Nautical Dictionary
Nautical Glossary - Maritime Terminology
e
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
- Earing
- A small line used to fasten the upper corners of a square sail to its yard.
- Ease, Ease Off
- To let out a line or sail slowly; to slacken or relieve tension on a line; to take pressure off.
- Ease the Sheets
- To let the sheet out slowly while maintaining control.
- East
- One of the 4 cardinal compass points. East is at 90° on a compass card.
- East Wind, Easterly Wind
- A wind coming from the east.
- Ebb, Ebb Tide
- The falling tide when the water recedes out to the sea and the water level lowers; a period or state of decline.
- Echo Sounder
- An electrical depth sounder or fish finder that uses sound echoes to locate the depth of objects in water. It does so by timing the sound pulses.
- Eddy
- A small local current usually caused by tidal streams as they ebb and flow around or against obstructions.
- Embargo
- A temporary injunction against ships or cargo to prevent their arrival or departure in time of war.
- Embarkation/Embark
- To go aboard the vessel; to put onboard a vessel.
- Emergency Tiller
- A tiller that is designed to be used in the event that wheel steering fails.
- Engine Bed
- A structure of wooden or metal supports that make up the mounting for a ship's engine.
- Engine Order Telegraph
- A set of mechanical signaling devices, connected by cables, by which engine commands are passed from the pilot house to the engine room and by which the engine room responds. 1
- Engine Room
- Where the engines of a ship are confined.
- Ensign
- (1) A nautical version of the national flag of the country usually flown at the stern. (2) Adopted by the United States Navy in 1862, the rank of a young officer equivalent to that of midshipman
- Entry
- The shape of the fore-body of a ship as it thrusts through the sea. A vessel with a slim bow is said to have a fine entry.
- EPIRB
- Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. An emergency device that uses a radio signal to alert satellites or passing airplanes to a vessel's position.
- Equator
- An imaginary line around the center of the earth at 0° of latitude.
- Equinoctial
- The great circle on the celestial sphere in the plane of the earth's equator; also called the celestial equator. The sun is on the equinoctial twice a year, on the equinoxes, March 21 and September 23. On these days the sun rises at 6 a.m. and sets at 6 p.m. (local time) at every place on earth.
- Estimated Position
- A position based on estimations of a boat's position using estimated speed, currents, and the last known position/fix of the boat.
- ETA
- Estimated time of arrival
- ETD
- Estimated time of departure
- Even Keel
- When a boat is floating on its designed waterline, upright without any list to either side, it is said to be floating on an even keel.
- Eye
- A loop or hole which is spliced or tied on the end of a line
- Eye of the Wind
- Direction from which the wind is blowing; an unsailable sector between close hauled headings.
- Eye Splice
- A permanent loop spliced in the end of a line, sometimes around a thimble.
- Eyebolts
- Metal bolts with an eye in the end.