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) ARTE A team of members of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary - Pacific that work to help the various units around the coast with their training and also evaluate members at higher levels - to help ensure that everyone is meeting the same standards.	Actions The things sailors do (8 terms) Jettison 1. To throw Overboard. 2. To expell or otherwise remove.
Directions Why say back when you can say aft instead! (20 terms) Forward Toward the Bow of the Boat.	Expressions Common sayings and expressions from maritime lore (149 terms) Center line The imaginary Line running from Bow to Stern along the middle of the Boat.
Food The foods of the sea (2 terms) Scurvy A disease historically common to seaman, caused by lack of Vitamin C the British Navy started to fight it bu adding lime juice to their water - this was the origin of the slan "Limey"	Knots Various knots both functional and ornamental from the nautical to the ornamental and with both historic and present day value. (12 terms) Lash 1) To Secure or bind something using Rope or twine.
Life aboard Bits and bobs from life aboard ship (5 terms) Skylarking Playing by climbing around in the Rigging. Especially when done as high as possible.	Maneuvers Specific sailing maneuvers (33 terms) About A vessel is said to go, come, or put About when she alters Course from one Tack to the other
Navigation The points of sail and seamanship (76 terms) Bearing The direction of an object expressed as an agnle in degrees or Compass points from the vessel´s meridian, or , sometimes, from the direction of the Bow, Stern, or Beam. An answer to the question "Where Away"	Parts The parts of ships (131 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.
People Important people and/or their positions in nautical history (14 terms) Boatswain Also Bosun, bos´n, bo´s´n, and bo´sun, all of which are pronounced Bosun. A crew member responsible for keeping the Hull, Rigging and sails in good repair.	Places Key locations of the maritime world (20 terms) Quay A wharf used to discharge cargo
Rigging Rigging components and terms (104 terms) Eye splice A splice to create a loop in the end of a Line, by braiding the end into itself.	Sails Sails, their parts and materials (30 terms) loof (an older spelling for the word Luff) 1. (n) The leading edge of a Sail. 2. (v) The act of a Sail flapping in the wind. 3. (v) To bring the ship´s Head closer to the wind.
Ships Types of vessels and some famous examples (22 terms) Yacht A sailboat or powerboat used for pleasure; ie: not a working Boat.	Spars The various spars used aboard ship (6 terms) Topmast A second Spar carried at the top of a Mast, used to fly more Sail.
Tools The tools of the trade (27 terms) Caulking Material used to seal the seams in a wooden vessel, making it watertight	unsorted terms awaiting clasification (36 terms) none found
Weather Meteorology and its relationship to sailing (7 terms) Quartering Sea When the wind, and thus the waves, are falling on a boat´s quarter.

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