Sailing Terminology
From MITNA
Here are some links to some terms and terminology that blue water sailors will want to know about, which they may not have learned while sailing on the river.
Pages that are linked to from this page will have general descriptions of these items with regards to coastal sailing. The descriptions will not necessarily have specific information about any MIT boats.
Contents
Boat Parts
Rigging and Sails
- Genoa (genoa, working jib, storm jib)
- Mainsail
- Halyard
- Sheet (sheet, sheet cringle, jibsheet car)
- Traveller
- Turning Block (turning block, fairlead)
- Winch (with cleat, or self-tailing, or linestopper)
- Leechline
- Shrouds (or sidestays)
- Stays (forestay & backstay)
- Reef Lines (slab reefing: reef lines, hooks, cringles)
- Cringles
- Centerboard
On Deck
- Companionway (ladder, hatchcover, wash boards)
- Stanchion
- Lifeline
- Pulput
- Pushpit
- Sailing Aids (Windex, telltales, sail ticklers)
Lights
- Sidelights (requirements & usage outlined in Safety Requirements#Navigation Lights)
- Sternlight (ditto)
- Masthead light (ditto)
- Tricolor light (ditto)
- Strobe (for emergency signalling, but not "SOS" like in Safety Requirements#Visual Distress Signals (VSDs))
Ground Tackle / Docking
- Anchor (main anchor, kedge anchor, rode, chain, chocks, cleats, chafing gear)
- docking-mooring (docklines, fenders, mooring float and pendant, cleating, boathook)
Machinery
- Engine (cockpit panel and binnacle controls, battery switches
- Steering (wheel or tiller, wheel lock, emergency tiller)
Equipment
Electronic Equipment
Safety Gear
- PFD Types
- Handheld flares
- Aerial Flares
- Orange Smoke
- Orange/Black Distress Flag
- Electric Distress Light
- Magnetic Compass (binnacle)
- Charts (small scale, large scale, chart books, GPS charts)
- Charting Instruments (dividers, parallel rule, pencil, eraser)
- Hand Bearing Compass
