Basic Nautical Knowledge
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59 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Abaft | Behind; Astern |
| Abeam | At right angles to the center line of a vessel |
| Amidships | In the middle portion of the ship, along the line of the keel |
| Astern | Toward the stern |
| Barque | Sailing vessel with three or more masts |
| Belay | To cancel an order; to stop |
| Bend on | To secure one thing to another |
| Bitter end | The utmost end of a line |
| Bitt | Strong iron post on a ship's deck for working or fastening lines |
| Bow | Forward section of a vessel |
| Bridge | Raised platform from which the ship is steered navigated and conned |
| Carry on | An order to resume work or duties |
| Cast loose | To let go a line or lines |
| Compartment | Space enclosed by bulkheads, deck and overhead; AKA room |
| Coxswain | Enlisted man in charge of a boat and its crew while underway |
| Cutter | A Coast Guard vessel 65 feet in length or longer |
| Dog | Metal fitting used to secure watertight doors |
| Draft | Depth of water from the surface to the ship's keel |
| Double up | To increase the number of ship-to-pier turns of a mooring line |
| Ease her | A command to reduce the amount of rudder or helm |
| *** | Frayed or untwisted end of rope |
| Fake | A single turn of line when line is coiled down |
| Fantail | Main deck section in the after part of a flush deck ship |
| Fathom | six-foot unit of length |
| Field day | Cleaning day aboard ship |
| Halyard | Line used for hoisting flags, pennants or balls |
| Hatch | An opening in the ship's deck |
| Hawser | Heavy line, 5 in or more in circumference |
| Heave to | To bring the ship's head into the wind or sea and hold her there with engines and rudder |
| Heel | To list over |
| Helmsman | The person at the wheel who steers the ship |
| Inboard | Toward the ship's center line |
| Jacob's ladder | Light ladder made of rope or chain hung over the side of the ship |
| Keel | Backbone of the ship |
| Ladder | AKA Stairs |
| Lee | Direction away from the wind |
| Magazine | Compartment used for stowage of ammunition and explosives |
| Meet her | An order to shift the rudder in order to check the swing of a ship during change of course |
| Mess | Eat |
| Mind your rudder | Warning to helmsman to watch ordered course carefully |
| Muster | To assemble the crew; Roll call |
| Outboard | Toward the side of the vessel |
| Overhead | AKA Ceiling |
| Part | To break, as of a rope or line |
| Pitch | The forward heaving and plunging motion of a vessel at sea |
| Port | Left side of the ship facing forward |
| Quarter | The part of a ship's side near the stern |
| Rack | Sailor's bed |
| Roll | The side to side motion of a ship at sea |
| Screw | The propeller |
| Scuttle | Small opening through a hatch, deck or bulkhead to provide access |
| Sheer off | To turn suddenly away |
| Shift the rudder | An order to swing the rudder an equal distance in the opposite direction |
| Snub | To check suddenly |
| Sound | To measure depth of water by means of a lead line |
| Stand by | Preparatory order meaning to get ready |
| Steady | Order to keep ship on course |
| Turn to | Order to begin work |
| Wardroom | Officer's mess and lounge aboard ship |
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