A strong tropical revolving storm of force 12 or higher. In the northern hemisphere hurricanes revolve in a clockwise direction. In the southern hemisphere these storms revolve counterclockwise and are known as typhoons.

A short piece of line spliced into the end of the clapper by which the bell is struck. Traditionally it is finished off with a double wall knot crowned in its end.

Complete encirclement of a cleat, bollard, pin or winch by a line.

A can buoy. A cylindrical buoy painted green and having an odd number used in the United States as a navigational aid. At night they may have a green light. Green buoys should be kept on the left side when returning from a larger body of water to a smalle ...

Any object used to increase the drag of a boat and slow her down. Typically shaped like a parachute or cone opened underwater, drogues decrease a boat's speed in heavy weather. Also see sea anchor.

The curved part of a ship's hull where the side and the flat bottom meet.

A small bag for carrying or stowing all personal articles.

The largest circle which can be inscribed on a sphere by a plane that cuts through the center of the sphere. On the earth, the equator is a great circle, as are all the meridians of longitude which pass through both poles. The shortest distance between tw ...

To coil flat down on deck, each fake outside the other, beginning in the middle and all close together.

A vessel whose bow and stern have drooped. The opposite of sagged.

A horseshoe-shaped or circular reef of coral surrounding a lagoon.

A gangway or gangplank. Used to cross from one ship to another, or from a ship to a pier.

To approach something from upwind

A large heavy knot usually made in the end of a heaving line to aid in accurate throwing.

The alternating motion of a boat, leaning alternately to port and starboard; the motion of a boat about its fore-and-aft axis.

: Regular ship shaped vessel, production ship. Positioned by anchors or dynamic positioning. Has its own propulsion machinery.

A pole used as part of the sailboat rigging, such as masts, booms, gaffs, yards, etc. A vertical spar is a mast.

Anchor cable is caught around the fluke or an object is caught around the anchor .

To keep close.

Pieces of plank bolted to the outer end of the bowsprit, to reeve the foretopmast stays through.