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Sailboat & Marine Parts, Hardware and Supplies

Glossary of Sailing & Marine Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Boats & Sails

U SailBoatStuff

underway:
moving under power of sail or motor.
unlay:
to open up or separate the strands of a line.
upwind:
toward the wind.

V SailBoatStuff

vang:
a device, usually with mechanical advantage, used to pull the boom down, flattening the sail.
veer:
the wind is said to veer when it shifts in a clockwise direction, as from north to northeast. When the wind shifts counter-clockwise, it is said to back.
vented loop:
inverted U-shaped pipe with a vent at the top, used as a section in toilet discharge lines to prevent back siphoning.
ventilator:
construction designed to lead air below decks. May have a cowl, which can be angled into or away from the wind; and may be constructed with baffles, so that water is not allowed below.
vernier scale:
a scale used to obtain a precise reading of an instrument, particularly for mariners, of the altitude readings on a sextant.

W SailBoat Stuff

wake:
the swell caused by a boat passing through water.
warp:
heavy rope used for towing. Move a boat by means of a warp
heavier lines (rope or wire) used for mooring, anchoring and to wing. May also be used to indicate moving (warping) a boat into position by pulling on a warp.
watch:
a period of duty to which part of a boat's crew is assigned; also, crew members assigned for that period of duty.
weather helm:
the natural tendency of a sailboat to turn toward the wind, which the helmsman feels as the tiller tries to turn to leeward.
welting:
fabric-covered cording with exposed seam allowances that can be sewed into seams for decoration, and to reinforce the seams of furniture covers.
whisker pole:
a short spar, normally kept stowed, which may be used to push the clew of a jib away from the boat when the boat is running downwind.
whip:
to bind the end of a rope with twine, cord, or plastic sealant to keep it from fraying.
winch:
mechanical device for hauling in a line
a device with a revolving drum, around which a line may be turned in order to provide mechanical advantage in hoisting or hauling.
windlass:
winch for hauling in the anchor chain or line.
wind rose:
a diagram usually shown on pilot charts that indicates the frequency and intensity of wind from different directions for a particular place.
windward:
toward the wind.
working end:
the fastened or manipulated end of a line.

X SailBoatStuff

no entries

Y SailBoatStuff

yaw, yawing:
to turn from side to side in an uneven course.
yawl:
a boat with a two-masted rig in which the mizzen, or jigger, is abaft the rudderpost and the helm. The yawl's mizzen is smaller that the ketch's, as well as being placed farther aft.

Z SailBoatStuff

zincs:
zinc plates attached to the hull to minimize electrolysis (and ultimate failure) of the metal in the rudder and other areas.

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Boats & Sails

CREDITS:
A Glossary of Sailing Terms · Special to the San Diego Daily Transcript
Glossary of Sailing Terms · Oze Mail
Glossary of Sailing Terms · Sailing Gulf Waters
Glossary of Sailing Terms · The Seed Organization
The Time-Life Library of Boating by Time-Life Books 1975
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company