Sailing Terminology

Here are some links to some terms that bluewater sailors will want to know about, which they may not have learned while sailing on the river. This includes terms that are not already described in Sailing and the Tech Dinghy, or terms that have significant additional information associated with them in the context of coastal sailing.

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.

Boat Parts

Rigging and Sails

• Backstay
• Block
• Cringle
• Fairlead
• Forestay
• Genoa
• Guy
• Halyard
• Jib Car
• Jiffy Reefing
• Lazy Sheet
• Leechline
• Mainsail
• Reef Hooks
• Reef Lines
• Running Rigging
• Sheet
• Sheave
• Shrouds
• Spinnaker
• Spinnaker Pole
• Standing Rigging
• Stays
• Storm Jib
• Telltales
• Topping Lift
• Traveller
• Turning Block
• Turnbuckle
• Winch
• Working Jib

On Deck

• Binnacle
• Cleat
• Companionway
• Compass
• Leeboards
• Lifeline
• Pulput
• Pushpit
• Stanchion
• Washboards

Navigation Lights

• Sidelights
• Sternlight
• Masthead light
• Tricolor light
• Mast Strobe

Docking

• Fenders
• Mooring ball
• Mooring Pennant
• Boathook

Other Boat Parts

• Windex

Equipment

Electronic Equipment

• VHF Radio
• Radar
• GPS

Safety Gear

• PFDs
• Handheld Flares
• Aerial Flares
• Orange Smoke
• Orange/Black Distress Flag
• Electric Distress Light

Navigation Gear

• Charts
• Charting Instruments
• Hand Bearing Compass

External Links

• At Sea Glossary
• Full and By (from Sailing Magazine)
• Sailor's Choice Nautical Terms
• Yacht Charter Glossary
• Boatsafe Nautical Know How