Boating Dictionary

Australian light one-design boat with a very large sail area

One-design two-seater boat with mainsail, jib and spinnaker designed by Christian Mauy. She measures 4.20x1.63

One-design two-seater boat designed by Andrea Corno, male and female olympic class since 1976. She measures 4.70x1.68 m.

To haul a sail windward in order to produce a push opposite to the driving direction

Direction referred to stern

To abandon a hopeless boat

It refers to anything located laterally to the boat (an object, wind or waves)

One of the most popular types of anchor

Wind coming from stern

Direction referred to the bow

E'Upper part of instruments used to measure angular distances, such as sextant and theodolite

Alignment between two known points used to determine position

Mooring ropes fixed fore (painter) and aft (spring)

Towards or in the rigging above the deck

Term which represents A in the international phonetic alphabet.

A cloud characterized by globular masses usually found at an altitude between 2400 and 6000 m.

Grey cloud which usually precedes heavy weather

It indicates a chain or a rope caught on anchor arms which impedes its normal working

A heavy differently shaped device which digs into the sea bottom to hold a ship in position.

To stop a vessel through an anchor

The part of an anchor where the shank and arms join together.

Ring or hole in the shank used to link the chain

Cable fixed to a grapnel, generally used on tenders

Part of the anchor which allows to keep a proper position

A location suitable for anchoring a ship safely, usually sheltered.

Bay or roadstead suitable for anchorage

Weather instrument that indicates the speed of the wind.

Flag of the international code of signals which, if hoisted,means ‚ I've understood; if it is mid-hoisted, it means ‚I've received the message but I haven't interpreted it yet; if it is hoisted by a jury, it can have different meanings

Area where atmospheric pressure is high and gradually decreasing outwards. Its motion and winds are clockwise

Paint containing specific elements which prevent marine vegetation from taking root on the hull

The effective wind direction and speed derived from the combination of the actual wind and the motion of the sails through the air.

The upward buoyant force that is excerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially submerged, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces. A boat can float because it is lighter than the water it pushes aside.

Part of the anchor penetrating in the sea bottom

All sails on a boat

Gergo mari aresco Genovese per dire appoggiato dato volta

To keep the current course. Order given by the helmsman

Rear part of a boat

Referred to a boat at anchor

Referred to wind or to a bearing perpendicular to the boat centre line

The weight of air extending vertically from the observer position to the limits of the atmosphere,

Island made up of a particular formation of land and lagoons

Single or collective rescue system provided with a penumatic inflation system. It can be manual or operated aautomaticlly when it touches water.

Canvas shelter to protect the deck from sun or rain during stops

Arc fomed between North and a point

Graduated circle on the compass to allow measurements

To reinforce the mooring by putting two anchors in sequence

Sail which pushes in an opposite direction to motion, used to brake or keep the boat stationary

Marine waves in a harbour

An anchor removed from its seat and ready to be dropped in the water

Standing rigging whichs support the astern mast

To clear water out of a boat

To empty the water entered aboard through a bailer

A bucket or dipper used for removing bilgewater from a boat.

Heavy weight which adjusts the draft of a ship and improve stability

Flag on the upper part of masts

Element of the winch with a particular shape which allows to recover chains

Marine conic crostaceans which adhere to hulls, very difficult to remove.

Diagram of the atmosperic pressure trend written by the pen of a barograph on a paper wrapped by a cylinder

Instrument used to measure atmosperic pressure. Similar to barometer but providing an immediate measurement

Centre of gravity

The lowest side of a sail, between clat and clew point

A pool on sea level, where bottom can be repaired

Equipped and sheltered area where ships can stopa

On naval maps, it is the line which joins points of equal depth

A funnel with transparent bottom used to observe sea bottom

Rigid profile inserted into sail leech to contribute to their shape

Batten compartment

Small buoy

Structural elements which support the deck. The width of a ship at her widest part

It indicates a bow moving away from the wind direction

To move away from a mooring, a quay or another boat

Angular distance between magnetic North and the observed object

To increase the angle in relation to the direction where apparent wind comes from

Compass equipped with azimut devices

English admiral who lived in the 19th century. He invented the homonymous scale used to measure wind

A classification of wind force into 12 categories commonly used by seamen iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WwDNWm6IEVw" frameborder="0" width="560" height="315">/iframe>

Calm wind

Instrument used for splicing, made up of a wedge point which help strands to open

Wooden or steel ring on the basis of the mast, where belay pins are fixed in order to block running riggings.

In the past, it was used to mark time; today, it is used to indicate a danger singnal or position in case of low visibility.

Sail convexity

Name given to the rigs of a Bermudian sail

A bed in a boat

The lowest part of a hull

Extensible mobile wings mounted on the sides of the bottom to reduce roll

A hydraulic pump to bail out the water entered in the hull.

Point of an anchor arm

Structure which supports the magnetic compass. It usually contains compensation magnets

Hole in the floors or in bilge to empty water from bilge

To fix a rope to a bitt

Keel supports in a dry dock

Ratio between bottom lines and a cylinder, whose diameter is equal to bottom's depth. Value 1 indicates an almost cylindrical bottom; low values indicate a thin bottom. Catamarans have the highest block coefficient

Fore sail to be hoisted leeward the spinnaker with light winds

To approach to another boat

To assault a ship after boarding it.

To direct the boat to approach another one

Term used for all crafts with a lenght between 10 and 24 metres, including sailing and motor boats.

A person specialised in wooden boat construction

Cable or rope, usually provided with turnbuckle to fix objects

Wooden pole fitted with a hook or knob at one end, used for fending off or picking up lines at a dock or mooring/

Slipway where boats are placed to be repaired

The leading seaman in charge of supervising crewmembers when performing work on deck

Reinforcement sewn on the sail end to increase resistence

Wooden or aluminium pole supporting the lower part of the mainsail, fixed on the mast through a junction which allows it to change direction according to wind/p

To remove deposits from the hull

Immersed part of the hull.

The forward part of a ship

An anchor placed in order to be ready to use

Frothy waves raised by the boat

An auxiliary motor and propeller mounted athwartships at the bow, and employed to maneuver the ship sideways.

Very popular knot forming a ring

Member of the crew in charge of bow riggings

Wooden or aluminium pole supporting the lower part of the mainsail, fixed on the mast through a junction which allows it to change direction according to wind

To move the spinnaker pole from the forestay

To haul the manoeuvring rope by opening a yard or the spinnaker pole

A rope fixed to sail sides to fold them

Term which represents ‚B‚ in the international phonetic alphabet (ICAO)

To set sail by detaching the anchor from the bottom

Raised borders used to prevent water from entering the cockpit

Mooring cable located on the bow or the stern extended along the hull to fix to a quay

Coastal wind caused by a difference in temperature between land and sea.

Place which a ship is steered from

End of anchor arms

Container suitable for liquids

Swelling of the fore part of a ship to increase speed; terminal part of a centre board in a sailing boat, generally made of plumb or cast iron, used to increase stability

Lever with eccentric hook to close portholes,skylights or hatches

Vertical structure which separates two zones in the cabin. Sometimes, it can be watertight in order to increase safety in case of collision

Small pole used to let sheet hang out outboard by increasings their efficiency and preventing them from scarping on shrouds

Additional bumps used to change the sizes of the construction parameters of a hull

Floating element anchored on the sea bottom for mooring or signals

Rope fixed to the anchor ring

A compartment below offering accommodations for passengers and crew.

Synonim of rope

Deck equipment to block sheets

When a boat turns over

Big winch with a vertical cylinder

They indicate that deeper waters of the zone where the signal is located are in the quadrant sharing the same name

To put a boat on a side through counterweights or ropes in order to clean, caulk, or repair the bottom .

Crane fixed on a ship bridge for loading/unloading merchandise

To untie a knot or release a rope

The foreward most compartment above the deck, used in 19th-century-sailing boats

A particular type of mooring through which a boat keeps a certain distance from the pier, even in case of surf

Small yacht with a single mast on which only the mainsail can be hoisted

Crane used to secure anchors

To hook the main anchor to a specific crane in order to put it on the bow.

Boat with two twin hulls joined together

To stop a running rope or chain. The verb also refers to an anchor holding on the bottom. It usually refers to mooring ropes.

Fore crane used to cat the anchor.

To empty the space between plating axis with insulating material in order to make it watertight

Aluminium profile with two cavities mounted on the forestay. It allows to ride fore sails without any slides, while increasing efficiency and allowing the use of furlers

The effect caused when air is drawn down into the water by a propeller, resulting in loss of power, overspending of the engine and propeller, and pitting of the metal surfaces of the propeller

It allows to determine a ship position by measuring angles between the horizon and known altitude of sun, moon, planets and stars.

Compartment of the centreboat within hull

Reinforced joints on the deck where stays are clasped.

Bend of a rope or a stay when exposed to a stress; generally referred to the bend of the jib stay moved by the wind

Term which represents ‚C‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Synonym of rental. Reffered to a rented boat

A deck fitting used to secure moveable gear

To sail around a body of land and return to the starting point.

Small bitt generally used to stop running riggins, such as halyards

The lower aft corner of a fore and aft sail, or the lower corner at the foot of a square sail

Rope linked to the mainsail clew which passes through a gear located at the boom yard in order to regulate the sail base

Fast sailing vessels built in the 19th century for goods transport in long ocean navigationsiframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ydsnQe9Ou6s" frameborder="0" width="560" height="315">/iframe>

Sailing point which allow a boat to sail the wind up, usually between 60° and 30° iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OuTrEz5eFo0" frameborder="0" width="560" height="315">/iframe>

Water vapour condensed as a result of pressure and temperature differences.

Knot used for mooring or to fix fenders.

Line between sea and land

To sail towards the coast

External part of a boat, where riggings and rudder are usually located.

To turn a rope on itself

Junction line of shrouds; ring which reinforces masts; sliding ring which allow sail to move on masts

Collision between boats

Thin wire used to block the terminal part of ropes so that they dont' fray

Hatch of an opening in the deck

Instrument which, tanks to Earth's magnetism, indicates a fixed point and helps to maintain a course

Operation to minimize the compass mistake due to the onboard metal parts

Pole which supports sails foremost the jib

Flag of the hoist country that must be hoisted when sailing in the territorial waters of a foreign country.It must be hoisted below the national one

A frame built to support a vessel when it is hauled out.

All watercraft with a length of less than 10 metres, used in marine or inner waters, including sailing, motor and row boats. The category includes smaller boats, such as rowing catamarans, paddleboats, sailing boards, jet skis and water motors../ metres

People boarded in the boat

A heavily reinforced grommet at the corner of a sail to which a line is fastened.

Spacer placed on masts to increase the traction angle of stays

A specialized downhaul used in some racing sailboats to adjust the shape of the sail luff (named for its inventor.)

Part of the bow cutting waves

Area where atmopheric pressure is low but increasing inwards. Its motion and winds are counterclockwise.

Commercial name of a polymer used in sails

Damage at one among the boat systems

One-design-catamaran with a lenght of 5.48x2.28 metres and a sail area of 16.07 square metres

Unused part in a rope or a cable

Sailing without any precise reference points. Position is determined according to course, speed and time.

Walkable surface of a vessel

To hoist and place masts

Superstructure above the deck

Term which represents ‚D‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Area of low atmospheric pressure

A line whih joinsg poinst of equal depth on maps, see also ‚bathymetric‚ ip

Electronic or manual instrument used to mesure depth

A record of the amount of deviation of a ship compass caused by local magnetic effects

Geo-referencered digital cartography for digital navigation devices

Small pleasure boat or rigid tender

Weight of the volume of the water pushed aside by a boat; it is equal to the boat weight.

Raised borders used to prevent water from entering the cockpit

To go over, to pass by a cape or an obstacle.

Halyard with a tackle fixed on the sail end: The double circuit halves the necessary force for the hoisting

Rigging which pulls the boom downwards. If referred to main sail boom, it is called vang.

The vertical distance between the waterline and the deepest part of the keel

An anchor which, after failing in holding the bottom, slides on it because of the boat traction, caused, in its turn, by wind, stream or waves

Maximum depth of a vessel

It indicates a sailing boat driving. Sails pushing the boat.

Decoration made up of a series of little flags

To adorn a boat with little flags on the line running from the bow to the stern and on the top of the mast (s). See also Full Dress

To adorn a boat with little flags along the line running from bow to stern passing trough the top of the mast(s)

Change of the course angle caused by the stream action

When a boat is pushed by stream

Rise around machinery to impede liquid pouring

To drop the anchor on the bottom

Very resistant synthetic fibre used to produce ropes. Its commercial name is ‚spectra‚ i

To slacken a rope, opposite of hauling aft

Wind blowing from East

Term which represents ‚E‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Zone of relatively calm sea, upwind to a vessel which is drifting leeward

Equipment which provides electricity aboard when there are no ground connections

A catalogue of tables showing the location of various celestial bodies

A great circle of the earth which is equidistant from both poles at every point; zero degrees latitude

Everything necessary to sail, its category determines the kind of boat. In case of small rowboats it indicates the crew

To set a sail in order to offer a larger surface to wind; a necessary action to remove the spinnaker from the mainsail covering when running before wind

Metal ring in the hull to hook tackles or pulleys

When course is changed by wind

Synonym of thin fast boat

Elastic equipment mounted on the boat sides to protect them

It indicates a zone where wind keeps the same speed and direction. It is measured in miles by starting from the coast which the wind comes from and in relation to its motion.

Decoration located below the bowsprit

System made up of and under-pressure cylinder containing liquids, gas or powders to extuinguish fire

To prepare a boat before sailing off

Equipments and systems installed on a boat to make it functional

To identify the ship's position on a map

Generally exposed on the stern, it indicates the boat's nationality. If abroad, the flag of the host country is exposed on the starboard shrouds. Other flags can be used to identify clubs or signals

To stretch in order to flatten the sail profile

Line where the hull touches water

A float used for making a temporary bridge.

Board water inside the hull. It can be an intentional decision to increase stability or an accidental event

The floorings of a boat

Floor in the cabin,above the boat bottom

It refers to a semi-standing rigging or equipment which can be used as a running rigging.

Sail above the jib, sometimes defined yankee. On ships with squaresails, it is the third stay sail on the bowsprit mast

Condensed water vapor in cloudlike masses lying close to the ground and limiting visibility (less than 1 Km, otherwise it is called haze)

Cable slack along yards to lean on during sails collection

Trapezoidal mainsail supported by a spanker and fixed on a boom

The foremost mast

Yard and relative trapezoidal squaresail, at the top of the fore mast.

Triangular sail between the mast and the jib

Yard and relative squaresail fixed on the foremast

Shroud which supports the fore mast

Term which represents ‚F‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Part of the hull which defines its shape

Group of ribs supporting the shell

Sailing before the wind

Emerged par of the hull. See also ‚deadwork

Waves, breakers, sprays. Degree 6 in Beaufort Scale

Increase in wind intensity

To sail with the wind crushing into the stern; to follow a course in the same direction of wind .

Curved parts of a ship hull. Elements where to place oars and to transfer push to the boat

Triangular sail above a fore and aft mainsail

Pole oblique to the mast

A small bridge for getting on and off a vessel

Big gangboard generally used on ships

A ladder dropped laterally to climb up or down

To do a series of maintenance operations which prevent deterioration

Part of a rope used to collect or furl sails on a spar

System adopted in some particular valves to close a sea cock or exhaust

All hardware, blocks, chocks and shrouds which contribute to keep masting in position

Fore sail whose name comes from ‚Genoa‚ e and ‚Spinnaker‚

Big triangular sail overlapping the mainsail

Wind forms waves with white crests. Degree 2 in Beaufort scale

When the hull leans on or get stuck on the bottom, both intentionally or accidentally

Acronym of Greenwich Mean Time or Greenwich Meridian Time

Vang or reversed tripping line made up of a spar pushing boom downwards

Cartographic representations of Earth's surface

Term which represents the ‚G‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

When a tackle made up of 2 or more ropes gathers in only one to exercise traction

The fitting where boom is fixed

Canvas supports at the sail edges

Electronic device that determines position in real time by interacting with several orbiting satellites.

A small anchor with four or five flukes

p class=Walkable wooden grill above floorings to let water exit

Reference meridian.

Carving in the mast/boom where the sail side is inserted

The entire capacity of a ship expressed as one gross ton for each 100 cubic feet of internal volume. It is calculated with the following formula:: length x widthx height x 0.25

Female part of a rudder pivot

The top edge of the deck which helps to walk on in case of heeled boat

Weak and irregular wind

To change tacks by steering away from the wind so that the leach of the sail swings across the eye of the wind.

Violent change of boom position

Compass containing a gyroscope instead of a magnet

Fabric or steel running rigging, used to hoist sails

Member of the crew, especially on racing boats, in charge of the managemment of halyards

Railing made up of sanchions and metal ropes or tubes

Opening in the deck or deckhouse used to air, illuminate or load materials.

To pull a rope or a chain. It can be also referred to towing.

To strech a rope

To set up a rigging (halyard or sheet) in a sailing boat

An opening cut high in the bow at the knightheads or hawse timbers through which the anchor rode will be led.

Hole in the bow where the anchor chain passes through

Reduced visibility but over 1 Km; under that distance , it is called fog.

The top of a sail, where halyards are hitched.

Part of the sail sliding into a specific point of the mast or hooking into stays

Change of wind direction caused by a variation in intensity, direction or by the presence of an obstacle.

Inertial motion, with no propulsion

Method which allows to stop, or almost, a boat by placing sails so that equal and opposing forces are created

A strong inclination of the hull caused by the wind or a wrong manoeuvre. The side of the hull which is sumberged by the water

A petty officer assigned the task of steering the ship on a course

To lift or pull up heavy gear by using block and tackle, To lift sails

Part of a ship used for carrying cargo

A bottom with good anchorage qualities

To secure an object to a rope through a shackle or a hook

Circle beyond which it's not possible to see. Its distance depends on the height the observer is

Term which represents ‚H‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Part of the hull which is submerged

Very high waves; air full of lather and spurts; completely white sea. Degree 12 of Beaufort Scale.

Instrument designed to measure relative humidity.

International coding system of light signals, buoys and top marks

International Civil Aviation Organization, international phonetic alphabet used in maritime and air navigation in order to compose letters and numbers in all languages.

Everything inside the hull; it is often used to indicate the engine

Engine installed inside the boat

Usually referring to specific engines, it indicates what is partially in and out of the hull

Engine whose mechanical parts are both inside and outside the boat

Mainsail blocked on the mast. Anchor got caught on the bottom.

Instrument used to measure the angle of heeling.

Term which represents ‚I‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Two or more electronic devices which exchange data through a NMEA 2000 or 183 connection.

Group of 4 letters which identify a craft.

Radiotelegraphic phonetic alphabet, often called NATO phonetic alphabet, used to articulate words

A rope which is spiral-twisted because it hasn't been rolled up properly.

It indicates a limited danger surrounded by navigable waters.

Ropes stucked and difficult to free

Fore triangular sail.

Pole which supports the jib

Drum fixed to the stay to roll, partially or totally, a sail

Term which represents ‚J‚ in the international phonetic alphabet./

Terminal part of a hull made up of a blade which tends to oppose leeway

Longitudinal timber which, in wodden hulls, covers the hawse timber

Synthetic resistant material used to produce sails

Term which represents ‚K‚ in the international phonetic alphabet..

Parts which help to fix planking

A bend or hitch thrown in a rope. A speed over the water of one nautical mile per hour.

Whale carcass

To approach to shore or a beach, different from yawing or mooring.

To arrive to a coast or a harbour

Triangular sail supported by an antenna fixed obliquely to the mast

Red or green, used by day or night to indicate both right and left sides of a channel. In region B, colours are inverted.

They are divided in two regions: A and B

The angular distance between the Equator and the considered point

The act of putting a boat in the water through a slipway or a crane

Electonic device for depth measurement. Rope provided with plumb for a manual measurement

Accidental breakage of the hull which lets water come in

Astern side of any vertical item

Rope inserted along all the side of a sail to change its tension

Rear side of sail

Side of the boat opposite to wind direction

Change of the course angle caused by the wind action

Lateral move of the boat caused by wind

Speed suitable to secure the boat in heavy weather

Typical in bad weather. It can be done with or without sails; generally, the boat heads to the wind. This motion creates an area of calm sea on the windward side which stabilizes the boat.

Jacket made of floating material, usually styrofoam or cork. Today, the market offers many inflatable or auto-inflatabe models.

Element perpendicular to the force generated on the surface of a solid as the result of its motion in a fluid

Light wind, small waves. Degree 1 in Beaufort scale

Anchored vessel with light signals

Jacket made of floating material, usually styrofoam or cork. Today, the market offers many inflatable or auto-inflatabe models.

Term which represents ‚L‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Tube or "H" to roll a rope on

System used to throw a bullet, generally a rope ball which a line is clasped to

A small diameter rope

Chain ring

A small compartment or chest used for storage.

Instrument to measure the speed of a boat

Angular distance between the main meridian and the considered point

Lateral part of the bow

Long Range Navigation. Navigation transmitters ashore that transmit unique signals that can be identified and located by a ship navigator to determine position.

Squaresails hoisted on lower yards

To bring a sail down by releasing its halyards

Low sails in ships provided with squaresails

Sail on the sides of squaresails

Opening at the basis of tops

Line in the compass indicating the bow direction

To dicrease the angle in relation to the apparent wind direction

The forward edge of a sail. It can include a rope to be thicker and stronger and be inserted in the mast

A boat which tends to luff

Similar to a lateen sail, but trapezoidal and with the lower end attached to a boom

Angular distance between the geographic North and the magnetic one

Difference between magnetic North and compass inclination; variation due to external elements, such as metal items near the compass; see also compass compensation

One of the two steel rhomboidal magnetic elements of a magnetic compass .

Point of the hull where the main mast terminal lays

Yard and relative trapezoidal sail, located at the top of the mainmast, above the topgallant sail.

Main mast in multi-mast vessels. Main sail

Sail inserted on the mast or the boom, generally triangle-shaped.

Drum fixed to the mast which allows to roll, partially or totally, the mainsail

Horizontal rail when the mainsail sheet carriage runs

A wooden or iron beam which supports a deck

Opening in a bulkhead or in the deck wide enough to let a person pass through

Wooden or metal handrail, generally mounted on the deck house

Lighhouses, lights, buoys which makes navigation safer

Combined cardinal-lateral system

Thin cable used for hand stitchings.

Cable which joins two mast heads

To fix a mast on its step

Terminal part at the base of the mast, usually on the relative mast-step

Closure at the mast top

Hole in the deck where the mast passes through

L' Set of masts and stays of a boat

Regatta between two identical boats

The highest wind intensity the sheets of a hoisted sail can bear

Emergency signal indicating an extreme danger

Summer northern widn which blows in the Aegean Sea.

Type of projection of Earth's surface on maps

Belgian geographer who invented the homonymous projection

A great circle of the Earth passing through the poles and perpendicular to parallelsThe Greenwich meridian also serves as the basis for the world standard time zone system. (UMT)

Distance between metacenter and barycenter. It indicates the boat's stability

Term which represents ‚M‚ in the international phonetic alphabet..

Unit of measuremnt of the atmosperic pressure, equal to 1000 dynes per square centimeter.

Wind which blows from North-West

One-design sailing board designed by E. Prade; Olympic class since 1996. it measures 3,.80x0.68 m; with a 6-square-meter-sail area

The smallest aftermost mast on a sailing vessel having more than one mast

Mainsail hoisted on the mizzen mast

Sail above kitchen stack

Squaresail hoisted on the mizzen mast

Longer and choppier waves.Degree 4 in Beaufort Scale

A light squaresail set above a skysail

To come alongside a quay

To stop the boat by fixing it to a pier or a quay through some ropes or an anchor.

To moor fore and aft, both to a pier and through anchors

Mooring which uses two anchors placed on the bottom laterally to the boat. The two anchoring lines are divided and they both leave from the bow fitting. Useful when weather is bad.

Heavy structure, generally made of cement, on the sea bottom provided with a ring to which a mooring chain is fixed

Reference point located on the coast

Telegraphic alphabet invented by Samuel Morse: it consists of a group of lines and points which represent all letters.

A boat which includes the features of both sailing and motor boats

To move a boat at a sufficient speed to manoeuvre

Acronym of Multi Purpose Sail, an asymmetric sail similar to gennaker, used in cruises

Auxiliary rudder system. A mechanical instrument used on sailing boats to maintain a stable course in relation to wind.It is an authomatic pilot which doesn't use energy, which is important in long navigations.

The part of the celestial sphere located directly opposite the zenith

Description

The length of one minute of arc of a great circle on the surface of the earth equal to 1820 metres

An electrically operated horn for giving fog warnings

Lights for night navitation

A crewman trained and qualified in the practice of determining position and setting courses

Digital cartography builder.

Standard communication device for marine electronic devices

Dark cloud without a specific shape

Reinforcement which shelters mooring cables. Oakum which wraps the propeller axis inside the stern tube: if wet with water, it increases its volume and makes the environment watertighe

Standard of GPS data communication

It contains the requirements of a communication network to connect marine electronic devices on ships

Northerly wind

Wind coming from North-East

Term which represents ‚N‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Trapezoidal flag used to indicate signals, such as numbers or answering pennant

The first white crests which form on the sea surface with a wind over 15 knots.

Offshore navigation

Waterproof jacket, once made of waterproof canvas

Series of boats with the same size and design which can compete with no compensated times.

Racing boat prototype

Side exposed to bad weather: wind and waves in a harbour or a roadstead

Boat with centreboard, chine hull and flat bottom designed by Clark Mills in 1954 ;she measures 2.30x1.13 m

Offshore Racing Council: l' international organisation which is in charge of IOR classes and offshore regattas.

Course along the maximum circle and the shortest one between two points. See also‚ Lloxodromic

Term which represents ‚O‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

The result of a catalyzation flaw of sealants in fiberglass hulls. Water enters through the gelcoat, it increases the inner volume and creates some bubbles which can delaminate the hull

Everything out of the boat. Usually referring to an external engine

A removable engine mounted on the stern of the boat, or in a motor well.

Maximum lenght of the boat

A heeling able to submerge the toerail

Triangular part made up of a rigid wooden or net structure fixed between the bow and the bowsprit

Room or locker for carrying food

Term which represents ‚P‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Any circle parallel to equator

Instrument used for plotting the course.

Unit of measurement equal to 1 Newton/sq.m

Sudden violent bearing away caused by wind and rudder loss of control

Spinnaker change while a second one is aloft.

Instrument for polar bearings, that is the anular distance between two poinst to determine a position

Circumnavigation of an island

Structure for mooring or harbour protection.

Ship bridge deck

Small motorboat used to steer ships into harbours or to drive a pilot aboard.

Metal bar inserted in the hole of a screw or the eyelet of a pivot, then bent forked to not escape

Part of a rudder brace made up of a pivot sliding into the gudgeon

Oscillation around the horizontal axis of a boat

External covering of a wooden boat

Circle gratuated used to measure angles while plotting the course.

Hole used for emptying bilge water. It is closed through a watertight screw top

Angle equal to 1/32° of 360°

Arctic Circle; parallel which bounds a polar region; that one in the North is called Arctic Circle; that one in the South, on the contrary, is called Counter-Circle

Angular distance between a bot bow and an object

Left side of a vessel when seen by someone facing the bow

Side which wind comes from

Opening in the hull with a watertight closing. Usually round.

Service boat.

Spare or reinforcing sheet

Geometric operations on a map to establish and follow the course

Terminal part of the propulsion system made up of a series of inclined blades which screw in water and push the boat

Transmission element made up of a rotating disk. It is generally used to gear running riggings.

Wheel of a block

Secure railing, generally on the ends of the boat

Forbidden rigging in regatta consisting in moving bird wing sails continuously and fast.

Reference point easily recognisable on the coast

Poles fixed on the sea bottom to indicate the navigable way in low bottoms; also used for mooring

Part of the compass indicating degrees

Partition of a boat( usually fore, stern and midship)

A sort of balcony at the extreme stern above the deck, used in 19th-century-sailing ships

Structure which allows boats to moor

Term which represents ‚Q‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Italian Naval Register: ministerial body which checks, tests and approves equipments.

Cavity in the keel, stern post or right ahead to fix a first line of plating

Device to detect objects near a boat

Metal polyhedral structure which amplifies the radar signal in relation to the surface of the wooden or fiberglass boat it crosses

To roll up a rope so that it can be untied fast

Step to climb on the mast

Coefficient given to a boat according to her technical features in order to compete with other boats falling in another category by compensating journey times

To approach the spinnaker pole to the stay by easing the brace

A particular genoa used in case of close reach.

Step built in the hull of planing boats to facilitate pressure distribution

To reduce the sail surface exposed to wind by lowering the sail partially and fasting the excess part through some strop

Part of a rope used to fix a sail when it is reduced

Rope inserted into the reefs to fix and reduce sails.

Rope used to reduce the surface of a sail exposed to wind

Sail sections designed to be reduced

Boat race

Value measured by a hygrometer; it indicates the percentage of steam existing in relation to the total amount which can be contained in the air at ambient temperature ( at 100% we have condensation)

Mooring rope anchored on the bottom

A course which intersecst all meridians at the same angle.

To hook sails or insert them in the specific mast locations. To insert a rope in more blocks to form a tackle

Ray around which the boat can turn when it is moored with a single anchor

To insert a rope ring (bowline) on a bitt

Every sheet or hoist combined with its accessories

Terminal part of the bow, also called ‚stempost‚ /

Metal ring inside a splice whichs protect the rope

An arc of sail material added to the shape of the sail leech to increase its surface

A sheltered sea anchorage out of a harbour

Strong western winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees

Boat rotation around her longitudinal axis

Term which represents ‚R‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

General term referring to onboard cordage

Rope ladder with wooden steps hung on the ship side

Part of a rope made up of more rope-yarns

To roud a promontory.

A small boat made substantially of fabric that can be inflated with air pressure.

Equipment for steering a vessel through a bar or a wheel

Rudder blade angle in relation to the boat axis. Its variation changes the course

Part of the rudder, immersed in water, which gives the boat direction

Terminal fore part of the bottom where the low rudder gudgeon is inserted

Hole in the hull which the rudder shaft comes through

Wheel which, combined with tiller rods, allows to manage the rudder rotation

Small and fast motorboat

Step in the rope ladder; metal spar which keeps shrouds separated

Sailing with wind coming from the quarter

Group of ropes used to regulate

Weight provided with a small cable, thrown to land in order to allow the passage of a bigger cable

Metal part, usually made of zinc, fixed to the hull or some other metal parts to prevent galvanic streams from causing corrosion

It is surrounded by navigable waters bu it doesn't indicate a danger. It is used, for example, to indicate a channel

Inspections which verify that the boat, its safety equipments, engines, electric systems, etc.. meet the technical requirements for marine safety

Fabric designed and shaped to catch the wind and used to propel a vessel.

Fabric part of a sail

Vertex of a sail triangle fixed to the boat or a spinnaker pole

Track equipped with a carriage to change sheet position easily and fast

To sail towards a point located windward (or underset)

Raw canvas used in the past to produce sails, bags and hammocks. It is used in the deck of some vintage boats for a non-slip effect

Group of sailing boats sharing the same design features, recognised by the the International Sailing Federation (ISAF)

A book with useful information about navigation, coast and harbours

Direction of the bow in relation to wind direction

Boat with two identical masts, with trysail or mainsail, with or without bowsprit

A sailing ship carrying two or more masts bearing fore and aft sails, with the mizzen forward of the mainmast.

The length of the anchor rope or chain

To row with a single oar

The openings in the bulwarks that allow drainage over the side

An anchor made up of a cone which, drug in the water, slows boat motion down

Valve communicating with outside from which water can be sucked or drained

Buoy or general reference point used to identify rocks or shallows or to indicate navigable canals or bearings.

Knot used to join two ropes

To leave, to heave anchor

To tighten a knot. To approach two running elements

To haul a rigging after easing it to recover a board

A particularly tight knot

Optical instrument which determines latitude through the measurement of the elevation of a celestial body above the horizon

To join two parts of a rope or a chain through a shackle or a false link. It means also to link an anchor to the chain or a buoy to a rope/chain

U-shaped iron element with a removable pin. It is used to join chain ends or to fix sails to eye bolts thorugh cringles

Main element of the anchor

A knot used to shorten a rope.

The curved fore and aft line formed by the uppermost plank of a boat.

Rope used to set sails

A zone protected from wind and waves

The owner of a vessel

Error which can contain the navigation error

Where ships are built or repaired

An area where the bottom shape rises near the surface

Elastic rope made up of a main cable and several braces, used to clew the mainsail down fast.

Cable, generally made of steel, on the sides of the mast to support and reinforce it

Standing riggings: shrouds, backstays and forestays

Side of the boat

Term which represents ‚S‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

To see or recognise an object

Buoy or beacon fixed to the anchor ring through a specific rope to indicate the anchor position and recover it if stucked

If in national waters it is red with a white diagonal, it signals the presence of a scuba diver. In international waters, it must show the alpha flag of the international code

Southeast wind

Support located in front of the rudder to protect and support it

Master of a boat

Opening in the deck

Triangular sail located between two masts

A not taut rope

Hook mounted on hail eadropess to allow the junction with stays

Difference between the real propeller forward in water and that one it would have if screws in a solid.

Let a rope or a chain run free but always with control

Inclined plan finishing in water used to launch small boats

A sailing vessel carrying a single mast and a single fore sail

A block which can be opened to allow a rope to be looped

One-design craft with fixed keel designed by Jean Herman Linge; it's the biggest boat of the olympic class, with a length of 8.15x1.90 m l'its crew is made up of 3 people

Intrument to measure the depth or distance of an object. See also Depth meter

Thin boat with no decks

Wind blowing from South

Wind blowing from South-West

System of cables to distribute traction, generally used for awnings.See also LazyJack

Shaft located horinzontally to the mast where Latin sails are inserted

Spare parts used to replace broken equipments

Spare parts of any boat equipment

They don't help navigation but they indicate a particular area or situation, whose nature can be determined by referring to maps or other documents.

Commercial name of Dyneema, a very resistant synthetic fibre used for ropes

To ease the sheet so that the sail does not fill completely.

Very thin nylon sail, often coloured, used to sail downwind or a beam wind

A spar used to maintain a sail away from the bow

Storm jib

To join the ends of two lines, or make a loop, by weaving the untwisted lays into the bight.

Squaresail above the fore sail

A long dockline which is run from the bow aft to the dock, or from the stern forward to the dock.

Fore and aft sail where the peak is fixed on the basis of the mast and there is no boom

Wood used for the construction of masts; it's light, resistant and elastic.

Violent short gust

Waves high enough, with strong wind. Degree 8 in Beaufort scale, equal to over 40 knots

Trapezoidal sail fixed on the upper side of yards, excellent for running free but not good for sailing close to wind

Receiver/transmitter for long-ray communications, acronym of ‚single side band‚

The relative tendancy of a ship to remain upright in the face of wind and waves.

When sails or rudder loose their lift, like plane wings

A vertical metal post mounted at the edge of the deck to which a rail or cables are attached as a safety measure.

Standing terminal part of a cable, fixed on a ring. The ring or spar which the cable is fixed on.

Metal cables or standing ropes supporting the masts

One-design craft with bulb keel; designed by William Gardne in 1911; it measures 6.92x 1.73 m and it has a sail area of 26 square metres

Right side of the boat

The right side of a vessel when seen by someone facing the bow

A particular spinnaker with star-shaped panels; today it is replaced by the gennaker

Steel cable between tanchions and pulpits which forms a protection handrail

Triangular fore sail used together with gennaker

To direct the course of a vessel

Change of course

A vertical post, at the front of the keel, that forms the main part of the bow

Mast basis seat

Rear part of a boat

Tube fixed to the hull or a propeller where a shaft passes through

Terminal part of the stern

Lateral part of the boat on the sides of the stern.

To haul up on the wind and stop only when sails start to flap

An extension of rudder

To hook a rope or a chain so that it keeps in tension while it is fixed in a permanent way

Hook or lever to block the anchor or the chain after dropping the anchor.

Guy used to fix a rope or a chain

Supplies stocked on board for use as needed during a voyage, food included

Sudden violent weather event with rain and lightings

One-design craft with centreboard designed by Ettore Santarelli; it is a two-seater with mainsail jib and spinnaker( 13.50 x 1.70 m)

To get struck with the keel on the bottom, for example in the rocks.

Water motion generated by wind, tides or bottoms.

Reinforcement of the junction between hull and deck

Waves with crests which start to roll; thicker and thicker foam. Degree 9 in Beaufort Scale

Part of a rope linked to a ring through a knot or a splice to fix an object

Mooring rope perpendicular to the boat, used together with springline

Cilynder where rudder shaft is located

Danger buoy with a very visible light

To go over the wave generated by the forward; the hull goes out of water by increasing speed

The person who steers a wind- surf.

Broom, besom to wash and dry decks

Method to calculate compass mistakes due to magnetic deviations. The result is reported on a table which will be used to plot the course

Rigging used on topmast ships to keep yards in position. It doesn't exist on triangular sails, it can be identified with the spinnaker arm

To fix the tack angle

Terminal part sternward the deck bridge; western white light

Thinning of the final end of the mast in order to facilitate flexibility and decrease weight

High narrow fore stay sail to raise under the spinnaker

Fore sail used windward the spinnaker

Term which represents ‚T‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Spinnaker bag

The light but resistant wood of the teak, a tree of the verbena family. It is generally used in the construction of deck plan and interiors.

Small service boat

A layman, an inexperienced person

Area of the sea immediately adjacent to the shores of a state and subject to the territorial jurisdiction of that state. It generally extends about 12 miles starting from the coastal line.

The rise and fall of ocean waters caused by the gravitational effect of sun and moon

Phase between two tide flows

To approach to a pier or another boat laterally

A group of mechanisms which transmit motion to the rudder

Pole of medium length used to steer the rudder

When the anchor is exactly under the boat

To reduce the angular distance between the bow and the point where wind comes from

The volume of all interior spaces in a boat

Platform on the masts used to allow a bette view. In old sailing boats, it was also used for sail riggings

Metal structure fixed to a buoy to indicate a danger or a position

Circuit of the staysail halyard

Squaresail fixed to the fore topgallant yard

Rope used to support boom and general shafts when sails are not raised

The outside face of the hull between the water and the deck.

Big rope generally used for anchorage

To put a boat ashore

Line which joins two waypoints.

Central part of the stern

Terminal part of a vessel

Mobile gantry crane.

System of ropes and blocks used to expand strain

Fishing boat generally used in Northern Seas for ocean fishing

Craft with chine hull and centreboard conceived for sailing training; it is provided with a manisail and a jib and it can host up to 4 people.

Electric-hydraulic system used to regulate the triming mounted on some outboard motors (generally the most powerful ones).

Vessel with three hulls

Member of the crew who regulates sails

To heave anchor

Series of polar bearings to determine the ship's position

Sailing direction determined by the angle between the vessel keel and true geographic north.

The change course. In sailing boats, it is done by passing with the bow through the wind direction.

Equipment used to puts tension on stadings rigging

Instrument used to stretch standing riggings

Circle whose ray is equal to the lenght of the scope within which a moored boat can rotate pushed by wind

The difference of the angle of a sail to the wind

Italian union gathering the most important shipbuilders and naval operators.

To remove sails

To divide two rope/chain ends linked by a shackle or a false link

Triangle formed by the intersection of three bearings. It includes the area where the vessel is

Term which represents ‚U‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

To lighten the load of a ship in order to reduce its draught; generally used to allow a ship to enter harbours where sea bottom is low

To lower in the deck the uppest part of masts, common in ships where masts were made up of several parts

Acronym which indicates the universal reference time.

A transmission mounted forward of the engine which reverses the direction of the shaft so that it can exit aft

Tackle leading downward from a bridle on the boom

Sailing two-seater boat with chine hull and dagger board, designed by Jean Jacques Herbulot in 1951.

When wind rotates and the sailing point becomes more beared up while maintaining the same course

An air intake on deck which brings fresh air into interiors

Giovan Battista, physicist(1746-1822). He discovered that the constriction of a tube section where a fluid is flowing provokes an increase in flowing speed and a decrease in pressure. The Venturi effect is used on sailing boats by creating a hole between the mainsail and the genoa; when air flowing speed increases, the mainsail traction on the leeward zone increases.

Very High Frequency: Radio frequencies between 30 and 300 megahertz. Generally used to indicate on-board radios operating in that band.

Term which represents ‚V‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Huge waves which might hide even big ships. The sea is completely choppy. Wind nebulizes foam. Degree 11 of Beaufort Scale.

Visibility arch of a lighthouse or a light

To vomit

Turbulences caused by wind which provoke, in their turn, strong wind and obscillations.

The living quarter and mess for crew members

Written or radio warning with useful information

To move a boat by pulling cables

General term to define any kind of boat or structure suitable to sail

Part which divides the immersed part from that one above the boat surface

Having the strength and ability to keep out water

Height of the wave taken between the crest and the cavity of two following waves

Reference point in the physical space used for any type of navigation.

Action of the whinch or windlass to stretch a rope or cable tight.

Central part of the bilge. On its bottom there is a hole used for emptying water.

Cardinal point, indicated by a W. It is equal to 270 degrees in wind rose.

West; wind blowing from West

Floating structure for boat mooring

Term which represents‚W‚ in the international phonetic alphabet..

To sail by using only the mainsail and genoa, without gennaker, spinnaker or drifter, usually coloured.

Rigging through which a vessel is brought back to the course just done. It is generally used to rescue a man or an object

Vertical windlass usually operated manually, used to stretch running riggings

A mechanic instrument used to adjust the course in case of little accidental variations, only with the help of wind.It is an authomatic pilot operated by wind. It doesn't use energy, which is a very important factor in long navigations.

A table which represents the wind origin and direction

System to indicate wind direction, made up of an arrow which rotates when wind changes, generally located on the mast top.

Wharp to hoist anchors

Common term referring to a sailing board; it indicates a flat hull provided with a centre board and a fore fin. It is steered by a standing surfer through the movement of his weight and of the sailing centre

Side of the boat which wind comes from

The double boom used to steer a wind surf; it is also a double rowlock used on some big ketches.

Solid wipping

Term which represents ‚X‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

English word generally referring to pleasure boats

The act of engaging in sailing for pleasure.

A person devoted to yachting

Jib or counter-jib with a very high clew

Term which represents ‚Y‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.

Shaft perpendicular to the mast which supports squaresails

End of the boom or yards

The turning of a boat off course caused by seas arriving at an angle.

Sudden violent luffing caused by wind and the rudder loss of control

To swing off course. To approach to another boat or to a dock

Boat with two masts and the mizzen one abaft the rudder axis

Part of the rudder wheel transmission system

The point on the celestial sphere vertically above a given position or observer

Term which represents ‚Z‚ in the international phonetic alphabet.