Free printable guide

Sailing Terms Cheat Sheet

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The short version of the SailStarter glossary — the words a beginner hears most often on a first sail, tightened to a few words each so the whole sheet fits on one printed page. For the full one-to-two sentence definitions, see the complete sailing glossary.

Boat Parts

  • Aft — Toward the stern (back).
  • Boom — Horizontal spar holding the mainsail's foot.
  • Bow — The front of the boat.
  • Cockpit — Where crew sits and steers.
  • Forward — Toward the bow (front).
  • Halyard — Line that hoists a sail up.
  • Keel — Fin under the hull; resists tipping and sliding sideways.
  • Mast — The upright pole carrying the sails.
  • Port — Left side facing forward; red light.
  • Rudder — Underwater blade that steers the boat.
  • Sheet — Line that controls a sail's angle.
  • Starboard — Right side facing forward; green light.
  • Stern — The back of the boat.
  • Winch — Drum that multiplies pulling force on a line.

Wind & Sailing

  • Apparent Wind — The wind you feel aboard a moving boat.
  • Heel — The boat leaning over under sail.
  • Jib — Smaller headsail forward of the mast.
  • Leeward — The side sheltered from the wind.
  • Mainsail — The main sail, set on mast and boom.
  • No-Go Zone — The arc into the wind sails can't power through.
  • Points of Sail — The angles a boat sails relative to the wind.
  • Reef / Reefing — Reducing sail area in strong wind.
  • Telltale — Ribbon on a sail that shows airflow.
  • Windward — The side the wind blows from.

Maneuvers

  • Bowline — A fixed loop that still unties easily.
  • Cleat Hitch — The standard way to secure a line to a cleat.
  • Coiling a Line — Looping rope so it stores and runs freely.
  • Docking — Bringing the boat alongside and securing it.
  • Furling — Rolling a sail up around a stay.
  • Heaving-To — Stalling the boat in a stable, slow drift.
  • Jibing — Turning the stern through the wind.
  • Man Overboard (MOB) — A crew member in the water — and the recovery drill.
  • Tacking — Turning the bow through the wind.
  • Weighing Anchor — Raising the anchor to get underway.

Navigation & Rules

  • Cardinal Mark — A buoy naming the safe compass side.
  • Channel 16 — The international VHF hailing and distress channel.
  • Give-Way Vessel — The boat that must act to avoid a collision.
  • Mayday — The radio call for grave, imminent danger.
  • Nautical Chart — A specialized map of the water.
  • Navigation Lights — Colored lights showing a vessel's heading at night.
  • Stand-On Vessel — The boat that holds course and speed.
  • VHF Radio — Marine radio for routine and emergency calls.

Anchoring & Mooring

  • Anchor — The weighted device that holds the boat in place.
  • Dragging Anchor — The anchor sliding instead of holding.
  • Fender — A padded bumper protecting the hull.
  • Mooring Ball — A fixed buoy a boat ties to instead of anchoring.
  • Rode — The line or chain connecting anchor to boat.
  • Scope — Ratio of rode let out to water depth.
  • Spring Line — A diagonal dock line that stops lengthwise drift.

Weather

  • Beaufort Scale — Scale describing wind strength, 0 to 12.
  • Lee Shore — A shore the wind blows toward — dangerous if disabled.
  • Squall — A short, intense burst of strong wind.

Charter & Ownership

  • Bareboat Charter — Renting a boat without a hired skipper.
  • Crew Safety Briefing — Pre-sail talk covering the emergency plan and gear.
  • Handover — The charter check-in walkthrough of the boat.
  • Security Deposit — A refundable hold released at checkout.

From the SailStarter beginner sailing course. See the free lessons →

Distilled from the full sailing terms glossary, which covers every term on this page in a complete sentence or two.