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| Sailing Terms |
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| BattenA bar, usually of iron, used to hold down canvas hatch covers.Thin, stiff strips of plastic or wood, placed in pockets in the leech of a sail, to assist in keeping its form BelayTo make secure. BittsPairs of metal or wooden heads on the deck used to moor a ship to the dock, or to fasten running rigging. BlockA pulley. Bolt RopeA rope sewn into the luff of a sail for use in attaching to the standing rigging. BoomA long spar used to extend the foot of a sail. Boom VangA line that adjusts downward tension on the boom. CatboatA one sail sailboat. ChafeDamage to a line caused by rubbing against another object. Chainplates Metal plates bolted to the boat which standing rigging is attached to. CleatA fitting used to secure a line to. ClewThe lower aft corner of a sail. DownhaulA line, attached to the tack, which adjusts tension in the sail. EaseTo loosen or let out. FairleadA fitting used to change the direction of a line without chafing. Foot The bottom part of a sail. Foremast The forward mast of a boat with more that one mast. Foresail The jib. Fouled Entangled or clogged. Furl To fold or roll a sail and secure it to its main support. Gear A general name for ropes, blocks, and tackles. Genoa A large foresail that overlaps the mainsail. Gooseneck A device that connects the boom to the mast. Halyard The line used to raise and lower the sail. Head The top of the sail. |
| Headsail A sail forward of the mast, a foresail. Headstay A wire support line from the mast to the bow. Heel The lower end of any vertical part of a vessel, particularly the stern post. Hoist To raise aloft. Jib A foresail, a triangle shaped sail forward of the mast. Ketch A two-masted ship with a small mast mounted forward of the rudder post. Lanyard A small rope to hold/secure an object, such as a knife, a bucket, or a working tool. Leech The back edge of a sail. Luff The front edge of a sail, and the flapping in the wind of the front of the sail. (Luffing) Mainsheet The line that controls the boom. Mizzen The shorter mast behind the main mast on a ketch or yawl. Outhaul The line that adjust tension along the foot of the sail along the boom. Painter A line tied to the bow of a small boat for the purpose of securing it to a dock or to the shore. Pennant A triangular flag. Reef To reduce the size of a sail. Rigging The fixed ropes and wires holding the masts are called standing rigging. The moveable ropes that operate the sails are called the running rigging. Shake Out To release a reefed sail and hoist the sail aloft. Sheave The wheel of a block pulley. Sheet A line used to control the sail. Shrouds Support wires for the mast. Spinnaker A large, light sail used in downwind sailing. SpreadersStruts used to hold the shrouds away from the mast. Stay A rope or wire support for a mast in a fore-and-aft direction. Step The frame that the bottom of the mast ends into. Stow To put away. Tack The front, lower corner of the sail, also course with the wind coming from the side of the boat, also to change course by turning into the wind so that the wind comes from the other side of the boat. Topping Lift A line that holds up the boom when it is not being used, also the line that controls the height of a spinnaker pole. Traveler A device that the mainsheet may be attached to which allows its position to be adjusted. Trim To adjust the sails, also the position of the sails. Tuning The adjustment of the standing rigging, the sails and the hull to balance the boat for optimum performance. Whisker Pole A light spar, which holds the jib out when sailing downwind. Winch A metal drum shaped device used to assist in trimming sails. |
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