The Bosun´s Mate Glossary of Terms

The Bosun´s Mate dictionary of Nautical Terms has been compiled from many sources and is constantly being augmented and revised in our attempt to capture as much of the rich yet complicated (and often conflicting) maritime termonology as possible.

You will find an extensive list of information about all sorts of nautical items from sailor´s knots to the sailors themselves, and from ships to the weather patterns of the seas they ply.

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Abbreviations Abbreviations and Acronyms (41 terms) ARTE A team of members of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary - Pacific that work to help the various units around the coast with their training and also evaluate members at higher levels - to help ensure that everyone is meeting the same standards.	Actions The things sailors do (8 terms) Over-haul 1. To slack a tackle and thereby increase the distance apart of the blocks in that tackle by manually running the Rope backwards through the sheaves. 2. The action of passing another vessel. 3. Sometimes used to refer to a refit of a vessel - inspecting and repaiting propulsion and mechanical systems on Board.
Directions Why say back when you can say aft instead! (20 terms) Course 1.The Compass Heading of the direction of Forward motion of the vessel. 2. The angle of the vessel relative to the wind when sailing. 3. The largest square Sail on a Mast (called the Course because when sailing with the wind the Heading will be impacted by how best to keep the Course Sail full)	Expressions Common sayings and expressions from maritime lore (149 terms) Iron-Spinnaker A toung in cheek term for an auxiliary engine on a sailing vessel.
Food The foods of the sea (2 terms) Scurvy A disease historically common to seaman, caused by lack of Vitamin C the British Navy started to fight it bu adding lime juice to their water - this was the origin of the slan "Limey"	Knots Various knots both functional and ornamental from the nautical to the ornamental and with both historic and present day value. (12 terms) Weaver´s Knot So named because it was the fastest way to join a broken yarn in a loom. Sailors use this Knot to tie two ropes of unequal thickness together, in whihc case it is know as the Sheet Bend.
Life aboard Bits and bobs from life aboard ship (5 terms) Q flag All yellow signal flag meaning "My vessel is healthy and I request free passage.	Maneuvers Specific sailing maneuvers (33 terms) In Irons A sailboat with its Bow pointed directly into the wind, preventing the sails from filling properly so that the Boat can move.
Navigation The points of sail and seamanship (76 terms) Flood A tide passing from low to high, where the Current flows in from the sea	Parts The parts of ships (131 terms) Deck A permanent covering over a compartment, Hull or any exterior part of a vessel serving as a floor.
People Important people and/or their positions in nautical history (14 terms) Bosun Also Boatswain, bos´n, bo´s´n, and bo´sun, all of which are pronounced Bosun. A crew member responsible for keeping the Hull, Rigging and sails in good repair.	Places Key locations of the maritime world (20 terms) Harbor 1. A safe Anchorage, protected from most storms; may be natural or man-made, with breakwaters and jetties; 2. A place for docking and loading.
Rigging Rigging components and terms (104 terms) Yard A Spar usually fixed horizontally to a Mast that supports a Sail.	Sails Sails, their parts and materials (30 terms) Leech The After edge of a Fore and Aft Sail.
Ships Types of vessels and some famous examples (22 terms) Schooner A sailing vessel with at least 2 masts, Foremast and Mainmast, with the Mainmast being the taller. The Word derives from the term "schoon/scoon" meaning to move smoothly and quickly.	Spars The various spars used aboard ship (6 terms) Bowsprit A Spar running Forward from the Bow of a vessel. It functions as a horizontal Mast for the spritsail, fore-topmast staysail and, in conjunction with the Jibboom, the Jib.
Tools The tools of the trade (27 terms) Boathook A pole with a hook at one end used for picking up a mooring bouy, holding on to a Dinghy, etc...	unsorted terms awaiting clasification (36 terms) none found
Weather Meteorology and its relationship to sailing (7 terms) Quartering Sea When the wind, and thus the waves, are falling on a boat´s quarter.

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