Learn the ropes: A greenies guide to speaking like a sailor
Welcome aboard! Sailing has a language all of it’s own and getting familiar with the terms can feel like a lot at first. Here’s a guide to some essential sailing terms, we’ve put the most important ones in bold so it’s all plain sailing for you!
Aft: Towards the back of the boat.
Apparent Wind: The wind you feel on the boat, a combination of true wind and the boat’s movement. Like riding a bike and feeling the breeze.
Ballast: Weight placed in the boat to keep it stable. It’s like keeping the heavy stuff at the bottom of a backpack to keep it from tipping over.
Batten: Stiff strips inserted into sails to keep them flat and aerodynamic. They’re the support beams of the sail.
Beam: The widest part of the boat.
Abeam/ on the beam: At a right angle to the boat’s length.
Bear Away: To turn the boat away from the wind. Like steering a bike downhill for an easier ride.
Bearing: The direction from your boat to a specific point.
Beat: Sailing upwind in a zigzag pattern. Picture yourself taking a zigzag path uphill to make it easier.
Berth: A place where the boat is docked or a bed on the boat. Your boat’s parking spot or sleeping quarters.
Bilge: The lowest part inside the boat’s hull where water collects. The boat’s basement.
Bow: The front of the boat. The boat’s nose, leading the way.
Broach: When the boat turns uncontrollably, often due to strong winds.
Broad Reach: Sailing with the wind coming from the side-rear. It’s like riding a bike with the wind pushing at a comfortable angle.
Chart Datum: The reference level for water depth on nautical charts. The baseline for measuring how deep the water is.
Cleat: A fitting on the boat where you tie ropes. It’s like a hook to keep your ropes in place.
Clew: The lower rear corner of a sail. Think of it as the sail’s back pocket.
Close Hauled: Sailing as close to the wind direction as possible. Like walking straight into the wind with a slight lean.
Close Reach: Sailing with the wind coming from the front-side. It’s like riding your bike with a side breeze nudging you forward.
Cockpit: The area where you steer and control the boat. The command centre!
Come About: To turn the bow of the boat through the wind to change direction. A boat’s version of doing a U-turn.
Downhaul: A rope used to pull a sail down. Like the string on a kite that brings it closer to the ground.
Draft: The depth of the boat's keel below the waterline. How deep your boat sits in the water, like its footprint.
Fender: A bumper used to protect the boat from damage when docking. Park like a pro and these will be redundant!
Forestay: A wire that supports the mast from the front. It’s like the boat’s front toothpick holding the mast steady.
Galley: The kitchen on a boat. Whip up the snacks and teas please.
Halyard: A rope used to hoist sails. The elevator cable for sails.
Head: The bathroom on a boat.
Helm: The wheel or tiller used to steer the boat.
Jib: A smaller sail in front of the mainsail.
Jibe (Gybe): To turn the stern of the boat through the wind to change direction.
Keel: The bottom fin of the boat that provides stability. The boat’s underwater balance beam.
Knot: A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. The boat’s version of miles per hour.
Leeward (Lee): The side of the boat away from the wind. The boat’s sheltered, calm side.
Luff: The front edge of a sail. The sail’s leading edge, catching the first whispers of wind.
Mainsail: The largest sail on the boat. The powerhouse of the sailing setup.
Mast: The tall vertical pole that supports the sails. The backbone of your boat’s rigging.
Port: The left side of the boat when facing forward.
Reef: To reduce the area of a sail when the wind picks up.
Rudder: A flat piece at the back of the boat used for steering. The boat’s underwater steering fin.
Sheet: A rope used to control the sails. The reins of a boat’s sail.
Spinnaker: A large, colourful sail used when sailing downwind. It’s the party sail.
Starboard: The right side of the boat when facing forward.
Tack: To turn the bow of the boat through the wind to change direction, OR the lower forward corner of a sail. So it can be either a sailing manoeuvre or a specific sail corner.
Transom: The flat part of the boat's stern. The boat’s squared-off back end.
Trim: To adjust the sails for optimal performance.
Underway: When the boat is moving through the water. The boat’s equivalent of being on the road.
Windward: The side of the boat facing the wind. The breezy, exposed side of the boat.