When aboard a superyacht you will encounter many terms and abbreviations that will not be familiar.
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bare boat: a sailing or motor yacht for hire/charter without crew
bearing: the direction a vessel or object appears to be heading in relation to the observer
belay: stop or cease. “belay that noise!”
bilge: the lowest part of the yacht where water collects
Bimini: covers the cockpit and protects it from the sun. A bimini may be solid but is frequently a canvas cover.
bitt
Vertical post extending above the deck to secure docking lines.
black water: water flushed from the toilet. Usually stored in a black water tank from where it can be pumped out when using a port facility or drained when in deep water (more than 11 miles from shore).
See also ‘grey water’.
bollard: A sturdy, short, vertical post on a ship or quay used principally for mooring boats.
bow: the front of the yacht, aka the pointy end (humerous).
bowsprit: a horizontal spar extending from the bow (front) of the boat used to attach the forestay to the foremost mast. Sails which attach to the stays of the bowsprit are called forestaysails.
breaking seas: large waves with crests
bridge: the part of the ship where the navigation, steering, and engine speed is controlled. Manned by the captain and other bridge officers.
bridge deck: the deck on which the Bridge is located.
BST: basic safety training
bulbous bow: the bulbous bow, seen at or just below the waterline on the stem of the ship is a design feature that reduces drag on the vessel and aids the efficiency of travelling through the water.
bulwarks: the sides of the yacht above the upper deck
bunny pad: A bunny pad is not an official part of a yacht, but it is what some consider the area on the deck for sunbathing and relaxing.
buoy: A floating marker that indicates the presence of underwater hazards, channels, or places for tying up boats.
burgee: a triangular flag or one having a shallow, angular indentation in the fly, forming two tails, used as an identification flag, especially by yachts.
cabin: rooms on yachts where passengers and crew members sleep
captain: the captain or master is in charge of the vessel.
captain only yacht charter: a sailing or motor yacht for hire with a captain as the only crew member
cast off: to detach the mooring lines
Casting deck/platform: A surface at the front or back part of a boat that’s elevated so you can fish without obstructions and have a better view of the water.
chine: the place on the yacht where the hull and the deck intersectcook only yacht charter: a sailing or motor yacht for hire with a cook as the only crew member
chain locker: storage bin for the anchor chain.
chain marking: the anchor chain is usually marked at fixed intervals so that the crew can visually check how much chain has been let out. The chief Mate or captain will calculate the required length of chain based on the depth to the sea bed and the nature of the Anchorage, e.g. a short stay if a few hours for lunch may need a chain equal to 4 times the depth, whereas an overnight stay in the same location might need chain equal to 7 to 10 times the depth.
chartering: renting a sailing or motor yacht by the week; renting a yacht for the day is simply called renting
cockpit: where the helm of a yacht is located. On a motor yacht it may also refer to the deck area rearmost of the main deck.
Cleat: a wood, plastic or metal fitting onto which you tie or loop a line. This can be on a boat or a dock.
Cockpit: A protected, somewhat enclosed space on deck, usually from where a boat is controlled or steered.
Console: A raised structure on the deck of a boat that usually holds the helm or steering station and may include a toilet or stowage space in the compartment below.
COG: Course Over Ground. This is often different to the boats heading due to the effect of winds and tide.
compartmentation: The subdivision of a ship’s hull into watertight compartments.
course: the direction the yacht is traveling or planning to travel.
Crestron: a home automation system frequently found on yachts.
crewed: a sailing or motor yacht for hire with a complete crew
davit: any of various cranelike devices used singly or in pairs for supporting, raising, and lowering especially boats, anchors, and cargo over a hatchway or side of a ship.
daywork: term for a temporary worker on a yacht
deck: the areas surrounding each level of the yacht where people can stand, walk, or lounge
deck hand: crew members who perform the majority of their duties on the decks and exterior of the boat. This includes launching, recovery and driving of the tender and toys.
devils claw: a device that is used as a chain stopper to grab and hold an anchor chain.
Diesel: The fuel used by the main engines and generators.
depth sounder: instrument used to determine how deep the water is at a specific location
dinghy or tender: a small boat attached to the yacht that is used for transporting people from the yacht to shore
dive instructor: a PADI qualified dive instructor.
dock: anyplace where the yacht can tie up and be secured
draft: The vertical distance from the bottom of the keel to the waterline is the ship’s draft.
drop anchor: lower the anchor to the sea bed, then the chain. (Full process detailed in the ships procedures).
dry dock: a location where the yacht is pulled out of the water; major maintenance or repairs are usually performed at a dry dock
DWT: Deadweight tonnage (also known as deadweight; abbreviated to DWT, D.W.T., d.w.t., or dwt) or tons deadweight (DWT) is a measure of how much weight a ship can carry, not its weight, empty or in any degree of load. DWT is the sum of the weights of cargo, fuel, fresh water, ballast water, provisions, passengers, and crew.
engine room: as the name implies the room on the ship that contains the main engines, and generators, as well as fuel manifold and fuel filters. The watermaker is usually found in the engine room. The engine room is off limits to all guests and most crew, the room is usually kept sealed (not locked) for safety reasons and to engage the automatic fire suppression system.
Engineer: person who maintains the electrical and mechanical systems on the boat. The Chief engineer is responsible for all the onboard systems.
Ensign: A yacht ensign is a flag allowed by some nations to be hoisted as the national ensign (instead of the civil ensign) by yachts. As with any other civil ensign, the yacht ensign is the largest flag on board, and is generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship.
EPIRB: Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is a device to alert search and rescue services (SAR) in case of an emergency out at sea. It is tracking equipment that transmits a signal on a specified band to locate a lifeboat, life raft, ship or people in distress.
fairlead: A device to guide a line, rope or cable around an object, out of the way or to stop it from moving laterally. Typically a fairlead will be a ring or hook.
The fairlead may be a separate piece of hardware, or it could be a hole in the structure.
Fathom: an old unit of measurement used for the depth of water. Equivalent to 6 feet or 1.82 metres. The fathom is not recognised as an International Standard (SI) unit of measure.
FLIR: Forward Looking Infrared Radar.
flybridge: an open deck on a cabin cruiser located above the bridge on the cabin roof and usually having a duplicate set of navigating equipment. May also have a social area.
fore, forward: toward the front of the yacht
fore and aft: from one end of the yacht to the other
foredeck: the deck area at the front of the boat in front of any guest areas
forepeak: the storage unit on a yacht that is closest to the front of the vessel
founder: a yacht that is having difficulty staying afloat
Freeboard: simply put, the freeboard on a ship is the distance between the waterline and the main deck. Usually measured midships.
galley: A boat kitchen, which may be inside the boat or outside on deck.
global positioning system: like GPSs used on land, these are used to help crew members stay on course
green water: water that washes aboard the yacht in one wall of water rather than spray. Usually washed over the bow of the boat.
grey water: this refers to water from showers, wash basins, kitchen sinks, dish water, washing machines, and air conditioners. (All forms of waste used water except water from toilets.) Stored in grey water tanks and pumped out at the marina.
GMDSS: global maritime and distress safety system
GT: gross tonnage
guest stateroom: guest bedroom and en suite bathroom.
Gunwale: Also known as gunnel, this is the outermost top edge of a boat hull, usually where the deck and hull come together.
halyard: ropes used for hoisting flags
harbormaster: the person at each harbor who is in charge
Hardtop: A top or roof added to a boat cabin-top or console. It serves to protect the driver and sometimes also passengers from the elements.
Hatch: An opening in the deck or cabin of a boat that serves as a window or door.
hawse pipe: the pipe or opening that the anchor chain runs from deck to anchor. The anchor chain runs from the anchor locker up to deck level through the spurling pipe, around the windlass, through the hawse pipe to the anchor.
head: the toilets onboard a yacht
heading: the course the yacht is traveling at a specific point in time
headseas: waves coming from the front of the yacht
heeling: when the yacht shifts away from the wind
helm: The steering station, which includes engine controls and a wheel or joystick.
helmsman: the crew member at the helm
high tide: a point of time in a day when the ocean is at its highest at a certain location
hollywood shower: a long warm shower. This term stems from the navy practice of a ‘regular shower’ being a squirt of cold water to get you wet, minute or so to lather up and shampoo your hair, followed by about 30 seconds of cold water to rinse off the lather. Whereas an extended duration shower, using warm water, is a luxury rarely enjoyed at sea (sometimes while docked at port and the ship is connected to a fresh water supply) and is referred to as a ‘hollywood shower’.
hull: the basic body of the yacht
IMO: International Maritime Organization
INTERCO: International Code of Signals
inverter: device to convert battery power to AC.
IRPCS: is the acronym for International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. Aka the COLREGS, or the ‘rules of the road’.
ISM: International Safety Management
ISPS: International Ship and Port Facility Security
iron sail: what some people call an engine on a sailboat
jet ski: a PWC manufactured by Kawasaki.
kalidescape: a tv/dvd entertainment system.
keel: a flat surface attached to the bottom of the yacht that helps keep it stabilized in the water and against the wind. All boats have,a keel, it is usually the first item laid down during construction. However, a sailing boat will often have a deep keel that extends well below the bottom of the hull.
knot: the rate of speed over the sea; one knot equals one nautical mile per hour
larboard: old term for the side of the ship now known as ‘port’. Originally derived from ‘loading side’ of the ship.
laundry: one of the main responsibilities of the interior stewardess. This covers guest laundry, crew laundry, towels and linen. Stain removal, washing, drying, steaming and pressing along with any special fabric and finishes treatment. Special treatment articles such as leather, suede, and dry cleaning cannot normally be handled aboard ship.
lee: the direction the wind is blowing
lee side: the part of a ship most protected from the wind
life boat or life raft: small boat required to be attached to each yacht, for use during emergencies
lines: ropes
list: a list describes the yacht leaning to one side or the other when it is not in operation. ‘Listing’ is normally used to refer to the leaning caused by ingress of water, whereas ‘heeling’ is used to describe the leaning caused by the wind.
Livewell: A tank designed to keep caught fish or bait alive during fishing.
log: tracks all the miles the yacht has traveled
logbook: where the yacht’s log is kept
low tide: a point of time in a day when the ocean is at its lowest at a certain location
magnetic north: Magnetic north is the direction that a compass needle points to as it aligns with the Earth’s magnetic field. See also True North.
main deck: the main guest area on the boat, incorporates the galley, dining area, saloon, and the cockpit.
make fast: to attach a line to an object so that it does not move
Maretron: a system that is used to monitor, record, and display functioning systems aboard the vessel. For example, the Maretron display in the captains cabin can be used to show engine revs, heading, wind direction and speed, as well as a series of warning lights that can be programed to alert on low fuel, low fresh water, full grey water tanks, etc.
marina:a specially designed harbour with moorings for pleasure yachts and small boats. A seaside location where ships and boats of all kinds can find fuel, provisions, and other needed services.
MARPOL: the international convention for the prevention of pollution by ships
MARPOL: the shortened version of Marine Pollution, which refers to the 1978 international treaty for the prevention of pollution from ships
master: person in charge of the yacht, usually the captain
mate: the captain’s assistant. A deck officer. The first officer, or chief mate, is the most senior deck officer and second in command to the captain. In practice, whilst the captain has ultimate control and responsibility for everything on the yacht, the captain attends to the administrative and legal aspects of running the ship whilst the first officer/ chief mate manages the crew.
MCA: Maritime and Coast Guard Agency of the United Kingdom
mess: area where the crew can eat and relax. Often referred to as the crew mess. (On large vessels, you may find a Captains mess, and an Officers mess.)
Meteorology: the scientific study of the atmosphere and of atmospheric conditions, especially as they relate to weather and weather forecasting
Mile: A mile is a land distance measure of 1760 yards (as set by Elizabeth 1st). We also have ‘sea miles’ which is 1 minute of arc of latitude, thus it varies according to latitude. There is also a radar mile which is fixed as 2000 metres. On land mph is miles per hour. At sea, knots (kt) is sea miles per hour.
mooring buoy: an anchored buoy fitted to receive a ship’s mooring chain or hawser
morse code: a code system that uses a series of short and long clicks to indicate letters. Largely replaced by modern UHF and VHF systems
nautical flag alphabet:
nautical mile: equal to approximately 6,067 feet
navigation: the process of plotting the course of the yacht from its current position to its destination
Navigation: the process or activity of accurately ascertaining one’s position and planning and following a route
navigation lights: a set of lights shown by a ship or aircraft at night to indicate its position and orientation
navigator: the person responsible for navigating the yacht
NAVTEX: Navigational Telex, a radio system that converts radio signals into printed text for weather reports.
Officers mess: area where the ships officers can relax and eat.
offshore: located away from land
oil change: diesel and petrol 4 stroke engines have a reservoir of oil that is used to cool and lubricate the engine during operation. Over time the oil gets contaminated and needs to be replaced, the oil filter is replaced as part of the procedure.
open water diver: a PADI qualified scuba diver.
painter: a line used to tie a small boat to a secure point.
parallel: latitude line
passage: getting from one place to another via a boat
passerelle: the gangway that extends from the transom.
PB2: Power Boat level 2 certificate. An intermediate level certificate that all deck crew are expected to posses.
pennant: a tapering flag on a ship, especially one flown at the masthead of a vessel in commission.
personal flotation device: an object used to keep someone afloat in the water in case of an emergency
Pigeon Hole: Flag locker hole
pilothouse: another name for the bridge, which also includes a seating area for crew and/or guests.
pitch: the motion of the boat where the bow of the boat alternately raises up and dips down.
pontoon: a floating platform
poop deck: the deck closest to the yacht’s stern
port: the left side of the boat when looking towards the bow.
Port bow: the left side of the front of the boat
Port quarter: the left side at the stern of the boat
Portuguese bridge: a walkway behind the foredeck, in front and to the sides of, the pilothouse windows, separated from the foredeck by a (generally) waist-high bulwark.
prevailing winds: the winds that are common at a specific location
propeller: A propeller is a rotating fan-like structure which is used to propel the ship by using the power generated and transmitted by the main engine of the ship.
prop walk: Propeller walk is the term for a propeller’s tendency to rotate about its vertical axis. The rotation is in addition to the forward or backward acceleration. Knowing of and understanding propeller walk is important when maneuvering in small spaces.
provisioning: food and beverages for the cruise
prow: the part of the brow at the forward part of the yacht, where it leaves the waterline
PWC: Personal Water Craft, a generic term that refers to all forms of Jet Ski and Waverunner.
quay: a stone or metal platform lying alongside or projecting into water for loading and unloading ships
Racor fuel filter: The Racor Fuel Filter Water Separator Turbine Series is a three-stage filtration system that provides maximum protection of diesel engine components by effectively removing contaminants from fuel, such as water, silica, sand, dirt, and rust.
RADAR: an acronym for Radio Azimuth Direction And Ranging
rafting:
rail: the yacht deck’s edges
Red rain: Sahara-derived dust rains, termed “red rains” or, more ominously, “blood rains,” are relatively rare meteorological phenomena associated with Saharan dust transport occurring across Europe. These rains deposit red dust onbtge boat and ut needs to be washed off soon thereafter.
Rhumb Line: a curve on the surface of a sphere that cuts all meridians at the same angle. It is the path taken by a vessel or aircraft that maintains a constant compass direction.
ride out: waiting for a storm to pass through, whether you are at sea or anchored
right: to return a yacht or boat to an upright position
Rigging: The wires, cables or lines, which support a mast on a boat.
rode: the length of chain and rope connecting the anchor to the boat.
roll: a side-to-side motion of the yacht, usually due to high waves or rough waters
Rotation: This refers to crew rotation, its not a fancy dance step! Crew rotation is a work scheme where crew are given a long break between even longer periods of work, and the ship has replacement crew to fill the gaps. A rotation of 4:2 means 4 months work followed by 2 months leave, pay is usually less than ful time crew salary, and during the leave period is often just 25% of normal salary.
Rudder: An appendage below the waterline that steers the boat.
RYA: Royal Yachting Association – UK National Governing Body. Providing training, publications and performance for all forms of British Boating.
Salon/Saloon: the guest lounge on the main deck is the saloon. In the USA this area is often referred to as the salon. On our yacht we ascribe to the notion that a salon is a place that ladies go for beauty treatments, whereas gentlemen gather in the saloon for conversation and to drink.
salute: The British Army developed a salute with the palm facing outwards, also used by the Royal Air Force. The Royal Navy, however, adopted a version with the palm facing downwards, thought to be because many men working on ships had dirty palms and to display them was disrespectful. The salute, in contrast to the Army and RAF, uses the short way up, fingers and thumb together and index finger just touching the cap brim or 1 inch above the right eyebrow, pause to wait for acknowledgement, then short way down to rest at the side.
scupper: a hole in a ship’s side to carry water overboard from the deck
sea anchor: an anchor used to stop a yacht while at sea, usually in inclement or rough weather
seagoing: a vessel designed to endure ocean crossings
Seamanship: the skill, techniques, or practice of handling a ship or boat at sea
Sea mile: see mile
Shackle: is a device used as a connecting link in rigging systems.
It can also refer to a nautical unit used for measuring the lengths of the cables and chains (especially anchor chains), equal to 15 fathoms, 90 feet or 27.432 meters.
sheet: a rope or line used to control a sail.
Ship motion: A ship at sea moves in six degrees of motion: heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch and yaw. The first three are linear motions. Heaving is the linear motion along the vertical Z-axis, swaying is the motion along the transverse Y-axis, and surging is the motion along the longitudinal X-axis. Rolling is a rotation around a longitudinal axis, pitching is a rotation around the transverse axis and yawing is a rotation around the vertical axis.
shot: US term equivalent to a european shackle, 15 fathoms, 90 feet.
shove off: to push a boat away from another boat or a dock
shower or bath: a frequently asked question is why there are no baths aboard the boat. It’s all a question of water conservation. It is generally accepted that showers use less water than a bath. Here are the numbers: a bath will take 30 gallons of water, filled to the overflow is about 42 gallons but when you get in you displace some of the water so it is never filled to that level, 30 gallons seems about right. A low pressure shower head uses about 2 gallons a minute whereas a standard shower head uses 2.5 gallons a minute, that equates to 20 gallons or 25 gallons for a 10 minute shower, less than a bath if kept to less than 10 minutes.
On my boat the freshwater tank holds 900 gallons of fresh water, plenty enough for multiple showers at the same time. The watermaker makes about 2000 gallons a day, so we shouldn’t run out of water when on the open seas (in port the port water is too dirty to use the watermaker). See also hollywood showers.
signal flags: International maritime signal flags are various flags used to communicate with ships
snubber: a “snubber” is a short length of non-stretchy cordage attached to the anchor chain and to a strong point on a yacht, with the aim of taking the load off the windlass or to stop the chain rattling on the bow roller.
SOG: Speed Over Ground
SOLAS: Safety of Life at Sea
SOPEP: Ship Oil Pollution Emergency Plan.
Spike pin: part of a shackle.
Sponson: Air-holding tubes are the traditional RIB sponson; cylindrical in shape with hull attachment points to the inside.
spurling pipe: the pipe that takes the anchor chain from the chain locker to the windlass
squall: a sudden violent gust of wind or a localized storm, especially one bringing rain, snow, or sleet.
“low clouds and squalls of driving rain”
starboard: the right side of the vessel when looking towards the bow.
starboard bow: the right side of the front of the boat.
starboard quarter: the right side at the stern of the boat
STCW: Standards of training, certification, and watchkeeping developed by the IMO
stern: the aft portion of the yacht, the back end of the boat, also the captains normal expression.
Stem: the stem of a boat is a solid post that rises from the keel up to the deck. It may be vertical or more often raked forward to give the ‘pointy’ look to the bow of the boat.
On wooden ships it ‘joins’ the port and starboard planking. On modern ships the stem is often a solid steel structure that gives protection in case of collision.
steward(ess): crew who works in the interior of the boat.
stow: put away (something that is not being used) in a place where it is available, where it can be kept safely, etc.
sump tank: when the shower drain is below the waterline it usually drains into a small tank, called a sump tank, fitted with a bilge pump that pumps the waste water overboard or into the grey water holding tank.
sun deck: guest area on the topmost deck of the boat. Often has sun loungers and a jacuzzi.
Superyacht: a yacht over 24 metres long
swell: large waves that don’t break
swim platform: a short extension beyond the transom, set at the water line and used by swimmers to regain access to the boat.
The swim platform has other uses such as fishing and is often the place where the tender and dingy and jetski etc is tethered.
T-top: A metal or composite structure designed to hold a canvas or hardtop to protect the boat driver from the sun.
teak: a tropical hardwood very popular as decking on boats. Also used for furniture that is subject to the elements, e.g. garden furniture, deck furniture, chairs and tables.
tender: small boat used to ferry passengers, crew, provisions and supplies between ship and shore/marina.
toe rail: small rail that surrounds the decks. One important function of this rail is to prevent feet from sliding overboard when people work close to the edges of the deck.
transom: the flat surface forming the stern of a boat.
true north: True north is the direction that points directly towards the geographic North Pole. This is a fixed point on the Earth’s globe.
True north is a fixed point on the globe. Magnetic north is quite different.
UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law Of the Sea.
Underway: The water is taking ship from one place to another When she is not at anchor, or made fast to shore, or aground.
See also making way.
V-be A bed in the bow of a boat. Since bows are usually pointy, the bed or the room that holds that bed is V-shaped.
VSAT: Very Small Aperture Terminal. Any wiser? No? VSAT is the technology used aboard ships for two way satellite communications for Internet, data, and telephony when at sea.
wake: waves created by other boats in the water
Wardroom: a commissioned officers mess aboard a warship
watermaker: a reverse osmosis device that filters seawater under high pressure to make potable water. On large cruise liner sized boats the watermarking is generally by steam evaporation and recovery.
waverunner: a PWC manufactured by Yamaha.
weigh anchor: a command given to bring up the anchor from the ocean floor in preparation of setting sail
wheelhouse: room on a yacht where the steering takes place
winch: a hauling or lifting device
windlass:
yacht: a boat that is solely used for pleasure (no commercial use).
yacht broker: an agent that sells yachts
yacht charter broker: an agent that arranges charters
yaw: when a yacht or boat veers off-course, usually due to rough seas
