SailingKSF Reference

Sailing Vocabulary

Sailing Vocabulary Used In The Guides

A small reference page for the sailing and technical words used in the guides.

The goal is not to build a complete dictionary. It is to explain the words that matter for understanding the safety and boat-system articles.

Reference

Common words used across the guides

Some sailing words are short because sailors need to use them quickly. That can make them hard for a newer sailor, or for a reader using a translated page. This page explains the words I use repeatedly in the guides, in plain language.

Sea state and boat motion

Term	Plain meaning
Following sea	Waves are coming from behind the boat.
Quartering sea	Waves are coming from behind, but also from one side.
Breaking sea	A wave is collapsing or cresting with force, not only rolling under the boat.
Graybeard	An old sailor's word for a steep, breaking or white-crested sea that deserves respect.
Surfing	The boat accelerates down the face of a wave and may become harder to steer.
Broach	The boat is forced sideways or rounds up out of control, often with heavy heel.
Bow-bury	The bow digs into the water ahead, often while the stern is still being pushed by a wave.
Pooping wave	A wave comes aboard from astern and fills the cockpit or aft deck.
Pitchpole	The bow buries and the boat risks rotating end-over-end. This is rare, but very serious.
Yaw	The bow swings left or right without that being the skipper's intended course change.
Control margin	The remaining steering power, time, sea room and sail-handling ability before the boat is no longer under good control.

Heavy-weather gear

Term	Plain meaning
Jackline	A strong line or webbing run along the deck so a sailor can clip on with a tether.
Tether	The safety line between the harness and the boat.
Drogue	Drag device streamed from the stern to slow the boat and help control the stern in heavy following seas.
Sea anchor	Large drag device normally used from the bow to hold the boat more nearly head to sea.
Bare poles	Running with no sail set. The boat may still move fast under windage alone in strong wind.
Storm jib	Small strong headsail for heavy weather.
Storm trysail	Small strong mainsail substitute for very heavy weather, usually set without the boom or with reduced boom load.
Preventer	Line used to stop or reduce the risk of an accidental gybe, but it must have a safe release plan.

Sail balance and steering

Term	Plain meaning
Headsail	Sail set forward of the mast. A genoa is a large overlapping headsail.
Genoa	A large headsail that overlaps the mast. It can give power, but it can also overpower the boat in strong wind.
Storm jib	A smaller, stronger headsail for heavy weather, giving less power and usually better control.
Reef	Reduce sail area, normally by making the mainsail or headsail smaller.
Weather helm	The boat wants to turn up toward the wind. A small amount is normal and useful; too much is drag and risk.
Lee helm	The boat wants to turn away from the wind. This can be dangerous because the boat may bear away when control is lost.
Heave-to	A controlled slow-drift position using sails and rudder balance. Not every boat behaves the same, so it must be tested.
Emergency tiller	A backup steering handle or arrangement used if normal wheel or tiller steering fails.
Shock cord	Elastic cord, often called bungee cord, useful for temporary light holding tasks, but not a replacement for steering or watchkeeping.

Anchoring

Term	Plain meaning
Anchor rode	The whole connection between boat and anchor: chain, rope or a mix of both.
Scope	The ratio between rode length and water depth. More scope usually gives a better pull angle on the anchor.
Snubber	Elastic rope section used with chain to reduce shock loads and noise.
Transit	Two fixed objects lined up visually. If the alignment changes, the boat may have moved.
Lee shore	Shore downwind of the boat. If the anchor drags, the wind may push the boat toward land.
Anchor riding sail	Small sail used at anchor to reduce yawing and help the boat lie steadier to the wind.

Man overboard and staying on board

Term	Plain meaning
MOB	Man overboard. A person has fallen from the boat, or may be outside the boat and in immediate danger.
Clip on	Attach the tether from the harness to a strong point or jackline before moving around.
Harness	Part of a lifejacket or separate safety gear that lets a sailor connect to the boat with a tether.
Lifeline	Safety wire or rail around the deck edge. It helps, but it should not be the main plan for staying aboard.
Double tether	A tether with two legs, often one short and one long, so the sailor can stay clipped on while changing attachment points.
Boarding ladder	Ladder used to climb back aboard from the water. It must be reachable and deployable by the person in the water.
Recovery point	Planned place where a person can be brought back aboard, such as a lowered lifeline gate or stern platform.
Foot loop / tape sling	A strong loop that can be used as a step to unload a tether or help a person climb higher.
Cold water shock	The first dangerous reaction after falling into cold water: gasping, panic, fast breathing and loss of control.
Hypothermia	Body temperature drops too low. Thinking, movement and survival time become worse.
Deadman system	A safety system intended to react if the skipper is separated or disabled. It may alarm, stop, disengage or mark position depending on design.

Calling for help

Term	Plain meaning
VHF	Marine radio used for nearby voice communication, distress calls, weather and vessel-to-vessel contact.
DSC	Digital Selective Calling. A digital alert function on marine radios, including distress alert if correctly configured.
MMSI	Maritime Mobile Service Identity. The radio identity number used by DSC and AIS equipment.
Mayday	Distress call for grave and imminent danger where immediate assistance is needed.
Pan-Pan	Urgency call for a serious situation that is not yet immediate distress.
EPIRB	Emergency beacon normally registered to the vessel and used for serious distress.
PLB	Personal Locator Beacon. Emergency beacon carried by a person.
AIS MOB	Personal man-overboard beacon that transmits an AIS target to nearby receivers.
SAR	Search and rescue. The organized rescue system that may respond to distress alerts.
Position fix	The boat's known position, preferably with latitude and longitude, time, and how reliable the position is.

Fire, gas and carbon monoxide

Term	Plain meaning
LPG	Liquefied Petroleum Gas, often used for cooking. It is heavier than air and can collect low in the boat.
CO / carbon monoxide	Poisonous gas from bad combustion or exhaust leaks. You cannot see it, smell it or taste it.
CO alarm	Alarm that detects carbon monoxide. It should be tested regularly and replaced before expiry.
Fire blanket	Blanket used to smother a small fire, especially in a galley, if it is safe to get close enough.
Fire extinguisher	Portable extinguisher for small fires. The type must match the fire risk, and crew must know where it is.
Gas shutoff	Valve or switch used to stop gas flow from the bottle or system.
High-current connection	Battery, inverter, alternator or main-cable connection carrying large current. Loose or corroded parts can overheat.
Main switch	Battery or electrical isolation switch used to disconnect a system quickly.
Shore power	AC power supplied from land to the boat. It adds comfort, but also another electrical risk path.

Traffic and collision avoidance

Term	Plain meaning
Proper lookout	Active watching and listening using eyes, ears, instruments and common sense. A screen alone is not a lookout.
Constant bearing, decreasing range	If another vessel stays on the same bearing while getting closer, collision risk is likely.
CPA	Closest Point of Approach. The predicted closest distance between two vessels.
TCPA	Time to Closest Point of Approach. How long until the predicted CPA happens.
Radar clutter	Unwanted radar returns from sea, rain or interference that can hide real targets.
Guard zone	Radar alarm area around the boat. A target entering the zone can trigger an alert.
Sound signal	Horn or whistle signal used to communicate in restricted visibility or close-quarters situations.
Fishing gear	Nets, lines or other gear that may extend far from a fishing vessel and may not be obvious at night.

Engine, fuel and cooling

Term	Plain meaning
Sea room	Enough distance from land, rocks, traffic and shallow water to make decisions without immediate danger.
Raw-water seacock	Valve that lets seawater into the engine cooling system. If closed, the engine can overheat quickly.
Wet exhaust	Exhaust system where cooling water mixes with exhaust gas. Long cranking without starting can sometimes fill parts of it with water.
Bleeding fuel	Removing air from a diesel fuel system so the engine can run again.
Fuel filter	Filter that removes dirt from fuel before it reaches the engine.
Water separator	Part of the fuel system that helps remove water from diesel before it reaches the engine.
Impeller	Small rubber pump part that moves raw cooling water. If damaged, the engine may overheat.
Tow line	Line prepared for being towed or helping another vessel. It must be led to strong points, not weak fittings.
Strong point	Deck fitting or structure strong enough for high load, such as towing, drogue use or recovery work.

Power and electricity

Term	Plain meaning
DC	Direct current, normally from batteries, solar panels and many boat loads.
AC	Alternating current, normally from shore power, generator or inverter.
Overcurrent protection	Fuse or breaker intended to stop a cable or device from carrying dangerous current.
Fuse	A safety part that melts open when current is too high. It must be correctly sized for the cable and circuit.
Breaker	A resettable protection switch. It still must be correctly rated for the cable and circuit.
Voltage drop	Loss of voltage along a cable or connection when current flows.
Busbar	A proper distribution point for connecting several circuits without stacking everything on the battery post.
BMS	Battery Management System. Electronics inside or beside a lithium battery that protects the battery and may disconnect it.
Bonding	Connecting conductive parts together for a defined safety or corrosion-control purpose.
Isolation	Keeping systems electrically separated except where a designed connection is required.
Inverter	Device that makes AC power from a DC battery bank.
PV string	Solar panels wired together. It may remain live whenever there is light.

Grounding, rig failure and navigation backup

Term	Plain meaning
Sail balance	How mainsail, headsail, rudder and hull work together so the boat steers easily without constant heavy helm.
Jury rig	Temporary rig or sail arrangement made after damage, only intended to regain enough control to reach safety.
Shroud	Standing rigging wire or rod supporting the mast from the side.
Stay / forestay / backstay	Standing rigging supporting the mast fore and aft. The forestay is forward; the backstay is aft.
Halyard	Line used to hoist or lower a sail.
Boom	Spar along the foot of the mainsail. It can move violently and must be treated with respect.
Vang / kicker	Tackle or strut controlling boom lift and mainsail shape.
Grounding	The boat touches bottom or becomes stuck on bottom.
Keel bolt	Strong bolt connecting the keel to the hull structure.
Rudder stock	Shaft or post that carries the rudder into the boat and steering system.
Through-hull / seacock	Hull opening and valve for seawater or drains. A failed hose or valve can flood the boat.
Shaft seal	Seal around propeller shaft or saildrive area that keeps seawater out.
Bilge	Lowest inside area of the boat where water normally collects first.
Dead reckoning	Estimating position from last known position, course, speed, time, current and leeway.
Bearing	Direction to an object, usually measured by compass.
Sector light	Navigation light showing different colors in different directions to guide a safe approach.
Abort point	Pre-decided place or condition where the skipper stops the approach and turns away or waits.
Tender / dinghy	Small boat used between yacht and shore.
Outboard	Small engine mounted on the tender or dinghy.
Kill cord	Safety cord that stops an outboard if the driver falls away.
Medical card	Simple written medical information for each person on board: allergies, medicines, contacts and important history.
Dehydration	The body has too little water. Thinking, strength and judgment can get worse quickly.

Feedback For The Vocabulary

If a term is unclear, badly translated, or missing from the guide vocabulary, I would be glad to read it.

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