Imagine you are on a sailing boat, and you don’t understand a word the sailors are talking about, but you really want to 
participate and be able to communicate. Yes, it can be sometimes embarrassing and irritating, especially if friends accompany you. If you wish to look like a professional and why not impress some people around you, then it will be ideal to have some familiarizations with sailing terms before you step on board.
In this blog, I am going to share with you very helpful vocabulary used by sailors already for about hundreds of years. But make sure before venturing out on the ocean or wherever you’ll choose to sail, to spend at least a few hours with an experienced sailor on a boat.
List of useful sailing terms for beginners
- Port is the left side of the vessel as it is usually used with the bow term
- Starboard is the right side of the boat as it is often used with the bow term
- Bow is the front part of the vessel, so if you want to say that there is something on the right side of the bow, then use (off the starboard bow). If there is something on the left, then say (off the port bow).But if you want to mention something on both sides of the boat, then you’ll have to say (her bows ).
- Stern is the back of the vessel that is the opposite of the bow.
- Windward is where the blowing wind from.
- Leeward is used for the opposite direction where the wind is blowing and also known as the term Lee.
- Boom is usually to keep the sail foot flatter when the angle of the sail is far from the boat centerline.
- Hull is the ship body which is situated below the bridge.
- Keel is used to stabilize the boat when the wind blows.
- Rudder is a control surface that move through the water and used to navigate the ship to the direction of your interest.
- Sheet is used to handle the sails and mainly made of chain, rope or cable.
- Painter is a rope positioned in the bow of the boat and used when mooring to a dock, in the water or to attach another boat.
- Tacking is used for turning the bow of the vessel in zig-zagging through the wind.
- Tiller is a stick to steer the rudder to which is attached.
- Watch is used for a period of duty on board that allow the boat to be navigated for 24 hours.
It’s always good and helpful to learn the sailing terms before starting a course or going on fleet vacation, and it can be very useful for everyone.
Do you know some great sailing terms? Let share them in the comments below
Daniella has been passionate about travel, the sea, and nature for many years. As a child, she frequently traveled throughout the Mediterranean and continued with her journeys throughout her adult life.
Her experiences have created the desire within her to share her love for traveling with other passionate and adventurers who want to discover beautiful horizons and new cultures.
