binakel". A support for a compass, usually the main compass in the cockpit near the helm. A binnacle compass is a compass in a binnacle. bitt, samson post A post for securing docking and mooring lines. Compare with bollards. bitter end See line. black flag a signal flown by a race committee in a sailboat race to indicate that a boat is disqualified for starting the race prematurely. blade 1) A propeller blade. 2) A rudder or centerboard. 3) A tall, narrow jib that fills the foretriangle and does not overlap the mast or shrouds. blanket To obstruct a sailboat's wind and slow her down. See cover and slam dunk. blazer, blue blazer A blue jacket. It is the closest thing there is to a pleasure boater's uniform. blind man's test A way to examine a wire for frayed strands by rubbing it with a hand or rag. blister See fiberglass. Block A pulley on a boat for supporting or directing line or wire. A roller (sheave, pronounced "shiv") is hung between two supports (cheeks) either ron a pin (sheave pin) or on ball bearings. To reeve a line through a block is to lead it between the cheeks. There are many types of blocks: A snatch block can be opened at its side to receive line. A fixed block cannot be opened. A single block has one sheave, a double block two sheaves, and so on. A becket block has a fixed eye as well as one or more sheaves. A bullet block is very small. A cheek block is always open on one side. A turning block redirects a line. A foot block is a turning block lying on its side on the deck. A ratchet block has a mechanism that permits the sheave to turn in only one direction and so snubs (takes much of the load off) the line. Block and tackle, handy billy - see tackle. blower Bilge blower. blowover A capsize by a powerboat at high speed when air catches under the hull. blue water Far offshore or off soundings, where the water tends to be darker than near shore. A bluewater boat or bluewater sailor is suitable for ocean sailing far from land. bluff-bowed See full-ended. bm Beam. board 1) To go on a boat is to go aboard. 2) A tack when sailing close-hauled; the starboard board is the starboard track. 3) Centerboard. 4) A sailboard. board boat A low, lightweight sailing dinghy. |
boarding gate, boarding ladder A gate or ladder that facilitates going aboard a boat. boardsailing, windsurfing Sailing a sailboard. The sailor is a boardsailor or windsurfer. boat A smaller vessel. The difference between a boat and a ship is that a boat is small enough to be placed aboard a ship, but a ship is too large to be placed aboard a boat. "To boat" is not a verb. Use "I'm going boating, not "I boat." boat club, B.C. A kind of yacht club, often less formal. boater 1) A person who regularly goes boating for pleasure. A boater who usually sails is a sailor; a powerboater is one who uses powerboats. 2) A traditional straw hat. boat handling The skills of steering and maneuvering a boat. boathook A pole with a hook on its end for grabbing objects, such as a line in the water. Boat Names Boats are unique--part living being and part object. Because the balance is unclear, the naming of boats is disputed territory. "She" versus "it". The tradition that a boat is (or represents) a woman who brings luck to the crew goes back to the ancient Egyptians, and so the female pronouns "she" and "her" have long been used to refer to a boat. Today an increasing number of people prefer "it", which, while short on personality, does not risk controversy by generalizing about gender. This usage is not unprecedented. There is a long tradition of using "it" in reference to a commercial ship or naval vessel, as well as to a vessel's design. Both "she" and "it" are acceptable. The author refers to a pleasure boat as "she". "The". Many people who enjoy being part of the naval and seafaring tradition often use the article "the" before the name of a pleasure boat, just as professional mariners do with the names of ships (for example, "my boat is the Elixir"). However, those who believe that pleasure boats are distinct from commercial craft do not use "the" ("my boat is Elixir"). Both usages are accepted and widely used. The author usually does not use the prefix "the" before a boat's name. In print, boat names usually are underlined, italicized, or printed in all capital letters (Elixir, Elixir, or ELIXIR). A class of boat is known by a brand name and length, for example Sabre 40 or 40-foot Sabre, without italics or another typographical note. boat show An exhibit of boats and boating equipment for sale. boat speed A boat's speed through the water in knots or miles per hour, as indicated on the speedometer. It differs from the speed (velocity) made good (SMG, VMG), which is the speed relative to geography, takes all factors into account, and is displayed on the GPS or Loran-C. Compare with made good. boatswain, bosun Pronounced "bo-sun". The crewmember assigned to maintenance. Boatswain's gear consists of a knife, small tools, needles, thread, tape, and other items for repairs. A boatswain's chair (boatswain's strap) is a set, strap, or sling on which a crewmember is hauled aloft by a halyard or gantline to inspect or repair rigging or to do other chores. A boatswain's hook is a pole with a dull-pointed hook at the end for retrieving mooring buoys and other objects in the water. Compare with gaff. boat tape Waterproof or water-resistant tape. boatyard, shipyard, yard A commercial operation where boats are built, painted, stored, or repaired. bobstay A stay or chain running from the end of a bowsprit to the stem to help support the sprit. It may run over a strut extending downward from the bowsprit (dolphin striker). body The hull. The body (canoe body, underbody) is the area of the hull that lies below the water. body of water A sea, lake, harbor, river, or other area of water. bollards Two adjacent vertical posts (heads) for tying docking lines. Compare with bitt, samson post. boltrope Rope sewn to the edge of a sail to give it shape and strength and to allow it to be fed into a grooved headstay or mast. The boltrope is the only true "rope" afloat, because all other lengths of cordage in use on a boat are referred to as "lines". bomb A meteorological term describing a storm in which the barometer reading drops extremely rapidly, at a rate of 1 millibar (0.03 inch) an hour or more for a 24-hour period. boom The spar that holds out a sail at its foot, or bottom edge. When the sail is not hoisted, the boom may be held up by a boom crutch (boom crotch), a temporarily rigged support; compare with gallows frame. boomkin A short strut extending aft from the transom to support the permanent backstay or other gear and keep it clear of the boom. boom vang, vang, kicking strap, kicker, boom jack A block and tackle or rod that holds the boom down against the lifting force of the sail. A supporting vang holds the boom down and also up when the sail is not set. bosun See boatswain. bottom 1) The water's bottom is the land under water. Where it is exposed at low tide is the hard. 2) The boat's bottom is her underbody or the undrside of her hull. bow Rhymes with "cow". The very front of the boat. On the bow is just to the side of the bow. A bow line is a docking line led to shore from the bow. A bow wave is the wave kicked up by the bow. A bow rail is a railing around the foredeck of a powerboat. A bowsprit is a permanent pole or platform extending forward of the bow for securing the anchor or jib tack. The bow light shines over the bow. A bow roller (stem roller) is a large sheave over which the anchor rode is led. To moor (anchor) bow-to is to have the bow nearest the wharf (anchor). A bow thruster is a device for steering the bow of a large vessel when maneuvering near piers and in close quarters. Compare with prow. Bowditch Nathaniel Bowditch's book American Practical Navigator. bowman The crewmember in a sailboat who does the work of handling sails, anchors, and other gear at the bow. bowrider A runabout with a seating area in the bow. bowsprit See bow. braid See rope. brass, brasswork A soft brown metal traditionally used throughout boats, but generally any metal surface that must be regularly cleaned and polished. Compare with brightwork. breakdown Rigging or hull damage. breaker, breaking wave See wave. break out To take a piece of gear out of stowage and put it into use. breakwater, jetty, mole A man-made wall in the water that provides protection for a harbor. breast line A docking line leading directly abeam. breeze Wind. bridge, fly bridge, flying bridge A steering platform located a level above a powerboat's deck. bridge deck The deck between the cockpit and the cabin in a monohull sailboat and between hulls in a multihull. bridle An arrangement of several lines of wires used for hoisting or rigging. brightwork Brass gear and varnished surfaces that must be kept polished. Bristol fashion, shipshape and Bristol fashion In best possible condition. broach To head up (broach to windward) or off (broach to leeward) sharply and out of control. broad off the bow About 45 degrees abaft the bow. broad on the quarter About 45 degrees abaft the beam. brummel hook A slotted aluminum or bronze eye used in pairs to secure a line to another object. One hook links into another when slots are matched. bulkhead 1) An athwartships-running wall in a boat. A structural bulkhead strengthens the hull and deck, and their attachments. A watertight bulkhead (collision bulkhead) is a strong wall and door that can be sealed to keep water from pouring into the cabin. Often it is near the bow. 2) On shore, a bulkhead (seawall) props up a wharf. bulwark A low wall on deck to keep out water. bunk A bed in a boat; also berth. Bunkboard, see leecloth. Buoy, Buoyage An anchored, floating object used in a mooring, as a turning mark in a race course, as an aid to navigation to mark or indicate a channel, and for other purposes. A buoy's identity and visibility are enhanced by its color, shape, and reflector (including a racon). Among aids to navigation are A nun buoy--red, even-numbered, and conical at the top. A can buoy--green, odd-numbered, and flat at the top. A lighted buoy--displays a flashing or fixed white, red, or green light. A sound buoy--has a whistle, a single-toned bell (bell buoy), or a multitoned gong (gong buoy). Other buoys used as aids to navigation indicate dangers, the centers and intersections of channels, anchorages, danger areas, etc. In addition, the horseshoe buoy is a personal flotation device (PFD). Buoyage (buoyage system) is the arrangement of buoys that are aids to navigation to indicate safe water. There are two systems: 1) In the lateral buoyage system or federal system (used in America), nuns, cans, and other buoys mark the sides or entrances of channels. 2) In the cardinal buoyage system (used in Europe), buoys indicate hazards to navigation. See racon and reflector. buoyancy In general, the force that keeps an object afloat, but also often refers to the foam, air tanks, or other floatation devices that provides buoyancy. Personal buoyancy is a personal flotation device (PFD) or life jacket. burdened vessel See give way. burgee A small flag that carries a yacht club's distinctive symbol. butt, heel The very bottom of a mast. See step. |
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