The Bosun´s Mate Glossary of Terms

The Bosun´s Mate dictionary of Nautical Terms has been compiled from many sources and is constantly being augmented and revised in our attempt to capture as much of the rich yet complicated (and often conflicting) maritime termonology as possible.

You will find an extensive list of information about all sorts of nautical items from sailor´s knots to the sailors themselves, and from ships to the weather patterns of the seas they ply.

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Abbreviations Abbreviations and Acronyms (41 terms) SMS The SAR Management System is a web based administration and tracking system for Search and Rescue. Designed and developed by PawPrint.net in 2005 More information is available at http://www.sarmanagementsystem.com	Actions The things sailors do (8 terms) Wake A disturbed column of water around and behind a pleasure craft as it makes its way through the water. It includes both the charastic "V" shaped wave pattern and the turbulent wated thrown Back by the propellers. A detailed look: http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/jul2001/994688283.Ph.r.html
Directions Why say back when you can say aft instead! (20 terms) Leeway 1. The sideways movement of the Boat caused by either wind or Current. 2. To be blown in the direction of the wind	Expressions Common sayings and expressions from maritime lore (149 terms) Nautical mile One minute of Latitude, 1.85 km or 6076 feet - aproximately 1/8 longer than the US statute mile of 5280 feet.
Food The foods of the sea (2 terms) Sea-pie A favorite dish for the crew of tall ships. It could consist of almost anything, but the propper dish consisted of layers of meat, vegetables, and fish alternating with crusts of bread and/or broken biscuit - affectionately referred to as a Two or Three decker based on the number of layers.	Knots Various knots both functional and ornamental from the nautical to the ornamental and with both historic and present day value. (12 terms) Sheetbend A Knot used to tie two ropes of unequal thickness together. Also known as the weaver´s knot
Life aboard Bits and bobs from life aboard ship (5 terms) Q flag All yellow signal flag meaning "My vessel is healthy and I request free passage.	Maneuvers Specific sailing maneuvers (33 terms) Heel 1. To lean over to one side. 2. The Aft end of the Keel and lower part of the sternpost where they are connected. 3. The bottom of a Mast, Boom, or Bowsprit. The Hell is the part of a Mast that is fitted into the keelson in masts that are steeped through the Deck or a tabernacle on Deck in the case of masts designed to be raised and lowered at will.
Navigation The points of sail and seamanship (76 terms) CPA Typically spoken of in terms of RADAR Plotting: the closest distance at which it is calculated that a target vessel will pass (or approach)	Parts The parts of ships (131 terms) Chock A fitting (usually metal) through which Anchor or mooring Lines are led. Usually U-shaped to reduce Chafe
People Important people and/or their positions in nautical history (14 terms) Limey A nickname for British sailors coined by the Americans. It referrs to the British regulation that all registered ships had to cary a supply of lime juice and issue the same to the crew to prevent Scurvy.	Places Key locations of the maritime world (20 terms) Head 1. The top or foward part of something. 2. The part of a sailing vessel Forward of the fo´c´sle and around the beak that was used by the crew (amungst other things) as a lavatory. 3. Any modern day vessel´s toilet - indicating both the bathroom area and the toilet itself. 4. The upper corner of a triangular Sail or top edge of a four sided Sail.
Rigging Rigging components and terms (104 terms) Line 1. Rope used for various purposes Aboard Ship.	Sails Sails, their parts and materials (30 terms) Headboard A small wooden batten inserted at the Head of a bermuda Mainsail.
Ships Types of vessels and some famous examples (22 terms) Ship 1. A specific sailing rig consisting of a vessel with three masts with square sails on all three masts. 2. Possive: "The Ship" to refer to a vessel by here crew - this will sometimes apply to not only the vessel by includes her crew, Gear, and stores as well. 3. May refer to any Boat.	Spars The various spars used aboard ship (6 terms) Bowsprit A Spar running Forward from the Bow of a vessel. It functions as a horizontal Mast for the spritsail, fore-topmast staysail and, in conjunction with the Jibboom, the Jib.
Tools The tools of the trade (27 terms) Ditty bag A small bag, typically made from scraps of canvas, for carrying or stowing personal articles or tools.	unsorted terms awaiting clasification (36 terms) none found
Weather Meteorology and its relationship to sailing (7 terms) Fronts Used in meteorology to describe bounderies between hot and cold air masses. This is typically where bad weather is found.

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