There is a lot to learn when being at sea. Everything from how to enter a hammock, to how to eat while the ship is heeling in high seas, and last but not least: Nautical terms. In this post I want to list a few nautical terms that is used regularly during sail training. This might be useful if you are joining a tall ship/ small ship voyage for the first time!
Aboard – On or in the boat Aloft – overhead, above. Usually used when climbing in the rigging
Block – a pulley. These are also nicknamed «widow makers» and it is important to pay attention to them if you stand close by. Buoy – an anchored float marking a position or for use as a mooring. Belay- To secure a rope by winding on a pin or cleat
Rope belayed on pins
Clew– the lower aft corner of the fore and aft sails
Downhaul– Rope for holding down or hauling down a sail
Helm – the tiller or wheel, and surrounding area Helmsman – the member of the crew responsible for steering Halyard- rope or tackle for hoisting and lowering sails
This is a helm!
Jib– a foresail
Knot – a unit of speed, one knot = 6,076 feet per hour
Leeward – downwind or away from the wind
Mast- A spar placed vertically in a boat to hold up the sails.
Nautical Mile- Measure of length at sea (2025 yards). 1 mile = 1,760 yards.
Port side – left; Left side of the boat/ ship
Reef – to reduce the size of a sail Rigging – the standing rigging is the mast and support lines, running rigging is the lines with which you adjust the sails
The rigging and the yards
Safety harness- a harness, usually made of webbing, worn over the shoulders and around the chest Starboard– right; on the right side of the boat/ship Stern- The back end of a boat.
Windward – upwind
Yard – tapering spar attached to ship’s mast to spread the head of a square sail
If you would like to read more about nautical terms, you can do that by pressing THIS LINK!
Fair winds,
– Eline
English 
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