9.4
Pier A structure, usually wood or masonry,
extending into the water used as a
landing place for boats and ships.
Pile A vertical wooden or concrete pole driven
into the bottom; may be a support for a pier
or floats; also used for mooring.
Piling A structure of piles.
Pitch (1) The up and down movement as the bow
and stern rise and fall due to wave action;
(2) The theoretical distance advanced by a
propeller in one revolution.
Planing Hull Type of hull that is shaped to lift out of the
water at high speed and ride on the surface.
Port The left side of a boat when you are facing
the bow. Also a destination or harbor.
Privileged Former term for the vessel with the
Vessel right-of-way.
Propeller Wheel or screw mechanism that pushes
water aft to propel the boat.
RBFF (Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation)
The RBFF is a nonprot organization whose
mission is to increase participation in
recreational angling and boating and thereby
increase public awareness and appreciation of
the need for protecting, conserving, and
restoring this nation’s aquatic natural resources.
Rigging The general term for all lines (ropes) of a
vessel.
Roll The sideward motion of a boat caused by
wind or waves.
Rules of the The nautical traffic rules for preventing
Road collisions on the water.
Scope The length of the anchor rope or chain.
6 to 1 scope means that the length of the
anchor rope from the boat to the anchor is
6 times the depth of the water.
Scupper A hole allowing water to run off the deck.
Sea Anchor A floating canvas cone held open by wire
rings with an opening in the smaller end and
a rope bridle at the larger end attached to a
line leading to the vessel; used in storm
conditions to (a) keep the bow of the boat to
the wind, and (b) slow downwind drift of the
boat.
Seacock A thru-hull valve; a shutoff on a plumbing or
drain pipe between the vessel’s interior and
the sea.
Sirius™ Radio Satellite radio system
Slip (1) A berth for a boat between two piers
or floats; (2) The percentage difference
between the theoretical and the actual
distance that a propeller advances when
turning in water under load.
Sole The cabin or cockpit floor.
Spar Buoy A channel marker that looks like a tall,
slender pole.
Stand-On The vessel with the right-of-way.
Vessel
Starboard The right side of a boat when you are facing
the bow.
Stern The after end or back of the boat.
Stow To store items neatly and securely.
Strake Planks running fore and aft on the outside of
a vessel.
Taffrail The rail around a boat’s stern.
Tide The alternate rise and fall of waters caused
by the gravitational attraction of moon or sun.
Topsides (1) The sides of a vessel above the waterline;
(2) On deck as opposed to below deck.
Transom The transverse planking which forms the
after end of a small, square-ended boat.
(Outboard motors are usually attached to a
transom.)
Tri m To arrange weights in a vessel in such a
manner as to obtain desired draft at bow and
stern.
Trimaran Boat with three hulls—the center one is the
largest.
Unbend To cast off or untie.
Underway Vessel in motion (i.e. when not moored, at
anchor or aground).
USPS U.S. Power Squadron, a private membership
organization that specializes in boating
education and good boating practices.
Ventilation Ventilation occurs when air from the water’s
surface or exhaust gases from the exhaust
outlet are drawn into the propeller blades.
The normal water load is reduced and the
propeller over-revs, losing much of its thrust.
This continues until the propeller is slowed
down enough to allow the bubbles to surface.
Vessel Every kind of watercraft, other than a
seaplane on the water, capable of being used
as a means of transportation on water.
