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 and Acronyms
contains 41 terms Canadian Coast Guard
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The things sailors do
contains 8 terms To lean out over the side of a smaller sailing vessel to balance it against the force of the wind. In some vessels an apparatus is rigged to assist in leaning our further called a trapeze.
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Why say back when you can say aft instead!
contains 20 terms |
Common sayings and expressions from maritime lore
contains 149 terms The minimum vertical distance from the surface of the water to the Gunwale of a vessle
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The foods of the sea
contains 2 terms A favorite dish for the crew of tall ships. It could consist of almost anything, but the propper dish consisted of layers of meat, vegetables, and fish alternating with crusts of bread and/or broken biscuit - affectionately referred to as a Two or Three decker based on the number of layers.
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Various knots both functional and ornamental from the nautical to the ornamental and with both historic and present day value.
contains 12 terms & 2 images |
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Bits and bobs from life aboard ship
contains 5 terms Playing by climbing around in the Rigging. Especially when done as high as possible.
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Specific sailing maneuvers
contains 33 terms |
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The points of sail and seamanship
contains 76 terms A term, from the Navigational Rules, used to describe the vessel which must yield in meeting, crossing, or overtaking situations.
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The parts of ships
contains 131 terms A temporary derrick consisting of three spars with their heels spalyed out in a tripod configuration.
Designed to lift heavier loads then a sheer-legs but limited in that it can only lift straight up and then not allowing for as much transverse movement. |
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Important people and/or their positions in nautical history
contains 14 terms A terms used to describe the ship's boys (typically 7-10) on war ships that would carry gun powder from the magazeen to the gun decks and stand ready to pass pre-measured Charges to the men at the gun.
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Key locations of the maritime world
contains 20 terms |
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Rigging components and terms
contains 104 terms & 10 images |
Sails, their parts and materials
contains 30 terms A large, light-weather headsail set in place of the working Jib; generally used for reaching, but rarely seen today.
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Types of vessels and some famous examples
contains 22 terms & 8 images 1. A twin hulled sailing vessel.
2. A raft used as a surf Boat in the East and West Indies consisting of two or more logs lashed togeather, including the much larger rafts made of balsa wood from the western coast of South America. 3. A raft made by lashing two vessels togeather, used on the St. Lawrence River. 4. An invention of the British Navy from the 1804 attack on the French flotilla at Boulogne. A 21' long 3' wide flat topped lead lined chest containing About 40 kegs ... |
The various spars used aboard ship
contains 6 terms |
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The tools of the trade
contains 27 terms |
terms awaiting clasification
there are currently no viewable terms in this category
contains 36 terms |
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Meteorology and its relationship to sailing
contains 7 terms A system for clasifying wind strengths and sea conditions:
1 Light Air Or just sufficient to give steerage way. 2 Light Breeze Or that in which a man-of-war with all Sail set, and clean full would go in smooth water from. 1 to 2 knots 3 Gentle Breeze 3 to 4 knots 4 Moderate Breeze 5 to 6 knots 5 Fresh Breeze Or that to which a well-conditioned man-of-war could just carry in chase, full and by. Royals. 6 Strong Breeze Single-reefed topsails and top-gal. Sail 7 Moderate Gale Double ... |
The Nautical Terms Glossary contains 539 terms and 14 images, viewed 709749 times
