Nautical Terms

ABAFT

behind or aft of, toward the stern

ABEAM

a direction at right angles to the ship's length; on the beam

ABOARD

on or in a vessel. Close aboard is close to another ship or an obstruction

ABREAST

alongside of; on the beam

ACOUSTIC WIRE

same as hydro wire but with electrical conductors built in

ADCP

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler

AFT

toward the stern; in the stern

AGENT

see "ship's port agent"

ALOFT

above the decks as on the mast or in the rigging

AMIDSHIPS

midway between bow and stern, in the line of the keel

ASTERN

toward the rear of the vessel; behind the vessel; backward progress

ATHWARTSHIP

at right angles to the fore and aft line

BEAM

the greatest width of a vessel

BEARING

the compass direction of an object or destination from the ship. Relative bearing is the direction relating to the ship with the bow 0° and the stern 180°. True bearing is the direction from the ship relating to true north with north being 0° and south 180°

BELAY

to temporarily secure a line without knotting by making one or more 'S' turns (varying somewhat with synthetic lines) around a cleat or pin

BELOW

downward, within ship

BEND

to fasten one line to another or to a spar

BERTH

bed or bunk; the position where a ship ties up or anchors, a position of employment aboard a ship; a margin of safety in the distance from which another vessel or object is passed, as in "giving wide berth"

BIGHT

a doubled or looped part of a line; cove or indentation along a coastline

BITTER END

the other end of the line or cable from the end that is performing work; the end that is on the winch or the bitts

BITTS

iron or wooden posts set vertically to which lines can be made fast

BLOCK

a mechanical contrivance of one or more grooved pulleys (sheaves) through which turns of line (falls) are threaded for the purpose of gaining mechanical advantage or changing the direction of motion

BOATHOOK

a long sturdy pole fitted with a blunt hook at one end

BOATSWAIN, alt. BOS'N, pron. BOS'N

top ranking seaman, oversees deck crew, maintenance and upkeep of the ship except for the engine room and galley areas

BOW, pron. BOUGH

the foreward end of a vessel

BRIDGE

area above the main deck from which the ship is navigated and steered; also, the officer(s) on duty in the command area

BULKHEAD

nautical equivalent of wall

BULWARKS

fence-like guard along edge of deck

BUNK

bed, berth

BUOY

floats of a variety of designs and shapes, usually moored, used as navigational aids, markers for moorings or underwater objects, or to support test or scientific gear

CAPSTAN

a revolving cylindrical device used for heaving in lines

CAST OFF

to let go a line; to leave a dock or anchorage

CHAFING GEAR

canvas, rope or other material used as wrappings to prevent wear from chafing

CHART

the nautical equivalent of a map

CLEAT

a double-horned piece of wood or metal around which lines are made fast; v. to belay

COURSE

the compass direction along which the vessel (not equivalent to "heading") is intended to go or is traveling

CROW'S NEST

a lookout or observation station high up on a mast

CTD

Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth profiler

DEAD AHEAD

directly in front of the vessel

DECK

nautical equivalent of floor

DOG

heavy latch by which doors, hatches, portholes, etc. are secured; v. to latch

DRAFT

the distance from a vessel's water line to the deepest part of the hull; the depth of water necessary to float a vessel

EASE OFF

to slack off or release tension slowly and smoothly

EYE

a loop or hole which is spliced or tied on the end of a line

FATHOM

six feet; 1.83 meters

FANTAIL

after part of main deck from which most scientific work involving heavy gear is done

FEND OFF

to prevent touching, in coming or bringing alongside the ship

FIX

a vessel's position determined by navigation data

FAIRLEAD

a chock or hole, block or sheave, through which a line may be run without danger of chafing or jamming, so as to provide a smooth run or change of direction

FLYING BRIDGE

the highest navigation bridge

FORE

toward bow

FORECASTLE, pron. FO'C'SL

uppermost and most forward enclosed area on the ship; also, crew's quarters

FOREDECK

the exposed deck forward of the ship's superstructure

FOUL

the opposite of clear, as in tangled lines or chain, or bad weather

GALLEY

nautical equivalent of kitchen

GUY

a supporting or steadying line or wire

HATCH

opening in ship's deck for access to space below (hold)

HAUL

to pull

HEAD

the compartment containing a toilet; the toilet itself

HEADING

direction in which ship's bow is pointing at any instant, not the same as course!

HEADWAY

the forward motion of the ship under power

HEAVE

vertical motion of the center of the ship

HEAVE TO

to reduce the power until the ship is just maintaining steerage with little or no headway, e.g., to perform scientific activities or ride out rough seas

HELM

wheel, tiller; the controls for a vessel's steering apparatus

HOLD

beneath-decks storage area

HYDRO WIRE

steel wire, normally used to support lightweight over-the-side sampling apparatus such as Nansen bottles, gravity corers, etc

INSHORE

near or toward the shore

KEEL

the backbone of a vessel, running fore and aft along the center line of the bottom of the hull

LADDER

stairway between decks

LASH DOWN

tie down, secure

LEE

the side of a ship, or a shore location, sheltered from the wind

LEEWARD

toward the lee; away from the wind

LEG (of a cruise)

the working portion of a cruise between ports. A long cruise may have many legs

LINE

a piece of rope is called line once it leaves the rope reel and is put into use

LOG

a record of all the activities aboard a ship; a device for measuring ship's speed and distance traveled

MAKE FAST

tie with a line; make secure

MARLINE, pron. MARLIN

tarred twine used for seizing and light lashing

MASTER

the captain of a vessel

MESS DECK

where meals are eaten

MILE, NAUTICAL

equals 6,079 ft; 1.15 statute or land miles, 1,852 meters, or approximately one minute of latitude

ON THE BEAM

the direction at right angles to a ship's heading or the line of her keel

ON THE BOW

a direction of forty-five degrees or less from the bow

ON THE QUARTER

a direction of forty-five degrees or less from the stern

OVERBOARD

over the side of a vessel

OVERHEAD

nautical equivalent of ceiling

PAINTER

the line in the bow of a boat for towing or making fast

PART

break, e.g., the line parted under strain

PAY OUT

to let out chain, line, or wire

PITCH

angular motion about the athwartships axis of the ship

PORT

when facing forward, the left side of the vessel

PORTHOLE

circular openings in a ship's hull for ventilation and light

QUARTER

the part of a vessel forward of the stern and abaft of the beam

RAIL

top edge of bulwarks

REEVE

to pass a line through a block

ROLL

angular motion about lengthwise axis of the ship

RULES OF THE ROAD

the laws of navigation at sea that bear on safety and the avoidance of collision

RUNNING LIGHTS

the usual navigation lights carried when a vessel is under way

SEABAG

a soft, cylindrical fabric bag for clothes, personal possessions

SECURE

to fasten, tie down, make safe and shipshape

SEIZE

to bind with marline or wire to prevent accidental opening or unraveling

SET

that component of the movement of a ship, caused by current or tide, not in the direction in which the ship is heading

SHACKLE

a U-shaped fitting with a pin across the open ends, the pin sometimes being threaded at one end and sometimes held in place with a cotter pin, or both

SHEAVE

(pronounced shiv) wheel with grooved edge such as is mounted in a pulley block to guide the cable

SHIP'S PORT AGENT

a business firm that sells its services to organizations that operate vessels. In each port away from home the agent provides services such as loading and unloading, shipping, dealings with local maritime, customs and immigration authorities, referral to reputable repair facilities, etc. Mail is addressed in care of the agent for the next port to be entered

SKIFF

technically, a flat-bottomed boat, but often used to name any small boat for rowing, sculling, or fitted with an outboard motor

SIX-THREAD

1/4" manila rope useful for lashing down and securing lighter gear in staterooms and labs

SOUNDING

depth measured; the number indicating depth on a chart; the process of measuring fuel or water in a ship's tanks

SPLICE

to join two lines by interweaving and tucking together individual strands in a prescribed pattern

STARBOARD

looking forward, the right side of a vessel

STANCHION

a movable vertical support for lifelines

STEERAGEWAY

the minimum amount of speed required to maintain control of the ship with her rudder

STERN

the after part of a vessel

STOW

to put anything away for sea; to put gear in its proper place

SWAB

a rope or twine mop; v. to mop

SWINGING SHIP

the process of checking the accuracy of and adjusting the ship's magnetic compass

SUPERSTRUCTURE

that part of the ship above the main deck

STATEROOM

cabin; sleeping compartment

THIMBLE

a pear-shaped grooved metal fitting around which an eye splice is made

TOPSIDE

above the main deck

TRAWL WIRE

heavy-duty wire used to lower heavy instruments overboard from the trawl winch

TWO-BLOCK

to reach the end; to bring one object hard up against another, as when an instrument on the end of a wire is hauled hard up against the block through which the wire runs. May occur slowly and intentionally or suddenly and unintentionally

UNDER WAY

when the anchor has been weighed or the lines cast off. Strictly speaking, a vessel can still be under way even though stopped, as long as she is not connected to the land

UNOLS

University - National Oceanographic Laboratory System, the organization that manages the U.S. academic research fleet

UNREEVE

to haul a line out of a block, fairlead, etc

VESSEL

a general term for a floating structure that carries passengers, cargo or both

WATCH

a work period generally four hours long; also refers to those standing watch as an individual, pair, or group

WAY

a vessel's movement through the water

WEATHER

toward the point from which the wind blows, as in weather side of the ship, the side from which the wind is blowing; weather

WINCH

motor-driven drum onto which line or wire is wound; v. to winch onto the drum

WINDWARD

the direction from which the wind is blowing; weather side of the ship

YACHT

A boat that is too expensive for an oceanographer to afford. Personally I think the individual who decided upon the weird spelling of yacht should be shact

YAW

side to side movement of the bow of the ship