In sailboat racing, a tactical maneuver to lock in a competitor by tacking on them in close proximity so they can not tack from under your boat and they start to lose speed due to your sails blocking their sails.

First voyage of a ship.

Once the only method, other than human voice, of passing orders to men on board ship; the instructions to perform certain tasks were conveyed by different notes and pitches on the high-pitched whistle.

A ball shaped buoy marking a navigational hazard.

Point at which all of the force of the wind can be thought to concentrate; the point in the sail plan that is the balance point for all the aerodynamic forces

The location from which the boat is steered, usually in the middle or at the stern of the boat.

Small struts or spars extending toward the sides from one or more places along the mast. The shrouds cross the end of the spreaders, enabling the shrouds to better support the mast. Also known as crosstrees in older vessels.

Abbreviation for:- Port of Loading.- Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants.

On a wooden vessel, the outermost deck plank covering the gunwale. also called Covering Board

Railcars grouped in a train by destination so that segments (blocks) can be uncoupled and routed to different destinations as the train moves through various junctions. Eliminates the need to break up a train and sort individual railcars at each junction.

A stationary element between stages of a multistage centrifugal compressor. It may include guide vanes for directing the flowing medium to the impeller of the succeeding stage. in conjunction with an adjacent diaphragm, it forms the diffuser surrounding t ...

The triangle formed by the masthead, the base of the mast at deck level, and the lower end of the headstay.

The senior engineer officer responsible for the satisfactory working and upkeep of the main and auxiliary machinery and boiler plant on board ship.

A document, certified by a consular official, is required by some countries to describe a shipment. Used by Customs of the foreign country, to verify the value, quantity and nature of the cargo.

An official signature or seal affixed to certain documents by the consul of the country of destination.

Heavy canvas used as a covering.

To bleed is the operation of draining any water out of a buoy which may have seeped inside after long use at sea.

A combination of one or more blocks and the associated tackle necessary to give a mechanical advantage. Useful for lifting heavy loads.

To temporarily stop all movement of a line through a block by placing the hauling part across the sheave of the block. This jams the sheave and holds it tight, and a pull on the hauling part will release it.

Scoop like devices used to direct air into and ventilate a boat.