Nautical Dictionary

Baboon Watch

The unfortunate man who was assigned to remain on deck to watch over the ship's safety while the ship was in harbor, and the rest of the crew were off duty.

Baby Stay

Secondary forestay supporting the leading edge of the mast and used to flatten the mainsail in building winds.

Back

The wind shifts in a counterclockwise direction in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere (opposite of VEER); the wind is said to back when it changes contrary to its normal pattern.

Back Splice

A splice formed when a crown knot is made in the end of a piece of line and the ends are woven three times or more into the standing part of the line to keep it from unraveling.

Backing A Sail

To push a sail out so that the wind fills the opposite side, thus slowing the boat down.

Backing and Filling

Alternatively letting the sails draw, then spilling wind so as to keep a vessel more or less in one place until space is available, marking time.

Backspring

A spring line from the stern of a boat to mid ships to stop forward movement

Backstaff

A navigation instrument used to measure the apparent height of a landmark whose actual height is known, such as the top of a lighthouse. From this information, the ship's distance from that landmark can be calculated.

Backstay

Standing or running (adjustable) wire rigging that supports the mast from the stern; a wire mast support leading aft to the deck or another mast

Backwind

Wind that is deflected from it's normal course by the sails

Backwinded

When the wind pushes on the wrong side of the sail, causing it to be pushed away from the wind. If the lines holding the sail in place are not released, the boat could become hard to control and heel excessively.

Backwinding A Sail

To hold the mainsail or jib off to the side to cause the wind to blow onto the backside of the sail, used to slow a boat

Baggywrinkle

Tassels of unraveled line, yarns, etc. which are lashed around chafe spots such as spreaders to prevent chafe on sails.

Bail

To remove water from the boat by hand, bucket, pump etc.

Bailers

Openings in the bottom or transom of a boat to drain water when sailing.

Balance

The degree to which all the forces on a boat are symmetrical so the vessel sails with just a slight weather helm.

Balance Frames

Those frames of a ship's hull which are equal in area, one forward and one aft of the ship's center of gravity.

Bald-Headed

Sailing term used to indicate a sailing vessel underway with no headsails set.

Bale

A metal ring on a boom, pole or mast where blocks or shackles may be attached.

Ballast

Weight at the bottom or the lower portion of the boat to give her stability and/or to provide satisfactory fore and aft trim.. Ballast can be place inside the hull of the boat or externally in a keel. Heavy substances can be loaded by a vessel to improve stability, trimming, sea-keeping and to increase the immersion at the propeller. Sea water ballast is commonly loaded in most vessels in ballast tanks, positioned in compartments right at the bottom and in some cases on the sides, called wing tanks. On a tanker, ballast is seawater that is taken into the cargo tanks to submerge the vessel to a proper trim.

Ballast Tanks

Tanks carried in various parts of a ship for water ballast, for stability and to make the ship seaworthy.

Balloon Jib

A reaching headsail that has a big draft and is usually light-weight

Bar

A region of shallow water usually made of sand or mud, usually running parallel to the shore. Bars are caused by wave and current action, and may not be shown on a chart.

Bar Shot

Iron in a "dumbbell" shape shot into enemy rigging to cut lines and sails. 1

Bar Taut

Said of a rope when it is under such tension that it is practically rigid.

Barber Hauler

A sail control used to change the athwartships lead of the jib sheet by pulling the sheet toward the centerline of the boat.

Bare Boat Charter

A charter in which the bare ship is chartered without crew; the charterer, for a stipulated sum taking over the vessel for a stated period of time, with a minimum of restrictions; the charterer appoints the master and the crew and pays all running expenses.

Bare Poles

Condition of a sailing ship when all sails have been taken down in a severe storm, very often a hazardous undertaking if there is a high sea running.

Barge

(1) A cargo carrying vessel, usually without an engine, towed or pushed by a tug. Small barges for carrying cargo between ship and shore are known as lighters.

(2) Also a term in sail racinga boat which forces its way illegally between another contestant and the starting line is said to be barging.

Barnacle

A small shellfish which sticks to the bottoms of ships.

Barograph

An instrument used to keep a record of atmospheric pressure, such as on a paper drum.

Barometer

An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure in inches or millibars of mercury

Barometric Pressure

Atmospheric pressure as measured by a barometer.

Barque (Also Bark)

A sailing ship with three to five masts, all of them square-rigged except the after mast, which is fore-and-aft rigged.

Barquentine

Sailing vessel with three or more masts. Square rigged on foremast, fore and aft rigged on all others.

Barratry

Any wrongful act knowingly done by the master or crew of a vessel to the detriment of the owner of either ship or cargo; and which was done without knowledge or consent of owner or owners.

Bathyscaphe

A small free-moving submersible designed for exploring the ocean depths.

Batten

A thin, flexible wooden or plastic strip inserted into a pocket (batten pockets) on the back part (leech) of a sail to stiffen it and assist in keeping its form.

Batten Down

Secure hatches and loose objects both within the hull and on deck in preparation for approaching bad weather.

Batten Pockets

Pockets in a sail where battens can be placed to stiffen the sail.

Battle Honors

The names of battles or individual ship actions in which a warship has taken part, usually displayed in a prominent place on a ship as a source of pride in her name. Known as Battle Stars in the U.S. Navy.

Bay

An indentation of the coastline between two headlands.

Beachcomber

Originally a seaman who, not wanting to work, preferred to exist by hanging around ports and harbors and living on the charity of others. Now more generally describing any loafer around the waterfront who prefers not to work.

Beacon

A lighted or unlighted fixed (non-floating) aid to navigation that serves as a signal or indication for guidance or warning. (Lights and daybeacons both constitute "beacons.")

Beak

Name given to the metal point or ram fixed on the bows of old war galleys and used to pierce the hulls, and thus sink or disable enemy ships.

Beam

(1) The transverse measurement of a boat at its widest point. Also called breadth. (2) One of the transverse members of a ship's frames on which the decks are laid.

Beam Ends

Vessel said to be "on her beam ends" when she is lying over so much that her deck beams are nearly vertical.

Beam Reach

A point of sail where the boat is sailing at a right angle to the wind (wind coming from abeam). A beam reach is usually the fastest point of sail. A beam reach is a point of sail between a broad reach and a close reach.

Beam Sea

A situation in which waves strike a boat from the side, causing it to roll unpleasantly.

Beam Wind

One which blows across a boat's side

Beamy

Wide, a wide boat is a beamy boat

Bear, to

The direction of an object from the observer's position.

Bear Away, Bear Off

To turn the boat away from the wind. Also, Fall Off. The opposite of heading up.

Bear Down

To approach something from upwind

Bearing

(1) A compass direction, in compass points or degrees, from one point to another. Relative bearing is the direction relative to the heading of the boat with the bow 0 degrees and the stern 180 degrees. True bearing is the direction from the ship relating to true north with north being 0 degrees and south 180 degrees. (2) Also, a device for supporting a rotating shaft with minimum friction, which may take the form of a metal sleeve (a bushing), a set of ball bearings (a roller ball), or a set of pins around a shaft (a needle bearing).

Beat / Beating

To sail towards the direction from which the wind blows by making a series of tacks. A point of sail also known as sailing close hauled.

Beaufort Scale

A number system used to describe wind forces and sea conditions from 0 for a flat calm to 12 for a hurricane

Becalm

The act of blanketing a ship by cutting off the wind, either by the proximity of the shore or by another ship. A ship motionless by the absence of wind is said to be becalmed.

Becket

A loop or a small eye in the end of a rope or a block.

Bee

A ring or hoop of metal.

Bee Blocks

Wooden swells on each side of the after end of a boom, having sheaves through which to lead the leech reefing pendants.

Bees of the Bowsprit

Pieces of hard wood bolted to the outer end of a bowsprit through which are rove the foretopmast stays before they are brought in to the bows and secured.

Before the Mast

Said of a man who goes to sea as a rating compared with officers, and lives forward. Forward of a mast.

Before the Wind

Sailing with the wind from astern, in the same direction toward which the wind is blowing

Belay

(1) To make a line secure to a pin, cleat, bollard, bitt, etc. (2) Command to stop or cease action, e.g. "Belay the last order".

Belaying Pin

Iron or wood pin fitted into racks, around which lines can be belayed or secured.

Bell

Traditionally a ship's bell is made of brass and has her name engraved on it. It is used for striking the bells which mark the passage of time (see Bells) and is also used as a fog signal as an audible warning of a ship's position.

Bell Buoy

A navigational buoy on which is mounted a bell with clappers hung inside a metal cage, which is rung by the motion of the sea. It serves as a warning of shoal waters.

Bell Rope

A short piece of line spliced into the end of the clapper by which the bell is struck. Traditionally it is finished off with a double wall knot crowned in its end.

Below

Beneath the decks, i.e., inside a cabin or in a hold

Bend

A type of knot used to connect a line to a spar or another line, a sail to a spar, or a line to a sail. Also the act of using such a knot. (2) To swing your body when pulling on an oar

Bend on Sails

To install the sails on the boom or the forestay.

Beneaped

A situation where a vessel has gone aground at the top of the spring tides and has to wait for up to a fortnight (during which the neap tides occur) for the next tide high enough to float her off. Vessels beneaped at around the time of the equinoxes when the highest spring tides occur may have to wait up to 6 months to get off.

Bent on a Splice

Sailor's term for being about to get married, a splice being used to join two ropes together.

Bergy Bits

Pieces of ice, about the size of a small house, that have broken off a glacier.

Bermuda Rig

A sail plan in which the main and/or mizzen, or the foresail of a schooner, is of triangular shape, very long in the luff and set from a tall mast. This is almost now universal in all sailing yachts.

Berth

(1) A place for a person to sleep. (2) A place where the ship can tie up or anchor. (3) A position of employment aboard a ship (4) A safe and cautious distance from which another vessel or object is passed, as in "giving wide berth"

Beset

Said of a vessel when she is entirely surrounded by ice.

Best Bower

Term used in the days of sail to indicate the starboard of the two anchors carried at the bow of a ship. The anchor on the port side was known as the small bower (although they were the same size).

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

see Devil

Betwixt Wind and Water

On or near the line of immersion of a ship's hull.

Bewpars, Bewpers

Old name for bunting from which signal and other flags were made.

Bibbs

Pieces of timber bolted to the hounds of a mast of a square rigged ship to support the trestle trees.

Bible

see Holystone

Bight

(1) The part of a line between the ends. (2) A loop in a line. (3) An indentation in the coastline lying between two promontories, larger than a bay.

Bilboes

Long bars or bolts with a padlock on the end, on which iron shackles could slide, which were used on board ship to confine the legs of prisoners.

Bilge

The part of the floors of a ship on either side of the keel which approaches closer to a horizontal rather than vertical direction. The very lowest part of a boats interior where water is likely to collect.

Bilge Boards

When a boat has two separate fins, instead of a centerboard or keel, they are referred to as bilge boards.

Bilge Keels

Shallow keels, usually placed in conjunction with or in place of a center keel. Attached to each side of a vessel, they provide lateral resistance and stability, as well as support the weight of the hull of the ship on the ways when launching, or when in dry-dock for cleaning or repairs.

Bilge Pump

A mechanical, electrical, or manually operated pump used to remove water from the bilge.

Bilge Water

Water which runs down and collects in the bilges of a ship and usually becomes foul and noxious.

Bill of Health

A certificate authenticated by a recognized port authority, certifying that a ship comes from a place where there is no contagious disease, and that none of her crew was infected with such a disease.

Bill of Lading

A document by which the Master of a ship acknowledges having received in good order and condition (or the reverse) certain specified goods consigned to him by some particular shipper, and binds himself to deliver them in similar condition, unless the perils of the sea, fire or enemies prevent him, to the consignees of the shippers at the point of destination on their paying him the stipulated freight. A bill of lading specifies the name of the master, the port and destination of the ship, the goods, the consignee, and the rate of freight.

Binge

The operation of rinsing out a cask to prepare it for new contents. Casks were once the primary means of carrying on board the necessary water and victuals.

Binoculars

An optical device for magnifying distant objects by means of lenses and prisms, consisting of two barrels, one for each eye. 1

Binnacle

The mount and housing for the compass, usually located on the wheel's pedestal.

Bird's Nest

A small round platform, smaller than a Crow's Nest, which was placed at the top of the mast to provide a greater range of vision from a ship at sea.

Biscuit

Bread that was supplied to ships before bakeries were introduced on board.

Bite

An anchor is said to bite when the flukes dig themselves into the ground and hold firm without dragging.

Bitt

A vertical post extending above the deck for securing mooring lines

Bitter End

The last part of a rope or final link of chain. The end made fast to the vessel, as opposed to the "working end", which may be attached to an anchor, cleat, other vessel, etc.

Black Cargo

Cargo banned by general cargo workers for some reason. This ban could be because the cargo is dangerous or hazardous to health.

Black Gang

Nautical slang for the engineroom crew. Included the chief engineer, who ran the engine and supervised; oilers and wipers, who lubricated and maintained the engine; and firemen and coal-passers, who fed the steam boilers.

Black Jack

(1) The flag traditionally flown by pirate ships. (2) The name given by sailors to the bubonic plague, whose victims were said to turn black.

Black Squall

A sudden squall of wind accompanied by lightning.

Black-Down

The operation of tarring and blacking the rigging or hull to act as a preservative against the action of salt water. the best mixture was said to be coal tar, vegetable tar, and salt water boiled together and laid on hot.

Blanket

To block the wind from the sails of a boat that is to leeward; a tactical maneuver whereby a boat uses its sails to blanket the competitor's wind, slowing him down; to take wind from a sail.

Bleed

To bleed is the operation of draining any water out of a buoy which may have seeped inside after long use at sea.

Bleed the Monkey

Secretly, to remove spirit from a keg or cask by making a small hole and sucking through a straw. also called Suck the Monkey

Block

A wooden, metal or plastic case in which one or more sheaves (pulleys) are placed, through which turns of line (falls) are threaded for the purpose of gaining mechanical advantage or changing the direction of motion. Lines used with a block are known as tackle.

Block and Tackle

A combination of one or more blocks and the associated tackle necessary to give a mechanical advantage. Useful for lifting heavy loads.

Blockade

In maritime warfare, a declaration published by a power forbidding sea-borne trade with an enemy.

Blooper

Light-weight foresail similar to a spinnaker but set without a pole.

Blow

The action of a whale when it comes to the surface and expels the seawater it has taken in while feeding. The traditional hail of the lookout in a whaling ship when sighting this spouting water is "There she blows".

Blowing Great Guns

Old term for a heavy gale or hurricane.

Blowing the Grampus

Old term for waking a sailor asleep on watch by throwing a bucket of cold water over him.

Blue Peter

A flag signaling that a ship is about to sail and that all should report on board. It is International Code Flag "P".

Bluejacket

A term describing the seamen of a British warship.

Bluenose

A general nautical term for Canadians, but more especially for Nova Scotian sailing ships and men.

Bluewater Sailing

Open ocean sailing

Board

To go onboard, to go into a ship.

Boarding Party

Designated members of ship's company formed into a military unit that will go aboard another vessel. 1

Boat

A fairly indefinite term. A waterborne vehicle smaller than a ship. One definition is a small craft carried aboard a ship.

Boat Hook

A long sturdy pole fitted with a blunt hook at one end designed to catch a line when coming alongside a pier or mooring, to facilitate putting a line over a piling, recovering an object dropped overboard, or in pushing or fending off.

Boat Speed

Speed through the water, not "over ground".

Boatswain

Also bosun, bos'n, bo's'n, and bo'sun, all of which are pronounced bosun. The highest unlicensed rating in the deck department who has immediate charge of all deck hands, oversees deck crew, maintenance and upkeep of the ship except for the engine room and galley areas

Bobstay

A stay from the stem of a boat to the end of the bowsprit used to counteract the upward pull of the forestay.

Boilers

Steam generating units used aboard ship to provide steam for propulsion and for heating and other auxiliary purposes.

Bollard

A large solid post on a wharf or pier for securing mooring lines; the same when constructed on the deck of a ship.

Bolster

A piece of wood fitted in various places to act as a preventative to chafe.

Bolt Rope

A rope sewn into the luff or foot of a sail for use in attaching to the mast or boom.

Bonaventure

On older sailing ships, an additional lateen shaped mizzen sail carried on the fourth mast, known as a bonaventure mizzen.

Bone

Foam or spray which is thrown out under the bow of a ship when she is under way. If fast moving with a lot of spray being thrown out, the vessel is said to have "A bone in her teeth".

Booby Hatch

The cover of a scuttle-way or small hatchway which leads to to or from a store room, cabin of small craft, crew's quarters, the forecastle or fore peak.

Boom

A horizontal pole or spar attached to the mast to which the foot (lower edge) of the sail is fastened

Boom Crotch or Crutch

A notched support for the boom when the sail is not raised. Unlike a gallows frame, a crutch is stowed when boat is sailing.

Boom Preventer

A block and tackle attached to the boom and the deck to prevent the main from gybing when sailing downwind

Boom Vang

Any system, usually block & tackle or hydraulic, used to hold the boom down. This is useful for maintaining proper sail shape by exerting a downward pull on the boom, particularly when running or on a broad reach.

Boomkin

A stern sprit or spar extending from the stern.

Booms

On larger sailing vessels, the space between the foremast and mainmast where spare spars were stored.

Boot Stripe or Boot Top

A painted stripe along the waterline delineating the topside from the bottom paint

Booty

Goods from a captured ship which was permitted to be distributed among the captors at once.

Bore

Sudden and rapid flow of tide in certain rivers and estuaries which rolls up in the form of a wave. also known as Eagre.

Born With a Silver Spoon

An old naval saying to indicate those young men who, through birth or connection, were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination. Their subsequent promotion was assured.

Boss

The swell of a ship's hull around the propeller shaft.

Boss Plate

A curved plate covering (one on each side) the boss of a propeller post and the curved portion of frames in way of the stern tube of a screw steamer. This plate is of extra thickness.

Bo'suns Call, Pipe, or Whistle

Once the only method, other than human voice, of passing orders to men on board ship; the instructions to perform certain tasks were conveyed by different notes and pitches on the high-pitched whistle.

Bosun's Chair

Canvas or wood seat attached a halyard to raise and lower someone to work on the mast

Bottlescrew

see Turnbuckle

Bottom

(1) The underside of the hull that sits in the water (2) The ocean floor

Bottomry

Mortgage on a ship executed by the master who is out of touch with the owners and needs to raise money for repairs or to complete a voyage. also known as Bummaree.

Bound

Proceeding in a specified direction, or to a specified place.

Bow

The forwardmost or front part of the vessel. Opposite of Stern

Bow & Beam Bearings

A set of bearings taken from an object with a known position, such as a landmark, to determine the ship's location. A type of running fix.

Bow Line

A docking line leading from the bow.

Bow Spring Line

A bow pivot line used in docking and undocking, or a dock line leading aft from the bow to prevent the boat from moving forward while made fast to a dock or pier.

Bow Thrusters

A propeller at the lower sea-covered part of the bow of the ship which turns at right angles to the fore-and-aft line and thus provides transverse thrust as a maneuvering aid.

Bowditch

A reference book named after the original author, Nathaniel Bowditch. Updated versions contain tables and other information useful for navigation.

Bowline

A knot use to form an eye or loop at the end of a rope. A knot with many uses, it is simple and strong, its loop will not slip, and it is easily untied after being exposed to a strain. also see Running Bowline.

Bowse

To pull downward on a rope or fall in order to provide more tautness. Heave means an upward pull and Haul means a horizontal pull.

Bowsprit

A spar which projects forward from the bow of some boats, and extends the sail plan by allowing the headsails to be secured further forward.

Box Off

In a square rigged ship, the act of hauling the head sheets to windward and laying the head-yards flat aback in order to bring the ships head out of the wind while tacking. This is done when helm action alone is insufficient.

Box the Compass

To know and to be able to recite the points of a compass from north to south to north again, both clockwise and counter-clockwise.

Brace

The operation of swinging round, by means of braces, the yards of a square rigged ship to set the sails more efficiently to the wind.

Brace of Shakes

A moment of time which could be measured by the shaking of a sail as a sailing ship comes into the wind.

Braces

On square rigged ships, lines or cables attached to the ends of each yard; these are used to pivot (brace) the yards around the mast at different angles to the fore-and-aft line of the ship to make the most of the wind..

Brails

Lines used to pull the outer edge (leech) of a fore-and-aft sail forward to a mast. These lines are used to temporaily furl the sail.

Brash

Ice broken into pieces, and projecting very little above sea level.

Breach

(1) Said of seas that break over a vessel or over a sea wall. (2) A whale breaches when it leaps out of the water.

Breadth

See Beam

Break of the Poop

The forward end of a ship's after superstructure, where the poop deck descends to the upper deck.

Break Sheer

When an anchored vessel is forced, by wind or current, to swing across her anchor so as to risk fouling it with her own cable, she is said to break sheer.

Breakers

Waves breaking over rocks or shoals. A wave that approaches shallow water, causing the wave height to exceed the depth of the water it is in, in effect tripping it. The wave changes from a smooth surge in the water to a cresting wave with water tumbling down the front of it. They serve as a warning that there is danger there.

Breakwater

A manmade structure, in or around a harbor, designed to break the force of the sea, thus providing shelter.

Bream

An old method of cleaning a vessels bottom by burning off weed, barnacles or other growth while the vessel was in dry dock or careened. Breaming was also known as graving.

Breast Hook

An athwartship or horizontal member running between the inside surfaces of the hull.

Breast Line

A docking line going at approximately a right angle from the boat to the dock, preventing movement away from the dock. Also known as a Waist Line.

Breech of a Block

The part of a block which is opposite the swallow, which is where the line enters.

Bridge

(1) The location from which a vessel is steered and its speed controlled; navigation and command center of the vessel. (2) A man made structure crossing a body of water.

Bridge Deck

The transverse partition between the cockpit and the cabin.

Bridge House

The erection or superstructure fitted about amidship on the upper deck of a ship. The officer's quarters, staterooms and accommodations are usually in the bridge house.

Bridle

A line or wire secured at both ends in order to distribute a strain between two points; a short length of wire with a line attached at the midpoint. A bridle is used to distribute the load of the attached line.

Brig

A two-masted vessel with both masts square rigged. On the sternmost mast, the main mast, there is also a gaff sail

Brigantine

A two-masted vessel with foremast square rigged, and mainmast fore and aft rigged. Originally, a ship of brigands, or pirates.

Brightwork

Varnished woodwork and/or polished metal

Bring About

To reverse or change directions, to turn around

Bring-To

To bring a sailing vessel to a stop with her sails still set. This can be accomplished on a square rigged ship by bracing the yards aback on her foremast; on fore-and-aft rigged boats it is done by bringing her head into the wind so that the sails are no longer drawing.

Bristol Fashion

Kept in a neat seaman-like manner.

Broach

To spin out of control and capsize or nearly capsize; The turning of a boat broadside to the wind or waves, subjecting it to possible capsizing; a turning or swinging of the boat that puts the beam of the boat against the waves, creating a danger of swamping or capsizing; loss of steering. A knockdown.

Broad on the Beam

The position of an object that lies off to one side of the vessel.

Broad Reach

A point of sail where the boat is sailing away from the wind, but not directly downwind; Sailing with the wind coming from any direction from abeam to on the quarter, with the bow approximately 135 degrees to the wind source and the sails let out nearly all the way

Brow

A gangway or gangplank. Used to cross from one ship to another, or from a ship to a pier.

Bucko

A bullying and tyrannical officer; he would drive his crew by brutality and the power of his fists.

Bulk

Cargo shipped in loose condition and of a homogeneous nature. Cargoes that are shipped unpackaged either dry, such as grain and ore, or liquid, such as petroleum products. Bulk service generally is not provided on a regularly scheduled basis, but rather as needed, on specialized ships, transporting a specific commodity.

Bulk Carrier

Ship specifically designed to transport vast amounts of cargoes such as sugar, grain, wine, ore, chemicals, liquefied natural gas; coal and oil.

Bulkhead

A name given to any vertical partition or wall which separates different compartments or spaces from one another, also adding strength. Sometimes bulkheads are also watertight, adding to the vessel's safety.

Bull Rope

Used for hoisting a topmast or topgallant mast on a square rigged ship.

Bullseye

(1) A round eye through which a line is led, usually in order to change the direction of pull. (2) A thick piece of glass set flush in the deck to admit light below.

Bulwark(s)

A railing around the deck of a boat to keep things from going overboard and the seas from coming aboard; the strake of shell plating above a weather or shelter deck; the part of a ship's side that extends above the main deck to protect it against heavy weather.

Bumboat

A boat selling supplies, provisions, and articles to ships.

Bumper

There is no such thing on a boat! See Fender.

Bumpkin

A short spar projecting over the stern of a sailing vessel to sheet the mizzen sail when the mizzen-mast is so far aft that there's not enough room inboard to bring down the sheet and trim the sail. Also, a short spar extending from the stemhead in place of a bowsprit.

Bung

A round wood plug inserted in a hole to cover a nail, screw, or bolt.

Bunk

a sleeping berth or bed.

Bunker(s)

A compartment in which fuel is stored; fuel consumed by the engines of a ship

Bunkering

Re-fueling the vessel.

Bunt

(1) The middle part of a square sail. (2) The line(s) attached to the middle of the foot of the sail used to haul the bunt up to the center of the yard.

Bunting

Thin cloth of woven wool in various colors used to make flags.

Buoy

(1) A floating object employed as an aid to mariners to mark the navigable limits of channels, their fairways, sunken dangers, isolated rocks, etc. (2) an anchored float marking a position or for use as a mooring.

Buoyancy

The capacity for floating.

Burdened Vessel

A boat required to keep clear of a vessel that has the right of way according to the applicable Navigation Rules (the Privileged Vessel or Stand-on Vessel ). Also known as the Give-Way Vessel.

Burgee

A type of flag used to identify a boater's affiliation with a yacht club or boating organization.

Burgoo

1) 17th C. A gruel or porridge made of oatmeal or any available grain as minimal basic sustenance for sailing ship crew. Seasoned with salt, sugar, and butter. Lascar seamen may have (when almost starving ?) gratefully called it "Bar-goo" meaning "faeces of the sacred cow" in Hindi. 2) Name of the Pearson Invicta class 38 foot yacht, the smallest winner, and the first made of fiberglass, that won win the Bermuda Yacht Race 1964 in just over 80 Hours.

Butt

The squared end of a plank used on the side of a wooden vessel where it is secured to the timbers.

Buttock

The breadth of a ship where the hull rounds down to the stern

Buys Ballot Law

If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, a storm's center and direction of travel can be determined by using Buys Ballot's Law. To do this, face the wind and extend your right arm out at about 90°

135° from the direction you are facing. Your arm is now pointing approximately at the center of the storm. Periodic determinations like this will indicate the storm's relative movement and on which side of the hurricane's track line you are located. It is reversed in the Southern Hemisphere

By the Board

Overboard and by the ship's side.

By the Lee

Sailing downwind with the wind blowing over the leeward side of the boat, increasing the possibility of an unexpected jibe.

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