| Name |
Description |
| AFT |
The back of the boat |
| BACKSTAY |
The rigging that supports the mast towards the back of the boat |
| BATTEN |
Rigid strip that fits into a pocket of the sail to give extra
stiffness |
| BOOM |
Horizontal spar (pole) that runs along the foot of the sail, used to
control the sail's position |
| BOW |
The front of the boat |
| BOWSPRIT |
A spar (pole) which protrudes from the front of the boat |
| CENTREBOARD |
Retractable board which pivots up and down below the hull, acting as
a keel to help reduce sideways drift |
| CLEW |
The rear corner part of the sail |
| DAGGERBOARD |
Retractable board which lifts vertically up and down below the hull,
acting as a keel to help reduce sideways drift. |
| FENDER |
A cushion or inflatable used to prevent damage to the hull |
| FOILS |
The rudder and keel or centreboard |
| GENNAKER |
Asymmetric spinnaker |
| GENOA |
large headsail which overlaps the mainsail |
| GOOSENECK |
Fitting which attaches the boom to the mast |
| GUARDRAILS |
Wire or rope safety lines running around the edge of the deck |
| GUY |
A line which holds or moves a spar (pole). |
| HANK |
Clips used to attach a sail to the forestay |
| HALYARD |
A rope used to hoist a sail. |
| HEAD |
The top corner part of the sail |
| HULL |
The shell of a boat |
| JIB |
A non-overlapping sail |
| KEDGE |
A small anchor |
| KICKING STRAP |
Rope and sometimes pulley device used to pull the boom down |
| KITE |
Spinnaker |
| LEECH |
The sloping back part of the sail |
| LUFF |
The front edge of a sail |
| MAIN |
The main sail of the boat |
| MAINSHEET |
The rope used to adjust the mainsail |
| MAST |
The large spar (pole) holding the mainsail |
| ROACH |
The curved part of the sail's leech |
| RUDDER |
Board or boards at rear of boat (to help steer the boat) |
| RUNNER |
A pair of backstays from the mast to the sidedeck |
| SELF-BAILER |
A fitting in the bottom of the boat that drains out water |
| SHACKLE |
A metal fitting that connects ropes to sails, blocks etc |
| SHEET |
A rope used to let sails in or out. |
| SHROUD |
Wires which support either side of the mast |
| SPAR |
A generic name for Poles of the boat, including mast and boom
etc |
| SPINNAKER |
Large downwind sail |
| STARBOARD |
The right hand side. |
| STERN |
The back of the boat |
| STAY |
Part of the rigging - normally a metal wire helping to hold up a
sail or mast |
| STROP |
A loop of rope |
| TACK |
Front bottom part of the sail |
| TELL-TAIL |
Strips of thread attached to sail to indicate best angle of trim |
| TENDER |
Small boat carried on large yacht |
| TILLER |
Handle used move rudder |
| TRAPEZE |
A wire on a dinghy allowing crew to 'hang'out of the boat |
| WARP |
A rope used to secure a boat |
