A   Aft - at, near, or towards the stern Aloft - up above, up the mast or in the rigging Anchor - a heavy hook which digs into the sea bottom to            keep the ship from drifting Avast! - the command to stop     B   Ballast - weight used to bring the ship down to her bearings  in the water.  To trim the ballast means to spread it out and lay it even Beam - the widest part of the boat Bilge- the lowest part of the interior hull below the waterline Bow - the forward part of the vessel Bulkhead - below deck walls within the vessel Buoy - a floating navigation aid     C   Cable - the rope or chain made fast to the anchor Crow`s nest - protected look-out position high on the  foremast Coil - to lay a rope down in circular turns     D   Ditty bag - a small bag for carrying or stowing all personal  articles Dinghy - a small boat, usually carried or hauled behind a  bigger boat Douse - to drop a sail quickly     E   Eye of the wind - the direction that the wind is blowing from     F   Fathom - measurement of six feet Fender - cushions used over the side to protect a vessel from chafing when alongside another vessel or dock Figurehead - carved figure on the front of the ship Fore - the forward part of the vessel     G   Galley - the kitchen of a vessel Gallows - a frame used to rest the boom when the sail is  down Ground tackle - a collective term for the anchor and anchor  gear Gunwale (gunnel) the upper railing of a boat`s side   H   Hatch - an opening in the deck for entering below Head - ship`s toilet Helm - steering apparatus Hold - the space for cargo below deck of the ship Hull - the main body of the boat, not including the deck,  mast, or cabin   J   Jacobs ladder - a rope ladder Jetty - a man made structure projecting from the shore. Jib - the foremost sail of a ship   K   Keel - the timber at the very bottom of the hull Knot - a speed of one nautical mile per hour     L   Latitude - the distance north and south of the equator  measured and expressed in degrees League - measure of distance three miles in length Lee - the side sheltered from the wind Lines - ropes used for various purposes aboard a boat Longitude - the distance in degrees east or west of the meridian at Greenwich, England     M   Mainmast - the tallest mast of the ship Mainsail - the sail se on the mainmast Mast - a large wooden pole used to hold up sails   N   Navigable - an area with sufficient depth of water to permit  vessel passage Navigation - the art of getting vessel from one port to the  next   P   Pay out - to feed line over the side of the boat, hand over  hand Port - left side of the ship when facing forward   Q   Quarter - the sides of a boat forward of the stern aft of the  shrouds   R   Rigging - the lines that hold up the masts and move sails Rode - the anchor line and/or chain Rudder - a fin or blade attached under the hull`s stern used  for steering Running rigging - lines which run through pulleys and block  and tackle that are used to adjust the sails     S   Sail - a piece of cloth that catches the wind and so powers a  ship Schooner - sailing ships with at least 2 masts (foremast and  mainmast) Scurvy - disease historically common to seaman and caused  by the lack of vitamin C Secure - to make fast Shroud - a line or wire running from the top of the mast to  the spreaders, then attaching to the side of the vessel Sloop - a single masted fore-and-aft-rigged sailing vessel Spar -  a pole or beam Sole - the inside deck of the ship Square knot - used for tying two ropes together Squall - a sudden violent bast of wind   T   Tack - the lower forward corner of the sail   U   Underway - vessel in motion   V   Vane - small flad worn at each mast head to show wind  direction VHF - very high frequency radio     W   Wake - moving waves, track or path that a boat leaves  behind it when moving through the water Water-line - The line made by the water`s edge when a ship  has her full load of cargo and crew Weigh - to haul up, as in weigh the anchor   Y   Yawl boat - smaller powered boat used to provide steerage  to a larger vessel not under sail