Marine / Sailing Glossary N-S

Nautical almanac
A book containing all current data: navigational, tidal, astronomical and so on. It is published annually.

Neap Tide
when the tide range is the least – rising less and dropping less than the other tides during the four week cycle

Outhaul
A device located on the aft part of the boom, used to secure the clew, so that the foot is kept tense.

Painter
A rope used for a mooring, particularly on a dinghy.

Pay off
Allow the boat turn to leeward.

Piling
A thick post supporting or mooring a dock or pier. It is deep inside the seabed, and it projects above the water
level.

Pintle
Part of a rudder hinge that fits into a gudgeon.

Port side
The left side of the boat.

Port Tack
Sailing with the wind coming over the port bow.

Pram
Dinghy without a stem, but the planks met at a point at gunwhale level or on a bow board like a transom. A Mirror dinghy is
a pram type boat.

Pulpit
Metal tubular guard rail at the bow.

Quarter
Direction between directly astern and abeam is ‘on the quarter’. The corner between the gunwhale and the transom on each
side.

Rake
Slope, particularly of a mast.

Reach
Sail with the wind abeam, or almost so.

Reef
Reduce the area of a sail.

Rigging
The assembly of the boat.

Roach
Area between the curved leech of a mailsail and a straight line between the head and the clew.

Roller Reefing
Reefing by rolling some of the mailsail around the boom or the jib around the foresay.

Rowlocks
Used as guides for oars.

Rudder
The underwater, movable plate used for steering, and for providing resistance to sideways motion caused by waves
and wind. It is being controlled by the helmsman (helmsperson?) with a help of a tiller or a steering wheel.

Sheave
Pulley wheel over which a rope passes.

Sheet
A line used to trim sails.

Shround
The wires holding the mast at the sides.

Sloop
A single masted craft with a mainsail and one sail forward of the mast.

Spar
A general name for all masts, booms, gaffs, and bowsprits.

Spinnaker
Light parachute shaped head sail.

Spreaders
The wooden or metal struts that are attached horizontally to the upper section of the mast, on both sides. They
widen the angle of the shrouds, and thus provide a better support for the mast.

Spring Tide
Tide that has the greatest range in a four week cycle.

Stand-on vessel
A boat that has the right-of-way over the give-way vessel. It must maintain its course and speed.

Starboard Side
The right side of the boat.

Starboard Tack
Sailing with the wind coming over the starboard bow.

Stays
Wires supporting the mast – fore and aft.

Stern
The back of the boat.