Glossary

Following is a glossary of sailing and nautical terms using US English. We hope you
find it useful. Do not hesitate to request additional entries here.
A
abaft. Behind; as in: The stern is abaft the beam.
abeam. At a right angle to the boat; as in: That buoy lies abeam of us.
aboard. On the boat; as in: If we go aboard the boat now we will be able to leave
soon.
adrift. No power, unsecured; as in: Without wind and no engine we would be adrift.
afloat. Floating, as in: Our life jackets will keep us afloat.
aft and after. Direction; as in: Go aft to the stern of the boat.
aground. (not to be confused with grounding at anchor). Stuck on the bottom; as
in: That boat seems to have run aground.
ahead. In front of the boat; as in: Our destination lies ahead.
aid to navigation (ATON). A buoy, channel marker, or light meant to guide
navigation; as in: Be sure to look for any aid to navigation to help guide us into
the harbor. An online reference is here:
http://www.uscgboating.org/ATON/index.html
aloft. Up in the rigging; as in: Our radar reflectors are aloft.
altocumulus clouds. Forming discernable globs, may appear in layers; as in:
Altocumulus clouds usually promise rain soon.
amidships. In the middle of the boat; as in: You will find the galley amidships.
anchor. A device, usually deployed from the bow, used to secure the boat to the
bottom; as in: The use of more than one anchor will limit swing room.
anchor light. A white light that shines so it is visible from all around the vessel
required when anchored or moored between sunset and sunrise. The best place
for this light is usually at the top of the highest mast; as in: Once successfully
anchored we turn on the anchor light.

anchor watch. Observations taken over a period of time to determine whether the
anchor is holding; as in: During heavy weather it might be a good idea to set an
anchor watch.
apparent wind. The wind that is felt on the boat; as in: The apparent wind has
dropped since we went from a beam reach to a broad reach.
astern. Behind the stern of the boat; as in: The competition has fallen astern.
athwartships. Running across the boat from side to side, at a right angle to the
centerline; as in: The transom runs athwartships.
autopilot. Self steering with no need for a helmsperson; as in: With the
autopilot engaged and a proper lookout posted, no one needs to stay at the
helm.
auxiliary engine. A small engine (outboard or inboard, gasoline or diesel) used to
power a
sailing vessel when not under sail; as in: when we come into the anchorage
we'll start the auxiliary engine, head into the wind, furl our sails, then proceed
to anchor.
aweigh. Anchor being lifted off the bottom, weighing anchor; as in: Anchors
aweigh my boys!

B
back. A sail that is trimmed to windward; as in: Sometimes we need to
back the jib to help us tack. Can also refer to the wind moving
counterclockwise; as in: The wind is backing.
backstay. A stay (usually cable or rod) that runs from near or at the top
of the mast to the stern of the boat; as in: Your backstay seems to be tensioned
properly.
backwind. When a forward sail blocks the wind from an after sail; as in: The jib is
producing a backwind affecting the main.
bahamian moor. Anchoring by setting two anchors, one fore and one aft; as in: A
bahamian moor will limit the amount of swing room while at anchor.
bail. To remove water from a boat; as in: Let's bail the dinghy to get the water
out.
balance. To create a happy medium between weather and lee helm; as in: The
helm seems to have perfect balance.
ballast. Weight in the keel to keep the boat upright; as in: Ballast can be lead or
iron.
bascule bridge. An opening bridge as opposed to a fixed bridge; as in: We can
make it through that bascule bridge as long as we get an opening.
batten. A rod or strip used to stiffen the leech of a sail; as in: Some mainsails have
at least one batten that runs from leech to luff.

batten down. Prepare for heavy weather; as in: Batten down the hatches.
batten pocket. The opening into which the batten fits; as in: A batten pocket will
have some means of closure at one of its ends.
beam. The widest part of the boat; as in: The boat's length is 50 feet and her
beam is 14 feet.
beam reach. Point of sail with wind coming over the beam; as in: Fall off to a
beam reach from a close reach.
bear away. To turn away from the wind; as in: Please bear away to a beam reach
from a close reach.
bearing. The bearing to an object from the boat expressed in degrees; as in: The
bearing to the lighthouse is 180° magnetic.
beat. Sailing close hauled; as in: A beat to weather (the wind).
below. Underneath the deck; as in: I'm going below to fix drinks.
berth. 1, Where people sleep on a boat; as in: I'm going to my berth. 2, A boat's
slip at the dock; as in: The local marina has a berth for our boat.
bight. That part of a line between its ends or a loop; as in: Tie a bowline on a
bight.
bilge. The lowest, deepest part of a boat; as in: Checking the bilge is part of our
daily routine.
Bimini. 1, an Island in The Bahamas. 2, a collapsible canvas top to shield the
cockpit from sun; as in: In the strong sun of the tropics all were glad to have the
bimini up.
binnacle. A support for a compass; as in: If you place metal objects close to
the binnacle you may cause deviation in the compass.
bitter end. The end of a line; as in: Hold onto the bitter end so we don't lose the
line.
blanket. To stop the wind from filling a sail; as in: The jib is forming a blanket to
the main.
block. A device used to change the angle of a line, a pulley; as in: Lead the line
through the block then back to the winch.
board. To go on a boat; as in: Let's board the boat now.
boat hook. Pole with a hook to lift and handle line; as in: Use the boat hook to
grab the line.
boat on the right. When two power boats cross the boat on the right is the
stand-on vessel; as in: As we enter the harbor with our engine engaged we will
watch carefully for any boat on the right.
bolt rope. The rope that is in the luff of a sail to strengthen it; as in: To put on
the mainsail guide the bolt rope through the slot in the mast.
boom. A spar that supports the foot of the mainsail; as in: The reef lines and
outhaul may be fed through the boom.
boom gallows. A device running athwartships aft of the mast to support the boom
when the sail is not set; as in: Most modern boats use a topping lift to support
the boom rather than a boom gallows.
boom vang. A device to hold the boom down; as in: Use the boom vang to
prevent the boom from rising up while on a run.
bosun's chair. A lightweight, secure seat used for going aloft; as in: While at the
dock we'll go up the mast using the bosun's chair to replace the faulty anchor
light.
bow. The forward part of a boat also called 'the pointy end'; as in: Go to the bow
to drop the anchor.
bow pulpit. Guardrail and support at the bow for the lifelines; as in: The lifelines
attach to the bow pulpit with special fittings.
bow line. A dock line used to secure the bow from sideways motion; as in: After
arriving in our slip we tied the port bow line onto the piling.
bowline. (Pronounced "boh-lin") type of knot used to create a temporary, non-
slipping loop in the end of a line; as in: Tie a bowline on the dock line and drop
it over the piling.
bowline on a bight. A type of knot used to create a temporary, non-slipping
double loop anywhere on a line; as in: Since we are without a bosun's chair
we'll tie a bowline on a bight to go aloft.
breast line. A dock line that runs at a right angle to the centerline of the boat; as
in: We'll bring the boat closer to the dock with a breast line for easier boarding.

bridgedeck. The deck that joins the hulls on a catamaran; as in: Standing on the
bridgedeck gives a great view.
bridle. A line used to distribute the load from a tow or an anchor to two points on
the boat; as in: When we anchor a catamaran we always set up a bridle.
broad reach. Point of sail with the wind coming over the boat's quarter; as in: Fall
off from a beam reach to a broad reach.
Bruce anchor. A type of claw anchor; as in: The Bruce anchor is very
popular.
bulkhead. A support below deck to strengthen the boat; as in: That bulkhead is
made of wood.
bunk. A bed in a boat, can also be called a berth; as in: Time to go to my bunk.
buoy. A floating aid to navigation; as in: Leave the red buoy to starboard while
returning.
by the lee. Sailing on a run with the wind coming over the same side of the boat
as the boom is on; as in: Watch out for an accidental jibe when sailing by the
lee.

C
cabin. A room in a boat; as in: Time to go down to my cabin.
calm. No wind blowing; as in: The wind has become calm.
canvas. The sails of a boat; as in: Your canvas looks bristol.
capacity plate. A metal plate, located near the stern, stating its carrying capacity
and maximum size of outboard engine; as in: The capacity plate on the transom
of the dinghy allows for up to six adults and a 15 horsepower engine.
capsize. Turned over in the water; as in: It is very difficult to capsize most boats.
cardinal points. North, south, east, and west; as in: Our compass has the
cardinal points
cast off. Letting go of a line; as in: Cast off and get underway.
cat boat (cat rig). A type of boat with no jib; as in: He chose a cat rig for the
simplicity of it.
catamaran. A multihull having two hulls; as in: Her catamaran sailed fast and
comfortable.
cay. (Pronounced "key") small, low island ; as in: Marina Cay is a popular
stopover while in the BVI's.
center of effort. The point in the sail plan that is the balance of all wind
forces; as in: She moved the center of effort forward to ease weatherhelm.
center of lateral resistance. The point on the hull where all hydrodynamic forces
are in balance; as in: The boat turns about its center of lateral resistance.
centerboard. A board or appendage that is retractable in the hull or keel; as in: He
raised the centerboard before coming ashore.
centerline. A line running down the middle of the boat bisecting the bow and
stern; as in: The beam of the boat lies perpendicular to its centerline.
chafe. Wearing away of a line or sail due to friction; as in: Don't let the anchor line
chafe on the bow.
chain plate. Metal strap or fitting on the hull where stays are attached; as in:
Our chain plate is bolted to the hull.
channel. A navigable waterway often marked with aids to navigation; as in: Stay
in the channel and you'll be safe.
chart. A nautical map; as in: Read the chart carefully to determine the proper
route.
chart #1. The official U.S. book that defines all symbols, abbreviations, and terms
used on U.S. nautical charts; as in: Check out chart #1 to find out what that
squiggly line on the chart means.
chart datum. The reference level for depths listed on a chart; as in: The chart
datum on many charts is the average of the low tides meaning, for example,
when a depth of 6 feet is given that is the depth of water at that point at the
average low tide, so most of the time there will actually be a greater depth.
charter. Renting a boat; as in: Let's charter a catamaran in the BVI's.
chock. Fairlead for dock or anchor lines; as in: Lead the dock line through the
chock to prevent chafe.
chop. Waves that are short but steep; as in: On blustery days like this there's a
lot of chop on the water.
circumnavigation. To take a trip around something; as in: Circumnavigation of the
world has been accomplished by many sailors.
cirrostratus clouds. Wispy clouds lying in sheets, may cover the entire sky and
produce halo effects; as in: Cirrostratus clouds often foretell a storm.
cirrus clouds. High altitude, wispy and unsubstantial; as in: Those cirrus clouds
may or may not be the harbinger of weather to come.
cleat. A metal (usually) object around which a line can be fastened; as in: He ran
the dock line from a cleat on the boat to a piling.
cleat hitch. A type of knot; as in: She tied the dock line to the cleat with a proper
cleat hitch.
clew. The after lower corner of a sail; as in: The outhaul is attached to the clew of
the mainsail.
close hauled. A point of sail, sailing as close to the wind as possible, also known
as beating; as in: Sailing close hauled can be challenging.
close reach. A point sail between close hauled and a beam reach; as in: Returning
to the crew overboard, she sailed the boat on a close reach.
clove hitch. A type of knot; as in: He tied the fenders to the lifelines using a clove
hitch.
coastal. Near the shore; as in: In coastal sailing we don't go out of sight of land.
cockpit. An area inset in the deck where the boat is steered; as in: We gathered in
the cockpit and took turns at the helm.
cockpit locker. typically the largest locker on deck usually located under cockpit
seating; as in: We store the life jackets in our cockpit locker along with the
 flares.
code flags. See 'signal flags'.
coil. A neat arrangement of line which can be stowed; as in: She made a coil of
the line and put it away.
COLREGS. The International Navigation Rules; as in: If you know the COLREGS
you
will be a better sailor.
companionway. The entryway that leads from the cockpit to the cabin; as in: He
went down the companionway to go to the galley.
compass. A device containing a magnet that will align itself with the magnetic field
of the earth indicating direction; as in: Read the compass carefully to determine
your heading.
compass card. A flat disk in the compass marked in degrees around which the
compass needle rotates; as in: The compass card has marks for each 5 degree
increment.
compass rose. A duplicate of the compass card found on nautical charts; as in:
Use the compass rose to draw our ship's course.
conch. (Pronounced "konk") a brightly colored univalve mollusk; as in: Whenever
we
go to The Bahamas we always order conch fritters and cracked conch.
cotter pin. A small pin (usually stainless steel) to help secure fittings; as in: It is
good to check all cotter pins at the beginning of the season.
course. The heading or compass direction that is steered; as in: The course to
steer is 190° magnetic.
crew. All who participate in the handling of the boat; as in: The crew did a great
job bringing the boat to the dock.
cringle. An eye in the sail that is reinforced with a metal ring; as in: That cringle
represents the first reef tack.
cross beam (arm). Any of the beams that join the two hulls of a catamaran; as
in: The cross beam creates structural strength and is often made from extruded,
anodized aluminum.
cruise. Two or more days spent underway on a boat; as in: Our cruise through The
Bahamas lasted a week.
cruising boat. A boat used mostly for cruising rather than racing; as in: That
sailboat looks like a fine cruising boat.
cumulonimbus clouds. The thunderstorm cloud, tall with a dark bottom; as in: We
will try to avoid those cumulonimbus clouds on the horizon.
cumulus clouds. Puffy cotton balls, harbinger of good weather; as in: Those
cumulus clouds tell me we have at least two days of good weather.
cunningham. A line used to put tension in the luff of a sail; as in: Tighten the
cunningham to bring the draft forward in the mainsail.
current. The horizontal movement of water usually caused by tides or wind; as in:
Compensation for the current is necessary when sailing in many coastal areas.
custom boat. A boat built to the specifications of one particular customer; as in:
He ordered a custom boat to suit his needs.
cutter. A type of sailboat with one mast and two sails forward; as in: Many
cruising boats are cutter rigged.

D
daggerboard. A centerboard, not hinged but going straight up and down; as in:
The daggerboard was lowered through its slot.
danger bearing. A bearing that is plotted to a hazard or an object nearby a
hazard; as in: Our navigator plotted the danger bearing to the rocky shoal and,
since the hazard lay to port, said to the helmsperson "Do not allow the rock to
bear more than 135°".
danger sector. Red light shining out to mark a dangerous area of water; as in: We
could see the danger sector from a distance and avoided that area.
daysailor. A boat used for short day sails and without a cabin; as in: We had a lot
of fun in our daysailor last summer.
dead. Exactly; as in: She steered the boat dead ahead.
dead reckoning. Also known as ded. reckoning and DR. Calculating the course of a
boat from only the heading, speed, and time; as in: They kept up their dead
reckoning until they could fix their position.
deck. The surface covering the hull of a boat; as in: Standing on deck is a good
way to catch some sun.
deep beam reach. This is a point of sail just below a beam reach (about 20°
below) or about 110° relative to the bow and used in the deep beam man
overboard recovery technique: as in: When one of the crew fell overboard we
immediately turned to a deep beam reach.
depower. To decrease the power of the sails allowing the boat to heel less; as in:
Depower the sails to decrease weatherhelm and heel.
depth sounder. A device that measures the depth of the water; as in: Reading
the depth sounder carefully we can avoid running aground.
deviation. Error in the compass caused by undue magnetic influences; as in: The
can of peanuts set down next to the compass caused a deviation of some 20
degrees.
dew point. The temperature at which air is fully saturated, the temperature at
which dew starts to form; as in: When the temperature drops to the dew point
fog is possible.
dinghy. Small, lightweight boat; as in: After anchoring we went ashore in the
dinghy.
displacement. The weight of water a boat displaces, her weight; as in: That boat
has a displacement of 12 tons.
displacement hull. A heavier boat that does not plane, moving through the water
it displaces water; as in: A displacement hull will not be as fast as a planing
hull.
distress signals. Indicators signifying a vessel is in danger, a request for
assistance; as in: Internationally recognized distress signals offer a wide range
of options depending on what the situation is. For instance; if you are in distress
in the ocean you might release orange smoke or dye marker so a plane could
spot you, if your vessel is on fire then those flames will act as a distress signal,
or if you are foundering at night you might send up parachute flares. Below is
an illustration of possible distress signals courtesy of the USCG:
dock. A float or pier where a boat can tie up to; as in: The crew did a fine job
bringing the boat into the dock.
dock line. A line used to attach a boat to a dock; as in: A good dock line is usually
made of nylon to provide stretch. See illustration below:

dodger. A spray shield that protects the cockpit; as in: All were happy the boat
came equipped with a dodger when the wind and waves came up.
dolphin striker. Cables underneath a multihull that help support the structure; as
in: The dolphin striker is often hidden away on catamarans.
douse. To lower a sail; as in: Coming into the anchorage we douse and cover the
mainsail.
downhaul. Used to place tension in the luff of a sail; as in: Applying tension to the
downhaul changes the shape of the mainsail.
downwind. The direction in which the wind is traveling; as in: Since our
destination is downwind we'll only fly the spinnaker.
draft. 1, The depth of the boat underwater; as in: This boat has a 6 foot draft. 2,
The amount of curve or fullness in a sail; as in: Moving the draft forward will
reduce our weather helm.
drag. The anchor moving along the bottom; as in: We took care to set the anchor
so that it would not drag.
drift. The velocity of a current usually measured in knots; as in: The drift of this
current is 2 knots.

E
ease. To let out a line, to decrease tension; as in: When falling off we ease the
sheets.
ebb. When the tide goes out; as in: We should leave before the ebb tide.
eddy. Circular current; as in: An eddy in the Gulf Stream can be very large.
electrolysis. Corrosive action caused by electrical current flowing between
dissimilar metals; as in: Without sacrificial zinc anodes electrolysis can cause
great damage on boats.
emergency tiller. A small tiller that fits into the top of the rudder post which can be
used to steer the boat if main equipment fails.
end for end. To reverse a line; as in: When we end for end the main sheet we will
increase it's life span.
estimated position (EP). A position that is estimated from the DR and one other
indicator of position; as in: After taking a bearing she placed a small square on
the chart to indicate the estimated position.
eye. Loop, often in the end of a line; as in: The sewn in eye in the dock line is very
handy.
eye of the wind. Exactly where the wind is coming from; as in: We tack the boat
by putting the bow through the eye of the wind.

F
fair. Without obstruction or sharp corners; as in: That boat has a fair
transition from the deck to the cockpit.
fairlead. A lead with a minimum of friction to reduce chafe; as in: The line is led
from the block to winch through a fairlead.
fairway. The central part of a channel; as in: The boat in the fairway is avoiding
the shoal.
fake. Making large loops of line to avoid kinks; as in: We will fake the main halyard
before dropping the mainsail.
fall off. To turn away from the wind; as in: Going from a beam reach to a broad
reach we fall off.
federally required equipment. Specific items to be carried on board vessels
registered or documented in the U.S.; as in: Federally required equipment for a
vessel 7 to 12 meters includes: One PFD for each passenger, one type IV
throwable floatation device, three day distress signals and three night distress
signals which may be combined into three day/night distress signals, fire
extinguisher(s), sound making device, navigation lights, and ship's paperwork
(registration or documentation). Vessels 12 to 20 meters must also carry a copy
of the Rules of the Road, a bell, and a dedicated ship's whistle (horn).
fend off. To push away; as in: We may need to fend off as we back our boat into
the slip.
fender. Bumper placed outside the hull to prevent damage at a dock; as in: We
tied the fender to the lifeline using a clove hitch.
fetch. Distance to the windward shore; as in: A larger body of water has more
fetch than a smaller one.
figure eight. A type of knot, also called a stopper knot; as in: Tying a figure eight
at the end of a line prevents it from running out through the block.
fish hook. A wire that has come unattached and sticks out of a cable, can cause
cuts and abrasion; as in: Check the cables frequently for fish hooks.
fix. A position known with some certainty; as in: We fix our position when two or
more bearings cross.
flag etiquette. The proper display of flags; as in: Flag etiquette dictates that the
vessel's national flag is flown from the stern while courtesy flags and flags
 displaying a meaning (i.e. the quarantine flag) are flown from the starboard
spreader.
float. Generic name for a multi-hull's ama or hull; as in: A trimaran has 3 floats; 2
amas and a hull.
float plan. An itinerary for the boat to be filed with friends or family; as in: Before
they left on their voyage to Hawaii they filed a float plan with their family
members.
flood. The incoming tide; as in: We will wait for the flood tide before returning.
fluky. Winds that are light and variable; as in: With these fluky winds sailing is not
an option.
fog. A cloud at ground level formed when the temperature drops to the dew point
creating tiny particles of moisture suspended in the air. Two major types that
affect mariners are radiation and advection fog; as in: Radiation fog usually
persists for short periods forming on clear, cool nights when the surface
boundary layer drops to its dew point. And, advection fog forms when warm
moist air blows across a body of cooler water which lowers the temperature of
the moist air to the dew point and can last for days even with the wind blowing.
following sea. Waves coming from behind; as in: Going downwind we will
encounter following seas.
foot. 1, the bottom edge of a sail; as in: We can tension the foot of the
mainsail with the outhaul. 2, to sail slightly lower than close hauled; as in: If we
foot after tacking we will build up good boat speed.
foresail: Any sail that is forward of the mast; as in: This boat is designed to use
one foresail.
forestay (also headstay). A stay running from the bow to the upper mast upon
which can be fastened a foresail; as in: The forestay attaches to the bow with a
stem fitting.
foretriangle. The area defined by the mast, deck, and forestay; as in: A larger
foretriangle means that a larger jib can be carried.
forward. Toward the bow; as in: Go forward to throw the bow line.
foul. 1, Tangled; 2, A description of the bottom; as in: Do not anchor in any area
with a foul bottom.
foul weather gear. Clothing appropriate for heavy weather conditions; as in: With
the storm coming put on your foul weather gear.
fractional rig. A rig where the forestay (headstay) terminates below the top of the
mast; as in: A racing boat is usually a fractional rig.
freeboard. The height of the deck above the water; as in: A boat with a lot of
freeboard is a dry boat.
front. The leading edge of a high or low pressure system; as in: As the cold front
comes through the winds usually veer, or move clockwise.
full sail. All sails are set; as in: Under 15 knots of wind we often go under full sail.
full wing deck. A solid deck joining the ama and hull on a trimaran; as in: That
trimaran has a full wing deck.
furl. To neatly put away a sail while still attached to the spars; as in: We furl the
sails as we approach our destination.
G
gaff rig. A rig that uses a spar to raise the top edge of a four edge sail; as in: A gaff
rig boat is pretty but lots of work.
galley. The kitchen on a boat; as in: We do most of our cooking in the galley.
galley down. Term used to describe the layout on a catamaran where the galley
placed on the lower level along with the cabins; as in: They preferred to have
the galley down because it allowed for a larger salon on the upper level.

galley up. Term used to describe the layout on a catamaran where the galley is
placed on the upper level along with the salon; as in: She wanted to the galley
up because it allows for more interaction when meals are prepared.
gear. Equipment on a boat; as in: A neat boat has all its gear stowed.
genoa. A large foresail whose clew extends beyond the foretriangle (mast); as in:
In lighter air we always use our genoa.
gimbal. Swinging supports that allow a stove to stay level in seas; as in: We were
glad to have a gimbal support on our stove as we crossed the Gulf Stream.
give-way vessel. The vessel that must keep out of the way of another vessel; as
in: The port tack boat is the give way vessel when meeting a starboard tack
boat.
gooseneck. The fitting that attaches the boom to the mast; as in: We tack the
mainsail on close to the gooseneck.
grommet. A small snap ring sewn into canvas; as in: The dodger has more than
one grommet to secure it.
ground tackle. The anchor and anchor rode; as in: For ground tackle my boat uses
a plow anchor with all chain rode.
grounding at anchor. When the tide goes out leaving a boat aground while
anchored, not to be confused with running aground; as in: We should have
checked the tide tables to prevent our grounding at anchor.
gudgeon. A metal fitting on the transom of a small boat used to attach the rudder;
as in: The pintle fits into the gudgeon.
gunwale. The rail that sticks up at the edge of the deck; as in: Walking on deck
feels more secure if there is a gunwale.
gust. A puff of strong wind; as in: Sailing is more challenging in gusty winds.

H
halyard. A line that raises a sail; as in: We get under sail by raising the main
halyard.
handbearing compass. A compass used to take bearings by holding it in your
hand; as in: We can fix our position by taking bearings with the handbearing
compass.
hank. A fitting used to attach the foresail to forestay; as in: We hank on the
foresail before raising it.
hard a-lee (helm's a-lee). A command issued as the steerer turns the helm to
 tack the boat; as in: Ready about...Hard a-lee.
hard over. Turning the helm as far as possible; as in: The wheel is hard over but
with no way on we aren't turning.
hatch. An operable opening in the deck; as in: Once we anchor we can open the
hatch.
haul out. To take a boat out of water; as in: Every year we haul out our boat and
put her in dry dock.
head. 1, the top corner of a triangular sail; as in: We attach the halyard to the
head of the sail. 2, The bathroom on a boat; as in: Many boats have more than
one head. 3, The front of the boat, the bow area, the stem; as in: Going to the
head of the boat provides an excellent view.
head down. To turn away from the wind; as in: Head down to fill the sails.
head off. Or head down, to change course by turning away from the wind; as in:
Head off to fill the sails with air.
head to wind. Pointing the boat directly into the eye of the wind, in-irons; as in:
When the boat is head to wind it is easy to trim the mainsheet.
head up. To turn towards the wind; as in: Head up to luff the sails.
header. A shift in the wind causing a turn away from the wind; as in: When we get
a header it may be time to tack.
heading. The course to steer; as in: Change heading to 090°.
headsail. A foresail; as in: A sloop has one headsail while a cutter has two
headsails.
headstay. Also called forestay, a cable that runs from the bow to the upper part
of the mast; as in: Our headsail attaches to the headstay.
heave. To throw; as in: Heave the line to the other boat.
heave to. A technique to nearly stop the boat's motion while under sail; as in: As
we heave to the foresail will be backed to windward.
heavy weather. Strong wind and large waves; as in: Our boat does very well in
heavy weather.
heel. The angle the boat sails at; as in: Stronger wind creates more heel.
helm. The tiller or wheel; as in: Turn the helm to change heading.
helmsman or helmsperson, steerer. The person who is steering the boat; as in: As
we got to the channel the helmsman guided us into the marina.
high. To sail high is to sail closer to the wind than is optimal; as in: Sailing high
slows us down.
hike. To lean out over the rail; as in: The crew will hike out to reduce the heel of
the boat.
holding ground. The type of bottom in an anchorage; as in: This anchorage has
good holding ground.
hull. The underbody of a boat; as in: This hull is solid fiberglass.
hull speed. The theoretical highest speed for a displacement hull boat; as in: We
use the square root of the water line length to help determine the boat's hull
speed.
I
in irons. Head to wind and not moving through the water; as in: Catamarans are
more prone to being caught in irons when tacking than monohulls.
inboard. Inside the boat; as in: We have an inboard diesel engine.
inflatable. A device that must be inflated such as a life jacket, life raft, or dinghy;
as in: Some life jackets can be inflated with air or automatically with CO2
cartridges.

J
jackline or safety line. A line or strap on deck running fore and aft upon which
safety harnesses can be tethered; as in: In heavy weather we rig a jackline on
our boats.
jib. A foresail (headsail) that fits inside the foretriangle (not extending beyond the
mast); as in: As we approach our anchorage we will furl the jib.
jib sheet. A line that controls the jib; as in: Trim the jib sheet according to the
telltales.
jibe. To turn the stern of the boat through the eye of the wind; as in: To jibe
under control we first trim the mainsheet.
jibe-ho. A command issued while jibing just prior to the boom swinging across the
centerline; as in: Ready to jibe...Jibe-ho.
jury rig. Improvised replacement for gear especially when dismasted; as in: After
the mast came down we set up a jury rig to continue on our way.

K
kedge anchor. Any anchor used to kedge off.
kedge off. Using an anchor to pull the boat into deeper water; as in: If we run
aground we might be able to kedge off.
keel. An extension of the hull that goes deeper into the water and provides
stability from heel and sideways resistance to wind; as in: A well designed keel
can provide lift to windward.
ketch. A type of boat with two masts the second of which is lower and is stepped
forward of the rudder post; as in: The ketch design provides a wide variety of
possible sail combinations.
knockdown. When the heel of the boat approaches 90°; as in: Most sailors will
never experience a knockdown.
knot. 1, used to fasten a line to itself or another object; as in: A useful knot
onboard is the simple clove hitch. 2, one nautical mile per hour; as in: The knot
meter gives us our speed through the water.

L
land breeze. A breeze that blows from land to the water; as in: In the evening we
 might catch a land breeze.
landmark. An easily visible object; as in: The lighthouse makes a handy landmark.
lanyard. A short line; as in: Some shackles have a lanyard for an easy grip to open
them.
lash. Tie down; as in: We lash the dinghy to the foredeck.
latitude. Angular distance in degrees north or south of the earth's equator; as in:
The north pole is at 90° north latitude.
launch. 1, Moving a boat from land to water; 2, A small boat to take people from
shore to moored boats and vice versa; as in: We sounded our horn to let the
launch know we wanted to go ashore.
lazarette. Usually, the aftermost locker on deck; as in: The starboard lazarette
holds the propane tanks.
lazy bag. A bag on top of the boom to cover the mainsail when it is lowered and
can be zipped up to fully protect the mainsail; as in: The lazy bag is truly a
blessing for the lazy sailor.
lazy jacks. Lines running between the boom and mast that prevent the mainsail
from falling on deck as it is lowered; as in: Lazy jacks work very well just be
sure the mainsail is in the eye of the wind as it is raised or the battens may catch
on one of the lazy jack lines.
lead. (Pronounced "leed") the path of a line; as in: Be sure the lead for the anchor
line is fair.
lead line. (Pronounced "led line") a line with a weight attached to take soundings
i.e. read the depth of the water; as in: When anchored we can use a lead line to
check the offset of our depth sounder.
lee and leeward (pronounced "lee" and "loo-ward"). Downwind; as in: That boat is
in our lee or, that boat is leeward of us.
lee helm. The tendency of a boat to turn down wind; as in: With only a foresail
set the boat has lee helm.
lee shore. A nearby shore that is downwind from us; as in: A lee shore can pose a
hazard for us.
leech. The back edge of a sail; as in: If the leech is flopping tighten the leech line
just until it stops.
leech line. A small adjustable line running inside the leech; as in: Ease the leech
line in light air to prevent cupping.
leeward boat. When two boats are on the same tack the windward boat shall keep
out of the way of the leeward boat; as in: The leeward boat is stand on while the
windward boat is give way.
lie ahull. A storm tactic whereby no sail is set; as in: We tried to lie ahull but
found the motion not to our liking.
life jacket. Also PFD, used to keep a person afloat; as in: If you need a life jacket
it should be easily accessible.
life raft. A smaller boat used in emergencies usually inflatable; as in: Be sure
everyone knows how to launch the life raft.
lifeline. A wire or cable that runs along the outside of the deck supported by
stanchions to help restrain passengers; as in: All lifelines should be checked
 frequently for corrosion, loose fittings, and fish hooks.
lift. Opposite of header, a wind shift allowing the helmsperson to steer closer to the
desired course; as in: If we get a lift we may not need to tack.
light. 1, an aid to navigation that is illuminated; as in: The geographic range of
that light is shorter than its range of visibility. 2, a navigation light on the boat;
as in: After anchoring we will turn on the anchor light.
lightweight anchor. A type of anchor with large, flat flukes; as in: We lowered the
lightweight anchor into a beautiful sand bottom.
line. Rope or cordage that has come onboard; as in: We carry extra line onboard
because we know we'll need it sometime. This line may go on to other, more
specific, uses such as rode, sheets, halyards, or dock lines.
list. When a boat heels with no outside forces being applied; as in: The boat at the
dock had a prominent list.
local knowledge. First hand familiarity with a body of water that goes beyond
what may be found on a nautical chart; as in: When arriving at a small,
unknown harbor they hailed a local fishing vessel for local knowledge on how
to negotiate the channel.
longitude. The angular distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian
running through Greenwich England; as in: The longitude of the International
Date Line is both 180° east and west.
lubber's line. A post in a compass allowing the compass to be read from the side;
as in: If you use the lubber's line that is at 45° then compensate that much for
the course.
luff. 1, the leading edge of a sail; as in: We have telltales just behind the luff of
our headsail. 2, the flapping of a sail; as in: We can prevent luff in the sail by
properly reading the telltales and adjusting course.
lying ahull. Also, under bare poles. No sails set; as in: Lying ahull is sometimes
used as a storm tactic.

M
magnetic. Relating to the magnetic poles rather than the true north and south
poles; as in: Did you know that variation is the difference in degrees between
true north and magnetic north?
main hull. The main hull (or center) hull on a trimaran; as in: The main hull is
where we live and the outer hulls or amas are for storage.
mainmast. The tallest mast; as in: On a ketch the mizzen mast is always shorter
than the mainmast.
mainsail. The main sail of a boat often the largest sail and raised on the mainmast;
as in: Leaving the anchorage the first sail we set is the mainsail.
mainsheet. A single line used to control the main; as in: Trim the mainsheet as we
head up into the wind.
man overboard. Also crew overboard or person in the water. When someone
onboard has accidentally fallen into the water; as in: It is best to practice man
 overboard drills before you really need them.
man overboard pole. A floating pole with a flag on top for greater visibility, to be
thrown into the water as soon as someone has gone over; as in: The flag on the
man overboard pole is diagonal yellow/orange, the signal flag for "O" (Oscar)
carrying the meaning "man overboard".
marina. An arrangement of docks providing spaces for boats to tie up; as in: Call
ahead to the marina on the VHF to see if they have a slip available for us.
marlinspike. A pointed tool used to untie knots or pry apart various things; as in:
Using a marlinspike can assist in untying a bowline.
mast. A pole made from wood, aluminum, or carbon fiber from which a sail is set;
as in: The mast on most boats have stays to hold them upright.
masthead fly. A device used to indicate wind direction; as in: Watch the
masthead fly to know where the wind is coming from.
masthead light or steaming light. A white light shinning forward through an arc
of 225° indicating a vessel is under mechanical propulsion. The light may be
located at the top of a short mast on a powerboat but is located about 2/3 of the
way up the forward mast on a sailboat; as in: Turn on the masthead light when
under power at night.
Mediterranean (Med.) mooring. Means of tying up to a dock with an anchor or
mooring set further out; as in: After anchoring our vessel just off the dock we
ran stern lines ashore in the dinghy to achieve our first Mediterranean mooring.
meeting head-on. When two power vessels meet head-on they should each turn
to starboard; as in: Meeting head-on with another vessel, as we power into the
harbor, we'll turn to starboard.
meridian. Longitude; as in: Did you know the prime meridian passes through
Greenwich England and is opposite the International Date Line?
mizzen. The aftermost sail on a ketch or yawl carried on the mizzen mast; as in:
We set the mizzen along with the main to create a full sail plan.
monohull. A boat with a single hull; as in: A monohull will heel more than a
multihull.
mooring. A permanent anchor with a floating buoy to tie up to; as in: Most of the
time we can easily leave the mooring by sailing off.
multihull. A boat with two or three hulls; as in: The multihull is becoming more
popular.

N
nacelle. A compartment on a catamaran created by a structural component; as in:
We can stow anchor lines in the nacelle.
nautical mile. One minute of latitude or about 1.15 statute miles; as in: A nautical
mile is easy to measure by referring to the latitude on a nautical chart.
Navigation Rules. Both the international (COLREGS) rules and the U.S. inland
rules; as in: A knowledge of the Navigation Rules will make anyone a better
 mariner. The full online version can be found here:
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navrules/rotr_online.htm
neap tide. Tides that occur during quarter phases of the moon and not as strong
as spring tides; as in: The neap tide happens when the moon and sun are not
aligned.
no go zone. The area into the wind where it is not possible to sail; as in: If our
destination lies upwind we must tack to get there as going straight to it puts us
in the no go zone.

O
off the wind. Sailing downwind; as in: On a broad reach or run we are sailing off
the wind.
offshore. Out of sight of land; as in: Sailing to The Bahamas we will be offshore.
on board. On a boat; as in: On board we have enough provisions to last a week.
on the wind. Sailing into the wind; as in: On a close reach or beating we are on
the wind.
one design. A single design from which many boats are made; as in: The
Lightening is a popular one design race boat.
open wing deck. Having the deck on a trimaran completely open; as in: Smaller
trimarans with folding amas often have an open wing deck arrangement.
outboard. 1, outside the hull; 2, removable engine mounted at the transom; as in:
Our dinghy has an eight horsepower outboard.
outhaul. A sail control that attaches to the clew and allows tensioning of the foot;
as in: In light air we ease the outhaul.
overhang. When the bow and or stern extend beyond the waterline; as in: Many
older boats have a lot of overhang.
overpowered. Too much power in the sails producing excessive heel and difficult
steering; as in: When the wind speeds up we depower the sails to prevent being
overpowered.
override. When a wrap of line runs over another wrap on a winch; as in: Good
winch technique will prevent an override.
overtake. To come up from behind; as in: When we overtake another vessel we
must keep out of her way.
overtaking situation. When one vessel overtakes another she is the give-way
vessel and must keep out of the way of the boat being overtaken; as in: A
sailboat in an overtaking situation with a slow power boat must keep out of the
power boat's way.

P
padeye. A metal or plastic eye fastened on deck through which a line runs; as in:
That padeye provides a convenient means to help guide the reef line.
painter. The line attached to the bow of a dinghy; as in: We tow the dinghy using
its painter.
parallel. Latitude; as in: The 45th parallel lies half way between the equator and
the north pole.
partial wing deck. A deck on a trimaran, joining the ama and hull, that has an
open area; as in: Many trimarans have a partial wing deck.
partners. The opening in the deck for a keel stepped mast; as in: When we pulled
the mast we were careful to cover the partners to prevent rain damage.
pay out. To ease; as in: Pay out enough line so there will be some slack.
pelorus. A device used to take bearings relative to the boat and, along with other
information, can determine the deviation of the ship's compass on a particular
heading; as in: Using the pelorus we find the lighthouse bears 120° off the
starboard bow.
PFD. Personal Flotation Device; as in: Always know where your PFD is located.
pier. An area suspended by posts that sticks out from shore; as in: The fishing pier
over there would not be a good place to tie up.
piloting. The art of navigating in coastal waters; as in: Piloting a boat into an
unknown harbor takes some knowledge and skill.
pinch. Sailing too close to the wind; as in: If you sail any higher you will pinch and
luff the sails.
pintle. A metal fitting on the rudder of a small boat used to attach the rudder to
the transom; as in: The pintle fits into the gudgeon.
pitchpole. To turn upside down in the water with the stern coming over; as in: It
takes very heavy, breaking seas to create a possible pitchpole.
plane. To skip along the water; as in: That speed boat is up on a plane.
planing hull. A hull which can get up on a plane; as in: Most cruising sailboats do
not have a planing hull.
plot. Drawing a boat's course on a nautical chart; as in: We plot our course before
we set out.
plow anchor. A type of anchor that looks like a farmer's plow; as in: Many cruising
boats will carry a plow anchor.
points of sail. Close hauled (beating), close reach, beam reach, broad reach, and
run; as in: Sailing a full circle we will cover all the points of sail. See
illustration below:
port. 1, left side when looking forward; 2, a window in the side of the boat; 3,
where ships come in to dock; as in: When navigating into a port take caution in
the channels.
port tack. A sailboat is on port tack when the mainsail is on the starboard side (the
wind will usually, but not always, be on her port side); as in: When we're on a
port tack we must give way to starboard tack vessels.
preventer. A line or other device that prevents an accidental jibe; as in: When
running in waves and wind we usually rig a preventer.
protected water. An area of water that remains relatively calm because it is
surrounded by land and/or reefs; as in: We enjoy sailing on Biscayne Bay
because it is protected water.
pulpit. A metal railing at the stern and/or bow that serves as an anchor point for
the lifelines; as in: The pulpit is strong enough to support lifelines but not strong
enough for dock lines.

Q
quarter. The area between the beam and stern; as in: We have a vessel
overtaking us off our port quarter.
quay. (Pronounced "key") a dock or landing place running along a body of water;
as in: Mediterranean (Med.) mooring is a good way to tie up to a quay.

R
race or regatta. A competition between boats; as in: Boats in a race do not have
special privileges over boats passing by but common courtesy should prevail.
radar. A means of sending out and receiving radio waves to detect objects in the
distance that may be obscured by weather or darkness; as in: Radar is very
useful in areas prone to fog.
radar reflector. A device to reflect radar waves back to their source so that a
boat shows up more prominently on the radar screen; as in: Because wet sails
may interfere with the radar beam boaters should consider using a permanently
mounted radar reflector on each side of the mast.
rake. The fore or aft tilt of the mast; as in: If we rake the mast forward we will
reduce weather helm.
range. 1, the difference between high and low tide; 2, the extent of a light's
visibility; 3, when two objects line up, also called a transit, that may indicate a
channel; as in: We will know to turn into the channel when the range markers
line up.
ready about. A command issued prior to tacking; as in: Ready about...Tacking.
reef. 1, to decrease sail area; as in: We put in a reef before the storm hit. 2, a
shoal area; as in: Follow the channel markers carefully to avoid the reef.
reef knot. A type of knot also called a square knot; as in: We can tie two ends of
a line together with a reef knot.
rhumb line. The shortest distance between two points; as in: We will reach our
destination quickest if we can sail the rhumb line.
rig. 1, the mast, boom, stays, and sails; as in: Many modern boats are a sloop rig.
2, to prepare a boat for sailing; as in: As soon as we rig the boat we'll be able to
sail.
rigging. Standing rigging is the cables and stays that support the mast while
running rigging is the control lines; as in: Common running rigging is
composed of sheets, reef lines, halyards, and outhaul.
rights of the first boat anchoring. The first boat anchoring sets the anchoring
style for all following boats especially in small anchorages or ones with strong
tidal currents; as in: Coming into an anchorage we observe the anchoring style
of other boats understanding the rights of the first boat anchoring.
right of way. That vessel which has the legal authority to stay on her course
according to the Navigation Rules; as in: The stand on vessel has the right of
way.
roach. 1, a small to large brown bug that invades many boats; 2, the convex area
 of a sail on its leech; as in: Catamarans have a larger roach than monohulls.
rode. The anchor line including chain; as in: Anchor rode can consist of all chain or
chain and line.
roller furling. Furling a sail by rolling it up; as in: Many boats have a roller furling
headsail.
roller reefing. Reefing a sail by rolling it up; as in: Roller reefing comes in a wide
variety of applications and can be combined with roller furling.
rolling hitch. A type of knot used to take the strain off another line, chain, or
object; as in: To hook up our snubber we use a rolling hitch.
rope. A line consisting of tightly twisted or woven fibers. Onboard one of the few
items termed
rope is the boltrope that helps support the leading edge of the mainsail. When
rope comes onboard it is usually referred to as line and then may go on to other,
more specific meanings such as sheets, rode, or halyards. As in: At the marine
store I'll get some rope to use as dock lines on the boat.
round turn and two half hitches. A type of knot that constricts with more tension
in the line; as in: A round turn and two half hitches can be used to tie the spring
line to the piling.
rudder. An underwater appendage that controls the direction of the boat; as in:
When the helmsperson turns the wheel to starboard the rudder turns to
starboard followed by the boat's bow turning to starboard.
rudder post. A round shaft leading from the rudder and connected to the helm; as
in: Turning the wheel turns the rudder post thus turning the rudder.
rules of the road. The Navigation Rules; as in: Following the rules of the road we
turn on the proper lights at sunset.
running. A point of sail; as in: Falling off from a broad reach we will be running.
running lights. The lights a boat shows at night; as in: At sunset we turn on our
running lights when underway.
running rigging. All the lines that control any part of the sails; as in: We check
our running rigging for wear on a regular basis.

S
safety harness. A harness worn by crew and hooked onto the boat to prevent
crew overboard; as in: The safety harness comes with a tether that can be
snapped onto the jackline.
safety net. The net in the bow area of a catamaran sometimes called the
trampoline; as in: The safety net provides a secure area for sunbathers.
sail tie. A short line or strap used to secure a furled sail; as in: We can wrap the
sail tie around the sail then tie the two ends together with a square knot.
saloon. The large social gathering area below deck on a boat; as in: We'll
have dinner in the saloon tonight due to the inclimate weather in the cockpit.

sailing by the lee. See "by the lee".

schooner. A boat with two or more masts, the forward of which is the same height
or shorter than the after; as in: When the schooner tied up she was the object of
much attention.
scope. The ratio of anchor rode paid out to the depth of the water plus the height
of the deck above water; as in: Many recommend a scope of 7:1 for secure
overnight anchoring.
scull. To move forward in a boat by swinging the rudder back and forth; as in: If
you scull a small boat you may be able to free her from the bottom.
scupper. A drain in the deck or cockpit; as in: The center cockpit boat uses a
scupper at each corner to drain the cockpit.
sea breeze. A breeze that comes from the water to the land; as in: The afternoon
sea breeze off the California coast can be quite strong.
sea room. The distance between the boat and shore; as in: It is good to have
enough sea room for safe sailing in any conditions.
seacock. A valve to shut off flow from a through-hull fitting; as in: It is good to
exercise the seacocks once in a while to prevent seizing.
seakindly. A boat that is comfortable in rough seas; as in: Usually, the larger the
boat the more seakindly she is.
seagull striker. On a catamaran, the reinforcing structure above the beam at the
bow; as in: The seagull striker adds considerable strength to the boat.
seaworthy. Ability to do well in heavy seas and weather; A larger vessel is not
necessarily more seaworthy.
secure. To fasten to a dock or cleat; as in: There are many knots we can use to
secure the dock line to the piling.
self-bailing cockpit. A cockpit that drains by itself; as in: Larger boats have self-
bailing cockpits.
set. The direction in which a current is traveling; as in: If the set of the current is
north our boat will be carried in that direction.
shackle. A metal device that secures a line to another object; as in: The outhaul
is attached to the clew of the mainsail with a shackle.
sheave. (Pronounced "shiv") The round turning part in a pulley or block; as in: A
yearly inspection of each sheave is a good idea.
sheer. The concave curve of the rail and deck; as in: Many boats have an
attractive sheer.
sheet. A control line for a sail; as in: The jib sheet pulls the sail aft and down.
sheet bend. A type of knot used to tie together two lines of unequal diameter; as
in: We can join the smaller dock line to the larger one using a sheet bend.
ship. A large vessel; as in: The rights of way are largely the same for a ship as for
a smaller boat.
shoal. A shallow area of rock or coral; as in: Paying attention to the aids to
navigation will prevent running into the shoal.
shorten sail. To reef or put on smaller sails; as in: Before the storm comes is a
good time to shorten sail.
shorthanded. A small crew; as in: Some boats have circumnavigated the globe
shorthanded.
shroud. A wire or cable holding up the mast athwartships (side to side); as in:
Each shroud on this boat is made from stainless cable.
signal flags. Flags used to indicate either a letter, number, or representing a
meaning; as in: Each of the signal flags carries a different meaning for
instance, A (Alpha) is the international flag that means diver down and is blue
and white with a swallowtail.
sister ship. A boat of the same design; as in: Boats of the same make and model
are sister ships.
skeg. A small appendage on the hull near the stern; as in: The rudder is skeg
mounted on that boat.
skipper. The one who is in charge; as in: The skipper may or may not be the one
who steers the boat.
slip. A berth in a marina for a boat; as in: We called the marina ahead of time to
get our slip assignment.
sloop. A boat with one mast and one foresail; as in: Many modern boats are sloop
rigged.
slug. A fitting on the luff or foot of a sail that allows it to attach to the mast or
boom by fitting into a slot; as in: Before we can raise the main we will have to
bend it on by putting the sail slugs into the mast slot.
snap shackle. A shackle that can be easily moved by snapping open or shut; as
in: A safety harness may have a snap shackle at the end of its tether so a person
can easily and safely move about the deck.
snub. Wrapping a line once or part way around a cleat or winch to take most of
the load off but still be able to control the line by hand; as in: When we are
adjusting the position of the boat as we come into our slip we snub the spring
line until she is positioned correctly.
snubber. A line, usually nylon, that takes the strain off the anchor chain and acts
as a shock absorber; as in: We always use a snubber with all chain anchor rode.
sole. The cabin floor; as in: The sole on this boat is teak and holly.
sound(ings). To take depth readings (the depth of the bottom); as in: We can
sound the bottom using a lead line; and, going out into the ocean we reach a
point where we are off soundings.
sound signal. An indication or warning given by the boat's whistle (horn); as in: A
sound signal of five short blasts warns of danger or confusion as to the other
vessel's intent, one prolonged blast is the sound signal given every two minutes
by a power vessel in restricted visibility (fog), one prolonged followed by two
short blasts every two minutes is the sound signal given by a sailing vessel in
restricted visibility (fog). The Inland Rules require power boats to exchange
sound signals as they approach each other but sailing vessels do not exchange
such signals.
spar. A long cylindrical object made of wood or metal such as the mast, boom, or
gaff; can also apply to a buoy; as in: Every spar on a boat carries an important
function.
speed made good. Velocity over the bottom regardless of current; as in: Her
speed made good was five knots.
speed through the water. The speed of the boat going through the water which
itself may be moving due to current; as in: Crossing the Gulf Stream, her speed
through the water was greater than her speed made good.
spinnaker. A large colorful balloon shaped sail; as in: When the racing boats
rounded the windward mark they set their spinnakers to the delight of all
spectators.
splice. To create a bond between two lines or an eye in the end of a line by
weaving the strands together; as in: That's a mighty nice looking eye splice you
have there.
spreader. A horizontal support for the stays that sticks out from the mast; as in:
The spreader holds the shroud out thus increasing the strength of the rig.
spring line. A dock line, usually used in combination, to prevent fore and aft
motion of the boat; as in: We can secure the forward running spring line to the
midship cleat.
spring tide. The tide at the new and full moon which is higher than the neap tides;
as in: The spring tide is caused when the moon and sun pull together.
square knot. A type of knot used to tie together two lines of equal diameter also
called a reef knot; as in: We can tie the two ends of this line together with a
square knot.
SSB. Single sideband radio; as in: On good nights we talk around the world on the
SSB.
stability. Not heeling; as in: This catamaran has greater stability than a monohull
of the same length.
stability curve. A graph showing the stability of a boat at various angles; as in:
The stability curve for a catamaran is very different than that for a monohull.
stanchion. A vertical metal support along the outside of the deck for the lifelines;
as in: A stanchion may be bent if it hits a piling during docking.
stand-on vessel. The vessel that has the right of way according to the rules of
the road; as in: A starboard tack boat is the stand on vessel when crossing the
path of a port tack boat.
standing rigging. All wires or cables that hold up the mast; as in: Most standing
rigging is strong enough to take very large forces produced by the sails in heavy
winds.
starboard. The right side facing forward; as in: Leave the red buoys to starboard
when returning.
starboard tack. When the mainsail is carried on the port side (the wind will usually,
but not always, be on her starboard); as in: When two boats approach each
other on starboard tack the windward boat keeps out of the way of the leeward
boat.
stay. A wire or cable supporting the mast, also see: "headstay" and "backstay"; as
in: A yearly inspection of each stay is a very good idea.
staysail. A second jib which is tacked behind the first one as in: A cutter rig has a
staysail.
steer. To guide the boat with the rudder; as in: You steer a very good course.
steerageway. Having enough speed through the water to steer the boat; as in:
 We usually need about two knots to have sufficient steerageway.
stem. The forward part of the bow; as in: She's a solid little boat from stem to
stern.
stem fitting. The fitting at the bow upon which is fastened the headstay; as in:
The stem fitting does for the headstay what the chainplates do for the shrouds.
step. To install a mast. Can be stepped on deck or on the keel; as in: One part of
commissioning a new vessel is to step the mast.
stern. The aftermost part of a vessel; as in: While underway we may tie the
dinghy to the stern.
stern line. A dock line that secures the stern from sideways motion; as in: Before
we can leave our slip we must remove the stern line.
stern pulpit. Guardrail and support for the lifelines at the stern of the boat; as in:
We can attach our BBQ to the stern pulpit.
sternway. Moving backwards through the water; as in: Once we gather enough
sternway we will be able to steer in reverse.
stiff. A boat not easily heeled; as in: This boat seems stiff not tender.
stow. To put something away on a boat; as in: We properly stow our gear so we
will know where it is when needed.
storm jib. A jib that is smaller and stronger than the working jib; as in: Before the
heavy weather hits we'll set the storm jib.
stratocumulus clouds. Dark, big puffy balls; as in: Stratocumulus clouds foretell
bad weather.
surf. To glide down the face of a wave; as in: Our boat speed doubles as we surf
down these waves.
swell. Long period waves usually generated by a storm many miles away; as in:
The waves are coming from the east but the swell is from the north.

T
tack. 1, To change tacks by putting the bow through the eye of the wind; as in:
We tack the boat with enough speed to carry us through. 2, The side of the boat
opposite the side the boom is on; as in: Since the boom is on the starboard side
then we are on port tack. 3, The forward lower corner of a sail; as in: We fasten
the tack of the jib near the bow.
tail. Pulling on a line after the winch; as in: With self-tailing winches on our boat
the crew does not need to tail the lines.
tang. A metal fitting on the mast to which shrouds are attached; as in: We give
our rig, including each tang, a thorough yearly inspection.
telltale. A fine string or ribbon which may be located on a sail or in the rigging to
help determine wind direction and proper sail trim; as in: Reading the telltale
on the starboard shroud it looks like we're on a beam reach.
tender. 1, Easy to heel; as in: This boat seems tender not stiff. 2, A small boat
used to ferry crew to and from a larger vessel; as in: Our ship's tender is fast
and comfortable.
thimble. A ring inside an eye splice that protects the line from chafe; as in: A
mooring pendant often has a metal or plastic thimble through which we can run
our mooring lines.
three point rig. Two shrouds and a headstay support the mast with no backstay;
as in: Many catamarans have a three point rig.
through-hull fitting. A metal or plastic device providing a secure hole in the boat
through which fluids can flow; as in: Inside of every below waterline through-
hull fitting is a seacock to shut off the flow of water if needed
tidal current. The current (or flow of water) in channels that is associated with the
ebb
and flow of the tide. 'Tide and Current Tables' is published by NOAA and is also
available online; as in: Consult the Tide and Current Tables before leaving dock
so there will be no surprises ahead.
tidal range. The difference, in units of measurement, between mean (average) high
tide and mean low tide. This can be found in a number of places from tide and
current tables to the chart itself. Pay particular attention to the unit of
measurement; as in: Since we have a large tidal range we will need
correspondingly long dock lines to compensate.
tide. The combined action of the sun and moon on large bodies of water causing
them to raise and lower; as in: When the tide is high many ships will leave the
port.
tiller. An appendage increasing leverage on the rudder to steer the boat; as in:
You must push the tiller the opposite way you want the bow to move.
toggle. A metal fitting that allows sideways movement in standing rigging without
losing tension; as in: The modern toggle usually never needs servicing.
topping lift. A line that runs from the end of the boom to hold it up when the sail is
not set; as in: If the boom is too low after we furl the main we'll need to raise
the topping lift.
topsides. The outer, upper sides of the hull; as in: Painting the topsides will make
them bright and shinning.
trailerable. A boat that is easily towed on a trailer; as in: A trailerable boat usually
has no fixed keel.
transit. When two objects line up, also called a transit, that may indicate a
channel; as in: We will know to turn into the channel when the transit range
markers line up.
transom. The athwartships surface located at the very stern; as in: The outboard
engine mounts on the dinghy's transom.
traveler. An athwartships track upon which is mounted a block for the mainsheet
thus allowing side to side adjustment; as in: Dropping the traveler to leeward is
one way to reduce weather helm.
trim. 1, To pull in or tension a line; as in: Trim the jib sheet to reduce the luffing.
2, The setting of a sail; as in: Adjust the sheets to get proper trim in the sails.
trimaran. A boat with three hulls; as in: The outer hulls on a trimaran are called
amas.
trucker's hitch. A type of knot used like a block and tackle to increase the amount
 of tension in a line; as in: When we lash the dinghy on deck we'll use a trucker's
hitch to make it more secure.
true. Relating to the true north and south poles rather than the magnetic poles; as
in: Did you know that variation is the difference in degrees between true north
and magnetic north?
true wind. The wind speed and direction the boat would feel if it were at rest; as
in: When we head up from a beam reach to a close reach the apparent wind
increases while the true wind remains the same.
tune. To adjust the standing rigging; as in: We had the rigger come down to tune
our boat.
turnbuckle. A fitting used in standing rigging to adjust its tension; as in: The rigger
tuned our mast by adjusting the tension at the turnbuckle.
twist. The distance, from a straight line, the leech of a sail falls off to leeward; as
in: We adjust the twist in the mainsail with the mainsheet.

U
under bare poles Also, lying ahull. No sails set; as in: Under bare poles is a storm
tactic.
under power. With the engine on and engaged whether or not sails are set; as in:
If we are under power then we are considered a power boat by the rules of the
road.
underway. Moving through the water; as in: Let's cast off the lines and get
underway.
upwind. Towards the direction from which the wind is blowing; as in: Our
destination lies upwind of us.
USCG. United States Coast Guard; as in: The USCG provides a wide variety of
resources for mariners.

V
v-berth. the most forward cabin in a monohull, so called because the bow forms a V.
vang. apparatus for boom adjustment; as in: Tighten the vang on a run to keep
the boom from rising.
variation. The difference in degrees between magnetic and true; as in: Variation is
caused by the magnetic north pole being out of alignment with the true north
pole.
veer. The wind shifting clockwise; as in: The wind will often veer with the passage
of a cold front.
vessel. Any boat or ship: as in: A sea-going vessel may come in all shapes and
sizes.
VHF. Very high frequency radio used onboard to call other boats and stations; as
in: Call the marina on VHF channel 16 then switch to a working channel.
voyage. A passage of some duration; as in: Our voyage from Florida to the Virgin
Islands lasted several days.

W
wake. The wave(s) caused by the motion of the boat through water; as in: Each
boat is responsible for any damage its wake might cause.
washboard. A plastic or wooden slat used to board up a companionway; as in:
Drop the washboard in when we leave the boat to close her up.
watch. Those crew on deck and responsible for the safe operation of the boat; as
in: When you are part of the night watch be sure to carry a flashlight with you.
waterline. Where the water's surface meets the hull; as in: We painted our
waterline blue to provide more eye appeal.
way and making way. Motion through the water; as in: We must reduce our way
before coming into the dock.
weather. 1, Conditions in the atmosphere; as in: Looks like we'll get some weather
today. 2, Upwind; as in: As we make our way to weather conditions may
improve.
weather helm. The tendency of a boat to turn into the wind, to head up; as in:
There are many ways to reduce weather helm.
weigh anchor. To raise the anchor; as in: Let's weigh anchor and get underway.
wheel. A circular device, often with spokes, used to steer the boat; as in: Grab
the wheel while I go below to make lunch.
winch. A mechanical device to increase the tension in a line consisting of a geared
drum and handle; as in: A winch is essential for providing enough tension in
sheets and halyards on most boats.
windage. Surface exposed to the wind providing resistance; as in: The crow's nest
on that boat creates weight aloft and windage.
windlass. Winch for the anchor rode; as in: Many modern boats have an electric
windlass with a remote control.
windward. Towards the wind, upwind; as in: If our destination is to windward we
may have to tack to get there.
windward boat. The boat that is further upwind; as in: When two boats are on
the same tack the windward boat shall keep out of the way of the leeward boat.
wing deck. The deck on a trimaran that joins the ama to the hull; as in: The wing
deck may often be a wet place.

Y
yacht. A pleasure boat over 33 feet in length; as in: She seems to be a well-found
yacht.
yacht club. A club organized for the enjoyment of sailing; as in: The local yacht
 club features many races and get-togethers throughout the summer.
yawl. A boat with two masts the second of which is shorter and stepped aft of the
rudder post; as in: The yawl was popular before the 1960's.

Navigation

There is much to be covered by the term 'navigation'; Ranging from knowing the
coordinate system of latitude and longitude, to how to plot courses, and avoiding
collisions.
Navigation is one of the most crucial tasks onboard both today and in days gone by.
In 1719 Bartholomew 'Black Bart' Roberts was a Welsh navigator onboard the
'Princess' from London. He was Captured by Captain Davis of the 'Royal Rover' and
forced to join the pirate crew. Captain Davis soon took to consulting Roberts in
matters of navigation. Six weeks later, after the death of Davis, the pirate crew
elected Roberts to be their new Captain. Black Bart Roberts went on for 3 years
capturing over 400 ships, far more than Black Beard or any other pirate. When you
know your boat's position and how to get to your destination; the sea is at your
command.
Latitude And Longitude covers everything you need to know about the coordinate
system for the planet Earth's surface.
True & Magnetic is all about the difference between these two types of readings, how
to use a magnetic compass, and integrate it with the chart.
Aids To Navigation covers buoys, lighthouses, beacons, and markers that assist us in
navigating on the water.
Navigation Lights informs us about the lights that various boats carry to be displayed
at night and in times of limited visibility.
Avoiding Collisions the rules of the road and how we use these rules to stay out of the
way of other vessels.
Unlocking The Chart tells us how to read a nautical chart from water depth to the
light characteristics of a buoy to how to navigate into a harbor.
Speed, Time, & Distance covers the everyday calculations we need to be able to do
onboard. A simple system is discussed to help out.
Plotting Positions & Courses goes over how to actually fix our position on the
nautical chart and how to find out where we are. The fix, running fix, DR, and
estimated position are discussed along with many illustrations of how they are used.
Currents goes into the details of navigating in moving water. How to calculate the
correct course when the water wants to carry you somewhere else
Latitude & Longitude

The Earth is almost a

perfect sphere. In order to
define where we are, on the
surface of this sphere, we
use a system of coordinates
called latitude and
longitude. In the real world
our Earth is spinning about
its rotational axis at around
1,000 miles per hour (at the
equator). This imaginary
line we call the axis defines
two points on the Earth's
surface where it exits.
These are the north and
south poles, also called true
north and south (for an
understanding of true and
magnetic north see True &
Magnetic). Interestingly, the north axis line points almost exactly at the star Polaris;
that's why we also call this the north star. Mariner's in the northern hemisphere, who
can see Polaris at night, know their latitude simply by measuring the angle between
the horizon and this star. Unfortunately, there is no corresponding 'south star' for the
southern hemisphere.
Half way between the north and south poles we define the line encircling the Earth as
the equator, represented by the large green circle above.
In the image at left we can see the north pole,
equator and lines latitude. These lines of
latitude are also called parallels because
they are always parallel to each other. Lines
of latitude start at the equator, which would
be 0°, and are measured north or south to the
corresponding pole. Each pole would be 90°
away from the equator. So, halfway between
the equator and the north pole we have 45°
north latitude and so on.
Just as we subdivide hours of time into
minutes and seconds we can subdivide each
degree into 60 minutes and then subdivide
each minute into 60 seconds. The convention
is to use a slash mark to indicate minutes and two slash marks to indicate seconds.
We would write 45° 9 minutes and 45 seconds north latitude as: Lat 45° 09' 45" N.
Mariner's usually do away with seconds and instead use decimal minutes so we
would actually write it as: Lat 45° 09.75' N.
Minutes of latitude have a very special place in the art of navigation. One minute of
latitude is defined as one nautical mile. A nautical mile corresponds to a little more
than a statute mile. If we know latitude, as it is written on the sides of a nautical
chart, then we have a very handy and easy way to measure distance. This works on
mercator projection charts which are the norm for navigation (see later). Taking this
just a bit further we define our speed in knots; One knot equals one nautical mile per
hour.
In the image at left we see the north and
south poles, the equator, and lines of
longitude. Lines of longitude (or meridians)
are lines that run from the north pole to the
south pole. Longitude forms the other set of
coordinates so we can now define every
spot on Earth by specifying both latitude
and longitude. Longitude is measured from
the meridian that runs through Greenwich,
England. We call the line of longitude that
runs through Greenwich the Prime
Meridian. We can also call any line of
longitude a meridian.
just as with latitude that starts at the
equator and is measured both north and
south, longitude starts at the Prime Meridian and is measured east and west. The
meridian that is on the exact opposite side of the globe from Greenwich is known as
the International Date Line and is 180° from Greenwich.
The largest number that can be associated with latitude is 90° which would be at one
of the poles. The largest number that can be associated with longitude is 180°. We
specify longitude in a similar fashion to latitude. For instance, 75° west longitude is
a meridian that runs through the northeastern US; We would write 75°, 39 minutes,
30 seconds west longitude as: 075° 39.5' W Lon.
We learned above that minutes of latitude have a special meaning in navigation and
are defined as one nautical mile. This is possible because a minute of latitude is
equal to every other minute of latitude on the globe. However, you will notice that
since meridians, or lines of longitude, are not parallel then minutes of longitude
change their length as we move north or south. In fact, minutes of longitude are
always smaller than minutes of latitude except right at the equator where they are
equal.
Now, we can put this all together with a grid system for the Earth as in the below
Google Earth image:
Above you can see the Prime Meridian running through England and how we label
meridians east and west. Just to the west is W 10° while to the east of the Prime
Meridian is E 10°. We also see, just north of the equator the line of latitude, or
parallel, labeled N 10°. There is one and only one spot on Earth where these two
lines of latitude and longitude intersect. We would write this as: Lat 10° 00.0' N; Lon
010° 00.0' E. And, this is exactly what we would put into our GPS unit if we wanted
to go there.
The chart at left is a Mercator projection
of the world. You can see the distortion
by noticing how large Greenland and
Antarctica are. The horizontal blue line
is the equator while the vertical one is
the Prime Meridian. Almost all nautical
charts are Mercator projection. This is a
simple way to represent an area on the
surface of the Earth but causes
distortions especially at higher latitudes
(both north and south). With a Mercator
projection all lines of longitude are
drawn parallel to each other. This makes navigation so much easier since a straight
line on the chart is now the shortest distance between two points. When long east-
west distances are involved this brings too much distortion but for everyday
navigation Mercator charts are the norm and are quite accurate over shorter
distances.

Above is a typical Mercator projection nautical chart (credit goes to NOAA) that we
might very well use for navigation. You can see the meridians (lines of longitude) are
parallel with the sides of the chart and the lines of latitude are perpendicular to them
and parallel with the top & bottom of the the chart.
Let's take a closer look at the edges of the chart where the latitude and longitude
scales are.
The true north pole and the magnetic north pole are not in the same place. Since they
are offset from each other there are two different angular measurements we can use.
Our choice depends on what type of navigation we are doing. In celestial navigation
we would use true north but for navigating around the bay or between islands we'd
probably use magnetic north. Magnetic has an advantage because our magnetic
compass aligns itself with this field. However, we will still need to be aware of true
north. It is good practice to stick with one or the other and label them correctly when
plotting a course on a nautical chart. If we wanted to sail a compass heading of
035°, we could use a capitol 'M' after it to indicate it is magnetic.
 In the Google Earth image
at left the green pushpin is
true north while the red
pushpin is magnetic north.
They are actually over 500
miles apart. Variation is
what we term the angular
difference between them.
See the compass rose
below for a further
explanation.

Compass Rose:
The outer rose (circle). This represents true bearings on the chart where '0', at the
top of the rose, always points to true north. True north is often represented by a star
icon, a symbol of the north star, also known as Polaris. True north represents the axis
about which the Earth rotates on a daily basis (see Latitude & Longitude). A line
drawn through '0' and '180' will always point to the north and south poles. A line
drawn through '270' and '90' will always point east and west and be parallel to lines
of latitude on the chart.
The inner rose (circle). This represents magnetic bearings on the chart where '0', in
the upper part of the rose, points to the magnetic north pole at the time the chart was
printed. Since the magnetic poles are moving and shifting we need a way to be able
to update the chart to know where the magnetic pole is now. This is accomplished by
reading the inside of the rose where an annual increase or decrease is written. In the
above rose we can see that 8' (the slash after the 8 represents minutes of degrees)
must be subtracted from the variation every year after 1985 in order to be accurate.
For an explanation of degrees & minutes see Latitude & Longitude.
Variation. This is the difference, in degrees, between true and magnetic. Variation
can be east or west. On the above compass rose we can calculate the variation
visually by drawing a straight line, starting from the the center then going through
the inner rose and continuing across the outer rose. The difference between the two is
variation. We can also read, inside the rose, the variation (abbreviated VAR) in 1985
for this chart is 4° 15' West. Typically, on the east coast of the US variation is
westerly while on the west coast it's easterly.
Compass. The ship's compass will align itself with the magnetic field it 'sees'. This
may or may not be the same as the Earth's magnetic field. The compass will be
accurate as long as there are no additional magnetic influences. For instance you
may have just put down a hand held radio next to the compass and the permanent
magnetic in the radio's speaker will create a magnetic influence on the compass.
Another compass such as a hand bearing compass placed nearby will also have an
influence. Deviation is the term we call the difference between magnetic and what the
compass actually reads.
Deviation. Is stated the same way as variation; that is, by degrees east or west.
Deviation is not as simple as variation however since deviation can and does change
on different compass headings. We would normally have a deviation table made up
for our ship's compass so that we would know how much deviation there is on any
given heading. A quick and easy way to check to see if our compass has any error is
by comparing its reading with that of a hand bearing compass. If we take the hand
bearing compass to a different part of the boat and then take simultaneous readings
on the same object we should get a pretty good idea of the amount of error we have.
Converting between true, magnetic, and compass. There are times when we need to
convert bearings and headings from true to magnetic or magnetic to compass. For
instance, the set of a current is always given in degrees true. This is because, as you
will recall, magnetic headings change over time whereas true bearings never change.
Also, we may have a significant compass error (deviation) and need to correct for
that.
The easiest way to convert between true, magnetic, and compass is mathematically
by adding or subtracting the appropriate amount. For example, if we are sailing
where the above illustrated compass rose is accurate, assuming no compass error,
and our goal is to sail true north this is the way we would figure out the appropriate
compass heading to sail: True north is 0° and the variation is 4° west (we round it off
to the nearest whole degree) then the magnetic heading to sail would be 0° + 4° = 4°.
So, we would sail a compass heading of 4°. Or, more appropriately we would round
4° to the nearest 5° increment and sail that course as our ship's compass is
graduated in 5° increments. The rule is: when we are converting from true to
magnetic we add west variation but subtract east variation. You can verify this by
drawing a line; Start from the center of the the rose and continue out through true
north then simply read off the magnetic heading number the line crosses over.
Now, what if we wanted to convert from magnetic to true? We would do the opposite
mathematical operation from the previous example. We would subtract west variation
and add east variation. To make this a little easier to digest we can put it all together
into a brief, more easily memorized format:

True
Variation
Magnetic
Deviation
Compass

Add Westerly (subtract easterly)

The rule to follow is when going down the above list as in; true to magnetic or
magnetic to compass we add westerly variation or deviation and subtract any
easterly variation or deviation. When going up, or in the opposite direction, as in;
compass to magnetic or magnetic to true we subtract westerly and add easterly.
An easy way to memorize the formula is to come up with a mnemonic that includes
the letters T, V, M, D, C, A, W. A favorite one is: True Virgins Make Dull
Companions, Add Whiskey.

Aids to Navigation

There are a variety of things we can use to find our way around on the water. Known
landmarks such as the mouth of a river or an island certainly help. In addition to
these natural landmarks we have lighthouses, buoys, and beacons known collectively
as aids to navigation or ATON for short.
Some of the most of these aids are the familiar channel markers or buoys. Each one
will have unique characteristics so that it cannot mistaken for something else. These
characteristics include color, shape, and number or lettering displayed on them. In
the US we use the lateral system meaning that the sides of channels are marked.
When entering a harbor our rule of thumb is always: Red Right Returning. We are
returning whenever we enter a smaller body of water from a larger body. Mariner's
will often say this as: Leave the red buoys to starboard when returning. In other
words, we pass by the buoy while keeping it on our right hand side.
There is another convention also used. The numbers on buoys increase as we travel
toward a harbor or smaller body of water. Also, all green buoys are odd numbered
and reds are even numbered. So, we start at the entrance to a channel with #1 green
to port (left) and #2 red on starboard (right). These numbers will increase the further
we go along.
There are basically four different types of buoys we might encounter in US waters:
Red, green, red and green horizontally striped, and red and white vertically striped.
We will talk about special buoys further below. Each one may or may not have a
light. The light color will be green, red, or white. Lights are often used where greater
caution must be exercised such as a bend or narrowing of a channel. Also, especially
in areas where fog may exist, some buoys make sounds such as a whistle, bell, or
gong.

Green and red buoys. The greens will mark the port (left) side of a channel when
entering a smaller body of water (returning) and reds mark the starboard (right) side
while returning. The greens and reds come in two varieties; They can be lighted as
above or they can be unlighted as below. An unlighted green buoy is called a can
because of its flat top and an unlighted red is called a nun because of its pointed top
resembling a nun's cap. Greens and reds will have numbers on them and all other
buoys will have letters. These two are illustrated below:

The unlighted green and red buoys above would be represented on a chart as small
diamond shapes of the appropriate color:
R
N "6"

If the buoys have lights, they would be represented on a chart as the diamond above
but with an additional solid magenta (purple) circle below:

Let's talk about some of the other things indicated above. We notice that all lighted
buoys on charts are marked with by a solid magenta (purple) circle at the location of
the buoy. We also notice that the lighted buoys say Fl G or Fl R; this stands for
flashing green or flashing red. These designations will be accompanied by the
number of seconds between flashes such as: Fl G 2s meaning it flashes green every 2
seconds. Also look at the buoy number in each one of the four chart symbols above.
You will see that it is surrounded by quotation marks. Just as we would use quotation
marks to quote someone we use these same marks to quote what the buoy 'says' on it.
This applies to all buoys and other aids to navigation.
Red and green horizontally striped buoys. These are junction buoys which
also might indicate an obstruction with two different ways around the
obstruction. These buoys will indicate the preferred and secondary channel
to be taken. By studying the chart in advance you will be able to determine which
channel you want to take.
Here is the rule to follow: The top band indicates the preferred channel. If
you want the preferred channel then simply read the top color of the buoy
and ignore the lower color altogether. So, if the top color is red, you are
returning, and you want the preferred channel; read the junction buoy as a
solid red buoy and leave it to starboard. However, if you have decided that you want
the secondary channel you would read the second color down from the top (green)
and treat the buoy as a solid green leaving it to port when returning. One thing to
note: These buoys will have a letter instead of a number. Numbered buoys are always
solid green or red; all others have letters. On the chart they will look like these:

The one on the left is for an unlighted red green junction buoy with the letter 'C' on it.
The 'N' stands for nun buoy which we discussed above. The one on the right is
for lighted junction buoy 'B'. Let's see what else there is to the lighted one. In this
instance we read that it is Fl (flashing) 2+1 (meaning it flashes twice, pauses, then
flashes once) its color is R (red) and it repeats the 2+1 flashing sequence every 6
seconds.
Red and white vertically striped buoys. These are safe water or mid-
channel buoys indicating good depth of water all around. They may be left
to either side when returning or leaving. The entrance to major sea ports is
often marked with a sea buoy that is red and white vertically striped.
This sea buoy is so called because it is the first buoy of the port that one
would pass by, it is further out than even the first red and green buoys. These buoys
are not numbered but will often have a letter(s). When used as a sea buoy they will
have a letter that stands for the channel leading into that particular port. The sea
buoy for Miami has an 'M' on it. Other safe water, mid-channel buoys may be small
and round simply marking the middle of a channel. The rule for red and white
vertically striped buoys is good water, leave it to either side.
Yellow buoys. Yellow represents caution on these buoys. Usually meaning to
stay away from them. They are used to indicate pipes, dredge lines, traffic
schemes, an isolated danger. They do not usually indicate which side to
leave them on. Reading the chart may tell you their significance if they are
marking a permanent hazard such as a shoal area. Yellow buoys, if lighted, will flash
a yellow light. The rule for yellow buoys: Stay away. Special note on the meaning of
the color yellow: While yellow means caution on these buoys yellow is also the
designated color for identifying Intracoastal aids to navigation. As we will see later,
all buoys and other aids on the Intracoastal Waterway will have at least some yellow
on them.
Daybeacons. In shallow water channels are often marked with a piling
that has been driven into the mud bottom and topped with a daymark also
called a dayboard. These use the same colors, lights, and numbering system as
buoys.
Red and green daymarks. The red daymarks will be triangular, red, and even
numbered while the greens will be square, green, and odd numbered. The chart
symbol for the red is a triangle and for green is a square. These are illustrated with
their chart symbols below:

"2"
Fl R 2s

You may notice the above chart symbols for lighted daybeacons are different than for
buoys. As you will recall lights for buoys are indicated by a solid circle of magenta
(purple) but here the lights are indicated by tear drop shapes of magenta (purple).
The general rule about lights on NOAA charts is if the navigation aid is floating then
the chart symbol will be a circle; if the aid is attached to land (either by a pile or on
solid land as in a lighthouse) its light will be indicated by a tear drop shape.
Red and green horizontally striped daybeacons. These are preferred channel
(junction) daybeacons and used just like their counterpart buoys (see above). Shown
below with their chart symbols:

Red and white vertically striped daybeacons. These are octagonal

shaped and mean safe water or mid-channel and can be passed safely to
either side. They are direct counterparts to the red and white vertically
striped buoys. The chart symbol for these daybeacons is a white square
with the letter "A" in quotation marks. These may have lights and, if so,
it would be white and flash Mo (A). This is Morse code "A" or; one short flash
followed by a longer flash. The sequence would repeat after an interval of a few
seconds.
Intracoastal Waterway Aids. The Intracoastal Waterway (also known as the
ICW) runs just inside and parallel to the east and gulf coasts of the US.
Since this waterway never leaves smaller bodies of water or returns from
larger bodies of water we use the aids in a slightly different way. All red
buoys and daybeacons are on the mainland side of the Intracoastal while all green
buoys and daybeacons are on the ocean/gulf side of the Intracoastal. This
arrangement is consistent throughout the waterway so we can remember like this:
Red means stop, on the mainland side of the Intracoastal is dry land; don't go there.
Green means go, on the ocean side of the Intracoastal is deep water. Since the
Intracoastal has land, albeit a relatively narrow strip, between it and the ocean the
analogy is only partially correct but works for many to remember the arrangement of
buoys.
Yellow is the color used on the Intracoastal Waterway to distinguish the
buoys and daybeacons so they won't be confused with the red right
returning buoys of a channel that crosses the Intracoastal. Whenever you
see a small swatch of yellow on a green or red buoy you know you're on
the Intracoastal. The only problem with this is that often the yellow has become faded
due to sun or has disappeared behind bird guano. So, consult the chart often.
Below are some other buoys that have their own distinct meanings.

Obstruction, do not
Mooring buoy or ball pass between this and Regulatory buoy
shore.

Rock marker Speed limit buoy Swim area buoy

Light phase characteristics. Lights displayed by buoys, beacons, and lighthouses
come in a wide variety to facilitate identification. For instance, two red lighted
buoys, close to each other in a channel, will need to flash at different rates so they
can be identified at night. The following are some of the common ones you'll run
into:
Fixed. The light is on all the time.
Flashing. The light flashes once then is off for a period of seconds.
This period will be stated on the chart.
Quick flashing. Abbreviated Q on the chart. This light flashes once
every second.
Occulting. The light is on for a longer period of time than off.
Isophase. The light is on for the same period of time it is off.
Group flashing. The light flashes in a group, here it is 2.
Composite group flashing. The light flashes in two different groups,
here a group of two followed by a group of one.
Morse code "A". The light flashes one short followed by one long then
off for a period of seconds as stated on the chart.
Navigation Lights

Federal and International regulations require boats to carry lights between sunset
and sunrise and during conditions of restricted visibility i.e. fog or heavy rain. The
number and color of these lights varies with the size of the vessel. Many commercial
vessels carry special lights that identify them to others. This is important because
rights of way depend on what type of vessel is involved. Tugs and commercial fishing
vessels have the right of way over sailboats which have the right of way over
ordinary power vessels. Unique lights are carried by each one.
Let's take a look at the lights a moderate size (23'-65') sailboat carries in different
conditions so she will be apparent to anyone approaching. By the way, smaller
sailboats and boats propelled by oars should carry these lights also but do not have
to. A flashlight, ready to be illuminated, can be a substitute on these small, non-
power driven craft. If you would like to read the full set of rules governing navigation
lights you can find them here:
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navrules/navrules.htm You may also read a
condensed version, with pictures, for recreational boaters here:
http://www.uscgboating.org/SAFETY/fedreqs/equ_nav.htm
Under sail. Under sail without the engine on, a sailboat displays two sidelights and a
stern light. Port sidelight is red with green for starboard. Each shines from straight
ahead through an arc of 112.5°. The stern light shines white directly astern through
an arc of 135°.

Notice in the above illustration if you put all three lights together they would form a
perfect circle. We will actually see this when we get to the tricolor light. Moving
around the vessel at night you would always see one light and rarely see two at once.
The two sidelights at the bow may be combined together into one unit (but still show
red and green appropriately) if the vessel is less than 20 meters (65') in length. This
uses one light bulb in place of two.
Under power. These are the same lights a power driven vessel would show. In
addition to the lights above we add, what the rules call, a masthead light. This
masthead light may be at the top of a short mast on a power vessel but is placed
about 2/3 the way up the forward mast on a sailboat.
The masthead (steaming) light is white and shines forward through an arc of 225°.
This is the same combined arc of the two sidelights (each at 112.5°). Now, if we were
to move around this vessel we would always see two lights from the front; either a red
or a green with white over it. Very large vessels (over 50 meters) have two masthead
lights; the one you see above and another identical one aft and higher. Note that with
both of the above vessels there is only a single white stern light.
Tricolor light. We have the choice to use a tricolor light with these conditions met:
Under sail only and less than 20 meters (65') in length.

Why would we choose to use a tricolor light? Well, the big difference is the
consumption of electricity. We power the tricolor light with just one light bulb.
Because it must be seen from all around it needs to be at the top of the mast. This is
why it cannot be used when the engine is engaged. With the engine on we turn on the
masthead light to indicate we are under power but the rules state that the masthead
light must be located above the sidelights. Since the masthead light on a sailboat is
only part way up the mast this combination doesn't work. So, we can only use the
tricolor light on moderately sized sailboats under sail only.
At anchor. Here, we are anchored, or tied to a mooring ball, and must display an
anchor light which is a white all around light where it can best be seen. This is
usually at the very top of the mast.
All vessels at anchor must display an anchor light with two exceptions: When in a
special designated anchorage and less than 20 meters (65') in length, there is no
requirement for this light. Special designated anchorages are not common (as of this
writing there are 96 in the US) but may occur where there are large numbers of
vessels moored. You will know if the anchorage you are in is so designated by
reading the chart where it will be clearly marked. If it's not on the chart then it's not
a special designated anchorage by the secretary of transportation. The one other
exception to the anchor light rule is for vessels under 7 meters (23') in
length provided they are not anchored in or near a channel or where other vessels
normally navigate.
Now that we've noted the exceptions to using an anchor light, I must give my own
opinion here: Why would anyone ever want to not use an anchor light? Why take the
chance a speed boat driven by someone who has had too much to drink will run into
you? In Florida there are several deaths a year relating directly to this. I am always
amazed, and so are my students, when we anchor with a couple dozen other sailboats
and we are one of the few boats displaying an anchor light.
What if your anchor light is burned out? Well, you might make do by turning on
lights in the cockpit or hang one in the rigging. In fact, you may use additional lights
both navigational and otherwise: "The lights prescribed by these Rules...may be
exhibited in all other circumstances when it is deemed necessary". Quoted from the
navigation rules.
Fishing vessels. A commercial fishing boat while fishing will show either a red or a
green all around light above an all around white light. Sailboats must stay out of
their way. Green over white indicates trawling and red over white for other types of
fishing.
Pilot boats. These are the smaller, enclosed power driven vessels that ferry the
harbor pilot to and from freighters and cruise ships coming in and out of port. They
show all around white over red when engaged in their duties.
Tug boats. The lights prescribed vary depending on whether the tug is pushing,
towing alongside, towing behind, or in inland or international waters. You will see
two masthead lights vertically aligned on the tug and often a yellow light above the
stern light. If the tug is towing behind you will also see sidelights and a stern light on
the tow. Sailboats must keep clear. Two examples from the Inland rules are below:
Avoiding Collisions

It's been said; "A collision at sea can ruin your whole day." In order to avoid this,
there exists a general set of Federal and International rules of conduct between
vessels known collectively as the 'rules of the road'. Part of the rules cover what
lights vessels should show which is covered in Navigation Lights. Another part of the
rules is meant specifically to guide actions of vessels in close proximity to each other.
Just as we stop our car at a red light and go around another car to pass it, there exist
maneuvering rules to guide us when we are on the water. To read these rules in their
entirety go here: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesContent
The rules of the road cover every type of water craft from small to large. However,
there are situations the rules do not cover. For instance, when three or more vessels
converge there are no specific guides to use except common sense. If we know the
rules of conduct between two vessels, then we will have a very good idea of how to
react when there are more than two vessels meeting or passing.
Throughout the rules caution and anticipation are emphasized. If you aren't sure
what's going on you can come to a complete stop, sound the danger signal (5 or more
short blasts), or call the other vessel on the VHF radio. Typically, channel 16 is used
as the hailing channel for recreation vessels but ships are more likely to be
monitoring channel 13. It can be useful and quite reassuring to speak with the
freighter coming up from behind in a narrow channel after dark. The ship is probably
going at least twice your speed and will be upon you soon. If you communicate to the
ship's bridge you intend to stay well to the starboard side of the channel that takes
care of the situation. And, the ship's captain will be relieved also; now the captain
knows you are aware of the ship, that you are probably competent because you
communicated over the VHF with him, and that he can proceed knowing it won't be a
dangerous situation.
Stand-on and give-way vessels. The give-way vessel stays out of the way of the
stand-on vessel. This does not relieve the stand-on vessel of responsibilities. She is
called the stand-on vessel because she must stand-on her course and speed. By doing
so, she gives the give-way vessel a way to assess the situation as it develops. What if
the give-way vessel does not get out of the way? In that situation the stand-on vessel
will have to alter her course and/or speed to avoid danger.
The more maneuverable a vessel is the more likely she is to be the give-way vessel in
a close quarters situation. This is why the powerboat is give-way to a sailboat; why a
boat that is moving is give-way to a vessel stopped; and why they all give way to a
large ship in a narrow channel.
Vessel sizes. All vessels are covered by the rules. The rules are more complicated for
larger vessels than smaller ones. Vessels are grouped by their length: Less than 7
meters (23'), 7-12 meters (23'-39'), 12-20 meters (39'-66'), and 20-50 meters (66'-
164'). A small vessel (or craft) is less than 20 meters (66') in length.
One note on powerboats and sailboats. A sailboat is a boat that is being propelled by
sail alone, if her engine is on and engaged she is considered to be a powerboat even
with her sails up.
Sailboats meeting. Here you will need the ability to determine what tack you are on
and what windward and leeward mean. You will recall from Points of Sail that our
tack is defined as the opposite side on which the mainsail or boom is carried. Below,
the boat on the left is port tack while on the right the boat is starboard tack.

The sailboat on starboard tack is stand-on while the boat on port tack is give-way.
When boats give-way they should, in general, turn to starboard. It's much easier for a
sailboat to turn than to slow down or speed up. Ok, so what happens when two
sailboats come together on the same tack?
The windward boat keeps out of the way
of the leeward boat. The windward boat
is the one further upwind, closer to
where the wind is coming from. The
preferred course is for the windward
boat to turn and go behind the leeward
boat. The leeward boat takes no action
other than to maintain her course and
speed. Also, she should be watching the
windward boat to make sure she alters
course. In this particular case the
windward boat alters her course to port
which is the easiest way to fall behind
the leeward boat.

In most rights of way situations it is best to make an early and substantial change in
course. Here substantial would be 20 degrees or more. This action, on the part of the
give-way vessel notifies the stand-on vessel that she can proceed on her way without
danger.
Powerboats crossing. When two powerboats cross it is a similar situation to two cars
coming to a 4 way stop. The car (boat)
on the right has the right of way. The
give-way powerboat turns to starboard
and passes behind the stand-on vessel. If
this were at night the give-way vessel
would see a red sidelight on the stand-on
vessel meaning she should take early and
adequate action. The stand-on
powerboat would see green on the give-
way vessel meaning it is ok for her to
proceed on her course and speed.
Powerboats meeting. When coming straight at each other both powerboats turn to
starboard.
Sailboat and powerboat. On open water, not in channels, power gives way to sail. In
narrow channels large ships have the right of way.
Vessels overtaking. The overtaking vessel is give-way and must stay out of the way of
the vessel being passed. It makes no difference if one of the vessels is power and the
other one sail. Whoever overtakes must keep clear. The exception to this is for large
(over 20 meters in length) ships in narrow channels. Here, the hard to maneuver ship
is stand-on.
Pecking order of vessels. There is a basic order, in the navigation rules, that governs
who stays out of the way of whom. Essentially, the hardest to maneuver vessels are
stand-on while the easiest give-way to others. In the following list vessels further
down stay out of the way of vessels higher up.
• Not Under Command. This is a vessel that cannot maneuver. Perhaps a power
vessel who's engines have stopped working. She will show two all around red
lights vertically aligned at night and two black balls by day.
• Restricted in ability to maneuver. This is considered equal to the not under
command vessel. She will show three all around lights; red, white, red,
vertically aligned at night and ball, diamond, ball black shapes by day.
• Constrained by draft. This only applies to the International rules. She shows
three all around red lights vertically aligned by night and a black cylinder by
day.
• Fishing. These are commercial fishing vessels. They will show two all around
lights green (or red) at the top and white below at night. Green represents
trawlers and red is for all others. By day they will both show two black cones
with their apexes together.
• Towing. If restricted in ability to maneuver they will show the shapes and
lights for that category.
 • Sail. Sailing vessels show the lights described in Navigation Lights.
• Power. Power vessels show the lights described in Navigation Lights.
• Seaplane. They stay out of the way of everyone else.
Diving. Vessels engaged in dive operations or with anyone in the water. They display
the international code flag "A" (alpha) by day;
this is a blue/white vertically striped swallow
tail. State laws also may call for dive vessels to
display the US traditional dive flag (red with a
white diagonal stripe). It is important for all
other vessels to stay well clear.

Fog signals. Vessels underway are required to

produce sound signals in restricted visibility;
This could be fog, heavy rain, or smoke. All
signals are repeated every two minutes or less.
A prolonged blast lasts 5 seconds while a short
blast is for 1 second.
• Not under command, restricted in ability
to maneuver, constrained by draft,
fishing, towing, and sail: One prolonged
blast followed by two short blasts at
intervals not to exceed two minutes.
• Power: One prolonged blast (two
prolonged if not making way) at intervals
not to exceed two minutes.

Unlocking the Chart

The nautical chart is for the mariner what the

road map is for the driver. The traditional chart
is made from paper and has a large format.
Now, we also have electronic charts that work
with our GPS units. Both electronic and paper
charts provide information necessary to safe
navigation.
In order to get the most out of the information
on this page you'll find many of the buoys, beacons, and lights are thoroughly
covered in Aids To Navigation.
Some of the information on charts is in written format but with many abbreviations.
Other information is in symbol format such as the lighted aids to navigation in the
chart at left. There is a wealth of information on a typical nautical chart. The depth
of water, buoys, lights, dangerous areas, hazards, and quality of the bottom for
anchoring to name just a few.
Below, we'll be taking a very close look at the chart on the left. We actually call this
small one a chartlet. The full size version includes a larger area plus a whole lot of
information, things like the chart datum, the projection method, tides and currents,
and who made the chart.
In the US most of our charts come from the Federal Government office called NOAA.
All the charts used on this website are reproductions of NOAA charts. Fortunately,
these are legal to reproduce in the US.
Charts come in large scale and small scale sizes to provide the most relevant
information for the task at hand. If I wanted to navigate (or pilot) my vessel into Port
Everglades (the port for Ft. Lauderdale, FL) I would use the chart at left which is a
large scale (think small area) chart. If we wanted to plan a trip to Key West this chart
would not suffice. We would need a whole series of large scale charts or we could use
one or two smaller scale charts. One big advantage of electronic charts is the ability
to zoom in or out on any chart without having to go to another chart altogether. The
disadvantage here is that you cannot look at both charts at once. Below is a small
scale chart called 'Straits of Florida and Approaches'. It includes the southern half of
Florida and all of the Keys. You can barely see Ft. lauderdale in the chart but it is
just north of Miami.
We'll be talking about Chart #1, you may order a hard copy from our Ship's Store.
This is not a chart at all but a guide to NOAA charts. In it, is listed all the definitions
of the various symbols and abbreviations used on charts. A highly useful guide. If you
have the patience you can look up anything from the chart in Chart #1. You can
download or look here: http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/chartno1.htm Some
examples of what you'll find follow. Aids to navigation (buoys, markers, and
lighthouses) and their associated lights are covered on a different page, Aids To
Navigation.

The numbers on the far left are for

reference purposes only and carry no
meaning for what is being described.
Leading light (11) and Lighted range (11a)
are essentially the same. The
characteristics of the lights will be found
next to them on the chart.
Sector light is just that, a light that shines through a certain sector typically warning
of danger also true for the Directional light.

Wreck symbols found on charts.

Remember dotted lines surrounding the
symbol emphasize the danger to
navigation.

Current symbols found on charts. Kn

stands for the current's drift (speed) in
knots while the set is indicated by the
direction of the arrow.

Rocks that are above the water at least

some of the time.

Dotted lines emphasize

danger. These are some of
the most important symbols
on the chart indicating
rocks and obstructions.
Take extra precaution.

Now, let's delve into the

heart of the above harbor chart of Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Port Everglades). We'll go
through everything shown from top to bottom. Like most major ports this is a very
well defined entrance.
This is the sea buoy for Port Everglades entrance channel.
Please refer back to Aids To Navigation for a full
explanation of buoys. It is a mid-channel buoy which we
know because "RW" translates to red white vertically
striped. We also know it is a lighted, floating buoy because
of the solid magenta (purple) circle at the center. Just after the "RW" we see "PE",
short for Port Everglades, that will be painted onto the buoy. It's set off with
quotation marks because that is what the buoy actually says on it. It flashes "Mo (A)"
at night which is morse code "A"; one short flash followed by a longer flash and
repeats every few seconds. Since the light's color is not listed, by default we know its
white. We also see "RACON (-)" which is a device that reflects back an incoming
radar beam with a dash so it can be recognized better. Sea buoys are mid-channel
buoys meaning they can be taken on either side as they have good water all around.
The numbers 111 and 93 are depths of the water in feet. See below.
Water depths are indicated by these black numbers. When
they are located close to an aid to navigation care must be
taken to identify them properly. Water depths on charts can
be measured in feet, fathoms, or meters. The units of
measurement are usually stated in large format on the edges
of charts. Sometimes you'll see a number for depth written
32 for example. Right away, you know this chart does not use feet as its unit of
measurement. If the chart units are meters you know the depth here is 3.2 meters. If
the chart units are fathoms you know the depth here is 3 fathoms plus 2 feet for a
total of 20 feet.
Cables lying on the sea floor are marked on charts. A rather
important consideration when anchoring. The chart will
either say 'Cable Area' or there will be a squiggly line. The
dashed line at left is showing a boundary of a restricted area
just outside the port.

Red, right, returning as we now enter Port

Everglades channel marked by two floating, lighted
buoys. The channel numbers start with 1 & 2 then go
up from there as we progress into the port. Let's go
over the buoy on the left to see if we can decipher the
"code". "R" stands for red so we know as we enter to
leave it to starboard. Since all red buoys have even numbers we expect to see a "2"
and indeed we do. "Fl" stands for flashing. Already knowing what "R" means we
expect, at night, to have a floating buoy that flashes red every 2.5 seconds.
Condition of the bottom. What I'd like you to notice here is
the "rky" in the lower right corner which stands for rocky.
This is a condition of the bottom and very useful
information in finding an anchorage. Some other common
conditions of the bottom you'll see on charts are; S for
sand, M for mud, Co for coral.
 What I'd like you to notice in this illustration is the area where
there is blue shaded water on the chart. The tan area below is
dry land. Color of water is used to indicate depth and possible
danger. Deeper water is white and more shallow water is
shaded blue. The exact depth where one takes over from the
other depends on the scale of the chart. Here, if we look closely,
we'll see a depth of 6 feet right at the edge of where the two
colors meet. Underneath and obscured by the depth of 4 feet it looks like the word
"shoal" appears. Shoal water is shallow water.
Now we come to the next set of markers (also aids to
navigation) as we proceed into the port. These look different
than the first outer markers. They don't have magenta
circles but magenta tear drop shapes. This tells us they are
attached to solid earth rather than floating. Here, we
assume they are on pilings in the water and, since they are
magenta, we know they are lighted. Let's look at the one on
the left and see if we can figure out what it says. We know that 10 is simply the depth
of the water but just under the marker we can read "Fl R 4s" and under that is "5M
"4"". We should know by now how to read the first letters as: Flashing red every 4
seconds. The second phrase translates as: The light is visible, in perfect conditions,
for 5 miles (statute) and you will find a number 4 on the buoy.
Beacons. Do you notice the small square boxes on the left side of the above
illustration? There are two and they are both labeled "W Bn". The "W" stands for
white while the "Bn" stands for beacon. We can see from the chart they are probably
warning us of the shoal water just ahead. Beacons are typically diamond shaped and
white and usually are warnings of shallow water.
Towers. Look right in the center of this illustration and
you'll see a black circle with a dot inside. You'll also see it
is labeled "TR" which stands for tower. Now, we're inside
the port and passing markers 6 and 7. Going in a bit
further we see a small rectangular harbor on the right, it is
labeled "CG" which stands for Coast Guard. There is a
Coast Guard station in Port Everglades.

In the lower right corner you will see the words

"Security Zone". This came into being after 9/11
as an enhancement to the security of the port.
Often, cruise ships dock here and you'll notice a
police boat patrolling the area.
 Several things to talk about here. Notice the
two dotted lines just above the security zone.
This represents the Intracoastal Waterway; a
major channel of water running from New
Jersey to Texas. Looking at the upper left
corner you'll see two thin strips of land trying
to cross the Intracoastal but not quite joining.
This is a bridge. Bridges and sailboats don't
always mix so let's see if we can figure what's
going on here. If we read just below the bridge we will see its description. These are
two Bascule Bridges and under that we see the clearances of 125 ft horizontally and
just 55 feet vertically. Any larger sailboat will not be able to pass! Except, it is a
bascule bridge rather than a fixed bridge so that tells us it opens. Bascule meaning
the bridge swings up and down using counterweights, what we normal people call a
draw bridge. One more thing (actually two) before we leave this illustration. Notice
what the chart says underneath the clearance numbers: "OVHD CAB" then "SUBM
AT CHANNEL"; you might be able to guess this one: Overhead cable(s) submerged
at channel.
Do you recall lighted ranges in an illustration from
Chart #1 above? Well, that's what we have here if you
look at the lower center of the chart at left. You can
see the dotted line between two lights that extends out
straight through the center of the channel. Now, take
a look at the heights of the lights. The one further
away from the channel should be higher than the one
closer to the channel so it will show up on top of it.
This is indeed the case as we read the RWG light is
135 feet high while the F G light is 85 feet. We know
that RWG must be the light's colors but what of the F
in the second light? F stands for fixed, it's on all the
time. We can use these lights to guide us directly
down the center of the channel, if we keep the further
one right on top of the closer one, or use them as a
reference. Just like driving on the road we should stay
on the starboard side of any channel. Even in Europe,
where they often drive on the left, we stay on the starboard side of channels.
Chart datum. This is the point or plane from which water depths are measured. In an
area with a large tidal range it can make quite a difference whether the depth is
measured from high or low tide. The same can be said of inland lakes that go through
seasonal changes in their height of water. So, just where is the depth of water
measured from? It is usually measured from the average of the low waters or mean
low water abbreviated MLW. Most of the time the water depth will be greater than
what is stated on the chart. Every chart will tell you exactly where the water depths
are measured from.
Heights above water. Just as with the chart datum above there is a reference point
for measuring heights above the water. Usually heights are measured from the
average of the high waters. This provides a margin of safety when going under a
fixed bridge as most of the time the actual height of the bridge will be greater than
what is stated on the chart.
Traffic Lanes. At the entrance to
many major ports and harbors
you will find traffic lanes on the
chart. These lanes are for large
ships. This is a very good thing
because now you will know where
the big ships are when the fog
rolls in as it often does off the
coast of New England. Smaller
recreational boats should avoid
the traffic lanes. If you want to
cross one you can but do so
quickly and at a right angle to
traffic. The separation zone in the
middle acts just like the median
on an Interstate highway.

Compass rose. These show

magnetic (inner circle) and true
(outer circle) readings. These are
covered in True & Magnetic.
Other publications of interest to mariners:
Local Notice to Mariners, published by each Coast Guard district, is used to update
the chart after purchase. You can subscribe to this government publication for free or
read updates on the Internet. Either way, when the chart changes for any reason
you'll be notified.
The Coast Pilot is a series of books that describe, in detail, anchorages, harbors,
and inlets.
Tide tables are essential in areas of high tidal range and strong tidal currents. There
are many sources for this important information; some are free while others may be
included with much other information as in a cruising guide.
The Light List is another US Coast Guard publication. This one covers all
lighthouses and lighted buoys giving all their characteristics.
Cruising Guides provide an important source of valuable information and are
published privately. A typical cruising guide will include descriptions of harbors
along with the relevant chart and many now are updated with several GPS
coordinated. Also included may be draw bridge schedules and how to contact the
operator. Shopping, marinas, dive and snorkel spots are also covered. It's hard to get
by without at least one cruising guide for the area you are sailing in.

Speed, Time, & Distance

In navigation we need to be able to easily solve simple math problems involving

speed, time, and distance. I always used to instruct my students: "Just memorize
Distance = Speed X Time." Many books talk about using 60D = S x T and call it 60
D Street as a memory aid. Then, I had a sailing student who taught middle school
math and he showed me triangle math. I thought this was pretty cool at the time and I
still use it today.
Here is the math triangle. To use it simply put your finger
over the letter you are solving for. If you want to know S for
Speed, then putting your finger over S gives D/T (distance
divided by time). If you want to solve for D then covering it
up you have S x T or speed x time.
Let's talk about the units of measurement we'll be using in
nautical navigation. Distance is always going to be in
nautical miles and tenths of a nautical mile. Time will be in
its usual hours and minutes. Speed will always be in knots and tenths of a knot.
Remember, a speed of one nautical mile per hour = one knot. So, going at one knot
for one hour we would cover a distance of one nautical mile.
D (distance in nautical miles) = Speed (knots) x Time (hours)
But, what if we are traveling at 5.5 knots for 1/2 hour?
S = 5.5 knots (nautical miles per hour) x .5 hours = 2.75 nautical miles. We usually
round to the nearest tenth in nautical navigation so we could either drop the trailing
5 or round up to 2.8
The only tricky thing about our equation is that time comes in two varieties; hours
and minutes. It's not a simple decimal system like speed and distance. There will be
many times when you need to convert minutes to hours and vice versa. Converting
hours to minutes; multiply by 60. Converting minutes to hours divide by 60.
Example. What's our distance run if we are going 6.2 knots for 23 minutes? We know
from our triangle that since we are looking for D we are going to simply multiply
speed times time. But, the formula calls for time in hours so we first convert the 23
minutes to decimal hours:
23 minutes/60 minutes per hour = .38 hours. Now we can plug this into our equation
to get distance:
D = 6.2 knots x .38 hours = 2.4 nautical miles.
Just make sure a couple of hand held calculators are a regular part of your boat's
equipment!

Plotting Positions & Courses

Coastal navigation (piloting) is the ability to find your vessel's position and lay out
safe courses, within sight of land, to get to any destination desired. For this, we use
everything we've talked about so far; buoys, lights, landmarks, the compass, and the
chart. We'll be going through these important tasks one by one; the DR, finding your
position, and plotting safe, navigable courses to be used in steering the boat.
The tools of a modern navigator include:
Charts along with updates from the Local Notice to Mariners. You'll want to have
harbor charts onboard to cover any harbor you might want to enter. For convenience
there are chart kits sold that cover large regions with several pages including various
scales of charts. You can also get by with a small scale chart (large area) and a good
cruising guide. The cruising guide should include harbor chartlets for most of the
harbors you might enter. The cruising guide will also include much more helpful
information such as anchorages, mooring areas, and marinas to name a few.
Tide and Current Tables will be very helpful in planning your trip. There are areas
you will want to navigate only with a falling tide or a rising tide.
Coast Pilot and Light List are great references if you have any questions about how
to negotiate a harbor entrance or the particular phase characteristics of any lighted
aid to navigation.
Pencils, sharpeners, and erasers along with a notebook. Many times you will want to
write down bearings, headings, and other notes.
Binoculars are extremely useful for identifying buoys and landmarks. If you have the
kind with an internal compass it can be used to take bearings on objects and is
especially useful to see if that ship up ahead will cross in front of you or not. If the
bearing keeps changing over a period of time you should be ok. Remember though,
it's always best to take early and obvious action to avoid any danger.
Wristwatch or other time keeping device will prove invaluable onboard. For timing
the light phase characteristics of buoys and lighthouses at night it is a good idea to
practice timing seconds by saying one thousand one, one thousand two, and so on.
Hand-held calculator. This will come in very handy for all those speed, time, and
distance calculations. For info on how to solve these see: Speed, Time & Distance.
GPS with up to date nautical charts is not essential but quite a help. Do not rely
solely on this as your only source of information. While the GPS system is extremely
accurate and almost never goes down the same cannot be said for the GPS receiver.
Not only do they require batteries but in the harsh marine environment they are quite
prone to breaking down.
Hand-bearing compass of some sort for taking accurate bearings. This could be a
dedicated hand-bearing compass or binoculars with a built-in compass. This device
can also be used to check the ship's compass for any deviation. For a greater
understanding refer to True & Magnetic.
Depth sounder in good working condition will provide accurate readings of the
water depth. We will use this in more ways than one for our navigation work.
Parallel ruler and dividers are shown below. We'll talk more about just how these
devices are used. You may order both of these from our Ship's Store.
As we discussed in True & Magnetic almost all mariners use magnetic headings and
bearings when within sight of land. After all, this is what the ship's compass reads
directly. If we use true degrees then we must convert to magnetic at some point, the
less confusion we introduce the less chance for mistakes. To keep things simple we'll
be using magnetic bearings and headings throughout coastal navigation.
The ship's log is a log book where numerous items may be recorded; it's like a diary
for the boat. Time of departure and arrival, crew and guests onboard, weather,
engine hours (invaluable to determine fuel consumption), course changes and
headings, notes, etc. It's good to get in the habit of jotting these down in an organized
manner. Several log books are sold in marine stores or you can download our version
free from the Downloads page.
Bearings and headings are readings from the compass or the chart. The heading of
the boat is simply what the ship's compass reads at any given time, it is the direction
in which the boat is headed. Bearings are compass readings to objects outside the
boat as in; That freighter is bearing 035° or, that lighthouse is bearing 245°.
Heading
 The image at left shows our
boat and a magnified ship's
compass. According to the
compass we are on a heading
of 60°. Magnetic north is
straight up. If we turn the
boat the compass doesn't turn,
it will always points to
magnetic north. So, in effect,
we turn the boat around the
compass. If you wanted to
steer a course of 30° you
would turn the boat to port
(left) towards 30°. Or, if you
wanted to steer a course of due east you would turn to starboard (right) towards E
(due east or 90°).
Now you know how to steer the boat on a compass course! This is a major
accomplishment and the basis of navigation. With just a few more elements you'll
know how to get yourself around the bay or across the Caribbean. If you need a
refresher on how to read buoys or many other items on a nautical chart please refer
to Unlocking The Chart.
Bearing
Here, we have turned our boat to port to
come to a heading of 30°. Notice how the
magnetic compass still points straight up to
the top of the page. We have turned the
boat while the compass remains stationary.
We are sailing in the vicinity of a mid-
channel buoy marking the entrance to a
channel and wish to take a bearing to the
buoy. In this case we are sailing into
Buzzard's Bay off southern New England
and looking for the entrance to New
Bedford harbor. We see through our
binoculars it is labeled with "BB". To take
the bearing we look over the compass
toward the buoy and try to visually line up
the center of the compass with it and note
what we see on the compass. Here, the
buoy has a bearing of 330°. Because we
can find the buoy on a chart we can now
locate our boat on the chart. We have one
bearing which will give us one line of position (LOP). We call it a line of position
because we know, with some certainty, we are located somewhere on that line. If we
were on a different line there would be a different bearing to the buoy.
Let's see how to transfer this reading of 330° to the chart. We will first need to find
our buoy on the chart. We look for a red and white vertically striped buoy labeled
"BB" on the chart and find it center left below. Next we take our parallel ruler and
place it on the line of 330° magnetic (inner circle) on the compass rose, then
carefully 'walk' it over to the buoy and draw the line shown.

The Fix
We know we are somewhere along the lower blue line. How can we determine our
position with more accuracy? There are a number of different ways. One way is to
look at our depth sounder and see what it's reporting the depth to be. We see that
along the LOP the depth varies from 55' to about 40' very close to shore. Another,
more accurate way, is to plot another LOP and where the two cross is where we must
be. Let's look around and see what we can find that appears both on the chart and
somewhere on the horizon.
There are a number of other buoys we might be able to use. However, the one just
beyond our "BB" buoy, R "2", would not be a good choice. It lies to close in line
with "BB" to be of any value to us. Even a very small error in our work would lead to
a large error on the chart. Better to minimize the error and look for another buoy
about 60° to 120° away from our 330° bearing to "BB". We see an excellent
candidate at the top center of the chart labeled R "10" Fl R 4s GONG. So, we know it
is a red lighted buoy flashing red every 4 seconds and it makes a gong sound. Rather
than sighting over the ship's compass to find its bearing we use our hand-bearing
compass which is made specifically for this task. We hold it up and pointing it at R
"10" we get a reading of 45°. We follow the same procedure as before by first finding
45° magnetic on the compass rose and then drawing a line parallel to that and
starting at the buoy until it crosses our first line.

We have now found our position on the chart. For even more accuracy we could
draw a third LOP. This would be a check of our work so far, it should come very
close to the current intersection. If it doesn't then we need to go over our work
carefully.
Let's properly label our work so far. We have two LOPs that could be labeled or
simply left alone because it's obvious where they were drawn from. We should have
our notes of the headings in a supplemental log book or note book we keep for these
occasions. But, we do need to label the intersection as a fix, so draw a circle around
the point which shows we have fixed our position. Also, it would be very good to put
the time of the fix on the chart alongside. This will be a good record of our progress
into Buzzard's Bay and would function as a reference in case we need it for any
reason later in our trip.

Notice we use 24 hour time on the chart which will avoid the confusion of am and
pm. Now that we have fixed our position we can plot a course for our destination.
Unfortunately, the chart above doesn't show enough area to know where to go so
we'll have to zoom out, pan up and to the left to see the bigger picture.
We have our fix at the bottom of the chart and can see where to go to enter the New
Bedford Channel. This channel starts with the green and red buoys labeled "1" and
"2" just above (north of) the "BB" buoy. If we can see these buoys from the cockpit
then we can simply aim the boat in that direction. But, this is New England and fog
has just rolled in obscuring our view. Let's plot a course to the first buoys of the
channel. We start by simply drawing a straight line that runs from our fix to the
buoys then, we calculate the course heading by placing an edge of the parallel rule
on the course line, walk it over to the center of the compass rose, and read the
magnetic heading.
We then label our course line with its heading and place a capitol 'M' after it to
signify it is degrees magnetic. The course, and nothing but the course, goes on top of
the line and parallel with it. Everything else relating to the course goes below the
line and parallel with it. One more important piece to the puzzle is the distance to the
channel entrance from our fix. If we know the distance we will then be able to
calculate our ETA. Remember, on a mercator projection chart such as this one, each
minute of latitude is equal to one nautical mile. For a further explanation please see
Latitude & Longitude. If you are observant you may have noticed that our course
takes us directly over an obstruction on the chart. However, if we look closely we see
there is 40 feet of water over the obstruction so no need for concern.
We measure the distance or length of the course line by using the dividers. We spread
the tips of the dividers to the same length as the course line then bring them to the
side of the chart to find the length in nautical miles.
Above, we can see the course is 1.9 nautical miles long. We add this to the course
line in the completed chart below.
Calculating The ETA
Please see Speed, Time, & Distance for a full explantion. If our speed is 5 knots and
we have 1.9 nautical miles to go this will take us: 1.9 nautical miles/5 knots = .38
hours, which in minutes is .38 x 60 = 23 minutes, for an arrival time at 1433.
Knowing the distance is 1.9 nautical miles we could also reset the trip meter on the
ship's log to zero and watch it slowly advance as we travel to our destination. The
trip meter on the boat's log acts just like the one on your car's odometer.
We have seen the position fix is where two or more bearings intersect. We can also fix
our position by being very close to a buoy that is on the chart. If we were just a
couple of boat lengths from "BB" buoy in the chart we could have called that our fix.
We can also use our GPS to create a fix.
The DR
What if we are in open water and can't find any buoys or other landmarks from which
to get bearings? We us dead reckoning (the DR) to locate, as best we can, our
position on the chart. The good thing about the DR is that we need no outside
references to locate ourselves. Of course, this won't be as good as a real fix but it still
serves us very well. We can get along on just the DR until we can obtain a fix.
Onboard our boat we have all the essentials required; a log which shows distance
run, our compass which shows the heading we are sailing on, and a wrist watch to
know how much time has gone by. The DR is simply a combination of these items.
Let's take a look at how it works.

At 1210 we knew our position to be the lighted buoy at 'Brenton Reef'. We change
course to 120°, after one hour on this course we note the log trip meter reads 6.3 so
we plot our 1310 DR using these numbers. To differentiate the DR position from a fix
we use a semi-circle rather than a full circle. We are probably somewhere near the
1310 DR but there are many things that affect our position; current is a large factor.
Leeway may also be affecting us if we are sailing close hauled (beating) we won't be
going directly where the boat and compass are pointing. To some extent we will be
blown sideways by the wind. Keels are designed to counteract this effect but there
will still be some amount of this sideways motion present. Leeway may be anywhere
from non-existent to as much as 15 to 20 degrees off course. The DR is the best we
can do until we can get a fix or a better estimate of our position.
The EP
We have seen that a fix consists of two or more bearings taken simultaneously and
that the DR does not need any bearings or outside information. If we add one piece
of information, from outside the boat to the DR, we get an EP or estimated position.
This is better than the DR alone but not as good as the fix. This additional
information is usually a single bearing we are able to get but it might also be a
known current or a depth sounding.
If the DR and EP correspond, at the time they are taken, then the EP is placed along
the DR. We use a square to denote the EP. If the DR and the EP do not correspond
then we place the EP so it is at a right angle to the DR position. By doing it this way
we should be more correct because we are placing the EP closer, if even a little, to
the DR.

The Running Fix

Let's say we are going by a lighthouse that we can see for a period of time but we
have no other buoy or landmark to give us a fix. We can two sighting of the
lighthouse at two different times to give us a running fix. Still not as good as a
regular fix but substantially better than just a DR and probably better than an EP.
We will take an initial bearing to the lighthouse and put it on the chart in the normal
fashion. Then, as we progress along our course, we take another bearing on the
lighthouse at a later time. The trick here is that we simply advance the first bearing
along our course to catch up to the second bearing.
We are sailing south on a compass heading of 190°. At 0935 we take bearing 'A' on
Cape Florida lighthouse and reset our trip meter to zero, see chart on left. At 1000
we are nearly abeam of the lighthouse and take another bearing 'B'. We note the trip
meter on the ship's log says we have traveled a distance of 3.2 nautical miles between
the two bearings.
 We draw
bearing 'B'
the usual
way so that
it starts at the lighthouse and intersects our course line. Then we advance bearing 'A'
3.2 nautical miles along our course line and are careful to keep it parallel to the
original. The intersection of the two bearings is our running fix. This is probably very
close to where we actually are. Of course, being this close to land we would be
watching our depth sounder closely.

Currents

In order to get the most out of this section you will need to know how to plot courses
and find distance on a nautical chart. If you'd like a refresher go to Plotting Positions
& Courses.
Currents have two components; their direction and their speed. Tidal currents vary in
speed and reverse direction. Other currents, like the Gulf Stream, do not reverse and
are quite steady over long periods of time. We call the direction of a current its set
and is usually noted in degrees true. True is used because it's not affected by changes
in magnetic variation. So, many of us will need to convert true to magnetic; for a
guide on converting go to True & Magnetic.
Interestingly, the direction or set of a current is defined as the direction in which it is
traveling unlike wind which is the direction from which it comes; a rather important
distinction.
We call the speed of a current its drift and is usually noted in knots which should be
quite familiar by now. If not (no pun intended), then see Speed, Time, & Distance.
A simple current (one that's steady) will be noted on the appropriate chart. There will
be a current symbol with the speed written on it. For examples see Unlocking The
Chart. If it's a tidal current, which is always changing, then you will want to consult
the appropriate tide and current tables to find out details.
Below is a fascinating video from NASA showing ocean surface currents.
(If you are unable to view this video you may see it at NASA:
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/perpetual-ocean.html

Navigating in current. Currents can be tricky to navigate; just ask anyone who has
sailed the coast of southern New England. There are better and worse times for
sailing Vineyard Sound. You don't want to be caught going against its strong tidal
flows.
A GPS will be very handy for figuring out what the current is doing to your boat at
any point in time. Caution must be exercised here because of the nature of an
electronic GPS receiver; it's a gadget that depends on a source of power and is prone
to break downs in the harsh marine environment. If you know how to compensate for
current on a chart you will be a more confident and better sailor.
Example. From Ft. Lauderdale, FL we would like to go to Bimini in The Bahamas
which is some 50 nautical miles distant. We'll be out of sight of land for the most part
so will need to sail by compass heading. The direct heading to Bimini is just south of
east or about 120°. However, there is the mighty Gulf Stream flowing north that races
through the Straits of Florida. How do we find our way? What heading should we
use? First, we'll get out the appropriate chart. We'll need a chart that shows both our
departure point and arrival point. Let's see what we can come up with.
There are several things to note in the above chart. We'll start our journey from the
Sea Buoy at Ft. Lauderdale in the upper left corner. Then proceed to Bimini. The
course heading above is the magnetic heading of our desired track or course made
good. Our compass heading will be reading something different as we compensate
for the Gulf Stream. We will be 'crabbing' into the current and will need to figure out
how much 'crabbing' is the right amount. You can see the Gulf Stream is active all the
way across the Straits of Florida.
The current in the chart reads from 1.8 knots up to 3.3 knots. We usually figure the
current averages 2.5 knots for the duration of the trip. That should be good enough to
get us there. To find the direction of the current we look at the current arrows and
average them together to give us a direction of true north.
Now, our work is to figure out the compass heading that will get us to our
destination. To do this we could use the chart above but, for the purposes of
illustration, we'll be using a larger scale chart. Remember, larger scale means
smaller area. We'll zoom into our departure at Ft. Lauderdale to work out the details
of our course. Once we've got it figured out for a small section of our trip it will hold
true for the whole trip.
Solution
We have several components to deal with at the same time. We have our speed and
direction through the water and we have the speed and direction of the water itself.
An easy way to work with this is to break it down into two sections, work each one
out, then put them together to solve our problem.
As in many navigation problems it's a matter of first knowing what you are trying to
find out and then, what the first step is. We are trying to find what compass heading
will produce our desired track. We know the speed (drift) and direction (set) of the
Gulf Stream. We also know our boat's speed, or do we? We'll need to come up with
our best estimate of what our speed, through the water, will be. We know our boat
and in the prevailing weather conditions we'll be a bit conservative and say our
speed will average 6 knots on the crossing. Now, all we have to find is our compass
heading!
We'll be using the chart below which shows the Sea Buoy at the entrance to Port
Everglades (the port of Ft. Lauderdale). I've already placed our desired course on the
chart. Now, let's get to work!

We've got everything, in the above chart, to work out what our heading should be.
We've got our course line drawn and labeled, we have a compass rose handy to
provide magnetic headings, and we've got our longitude scale along the right edge to
give us distances.
There are more ways than one to skin the proverbial or, in this case, find the heading
to use to stay on course. The easiest way is to figure out the set and drift of the
current for a period of time, say one hour, then figure out our boat's speed and
direction for the same period of time, and add them together to come up with the
answer. This may sound complicated but once you see it on the chart I'll bet you'll
notice the ease and clarity.
First, we separate out what the current's set and drift will do to our boat for one
hour. We've stated above the Gulf Stream's set is due north and the drift, in that
direction, is 2.5 knots. So, if we sat at the Sea Buoy for one hour and did not run our
engine or raise sail, the Gulf Stream would carry us due north for a distance of 2.5
nautical miles. Ok so far? Using our dividers we go over to the side of the chart and
measure out 2.5 minutes of latitude which is 2.5 nautical miles. Then, we take this
distance and draw a line due north that is 2.5 nautical miles long starting at the
buoy. Here's what we've got now.

Now we have taken care of the full effect of the Gulf Stream current on our boat.
Since we've compensated for the current now it's time to get sailing! This is a graphic
representation of the forces that affect the boat and is not time based as the real
world is. So, what we can do now is to ignore the current, because we've taken care
of it already, and sail down to our desired course line.
We've said that our boat's speed through the water is 6 knots and, just like we did
with the Gulf Stream current, we'll draw a line representing the boat's progress over
a one hour time period. 6 knots for one hour makes for 6 nautical miles run. Again,
we measure it off the latitude scale with our dividers. Between 05' and 10' we have 5
nautical miles so we'll stretch just a bit further for a total of 6 nautical miles. Once
we have our dividers set we place one end on the point where we would have drifted
to and then swing the other point to intercept our desired course line. We'll stop at
the point where the 6 nautical mile long line just touches the course line and draw as
shown below.
Now all that's left to do is to find the heading of the last line and that will give us our
compass heading to steer by. We find the angle of the line with the parallel rules and
the compass rose and come up with 143° magnetic. We would round this to the
nearest 5° increment to steer by so we'll put 145° on the chart. The completed chart
work below:
This shows us that to maintain a course of 120° we will actually need to steer 145°
on the ship's compass because of the northward flowing Gulf Stream. How long will
it take us to get there and what is our actual speed along the way? We know our
speed through the water is 6 knots, which is what our knotmeter will read but what of
our real progress made? Our speed over ground, as its called, will be less because
we are pushing against the Gulf Stream. Our resultant, the track of the boat, is the
lower part of the triangle formed above. We know its angle and if we measure the
length this will give us our speed in knots because the lower line is a measure of our
real world progress over a period of one hour.
We use the dividers, with one point at the Sea Buoy and the other point where we
intersected our desired course line, and measure 4.2 nautical miles. We will be using
up about a third of our boat's speed to push against the flow of the Gulf Stream but
we'll get there! The trip should take; 48 NM/4.2knots = 11 hours 26 minutes.
This will get us all the way to Bimini where we'll celebrate with a rum drink and a
dinner of cracked Conch. Does life get any better? Oh, and do remember to
pronounce Conch as 'konk' and Cay as 'key' (small island). Now that you know how

Anchors & How They Work

This lightweight anchor shows the typical parts of a

modern cruising anchor. Anchors dig into the bottom rather
than holding by immovable weight. To do this they have
flukes to dig into softer bottoms or to find a crevice in hard
bottoms. The anchor at left excels at digging into sand or
softer mud but may drag relentlessly in harder bottoms.
Since there is no one anchor good for all bottoms most
boats will carry at least two different anchors with one as
the primary.

In the photo below we can see a lightweight anchor on the

bow of a small powerboat. The assembly at the bow
holding the anchor is called the bow roller. The bail on top
keeps the anchor from jostling about and coming free in
heavy waves. This boater has chosen to use an all line
anchor rode which is not recommended. This will make the
anchor hard to set without the needed weight of anchor
chain to hold the anchor on the bottom. The line has an eye
splice which is much stronger than a knot. Inside the eye
splice is a metal thimble which prevents chafe on the line.
This is attached to the anchor with a shackle which should
be seized with stainless steel wire to prevent it from coming loose.
Let's take a look at some anchors that not only work in soft bottoms but are also good for hard mud,
weeds, and rocky bottoms. One of the most popular anchors on cruising boats, that will be
anchoring in many different types of bottom conditions, is the plow style. So named because it
resembles a farmers plow. Of these, the brand CQR holds a venerable reputation shown below:
Notice the pivot at the crown allowing the shank to
swing side to side as the boat moves around in the wind.

Another variation of the plow style, brand name Delta,

has become quite popular with boaters. Here we see it on the bow of a sailboat.
The Delta does not have the same pivot at the crown as
the CQR above. Simple, one piece design makes it
popular.

The last type of anchor we'll talk about is the claw style. Rather than the sharp point of the plow it
uses a scooping action to grab the bottom. The most popular of these is the Bruce brand. Below we
see one on the bow of a sailboat.
The Bruce anchor was invented to anchor oil rigs in
the North Sea but seems to do well in a wide variety of
conditions.
Do you see the small hole in the crown of the anchor? This is where you can attach a trip line which
we'll talk about later.

Which one of these anchors is best? Well, that depends on what type of bottom condition you're
anchoring in. If it's usually sand to soft mud you might go for the lightweight. If there are times
when you anchor in hard bottoms then you'll choose one of the later anchors.
Not only can you choose from one of the above anchors but there is now a new generation from
which you may pick. There's the Super Max, Rocna, and XYZ along with many others. Some claim
great results. As in so many other things in life; educate yourself, look at the possibilities, then make
a decision.
Along with the anchor other important considerations are the weight of the anchor and the anchor
rode. The heavier the anchor, for any given type, the better it will set and hold. When choosing an
anchor you might very well wish to go with heavier than recommended to give yourself a margin of
safety and confidence.
The anchor rode is what we use to attach the anchor to the boat when anchoring. It can be all line,
part line and part chain, or all chain. The chain acts as weight to hold the shank down on the bottom
to provide an easier set. Without any chain it is difficult to get a shallow enough angle of pull on the
anchor to allow it to set.
Most boats longer than 30' will have an electric windlass to raise the anchor. If the rode is part chain
and part line then, at some point in raising the anchor, you will have to switch from line to chain.
This is not such an easy transition because the line is attached to the chain with an eye splice and
shackle arrangement that we saw above. The line being taken in by the drum of the windlass has to
be let go and the chain then coiled around the chain gypsy of the windlass. So, a real advantage of
all chain rode is that it stays continuously on the chain gypsy of the windlass making raising and
lowering that much easier.

How an anchor works:

Scope is the ratio of the depth of the bottom from the bow to the horizontal distance the bow is from
the anchor. The depth can be conveniently measured by the depth sounder then add the height of the
bow above the water. In areas of large tidal range what is adequate scope at low tide may not be
sufficient at high tide. Generally speaking, 7 to 1 scope is considered adequate for overnight
anchoring. The more scope, the better the anchor will hold. There are many factors that come into
play but, if you have the room, why not throw out more rode creating more scope? After all, it's
free.
Another way to increase holding power is to drop the anchor on an up slope. This might be a sand
bar or an area where the depth gets more shallow from a deeper area. You can also use a sentinel
and kellet to increase holding power, this is a weight clipped onto the rode and lowered part way
down, along the rode. The weight acts the same as more scope would because it decreases the angle
of the rode to the bottom.
There are anchor kellets made that will slip down over
an all chain rode. If you have a combination of chain
and line the eye splice and shackle at the transition
would not allow for passage beyond that point.
Understand, if high winds come up there is a real
possibility the anchor line will straighten out and any
effect provided by the kellet will disappear.

Snubbers are used to cushion the load, acting as a shock absorber, on an all chain anchor rode . A
snubber will also move the load from the bow roller to a bow cleat which can help with any chain
noise in the forward cabin. After the anchor has been deployed and set tie a length of nylon line
onto the chain with a rolling hitch, let out more chain, then tie the snubber onto a bow cleat. Now,
let out even more chain so that the entire load, from the anchor, goes through the snubber and to the
cleat. Use nylon line because it stretches; and, 3 strand stretches more than braided. Just be sure to
prevent any chafe which might occur.
A variation of the basic snubber would be to have a dedicated bridle with a chain hook in the
middle. This could be tied off to both bow cleats thus distributing the load. See next paragraph for a
description of a bridle.

We use a bridle arrangement when anchoring a catamaran.

Usually, you will have a pre-made anchor bridle all set to go when
you anchor. This is made from two lengths of 3 strand nylon line
with a chain hook joining them together. The two free ends attach
to bow cleats after the anchor is set.
Alternatively, you can make up the bridle by attaching two nylon
lines to the anchor rode using rolling hitches so they won't slip.
The bridle arrangement can also be used on a monohull vessel with
good results.

Dropping and setting the anchor.

With a basic understanding of how the anchor attaches itself to the
bottom and some anchoring techniques we'll now look at the procedure of dropping, then setting the
anchor. Once a spot is chosen to drop anchor approach slowly from downwind or down current,
whichever is stronger. When you arrive at the spot you want to drop, having made adequate
accounting for scope and swing, come to a complete stop, lower the anchor. Now you want to get
the boat going backwards so the falling chain doesn't foul the anchor. You might slowly engage
reverse then go back to neutral; just enough to get the boat headed backwards. She won't go straight
back because the wind wants to blow the bow off first. Be patient as one or more of the crew lets
out the anchor rode. When you have let out enough cleat the line or the chain. The boat will now
align itself with the anchor rode as it takes out all the slack.
Set the anchor by backing down on it. Engage reverse; first at idle speed and watch for any
movement. The easiest way to do this is to set up a range with two non-moving objects (not other
boats) and watch to see if they come out of alignment.

It really doesn't matter which two non-moving

objects you use. Could be a point of land with a
tree beyond. Or, a navigational marker and a tree
beyond. You get the picture. The slightest
movement of the boat will show up when looking
at the range you have set up. If the anchor holds at
idle speed reverse, then increase to 1500 rpm (or
one half the full cruising rpm). If the anchor holds
now then increase to 2500 rpm (or full cruising
rpm). Keep the engine in reverse for several
seconds to see what happens. If no movement,
slowly lower the rpm, shut the engine down, and
relax.

What if there is no land around or no available

range to be found? In this situation do the same as
above in terms of backing down on the anchor at
various engine speeds but, without the range, put
your hand on the rode and you will be able to feel a vibration if the anchor is skipping along the
bottom. Really works, try it.
What if the anchor fails to hold while backing down on it? Increase scope by letting out more rode
is the first solution. What if you've already let out most of your rode? If the anchor is dragging then
stop the motion of the boat. Take the engine out of reverse and come to a stop. Then, slowly start
again from idle speed reverse on up through. Often times, the anchor will grab once you have
stopped the reverse movement. Take it slowly and be patient. If you just can't get it to set then pick
it up and drop in another spot. You'll have to start all over again but once you get the anchor
properly set you'll be much more confident about it holding overnight.
Use the same range to check on any suspected anchor dragging later on. Even the smallest amount
will show up. At night it's usually a good idea to find a couple of lights that are in, or near,
alignment to use as a check. You can set an anchor watch on your ship's GPS but, with wind and
waves, will you hear the alarm when it goes off?

Retrieving an anchor. Getting the anchor back onboard should be an easy matter with today's
electric anchor windlasses. Start by powering the boat toward the anchor using the engine, not the
windlass. We save the windlass to bring the anchor up once we are over it. Many times the anchor
simply breaks itself free as we motor up to it and tension the chain.
If it doesn't break loose right away then, when you are directly over the anchor, cleat the rode and
power forward. This should easily break it out. But, what if it's still stuck? First, you might try
pulling in different directions with greater and greater force. If you had thought about this ahead of
time you could have set a trip line when you anchored. If the flukes of the anchor get caught under a
rock or obstruction the trip line will allow you to pull the anchor out the way it came in. Just motor
around to the back side of the anchor, being careful to keep out of the way of the rode, pick up the
trip line and pull the anchor free.

In order for this to work you

must rig the trip line and buoy
ahead of time. What if you didn't
think to do that?

While you can hook up a trip

line in advance on any anchor there are some anchors that have a special slot in the shank allowing
the anchor rode to slide down to the crown when pulled from the opposite direction.
What if you don't have one of those special anchors? If the water is not too deep and it's clear you
could free dive and attach a line to the crown. Another trick you can try is to place a large diameter
metal eye, or ring, on the anchor rode at the bow. It will need to be large enough to slide all the way
down your anchor shank. You will have to disconnect the bitter end of the anchor line to get the eye
onto the rode. Now, tie a line onto this eye and slide it down the anchor rode. By keeping the anchor
rode taught you will be able to drop this eye all the way down the rode, over the shackle, then down
the shank to the crown where you can now use it just like a trip line.

Anchoring Styles & Mooring

Boats at anchor have a natural tendency to swing or move from side to side. Also, the
wind may change or even reverse direction altogether producing a large diameter
circle in which the boat moves. Whether you use one anchor off the bow, two anchors
off the bow, or a bow and stern anchor some amount of swing will inevitably take
place. However, between these different anchoring styles there will be large
differences in the amount of swing produced. Let's take a look at some scenarios:
The greatest amount of swing is produced when
we use just a single anchor. This may be a
disadvantage of this style of anchoring but it does
have its advantages. It's easy to do, there's little
chance of wrapping the rode around the propeller
shaft, and it's easy to undo. If a situation comes
up, especially at night in foul conditions, there is a
minimum of work and thought that goes into
picking up the anchor and leaving.

Here we have two anchors off the bow. Swing

room is less than with a single anchor and holding
power is increased. First deploy and set one
anchor then, keeping that rode out of the way,
motor over to the second spot, drop and set the
second. The disadvantage? Often, the rodes will
become entangled during the night as the boat
swings around.

This is a Bahamian moor; one anchor off the bow

and one off the stern or both anchors can be off
the bow. The boat stays in one spot with virtually
no swing experienced. The advantage is in areas
of strong, reversing tidal flows. The boat remains
almost exactly in the same place no matter which
way the tide is flowing. Always align the boat with
the tide not across the tidal flow.
To set a Bahamian moor motor up current, drop
anchor, allow current to bring you back and set
the anchor on short scope; 4 or 5 to 1. Then play
out more rode until you are twice as far back.
Drop the second anchor off the stern and carefully
power forward and set it, ending up in the middle.
The disadvantage in this system is the greater
likelihood of wrapping the rode around the propeller when you are using line as part
of the anchor rode.

In the Med moor at left the boat drops anchor

then backs up to the dock to tie off. This is
convenient for boarding at the stern. The boat
in the drawing backs to port because of prop
walk. Almost all single engine boats have a
natural tendency to back to port when the
engine is in reverse. If you have trouble
backing up to the dock you can take a stern
line ashore with your dinghy, push the boat
with the dinghy, or first drop someone off at
the dock.

For a get-together on the water rafting at anchor

is a possibility, just make sure to take precautions.
The water must be almost flat with little possibility
of waves. Damage to boats can easily occur if one
boat's side moves up while the one next door
moves down. Largest boat goes in the middle and
sets a large anchor on increased scope. Use plenty
of fenders between boats and full sets of dock
lines. The masts must be staggered so they won't
entangle each other if the boats start to roll.

Kedging off. Oops! We just ran hard

aground. Not to worry, there are many
alternatives depending on the
circumstances. Here, we use our anchor to
pull ourselves back into deeper water. This
technique works quite well. First, try
pulling the boat back the way she came in.
After all, you have dug a trench in that
direction so it should be easier.
Alternatively, you can try to spin her
around by using an anchor off the bow. You may think this is easier because you can
use your electric windlass, right? Probably not because of the poor angle of pull.

One of the things that doesn't seem to work in the above situation is setting the kedge
anchor and attaching it to the main halyard in hopes of pulling the boat over thus
raising the keel. it doesn't work well because of the very short scope. With a 50' tall
mast and 10' of water depth to get even a 5 to one scope you'd need 300' of rode out.
If you have it go for it. You can easily pull the boat over thus decreasing its draft
(depth of the keel below the waterline) by passing a line to another boat attached to
your main halyard.

Picking up a mooring. There will be times when you want to moor instead of anchor.
Moorings are common in many areas including the Caribbean. Moorings are
convenient and quick compared to anchoring. Because they are much more secure
than an anchor much shorter scope is used with them. Another advantage of the
mooring is no damage will be done to any coral or wrecks by your anchor.
Picking up the mooring is a
simple matter of slowly
approaching it under power
and stopping just in front of it.
As with anchoring, approach
from downwind. Don't worry if
you miss it on your first or
second try. Just go around and
start again.

At the mooring pick up the eye

in the end of the pendant. With a mooring line
already attached to one bow cleat, thread it
through the eye and back to the other bow cleat.
Or, use two mooring lines; each one goes from a
bow cleat, through the eye of the pendant, and
returns to be cleated to its original bow cleat. The
advantage of doing it this way is two-fold;
because the eye on the pendant will no longer be slipping along a single mooring line
chafe will be negligible and no noise will be created for those sleeping in the forward
cabin.
Leaving the mooring buoy is an easy matter of releasing the mooring line(s) at one
end then pull them onto the boat and you're free to go! We usually sail off our
mooring as it builds skill. You can do this by first raising your mainsail, cast off the
mooring and, once underway, take out the headsail.

Choosing an Anchorage

We've been out sailing for the afternoon and decide to anchor overnight. First we
must locate a suitable anchorage. What makes a good anchorage? Many cruising
guides will place anchor symbols on charts of local waters showing where they think
there is a good place to anchor. Sometimes they get it right and sometimes not. The
cruising guide is still an excellent place to start a search.
The best anchorages are often the ones not marked on a chart or talked about in a
cruising guide. Why? Because there will be few boats there and you'll enjoy privacy
and quiet.
We can use four criteria to help us choose where best to drop the hook. We'll look at
each one of these in detail:
• Protection from wind, waves, and weather.
• Good holding for the anchor.
• Room enough for us to swing at anchor.
• Sufficient depth of water (but not too much).
Protection from weather. This is especially important if you are anchoring near the
ocean where the waves and swell generated at sea can rock your boat throughout the
night. If we want a restful night's sleep we'll find a place where we can tuck into a
harbor or behind an island for protection. Study the chart carefully with a mind to
where the wind and waves are coming from. Few anchorages offer good protection
from all directions.
Good holding. We want to find a place where we can be sure the anchor will hold
throughout the night. How do we know what the bottom is made of and what kind of
bottom is best? Conditions of the bottom are often noted on charts; with S for sand
and M for mud usually making good holding ground. Do not anchor where the charts
show underwater cables or says "foul". Losing an anchor is an expensive
proposition. We talk about retrieval techniques in Anchors & How They Work.
Room to swing. Once we set our anchor and are sure it will hold there will be a
natural amount of boat swing. With few exceptions, a boat at anchor is always
moving. With one anchor out we may swing all the way around it to complete a circle
if the wind changes direction. Care must be taken when choosing a spot to drop
anchor allowing for plenty of room to swing.
Sufficient depth. We need to have enough water to anchor in, but not too much. In
areas with high tidal range it may not be apparent there will be insufficient water for
the boat at low tide. This is called grounding at anchor. On the other hand, too much
water can be a problem. if we have the usual amount of rode to let out, say 200', we
will have difficulty holding in water much deeper than 25'. So, like Goldilocks, we'll
look for a place for the night that's just right.
What if we were to ground at anchor? Best consult some tide tables to see how much
more tide is going out. If you anchored in 10' of water at high tide and the tidal range
is 8' you've got a problem. Get out of there any way you can, perhaps call for a tow.
But, if you just touch bottom at low tide it's not a big deal, just wait for the tide to
come back in.
Let's take a look at a chart and see what goes into this decision making process.
Here, it's a nice Saturday afternoon sailing in the northern end of Biscayne Bay. We'd
like to anchor somewhere for the night and enjoy the company onboard and perhaps
a passing dolphin or two.
Above we see Key Biscayne, Biscayne Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean to the East. The
least desirable place on the chart to anchor would be the East side of Key Biscayne.
There we'd have large waves and a lee shore is formed by the island. A lee shore is
any shore where the wind is coming from open water. The danger is wrecking our
boat on the coast if our anchor drags. Ideally, we'd like to be in the lee of Key
Biscayne that is; sheltered by it from the wind. So, we should confine our search to
west and south of the island.
We find No Name Harbor in our cruising guide and read about it. Let's apply our
four criteria for a good anchorage one by one:
1. Protection from weather. It certainly has that as it is almost completely
surrounded by land.
2. Good holding. We don't know for sure but we could try setting our anchor and
see what the result is.
3. Room to swing. Questionable. It's Saturday night and we suspect there will be
a crowd.
4. Sufficient depth. Yes, we see the water depth is 10' at low tide.
What about aesthetics? No view. Close to trees and shrubs so probably mosquitoes.
Other boats anchored very close means noise. And finally, we see this is part of the
Florida State Park system and they charge $15/night for anchoring here. We decide
to look elsewhere so we take a second look at the chart and find the area to the
northwest of Key Biscayne is littered with cable areas and shoal water only a few feet
deep but, to the southwest, we see a promising area:
The large circle above shows a potential anchorage. There is no name for this bay
and it's not listed or talked about in the cruising guide but it does look good. Let's see
if it satisfies our four criteria.
1. Protection from weather. It looks like it does provide this because we would be
in the lee of Key Biscayne.
 2. Good holding. We don't know for sure but we could try setting our anchor and
see what the result is. However, we do see an 'M' on the chart indicating the
bottom is mud which should work for us.
3. Room to swing. Absolutely. We measure the north-south distance for the
anchorage and find it's .75 nautical miles. Even with several other boats there
should be plenty of room.
4. Sufficient depth. Yes, we see the water depth is 8'-10' at low tide.
Aesthetics? Well, there are fancy homes lining the western shore of Key Biscayne and
to the northwest we see the skyline of Miami in the distance. And, as we enter the
anchorage, there's a pod of Dolphins playing.
Some things to avoid in choosing an anchorage: Grassy or weedy bottoms as
anchors have a hard time setting; obstructions, wrecks, and cable areas; and do
avoid areas with a lee shore.
It's important not to anchor too close to other boats. When first approaching an
anchorage look at any other boats anchored. What style of anchoring are they using?
If you are close at all to other boats you should anchor in their same style so that all
boats swing the same amount in the same direction. The first boat anchoring sets the
style for others arriving later; this is known as the rights of the first boat in an
anchorage. But, if you provide yourself with plenty of room to swing you may choose
your own style of anchoring and you may let out additional scope for added security.
We talked about special anchorages in Navigation Lights. Be careful if you choose to
use one as they may be crowded and offer a bottom fouled with old, lost anchors and
chains.
Approach a potential anchorage with sails furled and under power. Motor around
and take a look at things. Do the other boats look sea-worthy? Or, abandoned and
neglected? Be patient and take your time sizing up the possibilities and potential for
dangerous situations. And, don't forget to turn on your anchor light before sunset.