Activities The Great Outdoors Learn the Parts of a Sailboat and How to Communicate Them Essential Words You Need to Know Share PINTEREST Email Print Pierre-Yves Babelon/Getty Images The Great Outdoors Sailing Navigation & Seamanship Gear Types of Sailboats Hiking Climbing Skiing Snowboarding Surfing Paddling Fishing Scuba Diving & Snorkeling Learn More By Tom Lochhaas Tom Lochhaas is an experienced sailor who has developed several boating safety books with the American Red Cross and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. our editorial process Tom Lochhaas Updated May 24, 2019 The following are terms related to sailboats and their equipment, including the parts of the boat and how to communicate on one. Enjoy our list of all things nautical. A to E Auxiliary - A sailboat's engine, or a sailboat with an engine Backstay - The cable, usually made of wire, running from the stern to the masthead that helps support the mast Ballast - The weight in a sailboat's keel (sometimes in a centerboard) that helps keep the boat from leaning too much Batten - A slat, typically made of plastic, placed in a pocket in the mainsail to help it maintain good shape Beam - The width of the boat at its widest point Bitter end - The free end of a line Block - A pulley-like device used on a boat, with a sheave around which a line runs Boom - The spar, which is usually horizontal, back from the mast to which the foot of a sail is attached Boom vang - A device that prevents the boom from rising and, in some types, lowering Bow - The front section of the boat Cat rig - A sailboat designed for using a mainsail only, with the mast usually located more forward than in a sloop Centerboard - A thin, keel-like structure that can be raised (usually rotated on a hinge up into a centerboard trunk in the hull) that's present on many sailboats without a fixed keel to prevent the boat from being blown sideways Chock - A type of fairlead fitting through which an anchor rode or dock line passes to reduce chafing Cleat - A fitting around which a line is secured Companionway - The entrance area and steps from the cockpit into a sailboat's cabin Clew - The lower rear corner of a sail Daggerboard - Like a centerboard, but raised and lowered vertically instead of rotating on a hinge Daysailer - Generally a small sailboat without a cabin large enough for comfortable overnight cruising Dinghy - A type of small sailboat or a small row or powered craft typically taken along when cruising in a larger sailboat Displacement - The weight of a boat, equal to the weight of water the boat displaces Dodger - A spray shield often made of foldable or removable fabric at the front of the cockpit Draft - The distance from a boat's waterline to the lowest part of its keel F to J Fender - A bumper generally made of rubber hung alongside the boat to prevent the hull from rubbing against a dock or other structure Foot - The bottom edge of a sail (compare to leach and luff, below) Forestay - A cable usually made of wire running from the bow to the masthead that helps support the mast Forward - Toward the bow Freeboard - The height of the deck above the water (the topsides section of the hull) Gate - An opening in the lifelines for boarding the boat, also called gangway Genoa - A large jib sail (the clew extends aft of the mast) Gooseneck - The fitting that attaches the boom to the mast Ground tackle - The collective term for a boat's anchor and anchor rode Gunwale (sometimes gunnel) - The outer edge of the boat's deck and cockpit, also called the rail Halyard - Line or wire used to hoist a sail Hank on - To attach a jib sail to the forestay with small snap hooks called hanks Head - The bathroom of a boat and also the top corner of a sail Helm - The means by which the sailboat is steered: the tiller or wheel Jackline - A line, strap, or wire secured over the deck as an attachment point for the tether of a safety harness Jib - The triangular sail attached to the forestay K to O Keel - The lower section of a sailboat's hull that's usually permanent and counteracts sideways movement and typically contains ballast Ketch - A type of sailboat with two masts Lanyard - A short cord or line, often used to secure a piece of gear (knife, whistle, etc.) that might be dropped Leech - The back edge of a jib or mainsail (compare to foot and luff, above and below) Lifeline - A line or wire (often vinyl coated) all around the boat that's held up with stanchions to prevent falling overboard Line - Any piece of rope used on a boat Luff - The leading edge of a jib or mainsail (compare to foot and leech, above) Mainmast - The mast, or the tallest mast of a sailboat with multiple masts Mainsail - The sail affixed to and behind the mainmast Mast - A tall vertical pole on a sailboat to support sails and rigging Mast step - The support structure for the bottom of the mast Mizzen - The smaller aft mast on a ketch or yawl; the mizzensail is affixed to and behind the mizzenmast Multihull - A catamaran (two hulls) or trimaran (three hulls) Outhaul - A fitting to adjust the tension of the foot of the mainsail on the boom P to T Padeye - A fitting usually made of metal with a loop or hoop to which other gear is attached Pendant (sometimes pennant) - A short line attaching the bow of a boat to a mooring, or a short wire attached to a sail or halyard as an extension PFD - A personal flotation device such as a lifejacket or an inflatable PFD Port - The left side of the boat when facing forward; the opposite of starboard Preventer - A-Line or other device used to prevent the boom from accidentally swinging from one side to the other Pulpit - A rail generally made of stainless steel around the bow or stern typically at the height of the lifelines Rail - the outer edge of the boat's deck and cockpit; also called the gunwale Rig (or rigging) - The mast, boom, and associated equipment including stays, shrouds, sheets, and halyards Rode - The line or chain between an anchor and the boat Roller furler - A device by which a sail is rolled up, such as the jib rolling around a rotating forestay fitting Rudder - An appendage below or on the boat's stern that is rotated by moving the tiller or wheel to steer the boat Safety harness - Personal gear, either a separate harness or one built into a PFD, that attaches to a tether to keep the person on board Sail ties - Short straps or pieces of line used to tie a lowered mainsail to the boom or secure a sail on deck Schooner - A type of sailboat with two or more masts, the forward one being shorter than the main mast Seacock - A valve fitting for closing an opening through the boat's hull (drains, water pipes, etc.) Shackle - A fitting typically made of metal that secures two things together, such as a halyard shackle connecting to a sail Sheet - The line used to let out or trim in a sail; on a sloop, a mainsheet and two jib sheets Shroud - Wire or line stay from the deck or hull supporting the mast on each side Sloop - A type of sailboat with one mast and two triangular sails (main and jib) Sole - The floor of the cockpit or cabin Spinnaker - A lightweight sail used downwind, often ballooning in front of the boat Spreaders - Metal struts on the mast that hold the shrouds out from the mast for a better support angle Stanchions - Short metal poles around the boat's perimeter that support the lifelines Starboard - The right side of the boat (when facing forward); opposite of port Stay - Wire or line from the deck or hull to support the mast; stays include the forestay, backstay, and shrouds (on the sides) Tack - The bottom front corner of a sail Telltales - Pieces of yarn or ribbons on the luff of a sail to help with trimming, or fastened to shrouds to show the wind direction Tether - A short line or strap that runs between a safety harness and a point of attachment on the boat to prevent going overboard Tiller - A long handle connected to the rudder or rudder post on many sailboats for steering Topping lift - A wire or line from the masthead that holds up the boom when the sail is lowered Topsides - The area of outer hull above the waterline Traveler - A fitting allowing the mainsheet attachment to the boat to be adjusted side to side U to Z Vang - See Boom vang Whisker pole - A pole used to hold out the jib when sailing off the wind Winch - A drum-like device used to pull in lines under strain (halyards, sheets) Windless - A heavy winch used with the anchor rode Yawl - A type of sailboat with two masts, the aft one (mizzen) being behind the rudder post Watch Now: Tips for Adusting Fairleads in Sailing