Seafaring is undeniably the source of more erroneous etymology than any other activity. This is due to the romantic picture of horny-handed sailors singing shanties and living rugged life at sea. But, it’s very useful and important to know some sailing terms in order to achieve better communication. Most of the vocabulary used in the sailing world might sound quite weird, and it really is! And, that’s the fun and interesting part about it; we’re still using terms that have been used by sailors hundreds of years ago. So when you know the sailing terminology, you’re also participating in the grand sailing tradition. So, let’s move on and see the most common sailing terms used in the past but also in the present. Follow me!

Terms Related to the Anatomy of the Sailboat

1. Aft: The backside of the sailboat. If something is located aft, it means that it’s at the back of the sailboat. The aft is also known as the stern. 

2. Bow: The front of the sailboat is the bow. It’s important to be aware of the location of the bow so as to define two of the other most common sailing terms: port (left of the bow) and starboard (right of the bow). 

3. Port: The port side of the sailboat is its left-hand side when you are facing the bow. The right and left sides of the sailboat, in sailing terminology, can be confusing when used out in the sea. So, port is used to define the left-hand side of the boat as it relates to the bow, or front. 

4. Starboard: The starboard side of the sailboat is the right-hand side when you are facing the bow. The right and left sides of the sailboat, in sailing terminology, can be confusing when used out in the sea. So, starboard is used to define the right-hand side of the boat as it relates to the bow or front. 

5. Boom: The boom refers to the horizontal pole that extends from the bottom of the mast. When adjusting the boom towards the direction of the wind it is the way in which the sailboat harnesses wind power so as to move forward or backward.

6. Rudder: The rudder is situated beneath the boat and is a flat piece of wood, fiberglass, or metal used for steering the boat. Larger sailboats control the rudder via a wheel, while smaller sailboats usually have a steering mechanism directly aft the boat. 

7. Keel: The keel is a long, heavy fin located on the bottom of the boat and sunken into the water. It provides stability and is the main reason why modern sailboats are nearly impossible to capsize.

8. Halyard: The ropes that we use to pull things up, like sails and masts.

9. Helm: This is where you steer the boat. Usually, it refers to a big wheel, but on smaller sailboats, it can be a tiller, which is basically a long wooden stick. Either of these can be used to control the sailboat’s rudder.

10. Lines: Onboard a boat, this is what you say instead of “ropes.”

Terms Related to the Wind

1. Leeward: Lee, or leeward, refers to the direction opposite to the way in which the wind is blowing (windward).

2. Windward: This refers to the direction in which the wind is currently blowing. Windward is the opposite of leeward. In other words, the opposite direction of the wind. Most of the time, sailboats move with the wind. So, this makes the windward direction an important sailing term to know. 

3. Heeling: Heeling refers to the way when a sailboat leans over in the water as it is pushed by the wind. It’s an awesome feeling when you heel over as your sails fill and the speed levels increase!

4. Sailing Upwind: You can sail in any direction except directly into the wind, or in the no-go zone. Approximately 40 degrees off the wind is about as close as you can get. So in case you want to sail upwind you have to zigzag from side to side of the no-go zone. This is called beating to windward and includes tacking your boat through about 90 degrees from close-hauled to close-hauled through the no-go zone.

5. Running Downwind: This situation refers to the wind when it’s coming from directly behind the sailboat. In other words, the sails act just like a parachute does. While you’re on the dead run and off the wind, the force exerted by the sail is almost parallel to the centerline of the boat.

6. Apparent wind: This is the combination of the true wind direction and the headwind created by the sailboat’s forward motion.

7. Windfall: A sudden unexpected rush of wind from a mountainous shore which makes the boat go more leeway.

8. Weather helm: Referring to the tendency of a sailboat to turn windward in a strong wind when there is no change in the rudder’s position. It’s the opposite of lee helm and forms the result of an unbalanced condition. 

Techniques and Terms Related to the Sails

• Tacking: Tacking is the opposite of jibing. It refers to the basic sailing maneuver that turns the bow of the boat through the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the boat to the other side. Keep in mind that the boom of the boat will always shift from one side to the other when performing a tack or a jibe. 
• Tack: This term has two different meanings, both of them are very important to know. As a verb, to tack means to change direction by turning the bow of the boat through the wind. As a noun, your tack is the course you are on relative to the wind. For instance, when the wind is blowing over the port side, you are on a port tack. On the opposite, if it’s blowing over the starboard side, you’re on a starboard tack.
• Jibing: Jibing is the opposite of tacking. It refers to the basic sailing maneuver that turns the stern of the boat through the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the boat to the other side. Keep in mind that the boom of the boat will always shift from one side to the other when performing a tack or a jibe. However, jibing is not such a common technique as tacking since it involves turning the boat directly into the wind.
• Jibe: A jibe is another way of changing direction. Meaning that you bring the stern of the boat through the wind. Choosing to tack or jibe depends on your current situation. For example, it depends on what’s around you, and the direction of the wind.
• In Irons: It refers to the situation when the bow is pointing into the wind and the boat is difficult to maneuver under sail.
• Footloose: The bottom part of a sail is called the foot. If this part isn’t secured, it is footloose and it moves randomly in the wind.
• Gybe: To change from one tack to the other away from the wind, with the stern of the boat turning through the wind.
• Long haul: Operation on a boat that requires the hauling of a lot of lines. Alternatively, also seen in short-haul, an operation that requires fewer lines.
• Mainsail: The big triangular sail just aft of the sailboat’s mast. The mainsail is the boat’s largest and most important sail. Running along its bottom edge, the mainsail has a thick pole called the boom.
• Mainstay: A stay that extends from the maintop to the foot of the foremast of a sailboat. It also refers to a thing upon which something is based or depends.
• Jib: Another common sail on any boat. The jib can always be found forward of the mast, and unlike the mainsail, the jib doesn’t have a boom.
• Reefing: This is the primary and preferred method of reducing sail area, to de-power the boat so that it can be easier to control. Especially useful in higher winds and rough weather conditions.
• Sail Trim: Every time you change course, even if it’s just for a bit, you’ll need to trim your sails depending upon your heading. As you turn toward or heading up to the wind, you’d have to pull your sails in, i.e. sheet them in. When you turn away or bear away from the wind, you have to let the sails out, i.e. ease the sheets. 

Points of Sail

• Point of Sail: This refers to the boat’s direction relative to the wind. For example, if you’re going straight into the wind, your point of sail is called “in irons.” If the wind is blowing straight over the side of the boat, that’s called a “beam reach.” There are 8 commonly used points of sail, and it’s advisable to familiarize yourself with them before setting sail. Some basic terms regarding the points of sail are: On a run, where you are heading straight downwind. On a reach, where the wind is from the side. And, with the wind forward of the beam, you are on a beat.
• No-Go Zone: This is the part in which you can’t sail. Your sails will start to flap and your boat will come to a stop.
• Close Hauled: This is as close to the wind as you can get. Always make sure that your sails are pulled in tightly.
• Close Reach: In this situation, the wind blows slightly in front of the beam. It isn’t that difficult as the close-hauled and you shouldn’t forget to let your sails about a bit.  
• Beam Reach: This is the fastest and easiest point of sail. The wind is on the side of your boat, i.e. the beam, and you’ll sail with your sails out halfway.  
• Broad Reach: While on a broad reach, you’ll be heading a bit further downwind. In this situation, you have to let your sails out a bit more.
• Training Run: In this situation, the wind will be slight to one side of your stern. This makes steering easier than in a dead run.  
• Run: When you have the wind directly behind you, this can be a difficult point of sail to steer as it’s usually unstable. While on a run, your sails can be let out on the opposite sides of the boat in order to catch the wind. This is also called sailing goosewinged. In this situation, you can also set the spinnaker.  

Common Sailing Terms and Sayings

Aback: The sail is aback when the wind fills it from the opposite side to the one which is normally used to make the sailboat move forward.

Above board: This term refers to anything on or above the open deck. So, if something is in plain view it means that is above board.

Adrift: When you are adrift you ought to act as soon as possible to prevent it. A sailboat that’s “adrift” has broken from the moorings and isn’t on a towline. The sailboat isn’t under control and therefore it heads where the wind and current take it.

Aloft:  When you’re up in the rigging, off the deck, you’re “aloft.”

Bridle: This is a system used to share the strain of an anchor evenly across two different points. It reduces possible damage on the sailboat and basically acts like a shock absorber. Additionally, it prevents your boat from floating away.

Cut and run: This term refers to the cutting of an anchor line in a way to make a quick getaway. It also implies the practice of securing the sails of a square-rigged ship with rope yarns that could easily be cut away when the ship had to leave as soon as possible.

Cut off one’s jib: In the past, warships used to have their foresails or jib sails cut thinly so that they could maintain point and not lose their course. So, when someone saw thin foresails on a distant ship the captain would decide if he liked the cut of the jib and would then have an opportunity to escape if needed.

Draft: Yes, this term also refers to a type of beer. But, in sailing terminology, it’s the minimum depth of water needed to float your boat.

Dressing down: Thin and worn sails used to be treated with oil or wax to renew their effectiveness. This was referred to as a “dressing down”. Also, a sailor who was reprimanded or scolded received a dressing down.

Even keel: A boat that floats upright without a tilt is said to be on an even keel and this term also means to be calm and steady. A keel is like the spine of the boat; the lowest and principal centerline structural member running fore and aft. Also, being keeled over, or upside down, was a sailor’s term for death.

Fall foul of/foul-up: Foul is an often-used sailing term and means entangled or impeded. An anchor tangled in line or cable refers to a foul anchor. Also, a foul berth can be caused by another vessel that anchors too close thus risking collision. And, a foul bottom offers poor holding for anchors.

Fender: This is the rubber thing dangling off the sides of the boat or a pontoon to help prevent damage to the boat or pontoon.

Flemish: This word refers to the situation when you coil a line that is not in use. Like this, it would lie flat on the deck.

Forepeaks: This is the forward section of the hull that, depending on the sailboat’s design, you can use as a sleeping space or a storage area.

From stem to stern: When using this term, it means from the front of a ship to the back.

Get underway: ‘Way’ here doesn’t mean the word ‘road’. Instead, it has the specifically nautical meaning of ‘the forward progress of a ship through the water’ or the wake that the ship leaves behind. This phrase is used since at least the 17th century.

Give a wide berth: To anchor the boat far enough away from another boat so that they won’t hit each other when they swung with the wind or tide.

Go overboard: Meaning off or outside the boat. If something or someone falls in or thrown out of the boat into the water, this person or object goes overboard.

Grounding: When a boat is afloat, it touches the seabed, or runs aground. So, when a moored boat that grounds as the tide goes out we say that it “takes the ground”.

Groundswell: This word refers to a sudden rise of water along the shore. It usually occurs when the weather is fine and the sea behind it appears calm. It also occurs when rippling water from a far away storm reaches the shoreline and thus friction causes the swell.

Hard-up: Hard is another common nautical term. When you put the helm hard over means that you put it as far as it will go in that direction. Hard and fast describes a sailboat being firmly aground, unable to make progress, and has come ashore. Another common saying is ‘Hard up in a clinch and no knife to cut the seizing’, and is the way in which a sailor says that he has been overtaken by misfortune and that there’s no way of reversing it.

Jury rig: This is a temporary repair to keep a disabled ship sailing until it can make port. For example, when a jury sail is erected and the mast is lost. Or, when using a jury rudder as an emergency means of steering when the ship’s rudder is damaged.

Keel hauling: This describes a severe naval punishment during the 15th and 16th centuries. The victim or delinquent was dragged from one side of the boat to the other, under the bottom of the boat. The man was tossed over one side and pulled up on the other. He was also allowed to catch his breath before suddenly being tossed overboard again. The phrase is now replaced by the cat-o-nine-tails and means a rough reprimand.

Leeway: The weather side of a boat is the side from which the wind is blowing. But, the lee side is the side of the boat that is sheltered from the wind. A lee shore is a shore that is downwind of the boat. If a boat doesn’t have enough “leeway” it is in danger of being pushed onto the shore.

Running backstays: This refers to a backstay that you can release and move out of the way. Like this, it won’t interfere with sails or spars on the leeward side. Bear in mind that on tacking, the new windward running backstay must be set up properly to support the mast.

Overhaul: The word means to prevent the buntline ropes from chaffing the sails. The sailor has to go aloft to haul them over the sails. This is called overhauling.

Overreach: If a boat holds a tack course too long, it means that it has overreached its turning point. Subsequently, the distance increases its next tack point that the boat has to reach.

Tackle: Tackles are used to stretch the rigging, to raise or remove heavy loads, to support the masts, extend the rigging, or raise and trim the sails. They can be moveable, or have one part fixed to an immoveable station by a hook, lashing, etc.

Try a different tack: The direction in which a boat moves is determined by the position of its sails and also regarding the direction of the wind, i.e. starboard tack. So, if your tack doesn’t bring the boat up properly, you can always use another.

The Bottom Line

Sometimes, sailing terminology is difficult to learn, especially for beginners. It’s basically a confusing world filled with peculiar jargon and technical terms. There are rules, traditions, techniques, equipment, and much more to learn. But once you begin to master it and you discover this wonderful activity that is full of freedom, adventure, and sailing in the open sea, you will fall in love forever. Getting familiar with these sailing terms is an important step to take. You will of course know what you’re doing, but you’ll also quickly begin to realize that with the right practice and training, you will be able to correct your mistakes. I hope that this article will help you through your learning process. See you soon!