49 sailing terms explained, from windward and leeward to halyard, luff, spinnaker and come about, each with a short definition.
Sailing terminology is the oldest working vocabulary in sport, and a good part of it has leaked into everyday English without anyone noticing. Below are the sailing terms and phrases used on deck, the words related to sailing that name the parts of the boat, and the commands shouted before something heavy moves. Words associated with sailing also cover the weather and the water, and the sailing glossary at the end gives each one a single line.
Must-Know Sailing Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Aft
- Beam
- Bow
- Capsize
- Deck
- Furl
- Gybe (jibe)
- Halyard
- Helm
- Jib
- Keel
- Leeward
- Mast
- Port
- Rudder
- Sail trim
- Starboard
- Stern
- Tack
- Telltale
- Windward
- Yawl
- Bilge
- Boom
- Cleat
- Dock
- Knot
- Mainsail
- Spinnaker
- Winch
Sailing Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Aft | Toward the back of the boat. Move aft and you move toward the stern. |
| Anchor | The weight dropped to the seabed on a chain or rope to hold the boat in place. |
| Batten | A stiff strip slid into a pocket in the sail to hold its shape. |
| Beam | The widest point of the hull. Wind or waves on the beam hit the boat side on. |
| Bilge | The lowest inside part of the hull, where water collects and is pumped out. |
| Boom | The horizontal spar along the foot of the mainsail. It swings across the boat in a tack or gybe. |
| Bow | The front of the boat. |
| Broad reach | Sailing with the wind coming over the back quarter. Usually the fastest and most comfortable point of sail. |
| Capsize | To turn the boat over onto its side or upside down. |
| Cleat | A fitting on deck or mast that a rope is locked onto. Horn, cam and clam are the common types. |
| Close hauled | Sailing as near to the wind as the boat will go, with the sails pulled in tight. |
| Cockpit | The recessed part of the deck where the crew sits and steers. |
| Come about | To tack. "Bring her about" is the order to turn the bow through the wind onto the other side. |
| Deck | The walking surface on top of the hull, where the winches and cleats are mounted. |
| Dock | The structure a boat ties up to, and the act of bringing it alongside. |
| Douse | To take a sail down quickly. The opposite of hoisting it. |
| Fender | The inflatable cushion hung over the side to protect the hull against a dock or another boat. |
| Furl | To roll or fold a sail away, either to reduce its area or to stow it. |
| Gybe (jibe) | Turning the stern through the wind to change direction. The boom crosses fast, so the crew is warned first. |
| Halyard | The line that hoists a sail up the mast. |
| Heel | The sideways lean of a boat under sail. Some heel is normal, too much costs speed. |
| Helm | The wheel or tiller used to steer, and by extension the person steering. |
| Hoist | To raise a sail by hauling on its halyard. |
| Hull | The body of the boat, the part that sits in the water. |
| Jib | The triangular sail set forward of the mast. |
| Keel | The fin running along the bottom of the hull. It stops the boat sliding sideways and, when ballasted, keeps it upright. |
| Knot | One nautical mile per hour. Also the general word for tying rope. |
| Leeward | The side away from the wind, the sheltered side. Pronounced loo-ard by most sailors. |
| Line | What a rope is called once it has a job on board. Sailors rarely say rope. |
| Luff | The leading edge of a sail, and what a sail does when it flutters because the boat is pointed too close to the wind. |
| Mainsail | The largest sail, set behind the mast. It provides most of the drive. |
| Mast | The vertical spar that carries the sails and the rigging. |
| Nautical mile | The distance unit at sea, 1,852 meters, roughly one minute of latitude. |
| Port | The left side of the boat when facing forward. Both words have four letters, which is how everyone remembers it. |
| Reef | To reduce the area of a sail in strong wind by folding part of it away. |
| Rigging | All the wires and lines that hold the mast up and control the sails. Standing rigging holds, running rigging pulls. |
| Rudder | The blade under the stern that steers the boat, moved by the helm. |
| Sail trim | Adjusting the shape and angle of the sails to the wind. The difference between moving and moving well. |
| Sheet | The line that controls how far out a sail is let. The mainsheet works the mainsail, the jib sheets the jib. |
| Skipper | The person in charge of the boat and responsible for it. |
| Spinnaker | The large, light sail flown ahead of the boat off the wind. It balloons out and adds a lot of speed. |
| Squall | A short, sharp burst of strong wind, often with rain, that arrives faster than the crew would like. |
| Starboard | The right side of the boat when facing forward. Marked with a green light at night. |
| Stern | The back of the boat. |
| Tack | To turn the bow through the wind onto the other side. Also the lower forward corner of a sail. |
| Telltale | A strip of yarn on a sail or shroud that shows how the air is flowing and whether the trim is right. |
| Winch | The geared drum used to haul in a sheet or halyard under load. |
| Windward | The side the wind is coming from. The opposite of leeward. |
| Yawl | A two-masted rig with a small mizzen mast set behind the rudder post. |
#1 Aft
The aft refers to the back of the boat or nearer to the stern. Sailors often say “move aft” when directing someone towards the rear end of the vessel, an essential term for orientation on board.
#2 Beam
The beam of a boat is its widest part and is a critical dimension for stability. When winds blow from the side, they hit the beam, making an understanding of this term important for handling the vessel.
#3 Bow
The bow is the front end of a sailing vessel. When facing forward, sailors will refer to things in front of the boat or point out objects by saying “off the bow.”
#4 Capsize
To capsize is to overturn in the water, causing the boat to flip onto its side or completely upside down. This term is crucial for safety discussions and is one sailors hope they rarely have to use.
#5 Deck
The deck is the surface area on top of the boat that crew can walk on. It’s where the majority of sailing activity takes place and where equipment like winches and cleats are mounted.
#6 Furl
To furl a sail is to roll or fold it up neatly, usually to reduce its surface area in strong winds or when not in use. Proper sail furling is essential for sail management and longevity.
#7 Gybe (jibe)
A maneuver used to change the direction of a sailboat by turning the stern through the wind. This contrasts with tacking, where the bow moves through the wind. Gybing is often used when sailing downwind and requires careful handling to prevent the boom from swinging dangerously across the boat.
#8 Halyard
A line or rope used to hoist (raise) or lower sails on a boat. Each sail typically has its own halyard which is attached to the head of the sail; pulling on the halyard raises the sail up the mast to catch the wind.
#9 Helm
The helm is the wheel or tiller used to steer a boat. Standing at the helm, a sailor has control over the vessel’s direction, playing a critical role in navigation and maneuvering.
#10 Jib
A jib is a triangular sail set forward of the main mast, generally used to increase speed and manageability. Sailors adjust the jib to optimize boat performance in various wind conditions.
#11 Keel
The keel is a structural component extending along the bottom of a boat’s hull, from bow to stern, providing stability and minimizing sideways drift. It’s crucial for balance and can house ballast to keep the vessel upright.
#12 Leeward
Leeward, or the lee side, refers to the side of a boat sheltered from the wind. Sailors often use this term to describe the direction downwind or an area with lesser wind pressure.
#13 Mast
The mast is a tall, vertical pole on a ship that supports the sails and rigging. It’s a critical component for sailboats, as it serves as the focal point for sail attachment and wind harnessing.
#14 Port
Port denotes the left side of a boat when facing the bow. A mnemonic to remember is “port” and “left” both of which have four letters. It’s also marked with a red light at night.
#15 Rudder
A flat piece, usually made of wood, fiberglass, or metal, located beneath the boat that is used to steer. The rudder is controlled by the helm (steering wheel or tiller), allowing the skipper to guide the boat’s direction through the water.
#16 Sail Trim
The art of adjusting the position and shape of the sails in response to wind conditions and desired boat speed or direction. Proper sail trim optimizes the boat’s performance and efficiency, making it a crucial skill for effective sailing.
#17 Starboard
Refers to the right-hand side of a boat when facing forward toward the bow. Sailors need to remember “port” is left, “starboard” is right, crucial for navigation and obeying the rules of the water.
#18 Stern
The back or aft-most part of a vessel, opposite of the bow. From the stern, sailors control steering and often find the propulsion system, essential for maneuvering and power management on the water.
#19 Tack
In sailing, to tack is to turn the boat’s bow through the wind to change direction, also the lower corner of a sail. Skilled tacking is fundamental for making headway against the wind and requires precise crew coordination.
#20 Telltale
Strips of fabric or yarn attached to sails or rigging that indicate wind direction relative to the boat. Observing telltales helps sailors optimize sail trim and boat positioning for maximum efficiency.
#21 Windward
The direction from which the wind is blowing, the opposite of leeward. Sailors often need to keep track of the windward side for strategic positioning, especially during racing or in crowded waters.
#22 Yawl
A two-masted sailing craft with the mizzenmast (the smaller second mast) positioned behind the rudder post. The yawl rig is favored for cruising due to its balance and ease of handling in various wind conditions.
#23 Bilge
The lowest compartment on a ship, below the waterline, where water typically collects and is often pumped out to prevent sinking. The bilge can also refer to the broader internal parts of a hull.
#24 Boom
A horizontal pole that extends from the bottom of a mast, used to secure the bottom of a sail. It swings from side to side, and caution is needed to avoid it during maneuvers like tacking or gybing.
#25 Cleat
A device fixed to the deck or mast used to secure rope ends. Cleats can be horned, cam, or clam in shape, and are essential for holding lines in place, especially when mooring or adjusting sail trim.
#26 Dock
The area where boats are parked, tied, and secured to a pier or wharf. Docks provide access to land for loading and unloading, as well as a place for maintenance and repair.
#27 Knot
A unit of speed in nautical terms, equivalent to one nautical mile per hour. The term also refers to the tying of ropes in various configurations for securing and rigging purposes.
#28 Mainsail
The primary and usually the largest sail on a typical sailboat, hoisted on the mainmast. It provides the main driving force for the sailboat and is manipulated for steering and speed control.
#29 Spinnaker
A spinnaker is a large, lightweight sail designed for sailing downwind or on a reaching course when the wind comes from behind the boat. When deployed, it fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat, significantly boosting speed. Widely used in racing for its effective wind harnessing, spinnakers come in various shapes and sizes tailored to different sailing conditions and boat types.
#30 Winch
A mechanical device on a boat used to handle heavy loads, such as tightening the ropes (sheets) that control the sails. Winches provide mechanical advantage, making it easier to pull in or let out sails, especially under strong wind conditions. They are essential for managing larger sails and conducting precise adjustments.
FAQ
What does the sailing term bring her about mean?
It is the order to tack: turn the bow through the wind so the sails fill on the other side. The crew answers “ready about,” and the boom and headsail come across as the boat turns.
What do you call it when the sails are lowered?
Dousing or striking the sail. Once it is down it is furled, meaning rolled or folded away. Taking part of a sail away without lowering it is reefing.
What does hoist the sails mean?
To raise them. Each sail hangs from a halyard, and hauling on that line pulls the sail up the mast until its luff is tight.
What do you call out when the boom is about to swing across?
The helm warns the crew before it moves. For a tack the call is “ready about,” then “lee-ho” as the turn starts. For a gybe it is “ready to gybe,” then “gybe-ho.” Either way the crew keeps their heads down.
Which common phrases come from sailing?
More than most people expect: “three sheets to the wind,” “know the ropes,” “batten down the hatches,” “on an even keel,” “taken aback” and “by and large” all began as working orders or descriptions on board.
What is a sailor called?
Crew, or a deckhand for the person doing the work on deck. The one in charge is the skipper. Older slang survives too: an experienced sailor is an old salt or a sea dog.
They group into the boat (bow, stern, keel, hull, cockpit), the sails and lines (mainsail, jib, spinnaker, halyard, sheet, winch) and the wind (windward, leeward, close hauled, broad reach). The sailing glossary above holds all of them.
What are some sailing terms for beginners?
“Aft,” “Bow,” “Stern,” and “Mainsail” are some sailing terms beginners should start with. These basic terms help novices understand directions and parts of the boat.
What are some funny sailing terms?
“Boom,” “Jib,” and “Bilge” are some funny sailing terms that can sound amusing outside the sailing context, bringing a lighter side to nautical vocabulary.
What is a famous sailing phrase?
“Three sheets to the wind” is a famous sailing phrase, historically referring to a ship with its sheets (lines controlling the sails) flapping loosely in the wind, implying that the vessel is out of control, often used today to describe someone who is inebriated.
