Below are a few key words that will help you sound like a salty sea dog!
Abeam
Off the beam or on the side of the boat
Aft
Towards the stern of the boat; to move aft is to move back
Aladdin cleat
A cleat that attaches to the backstay over the cockpit, usually used for hanging a lantern
Astern
In the direction of, or behind, the stern
Backstay
A support wire that runs from the top of the mast to the stern
Beam
The width of the boat at its widest, usually the middle
Bearing
Direction according to compass
Berth
Sleeping bunk aboard the boat
Bow
Forward part of a boat
Bulkhead
A partition below decks that separates one part of the vessel from another
Buoy
An anchored float marking a position on the water
Capsize
To turn a boat over
Catamaran
A twin-hulled boat
Cleat
A two-horned fitting for securing a line
Dinghy
A small open boat, usually carried aboard a yacht for going ashore
Fathom
Nautical measurement equivalent to a depth of six feet
GPS
Global positioning system; uses satellites in fixed orbits
Gybe
Also jibe; to turn the boat downwind from one side of the wind to the other
Hard over
Turning the wheel as far as possible
Headsail
A sail forward of the mast
Heel
The lean of a sailboat when sailing; the extent of the tilt of the boat
Helm
The wheel
Hoist
To raise aloft
Jib
A foresail
Gybe
To turn the boat downwind from one side of the wind to the other
Knot
A nautical mile (equivalent to 1.15 miles or 1.852 kilometres). Also, a fastening made by interweaving rope to form various tangles
Latitude
An angular measurement or distance measured in degrees, north or south from the equator – which is 0
Lee
The side sheltered from the wind
Leeward
Downwind side
List
Inclination of a boat due to excess weight on one side or the other
Longitude
Distance in degrees east or west of Greenwich, England, meridian – which is 0
Nautical mile
One minute of latitude; approximately 6076 feet – about 1/8 longer than the statute mile of 5280 feet
Pinch
To sail as close as possible towards the wind
Port
The left side of the boat when looking forward
Reef
To shorten sail, usually by partially lowering it and tying it off with reefing lines
Rudder
A fin under the stern of the vessel used steering
Starboard
The right side of the boat when looking forward
Spinnaker
A large, light sail used in downward sailing
Staysail
On a cutter this is the sail located between the jib and the main sail
Stern
The rear of the boat
Trim
To adjust the sails
Trimaran
A boat with three hulls
Wake
The swell caused by a boat passing through water
Winch
Mechanical device for hauling in a line
Windward
Toward the direction from which the wind is coming
Yaw, Yawing
To turn from side to side in an uneven course