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April 19th 2025 - 01:59

The Bosunīs Mate Glossary of Terms

The Bosunīs 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 sailorīs knots to the sailors themselves, and from ships to the weather patterns of the seas they ply.

Random terms, by category

Abbreviations and Acronyms (41 terms)
RADAR
The device that enables remote detection of "electromagneticly conspicous" objects through its ability to transmit radio signals and detect their return after being reflected from an object.
The things sailors do (8 terms)
Luff-up
To steer the Boat more into the wind, this could have the effect of causing the sails to flap or Luff.
Why say back when you can say aft instead! (20 terms)
Heading
The Compass direction in which a vesselīs Bow points at any given time.
Common sayings and expressions from maritime lore (149 terms)
Purchase
1. A grouping of Block and Tackle to increase the force that may be applied to a Line.

2. Any sort of mechanical power employed in raising or removing heavy bodies.

3. To Purchase the Anchor, is to loosen it out of the ground.

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"
Various knots both functional and ornamental from the nautical to the ornamental and with both historic and present day value. (12 terms)
Sheepshank
A shortening Knot, which enables a Rope to be shortened through a doubling along the length. The Sheepshank will easily untie if tension is not maintained.
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.
Specific sailing maneuvers (33 terms)
Haul around
change from a run to a reach
The points of sail and seamanship (76 terms)
Hull speed
The theoretical speed that a Boat can travel without planing This speed is 1.34 times the square root of the length of a Boat at its waterline. It is based on the physics of how water is displaced by the vessel:

As speed increases a wave is created near the Bow where water is pushed away (displaced) by the vessel to make room for the Hull, another wave is created near the Stern, as water returns to fill the hole left by the Hull. Physics tells us that as the speed increases, so therefore must...
The parts of ships (131 terms)
Capstan
Specifically the drum of the Windlass (although it is sometimes refers to the entire mechanism) which is a machine used for winding in Rope, cables or chain under great strain.
Important people and/or their positions in nautical history (14 terms)
Limey
A nickname for British sailors coined by the Americans. It referrs to the British regulation that all registered ships had to cary a supply of lime juice and issue the same to the crew to prevent Scurvy.
Key locations of the maritime world (20 terms)
Bridge
The location from which the vseesl is controled.

On mechanically propelled vessels this usually is an elevated platform running Athwartships or may take the shape of a wheelhouse. Typically it is designed to afford a full view of shipboard activities and permit safe Navigation and lookout.

In earlier vessels the Bridge would have been protected by a canvas dodger, and in hot weather an Awning. The Binnacle or main navigational cumpass is typically situated in the Bridge area.

The term d...
Rigging components and terms (104 terms)
Becket
An eye or loop made with wire or Rope.
Sails, their parts and materials (30 terms)
Moonraker
The small light sails set above the skysails on square-rigged masts in light winds.
Types of vessels and some famous examples (22 terms)
Planing-hull
A type of Hull shaped to glide easily across the top of the water at high speed.
The various spars used aboard ship (6 terms)
Yard
A Spar usually fixed horizontally to a Mast that supports a Sail.
The tools of the trade (27 terms)
Lines
1. Rope used for various purposes Aboard Ship.

2. The design drawings of a vessel, normally consisting of three diagrams: the sheer plan: showing the longitudnal vertical section of the Ship; the body plan: showing the vertical cross sections; and the half-bredth plan: showing the longitudnal transverse section at the deckline.

3. A collective term referring to the design of the Ship "she has good lines"

terms awaiting clasification (36 terms)
none found
Meteorology and its relationship to sailing (7 terms)
Fronts
Used in meteorology to describe bounderies between hot and cold air masses. This is typically where bad weather is found.
 
Total Terms: 539 Total Views: 2134739

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