- aft:
- Toward rear of a ship. Near or around the stern. Opposite of fore.
- aloft:
- Anywhere above deck.
- astrolabe:
- Astronomical instrument used by ancient Greeks and others to measure the angular height of celestial bodies in relation to the horizon. The seaman’'s astrolabe was a simple device for measuring the altitude of the sun or a star for fixing one’'s approximate latitude.
- athwart:
- Across
- barque:
- A sailing vessel with at least three masts, with the fore and mainmasts square rigged, and the mizzenmast or aftermast rigged fore-and-aft.
- barquentine:
- Vessel with the foremast rigged square, and the other masts rigged fore-and-aft.
- beam:
- Strong pieces of timber that support the decks.
- beam ends:
- A vessel lying on its side, whether in distress at sea, or aground.
- Black Ball:
- Shipping line famous for its fast passenger service between England, America and Australia. The New Brunswick-built Marco Polo was a Black Ball ship.
- boom:
- 1. Spar used to extend the foot of a fore-and-aft sail; 2. a period of expansion or economic prosperity
- bow:
- Front of a ship.
- brace:
- Line attached to the end of the yard arms. Letting the braces in and out adjusts the angle of the yard and any sail hanging from it.
- brig:
- Two-masted sailing vessel with both masts square rigged.
- brigantine:
- Two-masted sailing vessel with square rigged foremast and fore-and-aft rigged mainmast.
- canvas:
- Jute, cotton or hemp material for making the sails of a ship.
- cardinal points:
- Four principal points of a compass: north, south, east and west.
- clipper:
- Sailing ship built for great speed. Clippers differ from other square riggers by having long and slender hulls at least six times as long as they are wide.
- code signals:
- Set of signal flags used to send messages.
- compass:
- Instrument used to plot the course of a vessel by showing direction. Is made of a freely swinging magnetized needle that points toward the (Magnetic) North Pole.
- deck:
- Planked floor on a vessel.
- doldrums:
- Areas of the ocean where there is usually very little wind.
- figurehead:
- Carved figure on the bow of many sailing vessels. A vessel without a figurehead has a "billet" head.
- floor timbers:
- Floor timbers connect the “spine” of a vessel (the keel and keelson) with frame timbers that support the hull’s shape.
- foot:
- Base or bottom of a sail.
- fore:
- Forward part of a vessel, or things in that direction; as in foremast, fore hatch. Opposite of aft.
- fore-and-aft sail:
- Sail that lies along the same line as the keel, or along the same plane as a vessel’s fore-and-aft line. Fore-and-aft sails are usually set upon gaffs, or on stays. Examples include the jib, spanker, etc.
- foremast:
- Most forward mast.
- full rigged ship:
- Vessel with square rigged sails on all masts.
- furl:
- To roll a sail up snugly on a yard or boom and secure it.
- gaff:
- Spar that is used to extend the vertical, or upper edge of a fore-and-aft sail that is not set on a stay.
- half-model:
- Wood model of a vessel carved to scale by a master shipbuilder and used to create accurate drawings to guide ship builders in constructing a full-sized frame of a vessel.
- halyard:
- Rope that lift yards up and down.
- hardwood:
- Wood of any tree with broad, flat leaves. Species include birch, oak and maple. Useful because they are tough and heavy with a compact texture.
- hold:
- Interior of a vessel where cargo is stowed.
- hull:
- Body of a vessel.
- jib:
- Triangular fore-and-aft sail set ahead of the foremast.
- jigger:
- Fourth mast from the bow on a ship, barque or schooner.
- keel:
- Principal timber upon which the hull is constructed. The backbone of the hull.
- keelson:
- Timber, or line of timbers, placed over the keel on the floor timbers, and running parallel to the keel, to provide additional strength to the bottom of the hull.
- latitude:
- Distance north or south from the equator, measured in degrees.
- lead:
- Weight of lead used to sound depth of water underneath a vessel’s hull.
- lee:
- Side opposite to that from which the wind blows.
- lee shore:
- Shore that is receiving the wind blowing in from sea.
- log:
- Used to measure a vessel’s speed. Also name of the record book tracking a ship’s progress, direction, weather and events while at sea.
- longitude:
- Distance east or west of the prime meridian, expressed in degrees or time.
- mainmast:
- Second mast from the bow of a ship, barque or schooner.
- mariner:
- A sailor.
- mast:
- Long pole or spar of timber set upright on a ship’s keel to support the sails.
- mate:
- Officer who ranks second to the commander of the vessel.
- meridian:
- Any line of longitude. Meridians connect the North and South Pole, and cross the Equator at a right angle.
- mizzen mast:
- Third mast from the bow of a ship, barque or schooner.
- mutiny:
- Usually the rebellion of sailors or soldiers against their officers. A revolt against authority.
- navigation:
- Science of locating the position and plotting the course of ships (and other crafts).
- navigators:
- One skilled in navigation.
- oakum:
- Loose hemp or jute that is wedged and soaked in tar to form a watertight seal between planks of wood.
- poop:
- Deck or other structure covering the stern of a vessel. Also the name of the action when a wave breaks over the stern (vessel was “pooped”).
- port:
- 1. left side of the ship when facing forward; 2. a city with a harbour where cargo is loaded and unloaded
- prevailing wind:
- Wind and wind direction that is strongest and most frequent.
- prime meridian:
- Meridian at Greenwich, England, from which longitude is measured east and west.
- quadrant:
- Early instrument used to measure angles and altitudes in astronomy and navigation.
- ratlines:
- Series of rope steps used to climb into the rigging.
- rig:
- The way a vessel and its masts are fitted with sails.
- rigging:
- Ropes, chains and wires that are used to support the vessel’s masts, spars and sails.
- schooner:
- Ship with two or more masts, rigged fore-and-aft.
- sextant:
- Navigation instrument measuring the angular distance of the sun, a star, etc. from the horizon.
- shallop:
- Small boat for one or two rowers.
- shanty:
- Work songs of sailors.
- shroud:
- Ropes or wires running laterally from the top of the mast to the side of the vessel that support the mast
- sloop:
- Single-masted sailing vessel using a fore and aft rig. One sail is set from the forestay.
- softwood:
- Wood of any tree with cones (pine, cedar and spruce). Softwoods provide light, buoyant and easily cut timbers.
- sonar:
- Instrument that transmits sound waves in water. Used in finding depths, locating submarines, and wrecks.
- spanker:
- Sail set on the lowest part of the mizzen or aftermost mast. Sail’s head is set on a gaff (a spar attached to the mast.)
- spar:
- A general term for any iron or wood pole or rod. Spars include yards, booms, masts, bowsprits, etc.
- square-rigged :
- Ship fitted with square or rectangular sails as the principal sails on two or more masts.
- starboard:
- Right side of a ship when facing forward.
- stays:
- Ropes or wires that support a mast. Stays run in afore-and-aft direction from the mast to second mast or to other part of the vessel.
- stern:
- Rear of a ship
- steward:
- Attendant on a ship
- tack:
- Direction a ship goes in relation to the position of the sails. Also to change the course of a ship.
- tonnage:
- A number used to indicate a vessel’s cargo capacity.
- venison:
- Flesh of a deer used as food.
- water current:
- Flow of water in a definite direction.
- yard:
- Slender rod or spar fastened across a mast to support a sail.
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