Glossary


Aback A sail sheeted ‘aback’ is hauled to windward so that it looks to be inside out. The effect is a powerful manoeuvring tool to shove the bow to leeward.


Aft Toward the stern. Astern Behind the boat. Athwartships Sideways.


Baby stay A small forestay running between the hounds and the centre of the foredeck. It has some function in general mast support but is also useful in generating pre- bend.


Backed headsail To back a headsail is to pull its clew to weather – see ‘aback’.


Backstay The wire which supports the mast against falling forward. May be set up permanently, or may be ‘running’ and set up with tackles or winches, depending on whether it is fixed or adjustable.


Balloon spinnaker A downwind sail whose luff and leech are of equal lengths. The sail is set flying and boomed out with a removable pole.


Bare poles To sail ‘under bare poles’ is to sail downwind with no canvas set and the engine off. The number of masts is irrelevant, so sloops do not sail ‘under bare pole’. The technique is used in heavy weather sailing.


Battens Light wood or composite strips slotted into batten pockets in the leech of a sail to support the roach. The battens of a ‘fully-battened sail’ run from luff to leech and are carried by cars (see below) in the mast track.


Beam Literally the width of the boat. The term originates from the deck beams which run across any vessel of wooden or metal construction.


Bear away Turn away from the wind. 156 | MANUAL OF SEAMANSHIP Belay Make fast. Usually used for sheets and halyards.


Belaying pin Vertical pin to which halyards and other parts of the running rigging are belayed.


Bend (n) A knot for tying two ropes together or for attaching a rope to an object semi-permanently. (v) To tie to something (‘Bend on the sheets’) or to attach a sail to a stay or boom for hoisting.


Bight The section of a rope between the load and the point at which it is made fast. An unloaded bight often takes up a curving form reminiscent of a wide bay, so the term is also used in coastal topography to describe such places.


Bilge keel A keel bolted to the ‘turn of the bilge’ – the place where the bottom of the boat curves round from its undersection to approach the vertical topsides. A bilge- keeled yacht has two such keels of substantial proportions instead of a single central keel.


Bitt A heavy post on the foredeck used for securing anything, including shorelines. Traditionally of timber and in pairs, these are sometimes seen singly and made of metal (see below – ‘Samson post’).


Bitter end The very end of a rope. On a traditional boat, it might have been secured to the bitts.


Block A pulley.


Bobstay Chain or wire rigging running from the forward end of a bowsprit to the hull just above the waterline. The bobstay supports the bowsprit against the all-important upward pull.


Bollard A strong securing point, sometimes in the form of a squat, waisted cylinder, sometimes single, often double. Bollards may be found on deck or at the dockside.


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