Come Sail Away With RH: Sailing Glossary
Sailing is one of civilizations oldest modes of transportation and unlike everything else in life, very little has changed about the vessels themselves, but it does have a language all of its own and to avoid looking like a novice we have created an easy sailboat glossary for you of the most important terms because looking the part isn’t enough when it comes to nautical sports and the recreational activity of sailing. It is important to know or at least be familiar with these words and phrases before boarding a sailboat for your safety and for the safety of your company.
We would hate for you to get tossed overboard because you were standing on the wrong side of the boom when the skipped yelled ‘gybe ho’!
Sailing Glossary
(JFK and Jackie Kennedy Onassis enjoying a cruise on a sailboat in Newport, Rhode Island.)
“Sailing” is the moment of perfect harmony between boat, skipper, and nature, where the wind propels the boat via its resistance from the sails. In modern day sailing many boats have motors but they are not often used unless necessary, i.e., if there is a lack of wind.
“Nautical Mile” is a unit of measurement that is not only used in boating but also in aviation and space travel. The international nautical mile is defined as exactly 1852 metres (6076 ft; 1.151 mi).
“Knot” is a unit of speed that equals one nautical mile per hour.
The “skipper” is the captain of the boat, i.e. the boss!
The “bow” is the front of your sailboat and the “stern” is the back of the boat.
The “port” is the left side and is most easily remembered as such because they are both four letter words, and the “starboard” is the right side.
(Courtesy of Sailing to Jessica)
The “boom” is what you really must stay aware on when on a sailboat. It is the large pole that is perpendicular to the “mast” and when the skipper changes direction, the boom will come flying to the other side of the vessel and could easily knock you over or overboard!
(Photo by Alison Langley)
“Gybe Ho” or “Gybing” is what the skipper will call out to let the crew know that the boom is about to swing, so stay aware!
“Luffing” is what happens when your boat directly faces into the winds and your sails flap or ‘luff’. If your sails are luffing it is best to angle the sailboat away from the direct wind so the sails can recapture the wind and propel the sailboat.
“Boating shoes” are non-marking rubber soled shoes designed for you to not slip or scuff up the deck! If you are not wearing such footwear you will likely be politely asked to remove your shoes all together, and yes that includes those cute wedges you wore to the dock.
“Sailboat Cruising” is the activity of sailing for pleasure on any size vessel for any length of period.
(All six J Class Yachts seconds after the start, at the 2017 J Class World Championships, held in Newport. Image by Onne van der Wal. )
“Dinghy Sailing Racing” is known as the competitive sport of racing small sailboats. It became considered a sport in the 17th century once Charles II of England was gifted a small boat and enjoyed sailing it recreationally and for competition amongst friends. This is the perfect starting point if you are interested in getting involved and learning about sailboat racing.
“Yacht Racing” refers to the competitive sport where sailing larger sailboats compete to complete a designated course that often lasts several days with the Transpacific Yacht Race from San Pedro, CA, to Honolulu, HI, spanning 2,225 nautical miles!
“Regatta” is a term for a sporting event consisting of a series of boat or yacht races. (Spoiler alert: We will be covering the most fabulous sailing regattas in an upcoming story so be sure that you are subscribed to stay up to date with our latest stories!)
