Nautical Charter

Nautical Dictionary - Nautical Glossary - Maritime Terminology

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Nautical Dictionary

Nautical Glossary - Maritime Terminology


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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

Tabernacle
A hinged mast step located on deck. Since it is hinged, the mast may be raised and lowered easily.
Tabling
Extra fabric sewn around the edges of sails to reinforce the bolt rope sections.
Tachometer
A gauge that measures engine revolutions per minute.
Tack
(1) The lower forward corner of a triangular sail (2) The direction that a boat is sailing with respect to the wind. A sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind, and must therefore sail a zig zag course to windward, at about a 45 degree angle to the wind. (3) To change a boat's direction, bringing the bow through the eye of the wind.
Tacking
To change a boat's direction, bringing the bow through the eye of the wind.
Tackle
A purchase where two or more blocks are used to increase mechanical advantage, or the power exerted on a line. (pronounced "taykle").
Taffrail
The after rail at the stern of a ship. Also called a Pushpit
Taffrail Log
A propeller drawn through the water that operates a meter on the boat registering the speed and distance sailed
Tail
The end of a line.
Take In
To remove a sail.
Tall Buoy
A float with a flag at the top of a pole. Used to mark a position such as for a mooring, a race or a man overboard.
Tally Board
Board, bearing instructions, that comes to a wrecked ship with a life-saving rocket line.
Tally Book
Book in which is kept a reckoning of items of cargo received or discharged from a hatch or vessel.
Tang
A metal fitting on the mast that the stays attached to the mast; a fitting on the mast for securing rigging.
Tanker
A tanker is a bulk carrier designed to transport liquid cargo, most often petroleum products.
Tanks
Are of two kinds: First, those built in permanently and part of the ship's structure, used for the reception of water ballast, fuel, oil, or liquid cargo; second, those constructed specially and removable if necessary. These vary greatly in size and shape and the purpose for which used.
Tar
(1) Old nickname for a sailor, who would treat his canvas coats and hats with tar as a protection against the weather. (2) The distilled residue of gum extracted from pine trees, used for preserving many things.
Taut
Stretched tight with no slack.
Telltales
Ribbon, yarn, or other lightweight material attached to rigging or sails to indicate wind action or direction. Proper use of the telltales can help sailors improve their sail trim.
Tender
(1) Describing a boat that lacks stability. (2) A small dinghy or launch used to transport crew and equipment from shore to a larger boat (3) One who serves as a precautionary standby, such as a line tender
Tenon
The bottom of the mast, with a shape designed to fit into the mast step.
Territorial Waters
That portion of the sea up to a limited instance which is immediately adjacent to the shores of any country and over which the sovereignty and exclusive jurisdiction of that country extend.
Tether
A line attached between a safety harness and a secure part of the boat.
The Hard
Land
Thimble
A pear-shaped, grooved metal fitting around which an eye splice is made
Third Assistant Engineer
Maintains lighting fixtures. Repairs malfunctioning accessories in living quarters. Assist other engineers as directed.
Third Mate
Makes sure emergency survival equipment (lifeboats, life rings, etc.) are in order. Assists other officers as directed.
Thole, Thole Pin
Metal or wooden peg inserted in gunwale of a boat for an oar to heave against when rowing without crutch or rowlock.
Three Point Hydroplane
A hydroplane that has two sponsons, one at each side of the hull. The sponsons lift the hull so that, at high speeds, only they and the propeller are in contact with the water, hence three points.
Three Sheets to the Wind
A phrase with a nautical derivation, meaning a man under the influence of drink or unsteadiness through drink.
Throat
The forward upper corner of a four-sided sail. Also refers to the jaws of a gaff.
Thwart
A seat or brace running laterally across the width of a rowing boat.
Thwartships
Across the width of a boat. Also Athwartships.
Ticket
A certificate issued as a result of an examination of competency and experience. Some refer to their USCG license as their ticket
Tidal Atlas
Small charts showing tidal stream directions and rate of flow.
Tidal Current
The horizontal movement of the water due to tide
Tidal Range
The difference in depth between high and low tide.
Tiddley
Term meaning smart or neat.
Tide
The predictable, periodic regular rising and lowering of water in some areas due to the pull of the sun and the moon. Tidal changes can happen approximately every 6 or 12 hours depending on the region.
Tide Rip
Short waves or ripples made by a tide as it ebbs or flows over an uneven bottom, or where two currents meet at sea.
Tide Table
A publication predicting the time and height of high tide and low tide.
Tiller
A bar or handle for turning a boat's rudder or an outboard motor, thereby steering the boat.
Tiller Extension
Hinged extension of the tiller which allows the skipper to control the tiller while hiking or sitting forward.
Timber Hitch
Method of securing a line around a spar by taking the standing part around the spar, then a half hitch around itself and the end tucked three or four times around its own part.
Timbers
On wooden vessels, the frames or ribs of a ship, connected to the keel, which give shape and strength to the ship's hull.
Toe-rail
A small low rail around the deck of a boat. The toe rail may have holes in it to attach lines or blocks and to allow drainage. A larger wall is known as a gunwale.
Tom Cox's Traverse
Work done by a man who bustles about doing nothing. Usually amplified by adding "running twice round the scuttle butt and once round the longboat".
Ton
A measure of weight ashore and a measure of capacity on a vessel.
Tonnage
A measure of a vessel's interior volume; The weight or displacement of a ship.
Top
on square-rigged ships, a platform at the masthead resting on the trestletrees and crosstrees. In addition to being a work platform, it extended the topmast shrouds to give additional support to the topmast.
Top Hamper
That portion of a vessel above the main deck.
1 Topgallant
(1) The mast section next above the topmast and and below the royal mast. (2) The yard supported by that mast. (3) The third lowest square sail. It is stretched between the topgallant yard and the top yard.
Topmast
A second mast carried at the top of the fore or main mast, used to fly more sail.
Topmen
Seamen who worked on the masts and yards of square-rigged ships.
Topping Lift
(1) A line by which the end of a spar is hoisted or lowered. (2) A line that holds up the boom when it is not being used. (3) A line from the upper mast which controls the height of the spinnaker pole.
Topsail
The sail above the lowermost sail on a square-rigged ship; also, the sail set above and sometimes on the gaff on a gaff rigged boat.
Topsail Schooner
A schooner with a square rigged sail on the forward mast.
Topside
Above the main deck.
Topsides
(1) The sides of a vessel between the waterline and the deck. (2) Referring to on or above the deck; "I'm going topsides".
Touch and Go
To touch the ground, with the keel, for a minute or so and then proceed again.
Tow
To pull a boat with another boat, such as a tugboat towing a barge. When used as a noun, it refers to the vessel being towed.
Track
(1) Prospective course over the ground for boat to follow. (2) A strip of metal attached to a mast to take the slides affixed to the luff of a sail.
Trade Winds
Steady regular winds in a belt approximately 30° North and 30° South of the equator.
Traffic Separation Zone
The area between opposing shipping lanes, restricted to most navigation except for crossing with caution
Trailing Edge
The aft edge of a sail, more commonly called the leech.
Tramp Service
Vessels operating without a fixed itinerary or schedule or charter contract.
Transit
Two navigational aids separated in distance so that they can be aligned to determine that a boat lies on a certain line. Transits can be used to determine a boat's position or guide it through a channel. Also called a range.
Transom
The athwartship portion of a hull at the stern. The flat, vertical aft end of a ship.
Transverse
Placed at right angles to the keel, such as a transverse frame, transverse bulkhead, etc.
Transverse Bulkhead
A bulkhead placed athwartships.
Trapeze
A belt and line or wire used to help a crew hike out beyond the edge of a boat to counteract the boat's heel. Usually used on small vessels for racing.
Traveler
A slide which travels on a track to which the mainsheet may be attached. The sail shape can be subtly altered by changing the mainsheet position on the traveler.
Trawl
A large net with its mouth held open, towed by a trawler along the bottom to catch bottom fish.
Trawler
A fishing vessel designed to tow a trawl for catching bottom fish.
Trawlwire
Heavy-duty wire used to lower heavy instruments overboard from the trawl winch.
Treenails
In wooden ship construction, these were cylindrical pins of oak which were used to secure the planks to her timbers. Pronounced "trennels".
Trestle Trees
Two short pieces of timber fixed horizontally fore and aft on each side of the lower masthead of a square rigged vessel and used to support the topmast, the lower crosstrees, and the top.
Triatic Stay
A stay leading from one mast, such as the main mast to another, such as the mizzen mast.
Trice
To haul up by pulling downwards on a rope that is led through a block or sheave.
Trice Up
The order or action of tying up hammocks in the morning, thus generally applied to putting one's berth and area into order for the day.
1 Trick
A spell of duty connected with the navigation of a vessel; more particularly, at the wheel or look-out.
Tricolor Light
A running light allowed on some sailboats instead of the normal bow and stern lights. The tricolor light contains the red and green side lights and the white stern light in a single fitting that is attached to the top of the mast.
Trim
(1) To adjust the sails for best advantage. (2) Fore and aft balance of a boat. If either the bow or stern is depressed, the vessel is said to be down by the bow or down by the stern. (3) To trim is to adjust. It does not just apply to sheets. You can trim the boat or ship (i.e. improve it’s balance)
Trim Tab
An adjustable section of the rudder that allows the rudder to be corrected for lee helm or weather helm.
Trimaran
A multihulled boat with three hulls.
Trip an Anchor
The act of breaking out the flukes of an anchor if they are caught on some obstruction, preventing it from being normally weighed.
Tripline
A line attached to the crown of an anchor and used to help free it in the event it becomes fouled.
Trolling
To fish by trailing a baited line from behind a slowly moving boat.
Tropics
The region around the equator between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The tropics are known for their warm weather.
Trough
The bottom of a wave, the valley between the crests.
Truck
A cap for the top of the mast.
True Course
A course steered by the compass that has been corrected for variation and deviation
True North Pole
The north end of the earth's axis and also called North Geographic Pole. The direction indicated by 000° (or 360°) on the true compass rose, it is the direction of the North Pole from any place on the earth's surface.
True Wind
The speed and direction of the wind felt or measured when stationary. The motion of a boat will cause the wind to appear to be coming at a different direction and speed, which is known as apparent wind
Trunk
The tall, narrow, waterproof box that houses a vessel's centerboard and allows it to be retracted into the ship's hull.
Trysail
A small, heavy triangular loose-footed sail fitted aft of the mast and used primarily in very strong winds.
Tug, Tugboat
A powerful, strongly built boat designed to tow or push other vessels, and to assist in maneuvering a ship in a confined area.
Tumble Home
The distance the ship's side falls in towards the center line above the load water line. Opposite of flare.
Tuning
The adjustment of the standing rigging, the sails and the hull to balance the boat for optimum performance.
Turk's Head
An ornamental knot to provide a stopper on the end of a line.
Turn
Complete encirclement of a cleat, bollard, pin or winch by a line.
Turn of the Bilge
The point where the bottom and the sides of a ship join.
Turn Up
To fasten a rope securely by taking turns around a cleat or bollard.
Turn To
Get to work.
1 Turnbuckle
A threaded, adjustable fitting, used for stays, lifelines and sometimes other rigging. It is used to to maintain correct tension on standing rigging. Can also be used to pull objects together.
Turning Block
Horizontally mounted block used to re-direct a line on deck.
Turning Mark
A buoy on the race course around which boats must turn.
Turtle
(1) To tip the boat over so that the boat is upside down with the mast pointing down to the sea bottom. (2) A bag in which a spinnaker or other large sail can be stowed with the lines attached so that it can be rapidly raised.
Turtle Back
The top of a wheelhouse, forecastle, etc., having the form of a turtle's back.
'tween Decks
The space between any decks.
Twine
Small line used for whipping other light duties.
Twing
Similar to a Barber hauler, a twing adjusts the angle of sheeting.
Two Half Hitches
A knot with two half hitches loops on the standing part of the line.
Two-block
To reach the end; to bring one object hard up against another, as when two blocks in a block and tackle arrangement are brought together.
Typhoon
A strong tropical counterclockwise revolving storm the southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere these storms revolve clockwise and are known as hurricanes.

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