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Glossary


Abeam ....................................... The location of anything beyond either side of the boat at right angles to the centerline. Accidental jibe ........................ An unexpected jibe when sailing downwind and the wind catches the back side of the mainsail, possibly causing the helmsman to lose control of the boat.


Aft ............................................... The direction toward the stern. Ahead ........................................ The location of anything forward of the bow. Astern ........................................ The location of anything aft of the stern.


Battens ...................................... Stiffening pieces placed horizontally along the leech of a sail. Beam reach .............................. The point of sailing across the wind about 90° from the wind, with the sails approximately halfway out.


Boom .........................................A spar attached to the mast at right angles to hold the bottom of the mainsail. Boom groove ...........................A slot on the top side of the boom into which the foot of the mainsail slides. Boom vang ...............................A piece of running rigging that pulls down on the boom to keep it from rising under the pressure of the wind on the mainsail.


Bottom ...................................... The outside surface of the hull below the water. Bow ............................................ The front of any hull. Bowline ..................................... The most useful knot in sailing, the bowline produces an eye that is very secure but very easy to untie.


Broad reach ............................. The downwind point of sailing about 100° to 140° from the wind, with the sails approximately three-quarters of the way out.


Catamaran ................................ A type of multihull with two hulls. Centerboard ............................ A form of fin to prevent sideslip that is adjusted by swinging up and down in a trunk. Centerline ................................. The fore-and-aft line running from bow to stern halfway between the sides of the boat. Cleat .......................................... A fitting to which a piece of running rigging is secured. Cleat hitch ................................ The method of securing a line to a horn cleat by taking a turn around the cleat and then passing the line in a figure-eight pattern around the horns of the cleat.


Clew ........................................... The corner of a sail between the leech and the foot. Close-hauled ........................... The upwind point of sailing closest to the wind, about 45° from the wind direction, with the sails trimmed in close.


Close reach .............................. The upwind point of sailing about 60° to 75° from the wind direction, with the sails let out a quarter of the way, just on the verge of luffing.


Cockpit ...................................... The interior part of a boat where people usually sit. Coming about ......................... See Tacking and “Hard-to-lee.” Controlled jibe ........................ Allowing the boat to jibe while steering carefully and trimming the main sheet in and out smoothly.


Cow hitch..................................A very simple loop knot often used to secure jib sheets to the clew of the jib. Crew ........................................... The person or persons in the boat who trim the jib, balance the boat and keep a lookout for things the helmsman may not see.


Cunningham ............................ A line or mechanism that tensions the forward edge of a sail. Current ...................................... The horizontal flow of water.


Daggerboard ...........................A daggerboard slides up and down through the hull and acts like a centerboard to keep a sailboat from side-slipping.


Daggerboard trunk ................A slot through the hull that holds a daggerboard. Downwind ................................ The direction of movement with the wind coming over the stern. Downwind sailing ................... Sailing in the direction to which the wind is blowing, which includes broad reaching and running.


Drain plugs ............................... Caps for the holes used to drain water from the cockpit, which must be inserted before sailing a boat stored on land.


Ease............................................ To let out a sheet slowly and smoothly to find the optimum setting for a sail. “Ease out” .................................A command for letting out a sheet to trim a sail.


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