Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Ship Handling, Seamanship and Deck Vocabulary glossary (page 3)

The working vocabulary of the deck and the practice of handling a vessel: relative directions (abaft, abeam, aboard), sailing and tacking orders, weather-deck terminology, mooring and anchoring practice, and the seamanship terms that describe ship movement and station. The plain-language counterpart to the formal navigation and COLREGs sections.

733 defined terms.

Showing 233 on this page (page 3 of 3).

Q

Quartermaster: Helmsman on watch.
Quay: Solid berthing structure parallel to the shore.

R

Rake: Inclination of a mast or stem.
Range: Distance to an object; tidal vertical difference; pull cable out on deck before letting go anchor.
Range lights: Pair of fixed lights in line marking a channel.
Ratlines: Small ropes secured horizontally across shrouds forming ladder rungs.
Reach: Sailing point with the wind on or abaft the beam.
Reaching pendant: Long pendant on a tug for towing.
Ready about: Order preparing the crew to tack.
Reef: Reduce sail area by gathering and tying part of the sail.
Reef Knot: Square knot for reefing or tying small lines.
Reefing earing: Line at the reef cringle for hauling the reef tight.
Render: To slip or pay out under load.
Restricted visibility: Visibility reduced by fog, mist, rain, or other causes.
Ride: Lie to an anchor; ride down a halyard with body weight.
Riding turn: Turn of rope crossing over and jamming the turns below it on a winch.
Rig out: Extend a boom outboard.
Rigging: Standing and running ropes supporting masts and controlling sails.
Rigging screw: Turnbuckle.
Right rudder: Helm to starboard.
Risers: Vertical ropes of the side ladder.
Rode: Anchor cable.
Roller chock: Mooring chock with rollers.
Rolling hitch: Knot used to take strain on tensioned line.
Round in: Haul in on a tackle.
Round turn: Single complete turn of a rope around a post.
Round up: Bring a vessel head to wind.
Rove: Past tense of reeve, passing a rope through a block.
Rudder: Hinged blade aft used to steer.
Rudder angle indicator: Bridge display showing rudder position.
Rudder stock: Forged shaft transmitting rudder torque.
Running lights: Navigation lights shown by a vessel underway.
Running rigging: Ropes used to set, trim, and lower sails.

S

Safe working load: Maximum load a lifting fitting is approved to handle.
Sagging: Stress condition with the midship lower than the ends.
Sail: Fabric set to catch the wind.
Sallying: Causing a ship to roll deliberately to free her from ice or mud.
Salvage: Recovery of a vessel or cargo from peril at sea.
Sampson post: Stout pillar on deck for securing lines.
Scend: Lifting motion of a wave.
Scharnow turn: Man-overboard turn used when the casualty has been missing for some time.
Schooner: Two- or more-masted fore-and-aft rigged vessel of New England origin.
Scope: Ratio of cable veered to depth of water.
Score: Groove on a block or deadeye.
Scupper: Hole through the bulwark or deck to drain water overboard.
SEA: Seafarer's Employment Agreement under MLC 2006.
Sea anchor: Conical drogue streamed to hold a vessel head to sea.
Sea Breeze: Onshore wind driven by differential daytime heating of land and sea.
Sea chest: Hull recess for seawater intake.
Sea kindly: Said of a vessel that behaves well in a seaway.
Sea legs: Ability to walk without losing balance at sea.
Sea room: Open water clear of dangers.
Seamanship: Practical art of handling a ship.
Secure: Fasten; finish a job.
Securite: Radio safety call.
Seize: Bind two ropes together with small stuff.
Serving: Tight winding of small stuff over a rope after parceling.
Set: Direction of a current; trim a sail.
Set sail: Begin a voyage.
Settle: Slack down; sink lower.
Shackle: U-shaped link closed by a pin; 27.5 meters of anchor cable.
Shaft alley: Tunnel housing the propeller shafting.
Shake out: Cast off the reef points and reset sail.
Shank: Long arm of an anchor between ring and crown.
Sheave: Grooved wheel of a block.
Sheer: Curve of a ship's deck from bow to stern; sudden change in course at anchor.
Sheer line: Curve of the deck line.
Sheet: Line controlling the angle of a sail.
Sheet anchor: Spare anchor for emergency use.
Sheet bend: Knot for joining two ropes of unequal size.
Ship: Bring on board.
Ship-to-ship interaction: Hydrodynamic effects between two ships passing closely.
Shoal: Shallow place.
Shore line: Mooring line led to shore.
Short scope: Cable veered to only a small multiple of the depth.
Short splice: Splice joining two ropes with increase in diameter.
Shorten in: Heave in cable to leave only a short scope.
Shorten sail: Reduce sail area.
Shroud: Standing rigging supporting a mast laterally.
Sidelight: Red or green navigation light on the corresponding side.
Sight: Celestial observation.
Sister hook: Pair of hooks pivoting on a common pin.
Skin: Outer plating of the hull.
Slack: Looseness in a line; let out.
Slack water: Brief period of no tidal current.
Slew: Swing horizontally.
Slip: Allow to run; berth for a small craft.
Slip rope: Single rope rove to be cast off quickly from the ship.
Slop chest: Stock of clothing and small articles for crew use.
Slue: See slew.
Smit bracket: Welded steel bracket on the bow used as a strong point for emergency towing.
Snap-back zone: Hazardous area into which a parting mooring line may recoil.
Snatch block: Block with a hinged side allowing a rope to be inserted without reeving.
Snub: Suddenly check the running of a rope or cable.
Snug: Tight; sheltered.
Sound: Measure depth.
Sounding: Measured depth.
Spanker: Fore-and-aft sail set on the after side of the mizzen mast.
Sparring: Wooden battens fitted in cargo holds.
Spectacle plate: Iron fitting securing rigging to the side of a ship.
Spell: Period of duty.
Splice: Join ropes by interweaving strands.
Spring: Mooring line led at a low angle to prevent fore-and-aft movement.
Spring Tide: Tide with largest range, near new and full moon.
Squat: Loss of underkeel clearance due to speed in shallow water.
Stand by: Be ready to act.
Stand-on vessel: COLREGs vessel required to maintain course.
Standing part: Fixed part of a rope as opposed to the hauling part.
Standing rigging: Permanent rigging supporting the masts.
Starboard: Right side facing forward.
Stays: Standing rigging supporting a mast fore and aft.
Steady: Helm order to maintain present heading.
Steerage: Effect of the rudder on the ship.
Stem: Trade term for a bunker delivery slot.
Step: Socket for the heel of a mast.
Stern: After end of the vessel.
Stern line: Mooring line led aft from the stern.
Sternway: Backward motion.
Stevedore: Shore-based cargo handler.
Stiff: Ship with a large righting arm and thus a quick roll.
Stockless anchor: Anchor without a stock, common modern type.
Stopper: Short rope used to hold a line while it is being transferred.
Storm sail: Small heavy sail set in severe weather.
Stove: Holed or smashed.
Stow: Put away in proper place.
Strake: Continuous line of plating or planking.
Strand: One of the twisted parts of a rope; run aground.
Strop: Loop of rope or wire.
STS: Ship-to-ship transfer of cargo.
Studding sail: Auxiliary sail set outboard of a square sail in light winds.
Suction: Hydrodynamic attraction between two ships passing closely.
Surge: Allow a rope to slip around a winch under control.
Swab: Mop the deck.
Swallow: Opening in a block through which the rope is rove.
Swamp: Fill with water.
Sway: Lateral translational motion.
Swell: Long undulating waves from a distant disturbance.
Swivel: Fitting allowing rotation between two parts of a cable.

T

Tack: Lower forward corner of a fore-and-aft sail; change direction through the wind.
Tackle: Combination of blocks and line giving mechanical advantage.
Tactical diameter: Distance between the original course line and the ship's track after a 180-degree turn.
Taffrail: Rail across the stern.
Tail: Fiber rope tail spliced onto a wire to allow handling on capstans.
Take a turn: Pass a rope once around a bitt or cleat.
Take in: Furl or lower a sail.
Take up: Tighten a rope.
Tarpaulin: Heavy waterproof canvas cover.
Tend: Watch over; lead in a particular direction.
Thimble: Grooved metal ring in an eye splice.
Thrust block: Bearing absorbing propeller thrust.
Thwart: Athwartship seat in a boat.
Tide rode: Lying head to the tide rather than to the wind.
Tiller: Lever attached to the rudder head.
Timoneer: Helmsman (archaic).
Top hamper: Weight aloft.
Topgallant: Mast or sail above the topmast.
Topmast: Second section of a mast above the lower mast.
Topping lift: Rope supporting the outboard end of a boom or derrick.
Topside: Side of the hull above the waterline.
Toss oars: Raise oars vertically in salute.
Tow: Pull through the water.
Towline: Heavy rope used in towing.
Trail oars: Allow oars to trail alongside.
Transfer: Lateral displacement of a ship in a turn measured from the original course line.
Transom: Flat or curved stern surface above the waterline.
Transverse thrust: Sideways effect of a propeller on the stern.
Traveler: Slider running on a horse to which a sheet block is shackled.
Trice: Haul up and lash.
Trim: Difference between forward and aft drafts.
Tripping line: Line attached to the crown of an anchor to free it from foul ground.
Truck: Top of the mast.
True wind: Actual wind direction and strength independent of the ship's motion.
Tumblehome: Inward slope of the topsides above the waterline.
Turn of the bilge: Curved transition between bottom and side.
Turn to: Begin work.
Turnbuckle: Threaded device for tensioning rigging or lashings.
Twin screw: Vessel with two propellers.
Twistlock: Locking device joining containers at corner castings.

U

Unbend: Cast off a rope from a spar; remove a sail.
Under bare poles: Running before a gale with no sail set.
Under deck: Below the weather deck.
Under sail: Propelled by sail.
Under way: Not moored, at anchor, or aground.
Underfoot: Said of an anchor hanging directly below the hawse.
Underrun: Pass beneath a line, hauling it inboard hand over hand.
Unmoor: Procedure to weigh both anchors and prepare to leave anchorage.
Unreeve: Withdraw a rope from a block.
Unship: Remove from working position.
Up and down: Anchor cable vertical, anchor just clear of the bottom.
Upper deck: Highest continuous deck.

V

Vang: Rope steadying the peak of a gaff or boom.
Variation: See magnetic variation; difference between true and magnetic north.
Veer: Pay out cable; shift of wind in a clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere.
Veer and haul: Alternately slack and pull on a rope.
Vertical lift: Hatch cover lifted bodily by hydraulic jacks.
Voyage: Passage between ports.

W

Wake: Disturbed water astern of a moving vessel.
Walking back: Easing a rope or cable under power.
Walking out the cable: Using the windlass to lower the anchor under power rather than letting it run free.
Wall knot: Stopper knot worked into the strands of a rope end.
Warp: Move a vessel by hauling on lines secured to fixed points.
Watch: Period of duty.
Watch handover: Formal transfer of responsibility between officers.
Wave off: Cancel an approach.
Way: Motion through the water.
Weather: Windward side; conditions; to pass to windward of.
Weather deck: Uppermost deck exposed to weather.
Weather Helm: Tendency of a sailing vessel to head into the wind.
Weather shore: Shore from which the wind is blowing.
Weigh anchor: Heave the anchor off the bottom.
Wheel: Steering wheel; propeller.
Wheelhouse: Enclosed steering position.
Whip: Single rope rove through a block; bind the end of a rope with twine.
Whipping: Transient hull-girder vibration after a slam.
Wildcat: See gypsy.
Williamson turn: Man-overboard maneuver returning the ship along her reciprocal track.
Winch: Powered drum for hauling on ropes or wires.
Windlass: Powered machine for hoisting the anchor cable.
Windward: Toward the wind.
Wing: Outer part of a deck or compartment.
Wire rope: Rope made of steel strands.
Working anchor: Bower anchor in regular use.
Worming: Filling the contlines of a rope with small line before parceling.
Wring bolt: Bolt drawing a plank tight to a frame during construction.

X

Xebec: Three-masted Mediterranean vessel with lateen and square rig combinations.

Y

Yard: Spar set crosswise from a mast carrying a square sail.
Yardarm: Outer end of a yard.
Yaw: Rotational motion about the vertical axis.
Yawl: Two-masted fore-and-aft rigged vessel with small mizzen aft of the rudder post.
Yoke: Crosspiece on the rudder head of a small boat steered by lines.

Z

Z-Drive: Azimuthing propulsion unit common on tugs.
Zenith: Point on celestial sphere directly overhead.
Zephyr: Light westerly breeze.