Sea Lingo is pretty much a nautical vocabulary. Here is a "few"
words you need to know:
Abaft: Towards the stern of the ship, or behind it.
Adrift: Floating without any means of propulsion.
Aft: At, near, or toward the stern of a ship.
Aground: When a ship is stranded on the shore, or on the bottom of the body of water, it is said to have run aground.
Ale: Toward the opposite to the source of the wind side of a ship.
All standing: To have all sails flying when running before the wind.
Aloft: Overhead.
Alongside: By the side of.
Altimeter: A device used to measure distance above sea level or above the earth's surface.
Amidships: In the middle of the ship.
Anchor: A large metal hook used to hold the ship in place.
Aport: To the port side of the ship.
Apprentice: One who is learning a trade.
Articles: A written agreement to serve aboard a ship.
Ashore: To be on or to go to the shore.
Astern: Toward the ships stern.
Automatic Direction Finder (ADF): A device that indicates the direction
to the source of a transmitted signal.
Back a sail: To hold a sail in such a way, that the wind will fill it from the opposite to usual sail. This maneuver is used to slow down the ship (as if applying brakes), or to force a ship to tack when in irons.
Backing wind: A change in wind direction running counterclockwise, as in from west to southwest.
Back winded: If your sails are filled with the wind on the opposite side to what you want (for example, if they are trimmed for the starboard tack, but you get the wind from the port side), you are said to be back winded.
Bail: To get rid of water accumulated in the ship.
Ballast: A very heavy material, such as lead or iron, placed in the keel of the ship, or in the bilge. It is used to provide stability. Oftentimes the crew is also a ballast - especially on smaller ships, or in a jocular way.
Baleen: A material that grows from the upper jaws of some whales, used to filter food from water.
Bank: A broad area where the sea floor rises sos that the water is more shallow than in other areas.
Barnacle: A small marine animal with a shell that attaches itself to rocks, ships, and even slow moving ocean creatures.
Barometer: An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, which is used to predict weather changes.
Beam: The widest part of the ship.
Bearing: The direction or position of an object, usually measured in degrees on a compass
Becalmed: Motionless because of lack of wind.
Belay: In sailing, to secure a rope by winding it around a pin or a short post.
Below: Down - under the deck.
Binnacle: Lighted housing that contains the ship's compass.
Block and Tackle: A device for lifting that uses pulleys and ropes or chains.
Boat: A smaller vessel than a ship.
Boom: A spar (a wooden or metal pole) attached to the mast at a right angle, used to support the foot of a sail.
Bow: The front end of a ship.
Bowsprit: A spar that's attached to the bow of a ship, along the centerline of the ship. The forestay attached to it - thus allowing for a greater sail area.
Breach: A behavior of whales
Cabin: The room where the captain stays.
Calker: A sailor that plugged or caulked the ship for leaks.
Capstan: Large drum turned by wheel like spokes that is used in bringing up the anchor or in pulling ropes.
Centerline: The center of the ship: from stern to bow.
Chandlery: A store where ship's equipment is purchased.
Chantey: A work song.
Chantey man: A work song leader.
Chart: A nautically specialized map.
Chronometer: A very accurate clock used in determining longitude.
Cleat: A fitting for securing a line. It can be wooden, metal or nylon.
Clipper ship: Fast sailing merchant ship noted for its sharp bow, sleek lines, unusually large area of sail.
Cooper: One who makes barrels.
Current: Large rivers of water that move within the ocean.
Deck: The front part of a boat.
Deck hand: A crew member responsible for cleaning the deck, and overall ship maintenance.
Doldrums: An area in the ocean where the wind seldom blows.
Duff: A dessert made of flour, water, dried fruit, sugar, and
spices.
Ensign: A flag indicating the nationality of a vessel.
Figurehead: A carving that was attached to the front of
a ship.
Foot: The bottom edge of the sail - the one attached to the boom.
Fore: To, at or near the front of the ship.
Fore stay: A cable supporting the mast, running from the bow to
the top of the mast.
Gunwale: The top edge of the side of the hull.
Gulf Stream: A large current that runs north along the eastern coast
of North America.
Halyard: A rope used to raise or lower a sail or spar.
Hatch: An opening in the deck through which cargo is lowered.
Head: The ship's bathroom.
Helmsman: One who steers the ship.
Horn, Cape: The southern most point of South America.
Jib Boom: The small, nearly horizontal spar at the front of the ship.
Jury: For temporary, emergency use: as, a jury rudder, jury rig.
Knot: A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile.
Latitude: East west lines on a map - distance north or south of the equator.
League: A unit of measure equal to about three miles.
Lee or Leeward: The side away from the wind.
Lee Shore: A shore sheltered from or deprived of wind.
Log: The official record of a voyage.
Longitude: The north south lines on a map - distance east or west of
the Prime Meridian.
Main Mast: The middle mast.
Mate: The officer who assists the captain.
Mizzen Mast: The mast nearest the rear of the ship.
Navigation: The science of knowing where the ship is and where it is
going.
Packet: A vessel that sails between specific ports on a regular schedule.
Pilot: A person licensed to steer ships into and out of the harbor.
Poop: A raised deck at the rear of the ship.
Port: The left side of the ship when facing forward.
Porthole: The small, round windows of a ship.
Prime Meridian: Zero degrees longitude - the north south line through Greenwich, England.
Pulley Block: A device used in conjunction with ropes for lifting and
hauling.
Reef: To reduce the size of the sail by pulling in and tying down a part of it.
Rigging: The ropes and sails of a ship.
Rudder: A broad, flat piece of wood at the rear of the ship that is
used in steering.
Scrimshaw: A carving or etching on bone or whale teeth.
Sextant: An instrument used in determining latitude.
Sheep shank: A kind of knot.
Short-Handed: Working with an incomplete crew.
Shrounds: The vertical ropes that run from the sides of the ship up to the masts used in climbing the masts.
Spanker Boom: Horizontal spar pointing aft from the mizzen mast.
Spar: Round pole from which poles hang; also YARD.
Square Knot: A type of knot; also REEF KNOT.
Square Rigged: Having rectangular sails.
Starboard: The right side of the boat when facing forward.
Stern: The back end of the ship.
Stow: To put away.
Wheel: A round frame with hand spokes that is used in steering the ship.
Windward: Facing or exposed to the wind.
Yard: A spar.
Yardman: The pointed end of a yard.
