Here's where you can look to find definitions for all the nautical terms you may not be familiar with.
Thanks to Matthew for the drawing of Romana shown above.
Thanks to Julien for these two drawings of the boat (above and below), done aboard Romana in July 2013
aft - toward the back of the boat
backstay - stay from masthead to the stern of the boat binnacle - case where the compass sits block - a pulley or set of pulleys boat hook - a pole with a hook on the end that is used to reach floating objects or fend off boom - a spar attached to the bottom of a sail bow - front of a boat companionway - stairs from deck to below deck cleat - a device used to secure a rope clew - the back corner of a triangular sail chock - metal casting with curved arms for passing lines for mooring boats cockpit - seating area in the deck dodger - a hood forward of a hatch or cockpit to protect crew from wind and spray davits - devices for hoisting and lowering boat dinghy - smaller boat (if Romana is our house, the dinghy is our car) forestay - stay from the masthead to the bow of the boat forward - towards the front of the boat fender - an air filled bumper to keep a boat from scratching against a dock furler - a device used to roll up a sail galley - kitchen halyard - the rope attached to the top of the sail, used to pull it up hatches - a covered opening on a deck head - toilet or bathroom hull - the shell of a boat jib - triangular sail extending from the head of the mast to the bow keel - the centre structure of the hull, on sailboats this sticks down into the water below the boat and provides a force counter to the wind on the sails lazy jacks - small lines on either side of the boom to 'catch' a sail when it is lowered lifelines - small lines on either side of the boat to prevent people from falling overboard line - rope mast - a vertical pole that supports sails or rigging main - sail located behind the mast port - the left side of the boat when you are facing forward ports - windows pulpit - metal structure (often attached to life lines) for people to lean against rudder - steering device in the water behind the keel |
scuppers - hole allowing water to drain from a ship's deck
sidestay - the stay from the mast to the side of the boat
starboard - the right side of the boat when you are facing forward
sheet - a rope tied to a sail at the clew so you can tighten and loosen the sail
spreaders - a spar from the mast that deflects the stays to help support the mast
stays - wire or rope that supports the mast
staysail - small foresail on a cutter rig
stanchions - metal posts between life lines
stern - back of the boat
stopper - a device which prevents lines from moving by clamping onto them
sidestay - the stay from the mast to the side of the boat
starboard - the right side of the boat when you are facing forward
sheet - a rope tied to a sail at the clew so you can tighten and loosen the sail
spreaders - a spar from the mast that deflects the stays to help support the mast
stays - wire or rope that supports the mast
staysail - small foresail on a cutter rig
stanchions - metal posts between life lines
stern - back of the boat
stopper - a device which prevents lines from moving by clamping onto them