Shipboard Terms and Definitions PDF

Annex A METRO DUMAGUETE COLLEGE, INC. (MCDI) E.J. Blanco Drive Extension, Brgy. Daro, Dumaguete City 6200, Negros Oriental Telephone Nos. (032) 420-9728; 422-4605 Website: www.mdci.edu.ph ENHANCED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS...

Annex A METRO DUMAGUETE COLLEGE, INC. (MCDI) E.J. Blanco Drive Extension, Brgy. Daro, Dumaguete City 6200, Negros Oriental Telephone Nos. (032) 420-9728; 422-4605 Website: www.mdci.edu.ph ENHANCED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS No. 2019-05 STCW 3.1.1c TOPIC NO. 1: SHIPBOARD TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  Annex A There are so many terms and definitions but not all are basically applicable to our present topics of learning. We will just discuss those that apply to our study presently. These are: Abaft Toward the stern, relative to some object ("abaft the cockpit"). Abaft the beam Farther aft than the beam: a relative bearing of greater than 90 degrees from the bow: "two points abaft the beam, starboard side". That would describe "an object lying 22.5 degrees toward the rear of the ship, as measured clockwise from a perpendicular line from the right side, center, of the ship, toward the horizon."  Annex A Abandon ship An imperative to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent overwhelming danger. It is an order issued by the Master or a delegated person in command. (It must be a verbal order). It is usually the last resort after all other mitigating actions have failed or become impossible, and destruction or loss of the ship is imminent; and customarily followed by a command to "man the lifeboats" or life rafts. Abeam On the beam, a relative bearing at right angles to the ship's keel. Able seaman (also known as Able-Bodied Seaman) A merchant seaman qualified to perform all routine duties, or a junior rank in some navies.  Annex A Aboard On or in a vessel. Synonymous with "on board." (See also close aboard). Accommodation ladder A portable flight of steps down a ship's side. Accommodation ship (or accommodation hulk) A ship or hulk used as housing, generally when there is a lack of quarters available ashore. An operational ship can be used, but more commonly a hulk modified for accommodation is used.  Annex A Adrift 1. Afloat and unattached in any way to the shore or seabed, but not under way. When referring to a vessel, it implies that the vessel is not under control and therefore goes where the wind and current take her (loose from moorings or out of place). 2. Any gear not fastened down or put away properly. Afore 1. In, on, or toward the front of a vessel. 2. In front of a vessel. Aft 1. The portion of the vessel behind the middle area of the vessel. 2. Towards the stern (of the vessel).  Annex A Afterbrow On larger ships, a secondary gangway rigged in the area aft of midship. On some military vessels, such as US naval vessels, enlisted personnel below E-7 board the ship at the afterbrow; officers and CPO/SCPO/MCPO board the ship at the brow. Aid to navigation 1. (ATON) Any device external to a vessel or aircraft specifically intended to assist navigators in determining their position or safe course, or to warn them of dangers or obstructions to navigation. 2. (ATON) Any sort of marker that aids a traveler in navigation—most commonly refers to nautical or aviation travel. Such common aids include lighthouses, buoys, fog signals, and day beacons.  Annex A All hands Entire ship's company, both officers and enlisted personnel. Allision A term used in maritime law – to impact a stationary object (not submerged), such as a bridge abutment or dolphin, pier or wharf, or another vessel made fast to a pier or wharf. More than incidental contact is required. The vessel is said to "allide" with the fixed object and is considered at fault. As opposed to collision. Aloft 1. In the rigging of a sailing ship. 2. Above the ship's uppermost solid structure. 3. Overhead or high above  Annex A Alongside By the side of a ship or pier Amidships The middle section of a vessel with reference to the athwartships plane, as distinguished from port or starboard ("Put your rudder amidships." (Compare midships.)) Anchor 1. An object designed to prevent or slow the drift of a ship, attached to the ship by a line or chain; usually a metal, hook or plough-like object designed to grip the bottom under the body of water. 2. To deploy an anchor  Annex A Anchor ball Round black shape hoisted in the forepart of a vessel to show that it is anchored. Anchor buoy A small buoy secured by a light line to an anchor to indicate position of anchor on bottom. Anchor chain (or anchor cable) Chain connecting the ship to the anchor Anchor home When the anchor is secured for sea; typically rests just outside the hawsepipe on the outer side of the hull, at the bow of a vessel.  Annex A Anchor light White light displayed by a ship at anchor. Two such lights are displayed by a ship over 150 feet (46 m) in length. Anchor rode The anchor line, rope or cable connecting the anchor chain to the vessel; also rode. Anchor sentinel A separate weight on a separate line that is loosely attached to the anchor rode so that it can slide down it easily. It is made fast at a distance slightly longer than the draft of the boat. It is used to prevent the anchor rode from becoming fouled on the keel or other underwater structures when the boat is resting at anchor and moving randomly during slack tide; also called a kellet.  Annex A Anchor watch The crewmen assigned to take care of the ship while anchored or moored, charged with such duties as making sure that the anchor is holding and the vessel is not drifting. Most marine GPS units have an anchor watch alarm capability. Anchor's aweigh This is what to be said of an anchor when it is just clear of the bottom Arc of visibility The portion of the horizon over which a lighted aid to navigation is visible from seaward  Annex A Ashore 1. On the beach, shore, or land (as opposed to aboard or on board) 2. Towards the shore 3. "To run ashore": To collide with the shore (as opposed to "to run aground," which is to strike a submerged feature such as a reef or sandbar) Astern 1. Toward the stern (rear) of a vessel 2. Behind a vessel Avast Stop, cease or desist from whatever is being done; from the Dutch hou' vast ("hold on"), the imperative form of vasthouden ("to hold on to") or the Italian word basta.  Annex A Azimuth circle Instrument used to take bearings of celestial objects Azimuth compass An instrument employed for ascertaining position of the sun with respect to magnetic north. The azimuth of an object is its bearing from the observer measured as an angle clockwise from true north. Ballast Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a vessel to provide stability. (See also in ballast) Beacon A lighted or unlighted fixed aid to navigation attached directly to the earth's surface. (Lights and day beacons both constitute beacons.)  Annex A Beam The width of a vessel at the widest point, or a point alongside the ship at the midpoint of its length Beam wind A wind at right angles to the vessel's course Bearing The horizontal direction of a line of sight between two objects on the surface of the earth. See also absolute bearing and relative bearing Beaufort scale A scale describing wind force, devised by Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort in 1808, in which winds are graded by the effect of their force (originally, the amount of sail that a fully rigged frigate could carry)  Annex A Belay 1. To make fast a line around a fitting, usually a cleat or belaying pin. 2. To secure a climbing person in a similar manner. 3. An order to halt a current activity or countermand an order prior to execution. Bell buoy A type of buoy with a large bell and hanging hammers rung by the motion of the sea, warning nearby vessels of shoal waters Bend 1. A knot used to join two ropes or lines. See also hitch. 2. To attach a rope to an object 3. Fastening a sail to a yard  Annex A Berth (moorings) A location in a port or harbor used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea. Berth (navigation) Safety margin of distance to be kept by a vessel from another vessel or from an obstruction, hence the phrase, "to give a wide berth". Berth (sleeping) A bed or sleeping accommodation on a boat or ship. Best bower (anchor) The larger of two anchors carried in the bow; so named as it was the last, best hope.  Annex A Bilge 1. The part of the hull that the ship rests on if it takes the ground; the outer end of the floors. The "turn of the bilge" is the part of the hull that changes from the (approximately) vertical sides of the hull to the more horizontal bottom of the ship. 2. (Usually in the plural: "bilges") The compartment at the bottom of the hull of a ship or boat where water collects and must be pumped out of the vessel. The space between the bottom hull planking and the ceiling of the hold. 3. To damage the hull in the area of the bilge, usually by grounding or hitting an obstruction. Bilge keels A pair of keels on either side of the hull, usually slanted outwards. In yachts, they allow the use of a drying mooring, the boat standing upright on the keels (and often a skeg) when the tide is out.  Annex A Binnacle The stand on which the ship's compass is mounted. Bitt or bitts 1. A post or pair mounted on the ship's bow, for fastening ropes or cables. 2. Strong vertical timbers or irons fastened through the deck beams used for securing ropes or hawser. Bitter end The last part or loose end of a rope or cable. The anchor cable is tied to the bitts; when the cable is fully paid out, the bitter end has been reached Block A pulley with one or more sheaves (grooves), over which a rope is roved. It can be used to change the direction of the rope, or in pairs used to form a tackle  Annex A Blue Peter A blue and white flag (the flag for the letter P) hoisted at the foretrucks of ships about to sail; formerly a white ship on a blue ground, but later a white square on a blue ground Board 1. To step onto, climb onto, or otherwise enter a vessel 2. The side of a vessel 3. The distance a sailing vessel runs between tacks when working to windward Boat hook A pole with blunt tip and a hook on the end, sometimes with a ring on its opposite end to which a line may be attached. Typically used to assist in docking and undocking a boat, with its hook used to pull a boat towards a dock and the blunt end to push it away from a dock, as well as to reach into the water to people catch buoys or other floating objects or to reach people in the water.  Annex A Boatswain or bosun A non-commissioned officer responsible for the sails, ropes, rigging and boats on a ship who issues "piped" commands to seamen. Bollard From "bol" or "bole", the round trunk of a tree; a substantial vertical pillar to which lines may be made fast; generally, on the quayside rather than the ship. Boom (navigational barrier) A floating barrier to control navigation into and out of rivers and harbors Booms Masts or yards, lying on board in reserve  Annex A Bow 1. The front of a vessel 2. Either side of the front (or bow) of the vessel, i.e., the port bow and starboard bow; something ahead and to the left of the vessel is "off the port bow", while something ahead and to the right of the vessel is "off the starboard bow." When "bow" is used in this way, the front of the vessel sometimes is called her bows (plural), a collective reference to her port and starboard bows synonymous with bow (singular). Bowline 1. A type of knot, producing a strong loop of a fixed size, topologically similar to a sheet bend. 2. A rope attached to the side of a sail to pull it towards the bow (for keeping the windward edge of the sail steady). 3. A rope attached to the foresail to hold it aback when tacking.  Annex A Bow thruster A small propeller or water-jet at the bow, used for maneuvering larger vessels at slow speed; may be mounted externally, or in a tunnel running through the bow from side to side. Breakwater 1. A structure constructed on a coast as part of a coastal defense system or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift. 2. A structure built on the forecastle of a ship intended to divert water away from the forward superstructure or gun mounts. Bridge A structure above the weather deck, extending the full width of the vessel, which houses a command center, itself called by association the bridge.  Annex A Bridge wing A bridge wing is a narrow walkway extending outward from both sides of a pilothouse to the full width of a ship or slightly beyond, to allow bridge personnel a full view to aid in the maneuvering of the ship, such as when docking. Bulbous bow A protruding bulb at the bow of a ship just below the waterline, which modifies the way water flows around the hull, reducing drag and thus increasing speed, range, fuel efficiency, and stability. Bulkhead An upright wall within the hull of a ship, particularly a watertight, load-bearing wall.  Annex A Bulwark The extension of the ship’s side from ship’s main deck Bunker fuel or bunkers Fuel oil for a ship. Buoy A floating object of defined shape and color, which is anchored at a given position and serves as an aid to navigation Cabin An enclosed room on a deck or flat.  Annex A Cable length A measure of length or distance; equivalent to (UK) 1/10 nautical mile, approx. 600 feet; (US) 120 fathoms, 720 feet (219 m); other countries use different values; sometimes called simply a cable. Capstan A large winch with a vertical axis. A full-sized human-powered capstan is a waist-high cylindrical machine, operated by a number of hands who each insert a horizontal capstan bar in holes in the capstan and walk in a circle; used to wind in anchors or other heavy objects; and sometimes to administer flogging over.  Annex A Captain 1. The person lawfully in command of a vessel. "Captain" is an informal title of respect given to the commander of a naval vessel regardless of his or her formal rank; aboard a merchant ship, the ship's master is her “captain”. 2. A naval officer with a rank between commander and commodore. Cardinal Referring to the four main points of the compass: north, south, east and west. Celestial navigation Navigation by the position of celestial objects including the stars, sun, and moon, using tools aboard ship such as a sextant, chronometer, and compass, and published tables of the position of celestial objects. Celestial navigation was the primary method of navigation until the development of electronic global positioning systems such as LORAN and GPS.  Annex A Chain locker A space in the forward part of the ship, typically beneath the bow in front of the foremost collision bulkhead, that contains the anchor chain when the anchor is secured for sea. Charthouse or Chartroom A compartment, especially in the Royal Navy, from which the ship was to navigate. Chronometer A timekeeper accurate enough to be used to determine longitude by means of celestial navigation.  Annex A Citadel A fortified safe room on a vessel to take shelter in the event of pirate attack. Previously, a fortified room to protect ammunition and machinery from damage. Cleat A stationary device used to secure a rope aboard a vessel. Coaming The raised edge of a hatch, cockpit or skylight to help keep out water. Conning officer An officer on a naval vessel responsible for instructing the helmsman on the course to steer. While performing this duty, the officer is said to have the conn.  Annex A Course The direction in which a vessel is being steered, usually given in degrees. Cowl 1. A ship's ventilator with a bell-shaped top that can be swiveled to catch the wind and force it below. 2. A vertical projection of a ship's funnel that directs the smoke away from the bridge. Crew 1. On warships and merchant ships, those members of a ship's company who are not officers. 2. On leisure vessels with no formal chain of command, those persons who are not the skipper or passengers.  Annex A Cruise ship A passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way. Transportation is not the prime purpose, as cruise ships operate mostly on routes that return passengers to their originating port. A cruise ship contrasts with a passenger liner, which is a passenger ship that provides a scheduled service between published ports primarily as a mode of transportation. Large, prestigious passenger ships used for either purpose sometimes is called ocean liners. Dead ahead Exactly ahead, directly ahead, directly in front.  Annex A Dead in the water Not moving (used only when a vessel is afloat and neither tied up nor anchored). Term is abbreviated to DIW by the US Navy. It is often used to indicate a pirate or drug runner vessel has been immobilized. Deck hand or decky A person whose job involves aiding the deck supervisor in (un)mooring, anchoring, maintenance, and general evolutions on deck. Derrick A lifting device composed of one mast or pole and a boom or jib hinged freely at the bottom.  Annex A Displacement The weight of water displaced by the immersed volume of a ship's hull, exactly equivalent to the weight of the whole ship Dock 1. In American usage, a fixed structure attached to shore to which a vessel is secured when in port, generally synonymous with pier and wharf, except that pier tends to refer to structures used for tying up commercial ships and to structures extending from shore for use in fishing, while dock refers more generally to facilities used for tying up ships or boats, including recreational craft 2. In British usage, the body of water between two piers or wharves that accommodates vessels tied up at the piers or wharves. 3. To tie up along a pier or wharf.  Annex A Dockyard A facility where ships or boats are built and repaired. Routinely used as a synonym for shipyard, although dockyard sometimes is associated more closely with a facility used for maintenance and basing activities, while shipyard sometimes is associated more closely with a facility used in construction. Dolphin A structure consisting of a number of piles driven into the seabed or riverbed as a marker. Draft or draught (both /drɑːft/) The depth of a ship's keel below the waterline.  Annex A Drydock A narrow basin or vessel used for the construction, maintenance, and repair of ships, boats, and other watercraft that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Echo sounding Measuring the depth of the water using a sonar device. Engine order telegraph A communications device used by the pilot to order engineers in the engine room to power the vessel at a certain desired speed. (See also Chadburn) Engine room One of the machinery spaces of a vessel, usually the largest one, containing the ship's prime mover (usually a diesel or steam engine or a gas or steam turbine). Larger vessels may have more than one engine room.  Annex A Estimated Position An Estimated Position is obtained by making allowances for leeway, tide and currents to a Dead Reckoning position (which is calculated from the distance run and the course steered Eye splice A closed loop or eye at the end a line, rope, cable, etc. It is made by unraveling its end and joining it to itself by intertwining it into the lay of the line. Eye splices are very strong and compact and are employed in moorings and docking lines among other uses. Fairlead A ring, hook or other device used to keep a line or chain running in the correct direction or to prevent it from rubbing or fouling.  Annex A Fairway 1. Generally, a navigable channel, for example in a harbor or offshore, that is the usual course taken by vessels in the area. 2. In military and naval terms, a channel from offshore, in a river, or in a harbor that has enough depth to accommodate the draft of large vessels. Fall The part of the tackle that is hauled upon. Fast Fastened or held firmly (fast aground: stuck on the seabed; made fast: tied securely). Fathometer A depth finder that uses sound waves to determine the depth of water.  Annex A Fathom /ˈfæðəm/ A unit of length equal to 6 feet (1.8 m), roughly measured as the distance between a man's outstretched hands. Particularly used to measure depth. Fender A flexible bumper used in boating to keep boats from banging into docks or each other. Often an old car tire. First mate The second-in-command of a commercial ship. Fixed propeller A propeller mounted on a rigid shaft protruding from the hull of a vessel, usually driven by an inboard motor; steering must be done using a rudder. (See also outboard motor and stern drive)  Annex A Flag of convenience The business practice of registering a merchant ship in a sovereign state different from that of the ship's owners, and flying that state's civil ensign on the ship. The practice allows the ship's owner to reduce operating costs or avoid the regulations of the owner’s country. Flare 1. A curvature of the topsides outward towards the gunwale. 2. A pyrotechnic signaling device, usually used to indicate distress. Forecastle 1. A partial deck, above the upper deck and at the head of the vessel; traditionally the sailors' living quarters. 2. Pronounced /ˈfoʊksəl/. The name is derived from the castle fitted to bear archers in time of war  Annex A Freeboard The height of a ship's hull (excluding superstructure) above the waterline. The vertical distance from the current waterline to the lowest point on the highest continuous watertight deck. This usually varies from one part to another. Funnel 1. Funnel (also stack): The smokestack of a ship, used to expel boiler steam and smoke or engine exhaust. 2. Ventilation funnel: A curved, rotatable tube protruding from the deck of a vessel, designed to direct fresh air into her interior. Galley The kitchen of a ship.  Annex A Gangplank A movable bridge used in boarding or leaving a ship at a pier; also known as a "brow”. Gangway An opening in the bulwark of the ship to allow passengers to board or leave the ship. Give-way (vessel) Where two vessels are approaching one another so as to involve a risk of collision, this is the vessel directed to keep out of the way of the other. Global Positioning System (GPS) A satellite-based radionavigation system providing continuous worldwide coverage. It provides navigation, position, and timing information to air, marine, and land users.  Annex A Gooseneck Fitting that attaches the boom to the mast, allowing it to move freely. Great circle The line that follows the shortest distance between two points on the globe. Green-to-green A passage of two vessels moving in the opposite direction on their starboard sides, so called because the green navigation light on one of the vessels faces the green light on the other vessel. Grounding When a ship (while afloat) touches the bed of the sea, or goes "aground". A moored vessel that grounds as the tide goes out is said to “take the ground”.  Annex A Growler A small iceberg or ice floe barely visible above the surface of the water. Halyard or halliard Originally, ropes used for hoisting a spar with a sail attached; today, a line used to raise the head of any sail. Handy billy A loose block and tackle with a hook or tail on each end, which can be used wherever it is needed; usually made up of one single and one double block.. Harbour A harbour or harbor (US), or haven, is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. Harbours can be man-made or natural.  Annex A Hawsepipe, hawsehole or hawse /hɔːz/ The shaft or hole in the side of a vessel's bow through which the anchor chain passes. Hawser Large rope used for mooring or towing a vessel. Head sea A sea where waves are directly opposing the motion of the ship. Heading The direction a thing's nose is pointing.  Annex A Heavy weather A combination of high winds and rough seas that may be dangerous for a ship or boat, sometimes requiring changes to a passage plan (such as a precautionary diversion to a safe harbour), heaving to, running under bare poles or other similar survival strategies. Heel 1. The lean caused by the wind's force on the sails of a sailing vessel. 2. The inclination or canting of a vessel to one side or the other from the vertical as she maneuvers, as the ship heeled to port as she turned to starboard. 3. The lowest or last part of something, such as the heel of the mast or the heel of the vessel.  Annex A Helm A ship's steering mechanism; see tiller and ship's wheel. The wheel and/or wheelhouse area. See also wheelhouse. Take the helm, means take over the steering of the vessel. Helmsman Also steersman. A person who steers a ship. Hitch A knot used to tie a rope or line to a fixed object. (See also bend)  Annex A Hog 1. A fore-and-aft structural member of the hull fitted over the keel to provide a fixing for the garboard planks. 2. A rough flat scrubbing brush for cleaning a ship's bottom under water. 3. A semi-permanent bend in a ship's keel, especially in wooden-hulled ships, caused over time by the ship's center being more buoyant than her bow or stern. Hogging When the peak of a wave is amidships, causing the hull to bend so the ends of the keel are lower than the middle. The opposite of sagging. It also refers to a permanent distortion of the hull in the same manner caused, over time, by the bow and stern of a ship being less buoyant than the midships section. During the Age of Sail, shipwrights employed a number of different designs of braces to stiffen ships' hulls against this warping.  Annex A Hold In earlier use, below the orlop deck, the lower part of the interior of a ship's hull, especially when considered as storage space, as for cargo. In later merchant vessels it extended up through the decks to the underside of the weather deck. Home port The port at which a vessel is based. Often confused with the ship's port of registry, which is the port listed in the vessel's registration documents and lettered on her stern, which may differ from her home port. In the cruise ship industry, the term "home port" often is mistakenly used to refer to a ship's port of departure.  Annex A Horn A sound signal that uses electricity or compressed air to vibrate a disc diaphragm. Horns Shaped ends to the chocks where the main horse is bolted. Hospital ship A ship designated and equipped to serve primarily as a floating medical healthcare facility or hospital, usually operated by military forces – mostly navies – for use in or near war zones, or for the support of disaster relief and other humanitarian operations. Hull The shell and framework of the basic flotation-oriented part of a ship.  Annex A Hydrofoil A boat with wing-like foils mounted on struts below the hull, lifting the hull entirely out of the water at speed and allowing water resistance to be greatly reduced. Icebreaker A special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice- covered waters. Jackstaff A small vertical pole on the bow of a vessel on which it flies its flag, or jack. The jackstaff was introduced in the 18th century.  Annex A Jacob's ladder (or Jacob’s ladder) 1. A flexible hanging ladder consisting of vertical ropes or chains supporting horizontal rungs, used to allow access over the side of a ship, either to transfer between the ship and another vessel alongside or to perform maintenance tasks along the side of the ship. Sometimes mistakenly referred to as a “pilot ladder”, but a pilot ladder differs from a Jacob′s ladder in its use of spreaders and in terms of specific regulations governing step size, step spacing, and the use of spreaders in a pilot ladder. 2. A vertical ladder from the ratlines found on square-rigged ships, used to get around the top while climbing between the lower mast and the topmast. Jetty A man-made pier in a marina or open water, rising several feet above high tide. A jetty may be made of wood or rocks to create a breakwater, shelter, erosion control, channel, or other function.  Annex A Jetsam Floating debris ejected from a ship. (See also Flotsam). Keel The principal central longitudinal structural member of a hull, positioned at or close to the lowest point of the hull. Where the keel protrudes below the surface of the hull, it provides hydrodynamic resistance to the lateral forces that give rise to leeway. A ballast keel of (typically) lead or cast iron may be fastened underneath the structural keel in sailing vessels to provide stability and usually providing additional hydrodynamic resistance effects. (See also bilge keel).  Annex A Knot A unit of speed: 1 nautical mile (1.8520 km; 1.1508 mi) per hour. Originally speed was measured by paying out a line from the stern of a moving boat; the line had a knot every 47 feet 3 inches (14.40 m), and the number of knots passed out in 30 seconds gave the speed through the water in nautical miles per hour. Sometimes "knots" is mistakenly stated as "knots per hour," but the latter is a measure of acceleration (i.e., "nautical miles per hour per hour") rather than of speed. Ladder On board a ship, all "stairs" are called ladders, except for literal staircases aboard passenger ships. Most "stairs" on a ship are narrow and nearly vertical, hence the name. Believed to be from the Anglo-Saxon word hiaeder, meaning ladder.  Annex A Lateral system A system of aids to navigation in which characteristics of buoys and beacons indicate the sides of the channel or route relative to a conventional direction of buoyage (usually upstream). Launch 1. Traditionally, a launch was the largest ship's boat carried by a warship. 2. In modern usage, a large motorboat. 3. To dispatch a ship down a slipway, prior to fitting-out. Lead 1. A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea. 2. In former usage, to estimate velocity in knots.  Annex A Leadline (also sounding line) An instrument used in navigation to measure water depth; the line attached to a lead Lee side The side of a ship sheltered from the wind (cf. weather side) Leeway The amount that a ship is blown leeward by the wind. Also, the amount of open free sailing space available to leeward before encountering hazards. (See also weatherly).  Annex A Length between perpendiculars, also p/p, p.p., pp, LPP, LBP or Length BPP The length of a vessel along the waterline from the forward surface of the stem, or main bow perpendicular member, to the after surface of the sternpost, or main stern perpendicular member. Believed to give a reasonable idea of the vessel's carrying capacity, as it excludes the small, often unusable volume contained in her overhanging ends. Length overall, or LOA The maximum length of a vessel's hull measured parallel to the waterline, usually measured on the hull alone, and including overhanging ends that extend beyond the main bow and main stern perpendicular members. For sailing vessels, this may exclude the bowsprit and other fittings added to the hull, but sometimes bowsprits are included.  Annex A Lifebelt, lifebuoy, lifejacket, life preserver, personal flotation device A device such as a buoyant ring or inflatable jacket that keeps a person afloat in the water. Lifeboat 1. Shipboard lifeboat, kept on board a vessel and used to take crew and passengers to safety in the event of the ship being abandoned. 2. Rescue lifeboat, usually launched from shore, used to rescue people from the water or from vessels in difficulty. Liferaft An inflatable, sometimes covered raft, used in the event of a vessel being abandoned or in the evacuation of an aircraft after a water landing.  Annex A Lightering 1. The process of transferring cargo from one vessel to another to reduce the draft of the first vessel. 2. It is done to allow a vessel to enter a port with limited depth or to help free a grounded vessel. Lightvessel or lightship A permanently anchored vessel performing the functions of a lighthouse, typically in a location where construction of the latter is impractical. These have largely been replaced by buoys or, as construction techniques have improved, actual lighthouses.  Annex A Line The correct nautical term for the majority of the cordage or "ropes" used on a vessel. A line will always have a more specific name, such as mizzen topsail halyard, that specifies its use. Line astern In naval warfare, a line of battle formed behind a flagship. List A vessel's angle of lean or tilt to one side, in the direction called roll. Typically refers to a lean caused by flooding or improperly loaded or shifted cargo (as opposed to 'heeling', which see).  Annex A Lookout A member of the crew specifically assigned to watch surrounding waters for other vessels, land, objects in the water, hazards, threats, etc. Lookouts usually have duty stations high on a vessel's superstructure or in her rigging in order to enhance their field of vie. Lubber's line A vertical line inside a compass case indicating the direction of the ship's head. Magnetic bearing An absolute bearing using magnetic north. Magnetic north The direction towards the North Magnetic Pole. Varies slowly over time.  Annex A Main deck The uppermost continuous deck extending from bow to stern. Mainmast (or Main) The tallest mast on a ship. Mainstay The stay running from the top of the mainmast to the bottom of the foremast, or from the top of the foremast to the ship's stem. Making way When a vessel is moving under its own power.  Annex A Man overboard! An emergency call that alerts the crew (q.v.) that someone aboard (q.v.) has gone overboard (q.v.) and must be rescued. Manifest A document listing the cargo, passengers, and crew of a ship for the use of customs and other officials. Mariner A sailor  Annex A Maritime 1. Of or related to the sea (e.g., maritime activities, maritime law, maritime strategy). 2. Bordering on the sea (e.g., maritime provinces, maritime states). 3. Living in or near the sea (e.g., maritime animals). 4. Of or relating to a mariner or sailor. Marlinspike A tool used in ropework for tasks such as unlaying rope for splicing, untying knots, or forming a makeshift handle. Mast A vertical pole on a ship that supports sails or rigging. If a wooden, multi-part mast, this term applies specifically to the lowest portion.  Annex A Masthead A small platform partway up the mast, just above the height of the mast's main yard. A lookout is stationed here, and men who are working on the main yard will embark from here. (See also crow's nest). Master 1. The captain of a commercial vessel. 2. A senior officer of a naval sailing ship in charge of routine seamanship and navigation but not in command during combat. 3. Master, a former naval rank.  Annex A Merchant mariner. A civilian officer or sailor who serves in the merchant marine (q.v.). Sometimes such personnel are incorrectly called "merchant marines," but both merchant mariners and marines’ frown on this term; although merchant mariners are part of the merchant marine, they are civilians and are not in any way marines (q.v.), which are a specialized type of military personnel. Monkey's fist A ball woven out of line used to provide heft to heave the line to another location. The monkey fist and other heaving-line knots were sometimes weighted with lead (easily available in the form of foil used to seal e.g. tea chests from dampness) although Clifford W. Ashley notes that there was a "definite sporting limit" to the weight thus added.  Annex A Multipurpose vessel A cargo ship that has fittings to carry standard shipping containers and retractable tween decks that can be moved out of the way so that the ship can carry bulk cargo. Muster drill An exercise that is conducted by the crew of a ship prior to embarking on a voyage. Passengers are required to participate in the drill so that they could be told how to evacuate safely in the event of an emergency on board the ship. Muster station The location on a vessel a person goes during an emergency or a muster drill. If a person is believed missing, all passengers would report to their muster station for a head count.  Annex A Nautical chart Maps designed specifically for navigation at sea. Nautical charts use map projections designed for easy use with hand instruments such as the Mercator projection, and indicate depths, hazards, landmarks, aids to navigation such as buoys, and ashore facilities of interest to mariners. Nautical charts are generally originally published by Government agencies such as NOAA, and are now provided in both print form and digital for use in chart plotters. Nautical mile A unit of length corresponding approximately to one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian arc. By international agreement it is exactly 1,852 metres (approximately 6,076 feet).  Annex A Navigation All activities related to determining, plotting and tracking the position and course of a ship in order to keep track of its position relative to land while at sea. Navigation Charts have been used since ancient times, and remain in use as backups to modern Satellite Global Positioning Systems. Numerous map projections including the common Mercator projection were developed specifically to make navigation at sea simple to perform with straight-edges and compasses. Offshore 1. Moving away from the shore. 2. Of a wind, blowing from the land to the sea. 3. At some distance from the shore; located in the sea away from the coast.  Annex A Oiler 1. A naval auxiliary ship with fuel tanks, which refuels other ships See Oiler (ship). 2. The job title of a seaman holding a junior position in a ship's engineering crew, senior only to the engine room wiper (q.v.). Oilskins or oilies Foul-weather clothing worn by sailors.  Annex A Ordinary seaman 1. A seaman in the British Royal Navy in the 18th century who had between one and two years of experience at sea. Later, a formal rank in the Royal Navy for the lowest grade of seaman, now obsolete. 2. The second-lowest rank in the United States Navy from 1797 to 1917, between landsman and seaman. Renamed "seaman second class" in 1917. 3. The rating for entry-level personnel in the deck department of a ship in the United States Merchant Marine. 4. An ordinary seaman (abbreviated "OS") is considered to be serving an apprenticeship to become an able seaman (q.v.)  Annex A Outboard 1. Situated outside the hull of a vessel. 2. Situated within a vessel but positioned away (or farther away, when contrasted with another item) from her centerline (q.v). 3. Farther from the hull, e.g., The larger boat was tied up alongside the ship outboard of the smaller boat. 4. Farther from the pier or shore, e.g., The tanker and cargo ship were tied up at the pier alongside one another with the tanker outboard of the cargo ship. 5. An outboard motor (q.v.). 6. A vessel fitted with an outboard motor.  Annex A Pilot Navigator; a specially knowledgeable person qualified to navigate a vessel through difficult waters, e.g. harbour pilot etc. Pilot boat A type of boat used to transport maritime pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting. Pilot ladder A highly specialized form of rope ladder, typically used to embark and disembark pilots over the side of a ship. Sometimes confused with Jacob's ladders (q.v.), but the design and construction of pilot ladders is governed tightly by international regulation and includes spreaders – elongated versions of the standard machined step – rather than the type of steps generally found on Jacob′s ladders.  Annex A Passageway Hallway of a ship. Poop deck A high deck on the aft superstructure of a ship. Port of registry The port listed in a vessel's registration documents and lettered on her stern. Often used incorrectly as a synonym for "home port", meaning the port at which the vessel is based, but it may differ from the port of registry. Porthole or port An opening in a ship's side, esp. a round one for admitting light and air, fitted with thick glass and, often, a hinged metal cover, a window.  Annex A Propeller (fixed) A propeller mounted on a rigid shaft protruding from the hull of a vessel, usually driven by an inboard motor. Propeller (folding) A propeller with folding blades, furling to reduce drag on a sailing vessel when not in use. Propeller walk or prop walk Tendency for a propeller to push the stern sideways. In theory a right-hand propeller in reverse will walk the stern to port Purchase A mechanical method of increasing force, such as a tackle or lever.  Annex A Quay 1. A stone or concrete structure on navigable water used for loading and unloading vessels, generally synonymous with a wharf (q.v.), although the solid foundations of a quay contrast with the closely spaced piles of a wharf. When "quay" and "wharf" are used as synonyms, the term "quay" is more common in everyday speech in the United Kingdom, many Commonwealth countries, and the Republic of Ireland, while "wharf" is more commonly used in the United States. 2. To land or tie up at a quay. Quayside An area alongside a quay.  Annex A Radar Acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging. An electronic system designed to transmit radio signals and receive reflected images of those signals from a "target" in order to determine the bearing and distance to the "target”. Radar reflector A special fixture fitted to a vessel or incorporated into the design of certain aids to navigation to enhance their ability to reflect radar energy. In general, these fixtures will materially improve the visibility for use by vessels with radar. Raft A flat structure used for support or transportation over water, lacking a hull and kept afloat by buoyant materials or structures such as wood, balsa, barrels, drums, inflated air chambers such as pontoons, or extruded polystyrene blocks.  Annex A Red-to-red A passage of two vessels moving in the opposite direction on their port sides, so called because the Red navigation light on one of the vessels faces the red light on the other vessel. Rudder A steering device that can be placed aft, externally relative to the keel or compounded into the keel either independently or as part of the bulb/centerboard. Sagging When the trough of a wave is amidships, causing the hull to deflect so the ends of the keel are higher than the middle; the opposite of hogging.  Annex A Screw 1. Propeller 2. Propeller-driven (e.g., screw frigate, screw sloop) Sea chest A watertight box built against the hull of the ship communicating with the sea through a grillage, to which valves and piping are attached to allow water in for ballast, engine cooling, and firefighting purposes; also, a wooden box used to store a sailor's effects. Sea trial The testing phase of a boat, ship, or submarine, usually the final step in her construction, conducted to measure a vessel's performance and general seaworthiness before her owners take delivery of her.  Annex A Seaman Generic term for sailor, or (part of) a low naval rank. Set The direction toward which the current flows. Sheer The upward curve of a vessel's longitudinal lines as viewed from the side. Shelter deck An upper deck having no overhead protection from the weather itself, but sheltering the deck below it.  Annex A Shipwreck 1. The remains of a ship that has sunk. 2. The remains of a ship that has run aground such that she is no longer seaworthy. 3. An event in which a ship sinks or otherwise becomes a wreck. Shipyard A facility where ships or boats are built and repaired. Routinely used as a synonym for dockyard, although dockyard sometimes is associated more closely with a facility used for maintenance and basing activities, while shipyard sometimes is associated more closely with a facility used in construction.  Annex A Shoal Shallow water that is a hazard to navigation. Slack tide That period between rising tide and falling tide or that period between falling tide and rising tide when there is no tidal induced current. Stand-on (vessel) A vessel directed to keep her course and speed where two vessels are approaching one another so as to involve a risk of collision. Starboard The right side of the boat towards the right-hand side of a vessel facing forward denoted with a green light at night; derived from the old steering oar or steerboard, which preceded the invention of the rudd.  Annex A Steerage 1. The effect of the helm on a vessel; the act of steering a vessel. 2. 19th- and early 20th-century term for the section of a passenger ship that provided inexpensive accommodation with no individual cabins. Steering flat In a vessel, the compartment containing the steering gear. Stem 1. The extension of keel at the forward end of a ship. 2. On a barge, the foremost timber set vertically to the keel, forming the head of the stem; it carries the forestay and other rigging.  Annex A Stern The rear part of a ship, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. Stern tube 1. The tube under the hull to bear the tail shaft for propulsion (usually at stern). 2. A torpedo tube mounted in the stern of a submarine. Sternway The reverse movement of a boat or watercraft through the water  Annex A Stoppers A short rope to check a cable in a fixed position. Anchor stoppers hold the anchor when catted, Bitt stoppers, Deck stoppers used to retain the cable when at anchor, shroud stoppers contain a damaged shroud, Foretack and Sheet Stoppers secure the tacks until they are belayed. Stowage The amount of room for storing materials on board a ship. Stowaway A trespasser on a ship; a person aboard a ship without permission and/or without payment, and usually boards undetected, remains hidden aboard, and jumps ship just before making port or reaching a port's dock; sometimes found aboard and imprisoned in the brig until the ship makes port and the prisoner can be transferred to the police or military.  Annex A Stretcher An inclined foot rest, attached to the boat, to which a rower may place and in some instances attach his feet. Swinging the compass Measuring the accuracy in a ship's magnetic compass so its readings can be adjusted – often by turning the ship and taking bearings on reference points. Traffic Separation Scheme Shipping corridors marked by buoys that separate incoming from outgoing vessels. Improperly called Sea Lanes. True bearing An absolute bearing (q.v.) using true north.  Annex A Tug or tugboat A boat that maneuvers other vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs are powerful for their size and strongly built, and some are ocean-going. Under way or underway A vessel that is moving under control: that is, neither at anchor, made fast to the shore, aground nor adrift. Way refers to speed sufficient to steer with the rudder. "Under weigh" is an erroneous synonym. Up-and-down The relative slackness of an anchor chain where the anchor chain is slack and hangs vertically down from the hawsepipe.  Annex A Wharf A structure on the shore of a harbor or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths (i.e., mooring locations), and may also include piers, warehouses or other facilities necessary for handling the ships. The term "wharf' is generally synonymous with "quay" (q.v.), although the solid foundations of a quay contrast with the closely spaced piles of a wharf. When "quay" and "wharf" are used as synonyms, the term "quay" is more common in everyday speech in the United Kingdom, many Commonwealth countries, and the Republic of Ireland, while "wharf" is more commonly used in the United States. Wheelhouse Location on a ship where the wheel is located; also called pilothouse or bridge.  Annex A Wide berth To leave room between two ships moored (berthed) to allow space for maneuver. Windlass A winch mechanism, usually with a horizontal axis. Used where mechanical advantage greater than that obtainable by block and tackle was needed (such as raising the anchor on small ships. Windward In the direction that the wind is coming from.  Annex A Wing An extension on the side of a vessel. A bridge wing is an extension of the bridge to both sides, intended to allow bridge personnel a full view to aid in the maneuvering of the ship. Wiper The most junior rate among personnel who work in the engine room of a ship, responsible for cleaning the engine spaces and machinery and assisting the engineers as directed. A wiper is considered to be serving an apprenticeship to become an oiler (q.v.). Yardarm The very end of a yard. Often mistaken for a yard, which refers to the entire spar. As in to hang "from the yardarm” and the sun being "over the yardarm" (late enough to have a drink). Annex A  Annex A THANK YOU!