There are so many new terms on a boat that I am building a resource of sailing jargon and superstitions.
First, the sailing jargon. It is not comprehensive so when I use a new term I update it here. This page is growing!
Ready, mateys? Sailing Jargon
My sailing jargon page includes definitions, links to where I have used the terms on the site, and, where possible, origins of the words or phrases. If I use a word in any of my posts and you want to know what it means, comment or let me know and I will add the definition here.
Aft: Back of the boat.
AIS: Automatic Identification System. Through the use of transponders on boats, each boat is assigned a different number and can be identified and seen on other vessels. This is a great way for boaters to spot their fellow cruisers, and to avoid collisions with other vessels, especially at night. We have been receiving transmissions all along, but only started sending them in Tortola.
Anchorage: A spot where boats can drop anchor for the night or many nights. Hopefully you drop in a protected anchorage, which means protected from winds and waves.
Autopilot: Self-steering as in a car.
Blue Water: Sailing out of sight of land. All you see around you is blue water.
Bommies: An Australian term for coral heads. In the atolls in French Polynesia, these can be a navigational hazard.
Bow: The front of the boat on the outside of the boat.
Catamaran: Also known as a “cat” but not to be confused with Domino. These are sailboats with two equal sized hulls. Advantages to cats are lots of living space and stability of movement.
Coastal Bars: Shallow, shifting sandbanks at the entrance to rivers and coastal estuaries, as seen in New South Wales, Australia
Cockpit: The area on the boat where the controls are and where you steer the boat. On a sailboat, the cockpit area is the area with the controls and the seating. Sava is covered with a bimini for sun protection.
Courtesy Flags: If the boat is in a foreign country, it must fly the flag of the current country. It’s a gesture of respect, or “courtesy.” There is a lot of etiquette around this, such as when to put up the flag (only after clearing customs. Until then you fly the yellow “quarantine” flag), and where to fly the flag (on the starboard side). I’ve done a lot of reading on this subject because I do not want to insult any host countries! Since our boat is registered in Fort Lauderdale, we have a U.S. flag at the stern, the current country’s flag on the starboard halyard, and Brian also put up a Canadian flag on the port side since there are Canadians on board.
Cruisers: Sailors who live on their boats and sail from place to place. Us!
Cruisers Net: A regularly scheduled vhf “group chat” where all the cruisers in an anchorage or nearby anchorages exchange information and news.
Floating the Chain: Adding floats to the anchor chain to keep the chain from getting caught on coral on the bottom.
Fore: Front of the boat.
Galley: The kitchen.
Head: The bathroom on board. This term comes from the days when the toilet areas on sailing ships were in the front of the boat adjacent to the figurehead at the bow.
Headwind: Wind in front of you, blocking forward motion. Those of you who ride bikes know about this.
Hull: The body of the boat
Jib Sail: Also known as the genoa or genny. This is the sail at the foremost part of the boat, in front of the main sail. Attached somehow to the bow, if it’s working right.
Knot: Also known as NM or nautical mile. A nautical mile = 1,852 meters and is 1.151 of a mile. We average about 6 knots an hour. Sometimes more when the conditions are good, even up to 8 knots. But you see how slow that is? Now do you understand why we can’t meet you in Mexico for your vacation next week?
Lazy Jacks: Rigging attached to the sail to assist in furling and reefing the sail
Monohull: Sailboat with one hull. Considered not as comfortable as cats, but preferred by sailors because they point better. Discussed on the blog when introducing Sava
Mooring: Attaching your boat to something, a rope, ball, chain, that is anchored.
M/V: Short for motor vessel. Used as a designation when calling marinas or anyone via VHF radio. Boaters will say M/V + Boat Name to identify themselves
Navigation Light: Used to prevent collisions at night, navigation lights are essential for boats in motion. Also called Nav Lights, these are required for safety.
On the Hard: When the boat is out of the water, usually because work is being done on it, or because it is (or its owners are) taking a break for the season.
Port: The left side of the boat. I remember this from somewhere (don’t know where) where they said left is 4 letters like port.
Porthole: Circular window on a boat.
Portlight: Square or rectangular window on a boat.
Power Sail: Using a combination of the engine and the sails to move forward. Sometimes there isn’t enough wind to just use the sails, or sometimes you just want more speed.
Salon: The big room on the boat for socializing. A combination office, living and dining rooms.
Starboard: The right side of the boat. Right has more letters than left and starboard has more than port. Weird memory thing that I don’t even remember where I learned but it worked for me!
Stern: The back of the boat.
Sundowners: A drink to accompany the sunset, enjoyed on the back of a boat, preferably with company. We like beer, wine and rum drinks – the dark and stormy and rumenade (rum and lemonade) being consistent favorites. There are so many options!
S/V: Short for Sailing Vessel, as in S/V Sava
Tack: Changing course by turning the sails into and through the wind. Sometimes you are lucky and can stay on the same tack for hours and do other things while occasionally checking for other boats
Weather Window: The perfect time to travel. Sailors look at forecasts for days ahead to find the best conditions for a passage. Things to look for: Wind, currents, and waves. A 40nm sail is very different in 10 knots upwind versus 30!
Windlass: The device that lifts and drops the anchor.
Sailing Superstitions
Everyone is different. Some sailors are very superstitious and try to follow all the old salty myths. Some haven’t even heard of any of these “old wives’ tales”. I like collecting and learning about them, and who wants to risk fate?
Renaming the Boat
This is number one when you buy a boat. Don’t rename it! And if you do, you must follow an elaborate process and renaming ceremony. Supposedly a virgin needs to be part of the process, all traces of former names must be scrubbed, and there always seems to be champagne. But that may just be for fun. What happens if you don’t follow these procedures? I don’t know because we took the easy route and kept the name.
Bananas on a Boat
Bananas are bad luck on a boat. This apparently traces back to the 1700s when a few boats that capsized or disappeared were said to have bananas on board. I think there’s a more practical reason though: if you keep bananas near other produce, everything ripens, and rots, much faster. We buy bananas but keep them separate from the other food. Hopefully that’ll keep us safe!
Toasting Neptune
It’s common to toast and pour a shot of rum or other spirit overboard when embarking on a new endeavor on board a boat. Sailors toast Neptune on a first voyage or upon entering a new domain, like a new ocean. Neptune, the God of the Sea, also goes by the name Poseidon. It’s a fun tradition to make a toast to Neptune and sacrifice a shot to the sea!
Thanks for reading my sailing jargon and superstitions. What are your superstitions or ones you’ve heard involving boats? Let me know! I’ll investigate and add them here.
