Marine / Sailing Glossary T-Z

Tack
Sail a zig-zag course towards the wind. Also means the lower part of a sail.

Tackle
A system of ropes and blocks used to obtain a mechanical advantage or purchase.

Telltales
Short pieces of yarn attached to the shrouds, or the sails. At the shrouds they indicate the direction of the
wind (the apparent wind), and at the sails they help to check the air flow over the sail, so that proper
trimming is easier.

Thwart
Crosswise member to provide hull stiffness and form a seat in a boat.

Tiller
A spar attached to the rudder by the rudder head, used to control the direction of the boat. Another
possibility for steering mechanism is a steering wheel.

Topping Lift
Rope used to support the boom when it is not held by the fully hoisted sail.

Topsides
The part of the hull above the water.

Trampoline
The space on a catamaran, usually made of some kind of mesh, located between the two hulls. It’s a
place for the crew (like a cockpit on dinghies and cruisers).

Transit
Two or more objects observed in line. Used for navigation.

Transom
Board forming the flat aft end of a hull.

Trapeze
Belt/seat arrangement slung from the mast to support a person outboard with his feet on the gunwhale. Give greater
leverage when using body weight to balance the boat.

Traveler
A track (usually metal) with a fixture sliding on it. The fixture holds the main sheet (usually), and the
sliding allows for changing angles of the sail.

Trim
How a boat floats, its attitude.

Trimaran
A three hulled boat.

Turnbuckle
Tensioning device using right handed and left handed threads for adjustment. Also called a rigging screw when used on shrouds.

True Wind
The strength and direction of the actual wind blowing. While sailing, the true wind is never felt – it is
always a combination of the true wind, and the boat’s speed (called the apparent wind), and it is always a little
forward to the true wind.

Trysail
A very small sail, used in a very heavy weather instead of a mainsail.

Una Rig
Boat rigged with a single sail.

Up wind
Object nearer the direction the wind is coming from than the observer.

Vang
Steadying rope.

Veer
Turn away from the wind. A wind change clockwise. To veer a cable is to let it out more.

Wake
Disturbed water left astern

Warp
Strong rope used for anchoring.

Wear
Sailing in a circle to change direction downwind to aviod a gybe. May also mean turning away from the wind, as in
veer.

Winch
A mechanical device used to assist in pulling on lines. It is a reel-like part of the hardware.

Windlass
Type of winch particularly used in raising an anchor.

Windward
Towards the direction form which the wind is blowing.

Yard
Spar supporting the top of a four sided sail, like a gaff but with part of the spar passing across the mast.

Yaw
Swinging from side to side of the intended course unintentionally.