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World Yachting Asia - Nautical terms Category: General technical and industrial > Nautical terms Date & country: 27/01/2011, CH Words: 246

Slack
Not fastened; loose. Also, to loosen.

Slackwater
Minimum velocity of tidal current, sometimes abbreviated "slack".

Smartcraft
A feature of Mercury Marine engines for monitoring engine performance.

Sole
Cabin or saloon floor. Timber extensions on the bottom of the rudder. Also the molded fiberglass deck of a cockpit.

Sonar-Echo-Sounder
An echo sounder, or `sonar` in American terminology, is a sound-detecting instrument used to measure the distance between the surface of the water and objects in the water or on the ocean floor. An essential item of navigational and safety equipment, an echo sounder detects objects underwater by emitting a sound pulse via a transducer mounted on the hull or lowered to the required depth and then m...

Sounder Status
A summary of echosounder settings.

Sounding
A measurement of the depth of water.

Spinnaker Pole
Sometimes called a spinnaker boom. A pole used to extend the foot of the spinnaker beyond the edge of the boat, and to secure the corner of the sail.

Spreader
Small spars extending toward the sides from one or more places along the mast. The shrouds cross the end of the spreaders, enabling the shrouds to better support the mast.

Spring Line
A pivot line used in docking, undocking, or to prevent the boat from moving forward or astern while made fast to a dock.

Spring Tide
The tide with the most variation in water level, occurring during new moons and full moons. This is the time of the highest high tide and the lowest low tide. The opposite of a neap tide.

Squall
A sudden, violent wind often accompanied by rain.

Square Knot
A knot used to join two lines of similar size. Also called a reef knot.

Stand-On Boat
One that has the right of way and should maintain her course and speed.

Stand-On Vessel
That vessel which has right-of-way during a meeting, crossing, or overtaking situation.

Standing Part
That part of a line which is made fast.The main part of a line as distinguished from the bight and the end.

Starboard
The right side of a boat when looking forward (green).

Starboard Tack
Wind across the starboard (right) side.

Stays
Standing rigging that supports a mast fore and aft.

Stem
The forward most part of the bow.

Stern Line
A docking line leading from the stern.

Stow
To put an item in its proper place.

Swamp
To fill with water, but not settle to the bottom.

Tacking
Changing direction by turning into the wind.

TCPA
Time to Closest Point of Approach. Time until the closest point of approach for two vessels.

Thwartships
At right angles to the centerline of the boat.

Tide
The periodic rise and fall of water level in the oceans.

Tiller
A bar or handle for turning a boat's rudder or an outboard motor.

Topside
On or above a weather deck, a deck wholly exposed to the elements.

Transducer
The transducer serves as the acoustic `loudspeaker” and `microphone” to send and receive the signals through the water. They are most often made from ceramic elements carefully built into a robust housing. The ceramic elements change shape when a voltage is applied across them and they also generate a voltage when they encounter sound waves.

Transom
The stern cross-section of a square sterned boat.

Trim
The longitudinal balance of a boat. If either the bow or the stern is depressed,the vessel is said to be down by the bow or down by the stern. Also, to adjust the set of a sail.

Underway
Vessel in motion, i.e., when not moored, at anchor, or aground.

UTC
Universal Time Coordinates, which is equal to standard time in London (GMT). UTC is not affected by the local summertime adjustments.

V Bottom
A hull with the bottom section in the shape of a "V".

Veer
Wind veers when its direction changes clockwise.

VMG
Velocity Made Good. A vessel`s true progress towards a waypoint taken into consideration all factors like leeway and current.

Wake
Moving waves, track or path that a boat leaves behind it, when moving across the waters.

Wash
The rush or sweeping of waves on a bank, shore or vessel.

Way
Movement of a vessel through the water such as headway, sternway orleeway.

Waypoint
A discrete point, stored in a navigator, located on the surface of the earth. Normally this point will be identified by Lat/Lon coordinates although in some systems it may be shown by T.D.'s.

Wharf
Manmade structure parallel to the shoreline for loading, unloading or making fast.

Whipping
Method of binding the end of a rope with small twine.

Windward
Toward the direction from which the wind is coming.

Yacht
A pleasure vessel, a pleasure boat.

Yaw
To swing or steer off course, as when running with a quartering sea.