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) SART A device that emits a responce in the band used by RADAR Transcievers when it detects a signal from the same. It creates a distinctive pattern on the receiving RADAR display which can be used to locate the object.	Actions The things sailors do (8 terms) Jettison 1. To throw Overboard. 2. To expell or otherwise remove.
Directions Why say back when you can say aft instead! (20 terms) Bearing The direction of an object expressed as an agnle in degrees or Compass points from the vessel´s meridian, or , sometimes, from the direction of the Bow, Stern, or Beam. An answer to the question "Where Away"	Expressions Common sayings and expressions from maritime lore (149 terms) About A vessel is said to go, come, or put About when she alters Course from one Tack to the other
Food The foods of the sea (2 terms) Sea-pie 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.	Knots Various knots both functional and ornamental from the nautical to the ornamental and with both historic and present day value. (12 terms) Sheetbend A Knot used to tie two ropes of unequal thickness together. Also known as the weaver´s knot
Life aboard Bits and bobs from life aboard ship (5 terms) Scrimshaw A sailor´s carving or etching wood, on bones, teeth, tusks or shells. Frequently used as a way to pass the time on long voyages then to be traded or sold on shore.	Maneuvers Specific sailing maneuvers (33 terms) Back To Sheet the Clew of a Sail to Windward. The wind is said to Back when it changes its direction contrary to the movement of the sun.
Navigation The points of sail and seamanship (76 terms) Deadhead A floating Log, usually referes to logs the float vertically in the water, with only a portion of one end of the Log visible.	Parts The parts of ships (131 terms) Companionway A staircase or latter that leads Below decks or between decks.
People Important people and/or their positions in nautical history (14 terms) Helmsman The crew member currently responsible for steering the vessel.	Places Key locations of the maritime world (20 terms) Starboard Right side of the Ship when facing Forward. Named as such after a contraction called a Steering Board, from ancient ships. This was a Rudder like contraption that was situated on the right side of the vessel (as the left or Port side of the vessel needed to be kept free for tieing up to the Dock)
Rigging Rigging components and terms (104 terms) Violl An older name for a Messenger used to assist in weighing the Anchor.	Sails Sails, their parts and materials (30 terms) Peak Upper Aft corner of a Gaff Sail.
Ships Types of vessels and some famous examples (22 terms) Hermione HMS Built at Bristol in 1797 this Ship of the British Royal Navy is famed for having the "the bloodiest mutiny that ever occured in a Ship of the Royal Navy" Her Captain, Hugh Pigot was renouned as a tyrant, and was murdered along with 9 of his officers by the mutineers, who then sailed the Ship to Spain and handed her over to the Spainiards. She was re-captured in October 1799 by the boats of HMS Surprise under Captain Sir Edward Hamilton who cut her out from Porto Gabello.	Spars The various spars used aboard ship (6 terms) Jibboom A Spar Forward of Bowsprit that supports the Forward most staysails.
Tools The tools of the trade (27 terms) Hackle In Rope-making: A process in which fibers are drawn through hackle-boards in order to get them all lying straight prior to spinning into strands suring rope-making.	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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