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What is the definition of anchor shots?

Anchor shots, also known as “anchor outs”, are a term used in the boating community to describe a technique used to secure a boat in place. To put it simply, anchor shots involve dropping an anchor from the boat and letting it sink down to the bottom of the body of water underneath. This anchor then holds the boat in place, preventing it from drifting away or being moved by the currents or wind.

Before attempting an anchor shot, it is important to choose the right kind of anchor and to know the water depth and type of ground beneath the surface. The most common types of anchors used for boats are fluke anchors, plow anchors, and mushroom anchors. The fluke anchor is ideal for sandy bottoms, while the plow anchor is better for rocky or weedy bottoms. The mushroom anchor is best suited to mud or clay bottoms.

To execute an anchor shot, navigate the boat to the desired location and determine the water depth. Lower the anchor slowly, allowing it to sink to the bottom while paying out the required amount of anchor line. The anchor line should be at least five times the depth of the water to ensure maximum holding power. Once the anchor has reached the bottom, set it by jerking the line a few times to ensure it has properly dug into the bottom.

To test if the anchor is securely set, gently try moving the boat by shifting weight in different directions. If the boat remains in place, the anchor has been set properly. A good tip for making sure the anchor doesn’t slip during this process is to add a small amount of reverse throttle to the boat- this will help in digging the anchor and setting it more firmly.

It’s worth mentioning that anchor shots are not a fix-it-all solution for securing a boat. If the weather turns and the wind picks up, or if the anchor isn’t set correctly, the boat may drift or even start drifting. It is essential to regularly check the anchor’s security and re-set if needed. Also, be certain to keep scope in mind while using anchor shots. The more scope that is let out, the more the anchor has a chance to “set” itself, creating a stronger hold on the bottom.

Overall, using anchor shots is an essential skill for any boater who plans to spend time on the water. With the right equipment and knowledge, this technique can help keep the boat in place, allowing for a relaxing day on the water without worrying about drifting off course.

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What is the meaning of "give me 5 shots" in yachting and what is a shot when dropping anchor?

In yachting, the phrase "give me 5 shots" is commonly used when dropping anchor. A "shot" in this context refers to a unit of length in the anchor chain.

Here's what you need to know about the meaning of "give me 5 shots" and the concept of a shot when dropping anchor in yachting:

Meaning of "Give me 5 shots":

• When a captain or crew member says "give me 5 shots," they are referring to the length of anchor chain that needs to be released. Each shot typically represents a specific length, such as 15 or 20 fathoms (1 fathom = 6 feet).
• The number of shots required may vary depending on the depth of the water and the conditions of the anchorage.
• By specifying the number of shots, the captain is instructing the deckhand to release a certain length of anchor chain to ensure the boat is securely anchored.

Understanding a shot when dropping anchor:

• In yachting, the anchor chain is used to secure the boat in place when anchoring.
• The anchor chain is made up of individual links, and each link is referred to as a "shot."
• The length of a shot can vary depending on the vessel and its equipment, but it is typically around 90-100 feet.
• The anchor chain is attached to the anchor, and as the chain is released, it allows the anchor to reach the seabed and hold the boat in position.

Learn more:

• Captain Lee Rosbach of Bravo’s ‘Below Deck’ is known for these (often gruff) Lee-isms - Sun Sentinel

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Anchoring Tips

• By George Sass, Sr.
• Updated: July 20, 2009

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I was anchored in Block Island’s Great Salt Pond when my VHF came alive with a frantic call. “Hey, Harry! I don’t know what’s wrong! I dropped the anchor until it hit bottom and then tied it real tight! But I keep drifting!” This is a true story, and it is just one of the many anchoring antics I witnessed that weekend.

Of course, if you have never dragged anchor or been part of an anchoring mishap, you’ve probably spent more time at marinas than on the hook. But if that’s true, you’ve missed one of the best parts of boating-being away from the noise and hubbub of a busy marina and enjoying the peace and quiet of your natural surroundings.

Here are five tips to help get a firm hold on your chosen spot and to ensure a good night’s sleep, even when the wind and seas pick up.

1. Choosing Your Ground Tackle. There are many opinions about what type of anchor works best in different kinds of bottom, such as sand, mud, or rocks. Over the years, one of the most reliable designs has been the plow, or variations of it. These would include the ubiquitous CQR and increasingly popular Delta. Personally I have experienced excellent results with the Spade, a lightweight variation of the plow. It has never failed to set, even over grassy areas where my CQR could not get a firm hold.

A new generation of designs, including the Rocna, has been getting rave reviews. The lightweight, aluminum Danforth-type Fortress is also an excellent choice, especially as a backup anchor that can be stowed below until it’s needed. Most important, choose an anchor big enough for your boat. This is the last place you should choose to save money, so if your boat’s bow can handle it, go for at least one size bigger than is recommended.

An all-chain rode is great if your boat can carry the weight forward. The weight of the chain will help set your anchor quickly, rocks or coral will not cut it, and you’ll need less scope than with nylon rode. But consider that 300 feet of 5/16-inch chain weighs 300 pounds, so you’ll definitely need a windlass to raise your anchor. As a compromise, I have found that 50 feet of chain spliced to 250 feet of 5/8-inch nylon rode is an ideal combination for my 43-foot, 22,000-pound powerboat. While benefiting from many of the advantages of having an all-chain rode, I avoid the 250 pounds that my bow would have to carry.

2. Getting a Good Set. Unlike the fellow on Block Island, you’ll want to let out enough line to create a scope of at least 3:1, or three times more length than the depth of the water you’re in. Ten feet of water? Thirty feet of line measured from where it enters the water. But that’s the absolute minimum. Where there’s enough swinging room, 5:1 is recommended, and if you’re expecting a real blow, consider 10:1. But be sure you won’t swing into other boats anchored nearby when the wind or tide shifts. If a storm is coming in a crowded anchorage, ask your nearest neighbors how much scope they have out and discuss contingency plans in case all hell breaks loose.

Get your anchor well set before turning off your engine. You’ll normally want to work as a team with one person at the helm and one at the anchor near the windlass controls. Decide on a system of hand signals that tell the helmsperson what to do. Most of us have witnessed embarrassing episodes of a macho man standing on the bow screaming conflicting directions to his hapless mate who is unable to hear anything except for an occasional four-letter command-often returned by a single-finger signal. Some couples use wireless headsets to communicate, but that seems unnecessary compared to simple hand signals (forward, neutral, reverse, to port, to starboard, shut down, open the beer).

While letting out your rode, gradually move your boat aft, or downstream, so that the chain or nylon rode doesn’t pile up on top of itself. When you’ve reached at least 3:1 scope, secure the rode and gently back down, watching the rode or chain to see if it pulls tight. If the rode alternately pulls tight and then loosens, your anchor is skipping, and you need to reset. Pick a spot on land or a nearby marker as a reference point to make sure you’re not moving aft as you back down. When set, let out even more scope if you can, and predict where your boat will swing if the tide or wind shifts. Back down again at this scope, making sure your anchor is well set before turning off your engine and leaving your boat.

3. When Two Anchors Are Better Than One. If you find yourself in a narrow strip of waterway with a significant current, beware of the path your boat will take when it swings 180 degrees as the tide changes. Factoring in your scope, you may find yourself dangerously close to shore or up against a nearby boat. The solution is to deploy two anchors from the bow set 180 degrees apart, which will limit the boat’s swing to a circle of about two boat lengths. This “Bahamian style” of anchoring takes some practice to prevent wrapping an anchor rode around your prop. Drop the first anchor upstream, drift back and set the anchor as usual. Now let out a total of twice the normal scope and drop the second anchor, also from the bow. Then pull up on the first rode while letting out the second rode to a point equidistant from both anchors. Be careful not to foul the second rode in your prop as you move to the middle position. Leave just enough slack on the non-working rode to allow it to sink below your boat. With both lines secured to the bow, the boat will pivot in place as the tide changes.

To keep your bow pointed into a swell or high wind, drop a stern anchor. Set your bow anchor as you would normally, then let out twice your scope and drop your stern anchor. Pull up on your bow rode to a point equidistant from both anchors and secure the stern line to an aft cleat. For occasional stern anchoring situations, a lightweight anchor such as a Fortress is ideal because you can keep it stowed aft, along with an extra rode and short length of chain. This technique works well except in situations where you’ll experience a strong wind or current abeam. In these cases you’ll find yourself in an uncomfortable, if not unsafe, position. It’s best to lie on one anchor in these situations.

In anticipation of a real blow, setting two bow anchors at an angle of between 45 degrees and 35 degrees from each other can greatly increase your holding power. After setting the first anchor, motor up abreast of it, being careful not to let the rode go slack and slip under your vessel. Drop the second anchor and fall back until both lines are of equal length and secure them to the bow.

4. Weighing Anchor. Normally this is an easy, straightforward procedure. While you’re warming up your engine, make sure your windlass circuit breakers are on, and if you have a washdown system, turn it on and get your hose ready. Reduce the strain on your windlass by slowly motoring forward as you raise your anchor. Don’t attempt to move your boat forward with a relatively small windlass motor. Again, use hand signals so your mate knows what to do at the helm. Wash the mud and sand off the anchor before it finds its way to your deck or into your chain locker.

Before throttling up to cruising speed, be sure your anchor is secured properly in its chocks or roller, a chain stopper is engaged, and the windlass is locked. My anchor once jumped off its roller and went overboard with 50 feet of chain as I was trying to escape an anchorage with six-foot breakers during a sudden squall. I now tie a separate, small line from the shank of each anchor to a bow cleat as an extra precaution.

If your anchor becomes stuck on the bottom, shorten scope and position your bow directly above it. Slowly move forward and try to raise it. If it doesn’t break loose, let out a little scope and start circling it while keeping the rode tight. Oftentimes a slightly different angle will dislodge it. If it’s still stuck, try positioning the boat in the opposite direction in which you were anchored, let out more scope and back down. The force of pulling in the opposite direction should be enough to dislodge it.

Before anchoring over a rocky bottom that may foul your anchor, consider adding a light “buoyed trip line” to the crown of the anchor. Many anchors provide an eye for this purpose. The line should be slightly longer than the water’s depth and secured to a floating buoy. If stuck, hauling on the trip line should dislodge the crown first.

5. Other Tips and Cautions. Without depth markers on your anchor rode, it’s impossible to tell how much scope you’ve let out. Paint a series of color strips on your chain to indicate specific depths. For your nylon rode, insert those little plastic numbered strips available at any marine supply store or tie pieces of small-diameter cord at 20- or 25-foot intervals.

If you’re using all chain, you’ll want to attach a bridle or a short section of nylon rode (5 feet of nylon tied between 6 feet of chain will do the trick) to act as a shock absorber when the boat pitches or pulls back. Secure the rode or bridle through chocks and onto an appropriate set of cleats, taking the pressure off your windlass. Add anti-chafing gear to the lines if you plan to be there for more than a few hours.

If you’re using a nylon rode and can’t put out as much scope as you’d like because you’re in a tight area, consider adding a “sentinel,” or heavy weight, to your anchor line. In a pinch, you can use a smaller, lightweight anchor. Twenty-five pounds or so will work. Attach the weight to the rode with a shackle so it can slide down the anchor line towards the bottom. Tie a small line to the weight and send it down more than halfway to your main anchor. The added weight will lower the angle of pull and increase your holding power.

When entering an anchorage, understand that boats already anchored have prior claim to their space, including their anticipated swinging room. Don’t expect them to move if you find yourself too close later in the day. For ease of mind overnight, set the anchor alarm on your GPS, if it’s so equipped. And be sure to turn on your anchor light if you’re not in a specially designated anchorage area.

Each boat and set of ground tackle has its own characteristics. You’ll want to practice anchoring in a nonthreatening environment until the entire process becomes second nature. And for everyone’s benefit, no yelling. Use those hand signals.

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Nautical + Sailing Terms You Should Know [578 Phrases]

June 5, 2019 2:05 pm

A seaman’s jargon is among the most challenging to memorize. With over 500 terms used to communicate with a captain, crew, and sailors regarding navigation and more, there’s a word for nearly everything. No need to jump ship, this comprehensive list will have you speaking the lingo in no time.

Abaft the beam: A relative bearing of greater than 90 degrees from the bow. e.g. “two points abaft the port beam.”

Abaft: Toward the stern, relative to some object (“abaft the fore hatch”).

Abandon Ship: An imperative to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent danger.

Abeam: “On the beam”, a relative bearing at right angles to the centerline of the ship’s keel.

Aboard: On or in a vessel. Close aboard means near a ship.

Above board: On or above the deck, in plain view, not hiding anything.

Accommodation ladder: A portable flight of steps down a ship’s side.

Admiral: Senior naval officer of Flag rank. In ascending order of seniority, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral and Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy). Derivation reputedly Arabic, from “Emir al Bath” (“Ruler of the waters”).

Admiralty law: Body of law that deals with maritime cases. In the UK administered by the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice.

Adrift: Afloat and unattached in any way to the shore or seabed. It may also imply that a vessel is not anchored and not under control, therefore goes where the wind and current take her, (loose from moorings, or out of place). Also refers to any gear not fastened down or put away properly. It can also be used to mean “absent without leave”.

Affreightment: Hiring of a vessel

Aft: Towards the stern (of the vessel).

Afterdeck: Deck behind a ship’s bridge

Afterguard: Men who work the aft sails on the quarterdeck and poop deck

Aground: Resting on or touching the ground or bottom.

Ahead: Forward of the bow.

Ahoy: A cry to draw attention. A term used to hail a boat or a ship, as “Boat ahoy!”.

Ahull: With sails furled and helm lashed to the lee-side.

Aid to Navigation: ( 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.

All hands: Entire ship’s company, both officers and enlisted personnel.

All-Round White Light: On power-driven vessels less than 39.4 feet in length, this light may be used to combine a masthead light and sternlight into a single white light that can be seen by other vessels from any direction. This light serves as an anchor light when sidelights are extinguished.

Aloft: Above the ship’s uppermost solid structure; overhead or high above.

Alongside: By the side of a ship or pier.

Amidships (or midships): In the middle portion of the ship, along the line of the keel.

Anchor ball: Black shape hoisted in the forepart of a ship to show that ship is anchored in a fairway.

Anchor buoy: A small buoy secured by a light line to anchor to indicate the position of the anchor on the bottom.

Anchor chain or cable: Chain connecting the ship to the anchor.

Anchor detail: Group of men who handle ground tackle when the ship is anchoring or getting underway.

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 watch: Making sure that the anchor is holding and the vessel is not drifting. Important during rough weather and at night. Most marine GPS units have an Anchor Watch alarm capability.

Anchor: An object designed to prevent or slow the drift of a ship, attached to the ship by a line or chain; typically a metal, hook-like object, designed to grip the bottom under the body of water.

Anchorage: A suitable place for a ship to anchor. Area of a port or harbor.

Anchor’s aweigh: Said of an anchor when just clear of the bottom.

As the crow flies: A direct line between two points (which might cross land) which is the way crows travel rather than ships which must go around land.

Ashore: On the beach, shore or land.

Astern: Toward the stern; an object or vessel that is abaft another vessel or object.

ASW: Anti-submarine warfare.

Asylum Harbor: A harbor used to provide shelter from a storm.

Athwart, athwartships: At right angles to the fore and aft or centerline of a ship.

Avast: Stop! Cease or desist from whatever is being done.

Awash: So low in the water that the water is constantly washing across the surface.

Aweigh: Position of an anchor just clear of the bottom.

Aye, aye: Reply to an order or command to indicate that it, firstly, is heard; and, secondly, is understood and will be carried out. (“Aye, aye, sir” to officers).

Azimuth circle: Instrument used to take bearings of celestial objects.

Azimuth compass: An instrument employed for ascertaining the 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.

Back and fill: To use the advantage of the tide being with you when the wind is not.

Backstays: Long lines or cables, reaching from the rear of the vessel to the mast heads, used to support the mast.

Baggywrinkle: A soft covering for cables (or any other obstructions) that prevents sail chafing from occurring.

Bale Cube (or Bale Capacity): The space available for cargo measured in cubic feet to the inside of the cargo battens, on the frames, and to the underside of the beams.

Ballaster: One who supplies ships with ballast.

Bank (sea floor): A large area of elevated sea floor.

Banyan: Traditional Royal Navy term for a day or shorter period of rest and relaxation.

Bar pilot: A bar pilot guides ships over the dangerous sandbars at the mouth of rivers and bays.

Bar: Large mass of sand or earth, formed by the surge of the sea. They are mostly found at the entrances of great rivers or havens, and often render navigation extremely dangerous, but confer tranquility once inside. See also: Touch and go, grounding. Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem ‘Crossing the bar’ an allegory for death.

Bargemaster: Owner of a barge.

Barrelman: A sailor that was stationed in the crow’s nest.

Beacon: A lighted or unlighted fixed aid to navigation attached directly to the earth’s surface. (Lights and daybeacons both constitute beacons).

Beam ends: The sides of a ship. “On her beam ends” may mean the vessel is literally on her side and possibly about to capsize; more often, the phrase means the vessel is listing 45 degrees or more.

Beam: The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point or a point alongside the ship at the mid-point of its length.

Bear away: Turn away from the wind, often with reference to a transit.

Bear down: Turn away from the wind, often with reference to a transit.

Bearing: The horizontal direction of a line of sight between two objects on the surface of the earth.

Bee: Hardwood on either side of bowsprit through which forestays are reeved

Before the mast: Literally, the area of a ship before the foremast (the forecastle). Most often used to describe men whose living quarters are located here, officers being housed behind (abaft) the mast and enlisted men before the mast. This was because the midships area where the officers were berthed is more stable, being closer to the center of gravity, and thus more comfortable. It is less subject to the up and down movement resulting from the ship’s pitching.

Belay: To secure a rope by winding on a pin or cleat

Belaying pins: Bars of iron or hardwood to which running rigging may be secured, or belayed.

Berth: A bed on a boat, or a space in a port or harbor where a vessel can be tied up.

Best bower (anchor): The larger of two anchors carried in the bow; so named as it was the last, best hope.

Bilge: The bilge is the compartment at the bottom of the hull of a ship or boat where water collects so that it may be pumped out of the vessel at a later time.

Bilged on her anchor: A ship that has run upon her own anchor.

Bimini: Weather-resistant fabric stretched over a stainless steel frame, fastened above the cockpit of a sailboat or flybridge of a power yacht which serves as a rain or sun shade.

Bimmy: A punitive instrument.

Binnacle list: A ship’s sick list. The list of men unable to report for duty was given to the officer or mate of the watch by the ship’s surgeon. The list was kept at the binnacle.

Binnacle: The stand on which the ship’s compass is mounted.

Bitter end: The anchor cable is tied to the bitts when the cable is fully paid out, the bitter end has been reached. The last part of a rope or cable.

Bitts: Posts mounted on a ship for fastening ropes

Bloody: An intensive derived from the substantive ‘blood’, a name applied to the Bucks, Scrowers, and Mohocks of the seventeenth centuries.

Blue Peter: A blue and white flag hoisted at the foretrucks of ships about to sail.

Boat: A craft or vessel designed to float on, and provide transport over, water.

Boatswain or bosun: A non-commissioned officer responsible for the sails, ropes, and boats on a ship who issues “piped” commands to seamen.

Bobstay: Rope used on ships to steady the bowsprit

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.

Boltrope: Strong rope stitched to edges of a sail

Booby hatch: A sliding hatch or cover.

Booby: A type of bird that has little fear and therefore is particularly easy to catch, hence booby prize.

Boom vang: A sail control that lets one apply downward tension on the boom, countering the upward tension provided by the mainsail. The boom vang adds an element of control to mainsail shape when the mainsheet is let out enough that it no longer pulls the boom down. Boom vang tension helps control leech twist, a primary component of sail power.

Boom: A spar used to extend the foot of a fore-and-aft sail.

Booms: Masts or yards, lying on board in reserve.

Bosun: Boatswain

Bottomry: Pledging a ship as security in a financial transaction.

Bow: The front of a ship.

Bower: Anchor carried at bow of a ship

Bowline: A type of knot, producing a strong loop of a fixed size, topologically similar to a sheet bend. Also, a rope attached to the side of a sail to pull it towards the bow (for keeping the windward edge of the sail steady).

Bowse: To pull or hoist.

Bowsprit: A spar projecting from the bow used as an anchor for the forestay and other rigging.

Brail: To furl or truss a sail by pulling it in towards the mast, or the ropes used to do so.

Bream: To clean a ship’s bottom by burning off seaweed.

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.

Bring to: Cause a ship to be stationary by arranging the sails.

Broaching-to: A sudden movement in navigation, when the ship, while scudding before the wind, accidentally turns her leeward side to windward, also use to describe the point when water starts to come over the gunwale due to this turn.

Buffer: The chief bosun’s mate, responsible for discipline.

Bulkhead: An upright wall within the hull of a ship. Particularly a load bearing wall.

Bulwark: The extension of the ship’s side above the level of the weather deck.

Bumboat: A private boat selling goods.

Bumpkin: An iron bar (projecting outboard from a ship’s side) to which the lower and topsail brace blocks are sometimes hooked. Chains supporting/stabilizing the bowsprit.

Bunt: Middle of sail, fish-net or cloth when slack.

Buntline: One of the lines tied to the bottom of a square sail and used to haul it up to the yard when furling.

Buoy: A floating object of defined shape and color, which is anchored at a given position and serves as an aid to navigation.

Buoyed Up: Lifted by a buoy, especially a cable that has been lifted to prevent it from trailing on the bottom.

Burgee: Small ship’s flag used for identification or signaling.

By and Large: By means into the wind, while large means with the wind. By and large, is used to indicate all possible situations “the ship handles well both by and large”.

By the board: Anything that has gone overboard.

Cabin boy: attendant on passengers and crew.

Cabin: an enclosed room on a deck or flat.

Cable: A large rope; also a measure of length or distance. Equivalent to (UK) 1/10 nautical mile, approx. 600 feet; (USA) 120 fathoms, 720 feet (219 m); other countries use different values.

Cabotage: Shipping and sailing between points in the same country.

Camber: Slight arch or convexity to a beam or deck of a ship.

Canister: A type of anti-personnel cannon load in which lead balls or other loose metallic items were enclosed in a tin or iron shell. On firing the shell would disintegrate releasing the smaller metal objects.

Cape Horn fever: The name of the fake illness a malingerer is pretending to suffer from.

Capsize: When a ship or boat lists too far and rolls over, exposing the keel. On large vessels, this often results in the sinking of the ship.

Capstan: A huge rotating hub (wheel) mounted vertically and provided with horizontal holes to take up the capstan bars (when manually rotated), used to wind in anchors or other heavy objects; and sometimes to administer flogging over.

Captain’s daughter: The cat o’ nine tails, which in principle is only used on board on the captain’s (or a court martial’s) personal orders.

Careening: Cause the ship to tilt on its side, usually to clean or repair the hull below the water line.

Cargo Deadweight Tons: The weight remaining after deducting fuel, water, stores, dunnage and such other items necessary for use on a voyage from the deadweight of the vessel.

Carlin: Similar to a beam, except running in a fore and aft direction.

Cat Head: A beam extending out from the hull used to support an anchor when raised in order to secure or “fish” it.

Cat: To prepare an anchor, after raising it by lifting it with a tackle to the Cat Head, prior to securing (fishing) it alongside for sea. (An anchor raised to the Cat Head is said to be catted).

Catamaran: A vessel with two hulls.

Catboat: A cat-rigged vessel with only one sail, usually on a gaff.

Centreboard: A removable keel used to resist leeway.

Chafing Gear: Material applied to a line or spar to prevent or reduce chafing. See Baggywrinkle.

Chafing: Wear on the line or sail caused by constant rubbing against another surface.

Chain-wale or channel: A broad, thick plank that projects horizontally from each of a ship’s sides abreast a mast, distinguished as the fore, main, or mizzen channel accordingly, serving to extend the base for the shrouds, which supports the mast.

Chine: A relatively sharp angle in the hull, as compared to the rounded bottoms of most traditional boat hulls.

Chock: Metal casting with curved arms for passing ropes for mooring ship.

Chock-a-block: Rigging blocks that are so tight against one another that they cannot be further tightened.

Clean bill of health: A certificate issued by a port indicating that the ship carries no infectious diseases.

Clean slate: At the helm, the watch keeper would record details of speed, distances, headings, etc. on a slate. At the beginning of a new watch the slate would be wiped clean.

Cleat: A stationary device used to secure a rope aboard a vessel.

Clew: Corner of sail with a hole to attach ropes.

Clew-lines: Used to truss up the clews, the lower corners of square sails.

Club: hauling the ship drops one of its anchors at high speed to turn abruptly. This was sometimes used as a means to get a good firing angle on a pursuing vessel.

Coaming: The raised edge of a hatchway used to help keep out water.

Cocket: Official shipping seal; customs clearance form.

Cofferdam: Narrow vacant space between two bulkheads of a ship.

Cog: Single-masted, square-sailed ship with a raised stern.

Companionway: A raised and windowed hatchway in the ship’s deck, with a ladder leading below and the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins.

Compass:   Navigational instrument that revolutionized travel.

Complement: The full number of people required to operate a ship. Includes officers and crewmembers; does not include passengers.

Cordage: Ropes in the rigging of a ship.

Corrector: a device to correct the ship’s compass.

Courses: The mainsail, foresail, and mizzen.

Coxswain or cockswain: The helmsman or crew member in command of a boat.

Cringle: Loop at the corner of a sail to which a line is attached.

Crosstrees: Horizontal crosspieces at a masthead used to support ship’s mast.

Crow’s nest: Specifically a masthead constructed with sides and sometimes a roof to shelter the lookouts from the weather, generally by whaling vessels, this term has become a generic term for what is properly called masthead. See masthead.

Cube: The cargo carrying capacity of a ship, measured in cubic feet.

Cuddy: A small cabin in a boat.

Cunningham: A line invented by Briggs Cunningham, used to control the shape of a sail.

Cut and run: When wanting to make a quick escape, a ship might cut lashings to sails or cables for anchors, causing damage to the rigging, or losing an anchor, but shortening the time needed to make ready by bypassing the proper procedures.

Cut of his jib: The “cut” of a sail refers to its shape. Since this would vary between ships, it could be used both to identify a familiar vessel at a distance and to judge the possible sailing qualities of an unknown one.

Cut splice: A join between two lines, similar to an eye-splice, where each rope end is joined to the other a short distance along, making an opening which closes under tension.

Cutline: The “valley” between the strands of a rope or cable. Before serving a section of laid rope e.g. to protect it from chafing, it may be “wormed” by laying yarns in the cuntlines, giving that section an even cylindrical shape.

Daggerboard: A type of centerboard that is removed vertically.

Davit: Device for hoisting and lowering a boat.

Davy Jones (Locker): An idiom for the bottom of the sea.

Daybeacon: An unlighted fixed structure which is equipped with a dayboard for daytime identification.

Dayboard: The daytime identifier of an aid to navigation presenting one of several standard shapes (square, triangle, rectangle) and colors (red, green, white, orange, yellow, or black).

Deadeye: A round wooden plank which serves a similar purpose to a block in the standing rigging of large sailing vessels.

Deadrise: The design angle between the keel (q.v.) and horizontal.

Deadweight Tons (DWT): The difference between displacement, light and displacement, and loaded. A measure of the ship’s total carrying capacity.

Deadwood: Timbers built into ends of a ship when too narrow to permit framing.

Deckhand: A person whose job involves aiding the deck supervisor in (un)mooring, anchoring, maintenance, and general evolutions on deck.

Deck supervisor: The person in charge of all evolutions and maintenance on deck; sometimes split into two groups: forward deck supervisor, aft deck supervisor.

Deckhead: The under-side of the deck above. Sometimes paneled over to hide the pipework. This paneling, like that lining the bottom and sides of the holds, is the ceiling.

Decks: the structures forming the approximately horizontal surfaces in the ship’s general structure. Unlike flats, they are a structural part of the ship.

Demurrage: Delay of the vessel’s departure or loading with cargo.

Derrick: A lifting device composed of one mast or pole and a boom or jib which is hinged freely at the bottom.

Directional light: A light illuminating a sector or very narrow-angle and intended to mark a direction to be followed.

Displacement, Light: The weight of the ship excluding cargo, fuel, ballast, stores, passengers, and crew, but with water in the boilers to steaming level.

Displacement, Loaded: The weight of the ship including cargo, passengers, fuel, water, stores, dunnage and such other items necessary for use on a voyage, which brings the vessel down to her load draft.

Displacement: A measurement of the weight of the vessel, usually used for warships. Displacement is expressed either in long tons of 2,240 pounds or metric tons of 1,000 kg.

Disrate: To reduce in rank or rating; demote.

Dodger: Shield against rain or spray on a ship’s bridge.

Dog watch: A short watch period, generally half the usual time (e.g. a two-hour watch between two four hour ones). Such a watch might be included in order to slowly rotate the system over several days for fairness  or to allow both watches to eat their meals at approximately normal times.

Dolphin: A structure consisting of a number of piles driven into the seabed or riverbed in a circular pattern and drawn together with wire rope.

Downhaul: A line used to control either a mobile spar or the shape of a sail.

Draft, Air: Air Draft is the distance from the water line to the highest point on a ship (including antennas) while it is loaded.

Draft: The distance between the waterline and the keel of a boat; the minimum depth of water in which a boat will float.

Dressing down: Treating old sails with oil or wax to renew them, or a verbal reprimand.

Driver: The large sail flown from the mizzen gaff.

Driver-mast: The fifth mast of a six-masted barquentine or gaff schooner. It is preceded by the jigger mast and followed by the spanker mast. The sixth mast of the only seven-masted vessel, the gaff schooner Thomas W. Lawson, was normally called the pusher-mast.

Dromond: Large single-sailed ship powered by rowers.

Dunnage: Loose packing material used to protect a ship’s cargo from damage during transport. Personal baggage.

Dyogram: Ship’s chart indicating compass deflection due to ship’s iron.

Earrings: Small lines, by which the uppermost corners of the largest sails are secured to the yardarms.

Embayed: The condition where a sailing vessel is confined between two capes or headlands, typically where the wind is blowing directly onshore.

Ensign: Large naval flag.

Escutcheon: Part of ship’s stern where name is displayed.

Extremis (also known as “in extremis”): The point under International Rules of the Road (Navigation Rules) at which the privileged (or stand-on) vessel on a collision course with a burdened (or give-way) vessel determines it must maneuver to avoid a collision. Prior to extremes, the privileged vessel must maintain course and speed and the burdened vessel must maneuver to avoid a collision.

Fairlead: Ring through which rope is led to change its direction without friction.

Fardage: Wood placed in the bottom of the ship to keep cargo dry.

Fathom: A unit of length equal to 6 feet (1.8 m), roughly measured as the distance between a man’s outstretched hands.

Fender: An air or foam filled bumper used in boating to keep boats from banging into docks or each other.

Fiddley: Iron framework around hatchway opening.

Figurehead: Symbolic image at the head of a traditional sailing ship or early steamer.

Fireship: A ship loaded with flammable materials and explosives and sailed into an enemy port or fleet either already burning or ready to be set alight by its crew (who would then abandon it) in order to collide with and set fire to enemy ships.

First Lieutenant: In the Royal Navy, the senior lieutenant on board; responsible to the Commander for the domestic affairs of the ship’s company. Also known as ‘Jimmy the One’ or ‘Number One’. Removes his cap when visiting the mess decks as a token of respect for the privacy of the crew in those quarters. Officer i/c cables on the forecastle. In the U.S. Navy the senior person in charge of all Deckhands.

First Mate: The Second in command of a ship.

Fish: To repair a mast or spar with a fillet of wood. To secure an anchor on the side of the ship for sea,otherwise known as “catting”.

Flag hoist: A number of signal flags strung together to convey a message, e.g. “England expects…”.

Flagstaff: Flag pole at the stern of a ship.

Flank: The maximum speed of a ship. Faster than “full speed”.

Flatback: A Great Lakes slang term for a vessel without any self-unloading equipment.

Flemish Coil: A line coiled around itself to neaten the decks or dock.

Flog: To beat, to punish.

Fluke: The wedge-shaped part of an anchor’s arms that digs into the bottom.

Fly by night: A large sail used only for sailing downwind, requiring little attention.

Following sea: Wave or tidal movement going in the same direction as a ship.

Foot: The bottom of a sail.

Footloose: If the foot of a sail is not secured properly, it is footloose, blowing around in the wind.

Footrope: Each yard on a square-rigged sailing ship is equipped with a footrope for sailors to stand on while setting or stowing the sails.

Fore: Towards the bow (of the vessel).

Forebitt: Post for fastening cables at a ship’s foremast.

Forecabin: Cabin in the fore part of a ship.

Forecastle: A partial deck, above the upper deck and at the head of the vessel; traditionally the sailors living quarters. Pronounced “foc-sle”. The name is derived from the castle fitted to bear archers in time of war.

Forefoot: The lower part of the stem of a ship.

Foremast: Mast nearest the bow of a ship

Foresail: The lowest sail set on the foremast of a square-rigged ship.

Forestays: Long lines or cables, reaching from the front of the vessel to the mast heads, used to support the mast.

Forward: The area towards the bow.

Founder: To fill with water and sink → Wiktionary.

Frap: To draw a sail tight with ropes or cables.

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.

Full and by: Sailing into the wind (by), but not as close-hauled as might be possible, so as to make sure the sails are kept full. This provides a margin for error to avoid being taken aback (a serious risk for square-rigged vessels) in a tricky sea. Figuratively it implies getting on with the job but in a steady, relaxed way, without undue urgency or strain.

Furl: To roll or wrap a sail around the mast or spar to which it is attached.

Futtock: Rib of a ship.

Gaff: The spar that holds the upper edge of a fore-and-aft or gaff sail. Also, a long hook with a sharp point to haul fish in.

Gaff-topsail: Triangular topsail with its foot extended upon the gaff.

Galley: The kitchen of the ship.

Gangplank: A movable bridge used in boarding or leaving a ship at a pier; also known as a “brow”.

Gangway: Either of the sides of the upper deck of a ship

Garbled: Garbling was the (illegal) practice of mixing cargo with garbage.

Garboard: The strake closest to the keel (from Dutch gaarboard).

Genoa: Large jib that overlaps the mainsail

Global Positioning System (GPS): A satellite-based radio navigation system providing continuous worldwide coverage. It provides navigation, position, and timing information to air, marine, and land users.

Grain Cube (or Grain Capacity): The maximum space available for cargo measured in cubic feet, the measurement being taken to the inside of the shell plating of the ship or to the outside of the frames and to the top of the beam or underside of the deck plating.

Grapnel: Small anchor used for dragging or grappling.

Gross Tons: The entire internal cubic capacity of the ship expressed in tons of 100 cubic feet to the ton, except certain spaces which are exempted such as: peak and other tanks for water ballast, open forecastle bridge and poop, access of hatchways, certain light and air spaces, domes of skylights, condenser, anchor gear, steering gear, wheelhouse, galley and cabin for passengers.

Groundage: A charge on a ship in port.

Gudgeon: Metal socket into which the pintle of a boat’s rudder fits.

Gunnage: Number of guns carried on a warship.

Gunwhale: Upper edge of the hull.

Gybe: To swing a sail from one side to another.

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.

Hammock: Canvas sheets, slung from the deckhead in mess decks, in which seamen slept. “Lash up and stow” a piped command to tie up hammocks and stow them (typically) in racks inboard of the ship’s side to protect the crew from splinters from shot and provide a ready means of preventing flooding caused by damage.

Hand Bomber: A ship using coal-fired boilers shoveled in by hand.

Handsomely: With a slow even motion, as when hauling on a line “handsomely.”

Hank: A fastener attached to the luff of the headsail that attaches the headsail to the forestay. Typical designs include a bronze or plastic hook with a spring-operated gate or a strip of cloth webbing with a snap fastener.

Harbor: A harbor or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. Harbors can be man-made or natural.

Haul wind: To point the ship so as to be heading in the same direction as the wind, generally not the fastest point of travel on a sailing vessel.

Hawse: Distance between ship’s bow and its anchor.

Hawse-hole: A hole in a ship’s bow for a cable or chain, such as for an anchor, to pass through.

Hawsepiper: An informal maritime industry term used to refer to a merchant ship’s officer who began his or her career as an unlicensed merchant seaman and did not attend a traditional maritime college/academy to earn the officer license.

Hawser: Large rope for mooring or towing a ship.

Head of navigation: A term used to describe the farthest point above the mouth of a river that can be navigated by ships.

Head: The toilet or latrine of a vessel, which for sailing ships projected from the bows.

Headsail: Any sail flown in front of the most forward mast.

Heave down: Turn a ship on its side (for cleaning).

Heave: A vessel’s transient up-and-down motion.

Heaving to: To stop a sailing vessel by lashing the helm in opposition to the sails. The vessel will gradually drift to leeward, the speed of the drift depending on the vessel’s design.

Heeling: The lean caused by the wind’s force on the sails of a sailing vessel.

Helm: Ship’s steering wheel.

Helmsman: A person who steers a ship.

Hogging or hog: The distortion of the hull where the ends of the keel are lower than the center.

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.

Holiday: A gap in the coverage of newly applied paint, slush, tar, or other preservatives.

Holystone: Sandstone material used to scrape ships’ decks

Horn: A sound signal which uses electricity or compressed air to vibrate a disc diaphragm.

Horse: Attachment of sheets to the deck of the vessel (Main-sheet horse).

Hounds: Attachments of stays to masts.

Hull: The shell and framework of the basic flotation-oriented part of a ship.

Hydrofoil: A boat with wing-like foils mounted on struts below the hull.

Icing: A serious hazard where cold temperatures (below about -10°C) combined with high wind speed (typically force 8 or above on the Beaufort scale) result in spray blown off the sea freezing immediately on contact with the ship.

Idlers: Members of a ship’s company not required to serve watches. These were in general specialist tradesmen such as the carpenter and the sailmaker.

In Irons: When the bow of a sailboat is headed into the wind and the boat has stalled and is unable to maneuver.

In the offing: In the water visible from on board a ship, now used to mean something imminent.

Inboard: Inside the line of a ship’s bulwarks or hull.

Inboard-Outboard drive system: A larger Power Boating alternative drive system to transom mounted outboard motors.

Jack: Ship’s flag flown from jack-staff at the bow of a vessel.

Jack-block: Pulley system for raising topgallant masts.

Jack-cross-tree: Single iron cross-tree at the head of a topgallant mast.

Jacklines or Jack Stays: Lines, often steel wire with a plastic jacket, from the bow to the stern on both port and starboard. The Jack Lines are used to clip on the safety harness to secure the crew to the vessel while giving them the freedom to walk on the deck.

Jackstaff: Short staff at ship’s bow from which the jack is hoisted.

Jackyard: Spar used to spread the foot of a gaff-topsail

Jib: A triangular staysail at the front of a ship.

Jibboom: Spar forming an extension of the bowsprit.

Jibe: To change a ship’s course to make the boom shift sides.

Jigger-mast: The fourth mast, although ships with four or more masts were uncommon, or the aft-most mast where it is smallest on vessels of less than four masts.

Junk: Old cordage past its useful service life as lines aboard ship. The strands of old junk were teased apart in the process called picking oakum.

Jurymast: Mast erected on a ship in place of one lost.

Kedge: Small anchor to keep a ship steady.

Keel: A boat’s backbone; the lowest point of the boat’s hull, the keel provides strength, stability and prevents sideways drift of the boat in the water.

Keel: The central structural basis of the hull.

Keelson: Lengthwise wooden or steel beam in ship for bearing stress.

Kentledge: Pig-iron used as ballast in ship’s hold.

Killick: A small anchor. A fouled killick is the substantive badge of non-commissioned officers in the RN. Seamen promoted to the first step in the promotion ladder are called “Killick”. The badge signifies that here is an Able Seaman skilled to cope with the awkward job of dealing with a fouled anchor.

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.

Lagan: Cargo jettisoned from the ship but marked by buoys for recovery.

Laker: Great Lakes slang for a vessel who spends all its time on the 5 Great Lakes.

Landlubber: A person unfamiliar with being on the sea.

Lanyard: Rope or line for fastening something in a ship.

Larboard: The left side of the ship.Derived from the old ‘lay-board’ providing access between a ship and a quay.

Lastage: Room for stowing goods in a ship.

Lateen: Triangular sail rigged on ship’s spar.

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).

Laveer: To sail against the wind.

Lay down: To lay a ship down is to begin construction in a shipyard.

Lay: To come and go, used in giving orders to the crew, such as “lay forward” or “lay aloft”. To direct the course of the vessel. Also, to twist the strands of a rope together.

Lazaret: Space in ship between decks used for storage.

League: A unit of length, normally equal to three nautical miles.

Lee shore: A shore downwind of a ship. A ship which cannot sail well to windward risks being blown onto a lee shore and grounded.

Lee side: The side of a ship sheltered from the wind (opposite the weather side or windward side).

Leeboard: Wood or metal planes attached to the hull to prevent leeway.

Leech: The aft or trailing edge of a fore-and-aft sail; the leeward edge of a spinnaker; a vertical edge of a square sail. The leech is susceptible to twist, which is controlled by the boom vang and mainsheet.

Lee helm: If the helm was centered, the boat would turn away from the wind (to the lee). Consequently, the tiller must be pushed to the lee side of the boat in order to make the boat sail in a straight line.

Leeward: In the direction that the wind is blowing towards.

Leeway: The angle that a ship is blown leeward by the wind. See also “weatherly”.

Length at Waterline (LWL): The ship’s length measured at the waterline.

Length Overall (LOA): The maximum length of the ship.

Length: The distance between the forwardmost and aftermost parts of the ship.

Let go and haul: An order indicating that the ship is in line with the wind.

Lifeboat: A small steel or wood boat located near the stern of a vessel. Used to get the crew to safety if something happens to the mothership.

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, which describes its use.

Liner: Ship of The Line: a major warship capable of taking its place in the main (battle) line of fighting ships. Hence the modern term for most prestigious passenger vessel: Liner.

List: The vessel’s angle of lean or tilt to one side, in the direction called the roll.

Loggerhead: An iron ball attached to a long handle, used for driving caulking into seams and (occasionally) in a fight. Hence: “at loggerheads”.

Loxodograph: Device used to record the ship’s travels.

Lubber’s line: A vertical line inside a compass case indicating the direction of the ship’s head.

Luff: The forward edge of a sail. To head a sailing vessel more towards the direction of the wind.

Luffing: When a sailing vessel is steered far enough to windward that the sail is no longer completely filled with wind. The flapping of the sail(s) which results from having no wind in the sail at all.

Lugsail: Four-sided sail bent to an obliquely hanging yard.

Lutchet: Fitting on ship’s deck to allow the mast to pivot to pass under bridges.

Lying ahull: Waiting out a storm by dousing all sails and simply letting the boat drift.

Mainbrace: The brace attached to the mainmast.

Mainmast (or Main): The tallest mast on a ship.

Mainsail: Principal sail on a ship’s mainmast.

Mainsheet: Sail control line that allows the most obvious effect on mainsail trim. Primarily used to control the angle of the boom, and thereby the mainsail, this control can also increase or decrease downward tension on the boom while sailing upwind, significantly affecting sail shape. For more control over downward tension on the boom, use a boom vang.

Mainstay: Stay that extends from the main-top to the foot of the foremast.

Man overboard: A cry let out when a seaman has gone overboard.

Manrope: Rope used as a handrail on a ship.

Marina: A docking facility for small ships and yachts.

Martingale: Lower stay of rope used to sustain the strain of the forestays.

Mast: A vertical pole on a ship which supports sails or rigging.

Master: Either the commander of a commercial vessel, or a senior officer of a naval sailing ship in charge of routine seamanship and navigation but not in command during combat.

Masthead Light: This white light shines forward and to both sides and is required on all power-driven vessels.

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.

Matelot: A traditional Royal Navy term for an ordinary sailor.

Mess: An eating place aboard ship. A group of the crew who live and feed together.

Midshipman: A non-commissioned officer below the rank of Lieutenant. Usually regarded as being “in training” to some degree.

Mizzen staysail: Sail on a ketch or yawl, usually lightweight, set from, and forward of, the mizzen mast while reaching in light to moderate air.

Mizzen: Three-masted vessel; aft sail of such a vessel.

Monkey 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.

Moonraker: Topmost sail of a ship, above the skyscraper.

Moor: To attach a boat to a mooring buoy or post. Also, to a dock a ship.

Navigation rules: Rules of the road that provide guidance on how to avoid collision and also used to assign blame when a collision does occur.

Net Tons: Obtained from the gross tonnage by deducting crew and navigating spaces and allowances for propulsion machinery.

Nipper: Short rope used to bind a cable to the “messenger” (a moving line propelled by the capstan) so that the cable is dragged along too (Used because the cable is too large to be wrapped around the capstan itself). During the raising of an anchor, the nippers were attached and detached from the (endless) messenger by the ship’s boys. Hence the term for small boys: “nippers”.

Oakum: Old ropes untwisted for caulking the seams of ships.

Oreboat: Great Lakes Term for a vessel primarily used in the transport of iron ore.

Orlop deck: The lowest deck of a ship of the line. The deck covering in the hold.

Outhaul: A line used to control the shape of a sail.

Outrigger: Spar extended from the side of the ship to help secure mast.

Outward bound: To leave the safety of the port, heading for the open ocean.

Overbear: To sail downwind directly at another ship, stealing the wind from its sails.

Overfall: Dangerously steep and breaking seas due to opposing currents and wind in a shallow area.

Overhaul: Hauling the buntline ropes over the sails to prevent them from chaffing.

Overhead: The “ceiling,” or, essentially, the bottom of the deck above you.

Overreach: When tacking, to hold a course too long.

Overwhelmed: Capsized or foundered.

Owner: Traditional Royal Navy term for the Captain, a survival from the days when privately-owned ships were often hired for naval service.

Ox-Eye: A cloud or other weather phenomenon that may be indicative of an upcoming storm.

Painter: Rope attached to the bow of a boat to attach it to a ship or a post.

Pallograph: Instrument measuring ship’s vibration.

Parrel: A movable loop, used to fasten the yard to its respective mast.

Patroon: Captain of a ship; coxswain of a longboat.

Pay: Fill a seam (with caulking or pitch), or to lubricate the running rigging; pay with slush (q.v.), or protect from the weather by covering with slush. See also: The Devil to pay. (French from paix, pitch).

Paymaster: The officer responsible for all money matters in RN ships including the paying and provisioning of the crew, all stores, tools, and spare parts. See also: purser.

Pilot: Navigator. A specially knowledgeable person qualified to navigate a vessel through difficult waters, e.g. harbor pilot, etc.

Pipe (Bos’n’s), or a Bos’n’s Call: A whistle used by Boatswains (bosuns or bos’ns) to issue commands. Consisting of a metal tube which directs the breath over an aperture on the top of a hollow ball to produce high pitched notes. The pitch of the notes can be changed by partly covering the aperture with the finger of the hand in which the pipe is held. The shape of the instrument is similar to that of a smoking pipe.

Pipe down: A signal on the bosun’s pipe to signal the end of the day, requiring lights (and smoking pipes) to be extinguished and silence from the crew.

Piping the side: A salute on the bos’n’s pipe(s) performed in the company of the deck watch on the starboard side of the quarterdeck or at the head of the gangway, to welcome or bid farewell to the ship’s Captain, senior officers and honored visitors.

Pitch: A vessel’s motion, rotating about the beam axis, so the bow pitches up and down.

Pitchpole: To capsize a boat end over end, rather than by rolling over.

Pontoon: A flat-bottomed vessel used as a ferry or a barge or float moored alongside a jetty or a ship to facilitate boarding.

Poop deck: A high deck on the aft superstructure of a ship.

Port: Towards the left-hand side of the ship facing forward (formerly Larboard). Denoted with a red light at night.

Preventer (Gybe preventer, Jibe preventer): A sail control line originating at some point on the boom leading to a fixed point on the boat’s deck or rail (usually a cleat or pad eye) used to prevent or moderate the effects of an accidental jibe.

Primage: Fee paid to loaders for loading ship.

Privateer: A privately-owned ship authorized by a national power (by means of a Letter of Marque) to conduct hostilities against an enemy. Also called a private man of war.

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.

Prow: A poetical alternative term for bows.

Purser: Ship’s officer in charge of finances and passengers.

Quarterdeck: The aftermost deck of a warship. In the age of sail, the quarterdeck was the preserve of the ship’s officers.

Quartering: Sailing nearly before the wind.

Quayside: Refers to the dock or platform used to fasten a vessel to.

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.

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”.

Rake: The inclination of a mast or another part of a ship.

Range lights: Two lights associated to form a range (a line formed by the extension of a line connecting two charted points) which often, but not necessarily, indicates the channel centerline. The front range light is the lower of the two, and nearer to the mariner using the range. The rear light is higher and further from the mariner.

Ratlines: Rope ladders permanently rigged from bulwarks and tops to the mast to enable access to topmasts and yards. Also, serve to provide lateral stability to the masts.

Reach: A point of sail from about 60° to about 160° off the wind. Reaching consists of “close reaching” (about 60° to 80°), “beam reaching” (about 90°) and “broad reaching” (about 120° to 160°).

Reef points: Small lengths of cord attached to a sail, used to secure the excess fabric after reefing.

Reef: To temporarily reduce the area of a sail exposed to the wind, usually to guard against adverse effects of strong wind or to slow the vessel.

Reef-bands: Long pieces of rough canvas sewed across the sails to give them additional strength.

Reef-tackles: Ropes employed in the operation of reefing.

Reeve: To pass a rope through a ring.

Rigging: the system of ropes, cables, or chains employed to support a ship’s masts and to control or set the yards and sails.

Righting couple: The force which tends to restore a ship to equilibrium once a heel has altered the relationship between her center of buoyancy and her center of gravity.

Rigol: The rim or ‘eyebrow’ above a port-hole or scuttle.

Roach: Curved cut in the edge of sail for preventing chafing.

Roband: Piece of yarn used to fasten a sail to a spar.

Roll: A vessel’s motion rotating from side to side, about the fore-aft axis. List (qv) is a lasting tilt in the roll direction.

Rolling-tackle: A number of pulleys, engaged to confine the yard to the weather side of the mast; this tackle is much used in a rough sea.

Rostrum: Spike on the prow of warship for ramming.

Rowlock: Contrivance serving as a fulcrum for an oar.

Royal: Small sail on the royal mast just above topgallant sail.

Running rigging: Rigging used to manipulate sails, spars, etc. in order to control the movement of the ship. Cf. standing rigging.

Sailing Certification : An acknowledgment of a sailing competence from an established sailing educational body (like NauticEd).

Sail-plan: A set of drawings showing various sail combinations recommended for use in various situations.

Saltie: Great Lakes term for a vessel that sails the oceans.

Sampson post: A strong vertical post used to support a ship’s windlass and the heel of a ship’s bowsprit.

Scandalize: To reduce the area of a sail by expedient means (slacking the peak and tricing up the tack) without properly reefing it.

Scud: To sail swiftly before a gale.

Scudding: A term applied to a vessel when carried furiously along by a tempest.

Scuppers: An opening on the side rail that allows water to run off the deck.

Scuttle: A small opening, or lid thereof, in a ship’s deck or hull. To cut a hole in, or sink something.

Scuttlebutt: Cask of drinking water aboard a ship; rumour, idle gossip.

Scuttles: Portholes on a ship.

Sea anchor: A stabilizer deployed in the water for heaving to in heavy weather. It acts as a brake and keeps the hull in line with the wind and perpendicular to waves.

Sea chest: A valve on the hull of the ship to allow water in for ballast purposes.

Seaman: Generic term for a sailor.

Seaworthy: Certified for, and capable of, safely sailing at sea.

Self-Unloader: Great Lakes slang term for a vessel with a conveyor or some other method of unloading the cargo without shoreside equipment.

Shaft Horsepower (SHP): The amount of mechanical power delivered by the engine to a propeller shaft. One horsepower is equivalent to 746 watts in the SI system of units.

Shakes: Pieces of barrels or casks broken down to save space. They are worth very little, leading to the phrase “no great shakes”.

Sheer: The upward curve of a vessel’s longitudinal lines as viewed from the side.

Sheet: A rope used to control the setting of a sail in relation to the direction of the wind.

Ship: Strictly, a three-masted vessel square-rigged on all three masts, though generally used to describe most medium or large vessels. Derived from the Anglo-Saxon word “scip”.

Ship’s bell: Striking the ship’s bell is the traditional method of marking time and regulating the crew’s watches.

Ship’s company: The crew of a ship.

Shoal: Shallow water that is a hazard to navigation.

Shrouds: Standing rigging running from a mast to the sides of ships.

Sickbay: The compartment reserved for medical purposes.

Sidelights: These red and green lights are called sidelights (also called combination lights) because they are visible to another vessel approaching from the side or head-on. The red light indicates a vessel’s port (left) side; the green indicates a vessel’s starboard (right) side.

Siren: A sound signal which uses electricity or compressed air to actuate either a disc or a cup-shaped rotor.

Skeg: Part of ship connecting the keel with the bottom of the rudderpost.

Skipper: The captain of a ship.

Skysail: A sail set very high, above the royals. Only carried by a few ships.

Skyscraper: A small, triangular sail, above the skysail. Used in light winds on a few ships.

Slipway: Ramp sloping into the water for supporting a ship.

Slop chest: A ship’s store of merchandise, such as clothing, tobacco, etc., maintained aboard merchant ships for sale to the crew.

Small bower (anchor): The smaller of two anchors carried in the bow.

Snotty: Naval midshipman.

Sonar: A sound-based device used to detect and range underwater targets and obstacles. Formerly known as ASDIC.

Spanker: Sail on the mast nearest the stern of a square-rigged ship.

Spanker-mast: The aft-most mast of a fore-and-aft or gaff-rigged vessel such as schooners, barquentines, and barques. A full-rigged ship has a spanker sail but not a spanker-mast (see Jigger-mast).

Spar: A wooden, in later years also iron or steel pole used to support various pieces of rigging and sails. The big five-masted full-rigged tall ship Preussen (German spelling: Preußen) had crossed 30 steel yards, but only one wooden spar—the little gaffe of its spanker sail.

Spindrift: Finely-divided water swept from the crest of waves by strong winds.

Spinnaker pole: A spar used to help control a spinnaker or other headsail.

Spinnaker: A large sail flown in front of the vessel while heading downwind.

Spirketing: Inside planking between ports and waterways of a ship.

Splice: To join lines (ropes, cables, etc.) by unraveling their ends and intertwining them to form a continuous line. To form an eye or a knot by splicing.

Sponson: Platform jutting from ship’s deck for gun or wheel.

Sprit: Spar crossing a fore-and-aft sail diagonally.

Spritsail: Sail extended by a sprit.

Squared away: Yards held rigidly perpendicular to their masts and parallel to the deck. This was rarely the best trim of the yards for efficiency but made a pretty sight for inspections and in the harbor. The term is applied to situations and to people figuratively to mean that all difficulties have been resolved or that the person is performing well and is mentally and physically prepared.

Squat effect: Is the phenomenon by which a vessel moving quickly through shallow water creates an area of lowered pressure under its keel that reduces the ship’s buoyancy, particularly at the bow. The reduced buoyancy causes the ship to “squat” lower in the water than would ordinarily be expected.

Standing rigging: Rigging which is used to support masts and spars, and is not normally manipulated during normal operations. Cf. running rigging.

Starboard: 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 rudder.

Starbolins: Sailors of the starboard watch.

Starter: A rope used as a punitive device.

Stay: Rigging running fore (forestay) and aft (backstay) from a mast to the hull.

Staysail: A sail whose luff is attached to a forestay.

Steering oar or steering board: A long, flat board or oar that went from the stern to well underwater, used to control the vessel in the absence of a rudder.

Steeve: To set a ship’s bowsprit at an upward inclination.

Stem: The extension of the keel at the forward of a ship.

Stemson: Supporting timber of a ship.

Stern tube: The tube under the hull to bear the tail shaft for propulsion (usually at the stern).

Stern: The rear part of a ship, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter to the taffrail.

Sternlight: This white light is seen only from behind or nearly behind the vessel.

Sternpost: Main member at the stern of a ship extending from keel to deck.

Sternway: Movement of a ship backward.

Stevedore: Dock worker who loads and unloads ships.

Stokehold: Ship’s furnace chamber.

Strake: One of the overlapping boards in a clinker-built hull.

Studding-sails (pronounced “stunsail”): Long and narrow sails, used only in fine weather, on the outside of the large square sails.

Stunsail: Light auxiliary sail to the side of principal sails.

Supercargo: Ship’s official in charge of business affairs.

Surge: A vessel’s transient motion in a fore and aft direction.

Sway: A vessel’s motion from side to side. Also used as a verb meaning to hoist. “Sway up my dunnage.”

Swigging: To take up the last bit of slack on a line such as a halyard, anchor line or dock line by taking a single turn round a cleat and alternately heaving on the rope above and below the cleat while keeping the tension on the tail.

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.

Swinging the lamp: Telling sea stories. Referring to lamps slung from the deckhead which swing while at sea. Often used to indicate that the storyteller is exaggerating.

Swinging the lead: Measuring the depth of water beneath a ship using a lead-weighted sounding line.

Taffrail: Rail around the stern of a ship.

Tail shaft: A kind of metallic shafting (a rod of metal) to hold the propeller and connected to the power-engine. When the tail shaft is moved, the propeller may also be moved for propulsion.

Taken aback: An inattentive helmsmen might allow the dangerous situation to arise where the wind is blowing into the sails “backward”, causing a sudden (and possibly dangerous) shift in the position of the sails.

Tally: The operation of hauling aft the sheets, or drawing them in the direction of the ship’s stern.

The Ropes: Refers to the lines in the rigging.

Thole: Pin in the side of a boat to keep an oar in place.

Three sheets to the wind: On a three-masted ship, having the sheets of the three lower courses loose will result in the ship meandering aimlessly downwind.

Tiller: Handle or lever for turning a ship’s rudder.

Timberhead: Top end of ship’s timber used above the gunwale.

Timenoguy: Rope stretched from place to place in a ship.

Timoneer: From the French, “timonnier”, is a name given on particular occasions to the steersman of a ship.

Ton: The unit of measure often used in specifying the size of a ship. There are three completely unrelated definitions for the word. One of them refers to weight, while others refer to volume.

Tonnage: A measurement of the cargo-carrying capacity of merchant’s vessels. It depends not on weight, but on the volume available for carrying cargo. The basic units of measure are the Register Ton, equivalent to 100 cubic feet, and the Measurement Ton, equivalent to 40 cubic feet. The calculation of tonnage is complicated by many technical factors.

Topgallant: Mast or sail above the topmast and below the royal mast.

Topmast: The second section of the mast above the deck; formerly the upper mast, later surmounted by the topgallant mast; carrying the topsails.

Topsail: The second sail (counting from the bottom) up to a mast. These may be either square sails or fore-and-aft ones, in which case they often “fill in” between the mast and the gaff of the sail below.

Topsides: The part of the hull between the waterline and the deck. Also, Above-water hull.

Touch and go: The bottom of the ship touching the bottom, but not grounding.

Towing: The operation of drawing a vessel forward by means of long lines.

Traffic Separation Scheme: Shipping corridors marked by buoys which separate incoming from outgoing vessels. Improperly called Sea Lanes.

Tranship: To transfer from one ship to another.

Transire: Ship’s customs warrant for clearing goods.

Transom: A more or less flat surface across the stern of a vessel.

Travellers: Small fittings that slide on a rod or line. The most common use is for the inboard end of the mainsheet; a more esoteric form of traveler consists of “slight iron rings, encircling the backstays, which are used for hoisting the top-gallant yards, and confining them to the backstays”.

Treenail: Long wooden pin used to fix planks of the ship to the timbers.

Trice: To haul in and lash secure a sail with a small rope.

Trick: A period of time spent at the wheel (“my trick’s over”).

Trim: Relationship of ship’s hull to the waterline.

Trunnel: Wooden shipbuilding peg used for fastening timbers.

Trysail: Ship’s sail bent to a gaff and hoisted on a lower mast.

Tuck: Part of the ship where ends of lower planks meet under the stern.

Turtleback: Structure over ship’s bows or stern.

Turtling: When a sailboat (in particular a dinghy) capsizes to a point where the mast is pointed straight down and the hull is on the surface resembling a turtle shell.

Under the weather: Serving a watch on the weather side of the ship, exposed to wind and spray.

Underway: A vessel that is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.

Underwater hull or underwater ship: The underwater section of a vessel beneath the waterline, normally not visible except when in drydock.

Unreeve: To withdraw a rope from an opening.

Vanishing angle: The maximum degree of heel after which a vessel becomes unable to return to an upright position.

Wake: Turbulence behind a ship.

Wales: A number of strong and thick planks running length-wise along the ship, covering the lower part of the ship’s side.

Walty: Inclined to tip over or lean.

Wardroom: Quarters for ship’s officers.

Washboard: Broad thin plank along ship’s gunwale to keep out sea water.

Watch: A period of time during which a part of the crew is on duty. Changes of watch are marked by strokes on the ship’s bell.

Watching: Fully afloat.

Watercraft: Water transport vessels. Ships, boats, personal watercraft.

Waterline: The intersection of a boat’s hull and the water’s surface, or where the boat sits in the water.

Waveson: Goods floating on the sea after a shipwreck.

Wear: To turn a ship’s stern to windward to alter its course

Weather deck: Whichever deck is exposed to the weather—usually either the main deck or, in larger vessels, the upper deck.

Weather gage: Favorable position over another sailing vessel to with respect to the wind.

Weather side: The weather side of a ship is the side exposed to the wind.

Weatherboard: Weather side of a ship.

: If the helm was centered, the boat would turn towards the wind (weather). Consequently, the tiller must be pulled to the windward side of the boat in order to make the boat sail in a straight line. See lee helm.

Weatherly: A ship that is easily sailed and maneuvered; makes little leeway when sailing to windward.

Weatherly: Able to sail close to the wind with little leeway.

Weigh anchor: To heave up (an anchor) preparatory to sailing.

Wells: Places in the ship’s hold for the pumps.

Wheelhouse: Location on a ship where the steering wheel is located, often interchanged with pilothouse and bridge.

Whipstaff: Vertical lever controlling ship’s rudder.

White Horses: Waves in wind strong enough to produce foam or spray on the wave tops.

Wide berth: To leave room between two ships moored (berthed) to allow space for a maneuver.

Windage: Wind resistance of the boat.

Windbound: A condition wherein the ship is detained in one particular station by contrary winds.

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). Modern sailboats use an electric “Windlass” to raise the anchor.

Windward: In the direction that the wind is coming from.

Xebec: Small three-masted pirate ship.

Yard: Tapering spar attached to ship’s mast to spread the head of a square sail.

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).

Yarr: Acknowledgement of an order, or agreement.

Yaw: A vessel’s motion rotating about the vertical axis, so the bow yaws from side to side.

Yawl: Ship’s small boat; sailboat carrying mainsail and one or more jibs.

Zabra: Small Spanish sailing vessel.

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100 Basic Yachting & Sailing Terms You Need To Know

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Yachting is an increasingly popular activity that involves exploring and enjoying bodies of water aboard sailboats or motorboats. It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned sailor or brand-new to the sport; knowing the language used in yachting is crucial for efficient communication and secure navigation. We’ll look at some of the most often used terminology and expressions in the world of yachting in this list of 100 fundamental yachting terms, from boat parts to navigation and safety gear, and more. This list is an excellent place to start whether you’re seeking to brush up on your yachting terminology or are just beginning into the sport.

Aft – Toward the back of the boat

Anchor – A heavy object used to keep a boat in place

Ballast – Weight added to the bottom of a boat to improve stability

Beam – The width of a boat at its widest point

Bilge – The lowest point inside the boat where water collects

Bimini – A type of sunshade or canopy used on boats

Bow – The front of a boat

Buoy – A floating marker used to mark channels, hazards or anchorages

Cabin – An enclosed space on a boat used for sleeping and living quarters

Capsize – To tip over or turn upside down

Cleat – A metal or plastic fitting used to secure ropes or lines to the boat

Cockpit – The open area in the back of the boat where the steering and controls are located

Compass – A navigational tool used to determine the direction

Crew – The people who work on a boat, assisting with sailing or other duties

Deck – The top surface of a boat where people can stand or walk

Dock – A platform or structure where boats can be tied up or moored

Draft – The depth of a boat below the waterline

Fender – A cushion or bumper used to protect the boat from damage when docking

Flag – A piece of fabric used to signal or communicate on a boat

Galley – The kitchen area on a boat

Genoa – A type of sail that is used for cruising and racing

GPS – Global Positioning System, a navigational system that uses satellites to determine the location

Halyard – A rope or line used to hoist or lower a sail

Hatch – An opening in the deck or cabin of a boat

Head – The bathroom on a boat

Hull – The main body of the boat, typically made of fiberglass or wood

Jib – A small triangular sail located forward of the mast

Keel – A fin-shaped object located under the boat that provides stability and helps prevent drifting

Knot – A measure of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour

Lanyard – A short cord or rope used to secure equipment or gear on a boat

Latitude – A measure of distance north or south of the equator

Leeward – The side of the boat sheltered from the wind

Lifeline – A line or rope used to provide safety and support on the deck of a boat

Log – A device used to measure speed and distance traveled

Mast – A vertical pole or spar that supports the sails

Mooring – The process of securing a boat to a dock or anchor

Nautical – Relating to or involving ships, sailors, or navigation on water

Navigation – The process of planning and controlling the course of a boat

Oar – A long pole with a flat blade used for rowing a boat

Outboard – A motor located on the outside of the boat

Port – The left side of a boat when facing forward

Propeller – A device that uses rotating blades to provide forward motion to a boat

Pulpit – A railing or fence located on the bow of the boat

Rudder – A flat object located at the back of the boat used to steer

Sail – A piece of fabric used to catch the wind and propel the boat

Sailing is the practice of using the wind to power a vessel through the water

Sheet – A line or rope used to control the angle of the sails

Skipper – The person in charge of operating a boat

Stern – The back of the boat

Tack – The direction of a boat when it is sailing upwind

Throttle – The control used to increase or decrease engine speed

Tiller – A handle or lever used to steer a boat

Transom – The flat, vertical surface at the back of the boat where the outboard motor is mounted

Trim – The adjustment of the sails and other equipment to optimize performance

Wake – The waves created by a boat as it moves through the water

Windward – The side of the boat facing into the wind

Winch – A device used to pull or hoist heavy objects on a boat

Yacht – A larger, more luxurious type of boat typically used for pleasure cruising

Bilge pump – A device used to pump water out of the bilge

Boom – The horizontal pole or spar that extends from the mast to support the bottom of the sail

Bowline – A knot used to secure a line to a fixed object

Cam cleat – A device used to secure a line under tension

Catamaran – A type of boat with two parallel hulls

Centerboard – A movable fin located underneath the boat that helps improve stability and maneuverability

Chafe – The wearing away or damage to a rope or line caused by friction against another surface

Clew – The lower corner of a sail

Current – The flow of water in a particular direction

Dinghy – A small boat used to transport people or supplies to and from shore

Fairlead – A device used to guide a line or rope in a particular direction

Flotation device – A piece of equipment used to keep a person afloat in the water

Forestay – The wire or rope that supports the mast at the front of the boat

Gaff – A spar used to support the upper edge of a sail

Headway – The forward motion of a boat

Inboard – A motor located inside the boat

Jibsheet – The line or rope used to control the jib sail

Keelboat – A type of sailboat with a fixed keel for stability and maneuverability

Luff – The forward edge of a sail

Masthead – The top of the mast where the highest sails are attached

Navigation lights – Lights used to signal other boats of the position and direction of a boat at night

Outhaul – The line or rope used to control the tension of the bottom of the sail

Planing – The state of a boat when it is moving quickly across the water and partially out of the water

Powerboat – A type of boat that is powered by an engine rather than sails

Ratchet block – A device used to reduce the effort required to pull a line under tension

Reefing – The process of reducing the size of the sails in high wind conditions

Rigging – The system of ropes and wires used to support and control the sails and mast

Rudderpost – The vertical post or shaft that the rudder is attached to

Scow – A type of sailboat with a flat bottom and squared-off ends

Shackle – A metal fitting used to connect two pieces of rope or chain

Spinnaker – A large, lightweight sail used to catch the wind when sailing down

wind 90. Spreaders – The horizontal struts on a mast that help to support and spread the shrouds

Standing rigging – The fixed parts of a boat’s rigging system, such as the mast and shrouds

Stern light – A white light on the back of a boat used to signal other boats at night

Stowaway – A person who hides on a boat in order to travel without permission

Tiller extension – A device used to extend the length of the tiller to make steering easier

Topside – The upper part of a boat, above the waterline

Transom door – A door in the back of a boat that provides access to the water

Traveler – A device used to move the mainsail along the boom

Waterline – The level at which a boat floats in the water

Winch handle – A handle used to turn winches to control the sails and lines

Yawl – A type of sailboat with two masts, the smaller of which is located aft of the rudder post.

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How Many of these Yachtie Terms Do You Use?

Pre-galley, Nina Wilson trained as a dive instructor and skippered sailing boats in Greece before starting her yachting career in 2013. Currently head chef on a 55-meter, her talents included telling brilliant jokes and being able to consume six cheeseburgers and feel no guilt. Follow her on Instagram @thecrewchef .

You would be forgiven for scratching your head once or twice upon hearing the jibber-jabber yachties like to toss around. Henceforth, I present a translation sheet — feel free to forward to your land-based family and friends so they can start studying for your triumphant return.

“Well, my owner is worth 6 billion and only eats albino caviar.”

Yes, we frequently refer to the owner of the vessel as our owner. Try not to think too much about the psychology behind this. (Do we truly believe we are slaves? Slaves don’t get free shampoo…right?)

“I’m going to go down for a few hours,” OR “Where’s Tommo?” “He’s gone down. ”

Alas, get your heads out of the gutter. Simply, going down below, down to their cabin, to put their head down and get some down time.

“Sorry, can’t do beers tonight, I’m boss on. ”

Boss is on board, all fun is cancelled.

“Make sure you candle-ise the boat at sunset.”

This is not even a real word. It’s a made-up word by some over-rose’d chief stewardess to describe the process of decorating the boat with candles. (Before you question me, I have heard it used on multiple vessels ranging from 55 meters to 80 meters. FACT.)

“We’ll do the vac-dust on Thursday.”

Dusting, but with a vacuum. We have evolved from just wiping the dust around with a cloth, we hoover it out of existence with a high powered piece of Miele engineering. Genius.

“Friday is wash down day.”

Washing the boat, but only from the top down. And in-to-out (or vice versa depending on your Chief Officer’s method).

“Please fill in your HORS today.”

Pronounced like ‘whores’ and stands for Hours of Rest, not any particular red light district inhabitant.

“I can’t make it, I’m on watch. ”

Basically, the boat is a vulnerable, delicate child and you are the babysitter for a 24-hour period. Don’t let the baby burn, sink, or get stolen.

“ Now, now ”

A South African import. Sometime between now, before, and later — I’m afraid nobody born outside the continent of Africa truly knows.

“ On My Last Boat ”

A precursor to a long-winded story about how their last boat was infinitely better, had unlimited crew champagne and razor blades, and how everything was done differently (but better).

“Damn, it’s gonna be WAF today.”

No, unfortunately not Wives and Friends day. It’s gonna blowing its tits off, be proper gusty, OR say it how you mean it and use Windy As F***.

“Have you pulled for dinner?”

This one means gathering all the crockery/cutlery, etc. for service, essentially pulling knives and forks out of drawers, so…yes, I guess this one makes sense.

“ Dog Box ”

A terrible, tiny cabin that the MLC have not been informed of and that all junior deckhands inhabit. Get a UV light in there and it looks like a Jackson Pollock painting.

“ It’ll buff out. ”

Usually said after a significant blunder (say, driving the tender into the swim platform bow-first) causing significant damage, and taking a significant amount of time, effort, and money to fix.

“ CV sent ”

Believe it or not, jobs do sometimes get posted on those yachtie Facebook groups — however, if you apply it’s mandatory to comment that you have sent your CV so as to ‘double tap’ the poster’s attention. If you don’t comment, you won’t get the job, FACT.

“Tomorrow is pick up day. ”

We’re collecting the guests, prepare to service everyone’s needs but your own for the next 7/10/59 days.

“ Do it for the tip. ”

Poo in the Jacuzzi? Scoop it out. Guests want sushi at 1 a.m.? Put the rice on. Everyone has their price, and we WILL do what it takes to get that fat envelope at the end of the charter. Let’s say it together now…FOR THE TIP!

“Tomorrow is drop off day. ”

We boot these rich cats off in less than 24 hours, ice those beers STAT. Got any powdered charcoal? Get it on standby.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but hopefully a good inroad into the twisted bedsheets of yachting vernacular.

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gr8trn Senior Member

I was watching Tristan Mortlock of MY AWOL on his VLOG SuperYachtCaptain. He was showing his procedure for leaving a Med mooring in Portofino. As the anchor chain was coming in there was a reference to how many shackles to go. They had four or five out and they had two left. I was assuming the ground tackle was shackled at certain lengths but that seemed odd. Is this a measure of length on large vessels like super yachts? What does a shackle equate to?

CptnMaxwell New Member

A shackle (shot) of chain is the distance between Kenter Shackles on Studlink Chain. According to Class Rules this is 27.5m (90ft, 5o fathoms). This means the chain is broken down into manageable lengths for manufacture and handling and these are joined together by Kenter Shackles. This also allows a vessel to replace a portion of their chain due to wear, corrosion or damage. The Kenter Shackles are recognizable so it is possible to determine how much chain is out by counting the shackles. It is quite common for yachts to paint the Kenter Shackles using a colour code to allow easy identification of how much chain is out. This varies per vessel, with different colours used or number of links painted indicating differentiating shackles. Most important is painting of the last shot of chain (warning shot) to ensure the user doesn't get to the bitter end.

Thank you @CptnMaxwell , I no longer think it as odd. Manageable lengths, replacing portions and identifying the shots make it all clear.

Riknpat Senior Member

Interesting. But wouldn't 90 feet be 15 fathoms? 50 fathoms would be 300 feet.

@Riknpat You are entirely correct - 15 fathoms per shot. Tristan's videos are a good insight into working onboard a Superyacht. Thanks are also required to the owner of MY AWOL.

DOCKMASTER Senior Member

On commercial ships they always refer to it as a shot of chain. Each 90’ shot is connected via a detachable link. They paint each detachable link red and then a corresponding link of chain on either side is painted white. So the second shot of chain has two white links on either side of the red detachable link, the third shot has three white painted links, etc, etc. Ships normally carry 10 or 11 shots total. The second to last entire shot is painted yellow as a warning that they are nearing the bitter end. The last shot is painted entirely red. When anchoring the CAPT or Chief Mate will direct how many shots they want deployed. There are some amazing videos on YouTube of runaway anchor chains on ships. Not a place you want to be if this happens.

CptnMaxwell said: ↑ @Riknpat You are entirely correct - 15 fathoms per shot. Tristan's videos are a good insight into working onboard a Superyacht. Thanks are also required to the owner of MY AWOL. Click to expand...

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Boat photos: how to take an amazing shot of your yacht

• Katy Stickland
• June 15, 2021

Getting a decent boat photo or a shot of action on board can be tricky. Yachting Monthly photographer Richard Langdon shares his pro tips

Using a long lens to bring an interesting background into the shot will help when taking amazing boat photos. Credit: Richard Langdon

Photography might not be a sailing skill per se, but the chances are you take boat photos or shots of the ocean almost every time you head out on the water, writes Richard Langdon .

Whether it’s capturing a picture to post on Facebook or Instagram, to create a photo album or yacht club presentation about your adventure, or even to immortalise your pride and joy for a framed picture at home, we’re all snapping away.

Getting a decent picture at sea is no mean feat, however.

To get a good shot of your boat under sail, you can’t be on it, which is a significant hurdle.

Shots of coastlines and headlands often end up as black lines sandwiched between a grey sea and a grey sky, and you’re invariably too busy to pick up a camera when there’s action on deck.

Below decks can be dark, and flash photography captures surprised faces and red eyes.

Richard Langdon is a professional marine photographer and runs Ocean Images, capturing the world’s most famous boats and events. He has sailed far and wide in his Contessa 26. Credit: Richard Langdon

Getting that killer shot can be exhilarating though, and photography is an enjoyable addition to a cruise, but just how do you get stunning images that truly capture the fun, action and beauty of being at sea without having to be a pro?

Subject matter, timing, composition and lighting all play a part.

Photography is about recording light, be it natural light from the sun or moon, or artificial light from a flash, deck lights or even a torch.

It’s nearly always possible to get a rewarding image though it might not be the one you set out to achieve.

Then there’s the choice of camera, whether its your smartphone, compact camera, waterproof action camera, or digital single lens reflex (DSLR).

Each can give great results in different settings.

It’s also worth thinking about what you’re taking pictures for.

It’s easy to have lots of seascapes looking over the bow, but often it’s the people on board you’ll want to remember later.

Photos can be a great way of telling stories, so including the elements that make up a story (people, places and events) can really help.

If it’s for a collection of images, a variety of subject matter, composition and lighting will help build up a visually appealing record that helps tell the story of your adventure.

Whether your aim is to get the ultimate sailing image, an archive for your grandchildren or social media images to make your friends green with envy, some photographic knowledge will hopefully improve your shots.

Taking boat photos: types of camera

So what type of camera should you opt for to take boat photos?

As a professional, most of my work is done using a DSLR.

I will probably also have a GoPro in my pocket during a shoot mainly for those moments on board when it’s too wet to get the expensive one out, or for video.

For family and friends and for those lovely shots that pop up unexpectedly my iPhone gets used, simply because it’s the camera that’s available to me at the time and the quickest to use.

Digital Single Lens Reflex

A DSLR is the pro choice when taking boat photos and offers the most control over the images you take, resulting in the best quality photographs. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

A DSLR gives you total control. You can choose lenses from super wide angle to telephoto.

And while most other camera options do give a choice of lens, the DSLR enables you to use a lens that is of high quality, even when the lens is a telephoto.

The DSLR also gives you the choice of aperture and shutter speed, which allows you to control depth of focus, keeping everything pin sharp, or blurring out the background to really highlight your subject.

You can also use a separate flash, so you can control the lighting, even on bright days, to fill in the shadows.

Compact camera

Compact cameras still have plenty of offer due to their handy size, picture quality and a flash that is usually superior to a smartphone’s. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

The compact camera was all the rage a decade or two ago.

Smartphones and action cameras have largely taken their place.

They do still offer high-quality still images in a small package.

Many are now splash or waterproof, many have RAW format, some sort of visual zoom and various levels of automatic or manual settings to control your image.

With care, use of their built-in flash can give good results.

Be careful with using the digital zoom, however, as this can reduce image quality massively.

Action camera

No keen sports snapper worth their salt would be without an action camera. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

The action camera has taken sports photography by storm and GoPro led the charge.

I’ve never broken one yet, a testament to their quality.

Choose RAW format for the best quality stills and this will also give you more scope in post production.

The action camera is great if you plan to do a lot of close-up, on-board shots.

The super wide setting will give you distorted fish eye type results which have their place but if you’re more conservative, stick to wide or linear settings.

These cameras aren’t great for shooting into the distance, as there’s no telephoto setting.

Our smartphones go everywhere with us these days, which makes them ideal for capturing spontaneous moments that might otherwise be missed. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

And last but by no means least, a camera that most of us have in our pockets is a smartphone.

Whether Android or iPhone, these cameras have really evolved in recent years.

They can be good for wide-angle, but offer little by way of real zoom.

The flash is okay, but you will have little control over it.

And don’t forget when you touch the screen to alter the focusing distance you can also swipe up or down to easily change the exposure of your photograph.

Most smartphones now offer a portrait mode, which will give the effect of dropping the background out of focus, which looks great if used carefully.

Just keep your phone to hand and charged up.

People & Action

People sailing make great pictures.

Not just posed shots looking into the camera but while they are actively sailing.

In low-level lighting, such as below decks, try changing the ISO to a higher number to record light faster, or add addition light sources. Credit: Richard Langdon

In fact many great portraits have the subject looking away from camera.

You’ll need to make sure they have the sailing in control so you can focus on getting some shots.

Try to get faces rather than backs of heads and also try to avoid having a backstay or rigging emerging from their head.

Composition

If you’ve got time, think about lens choice.

A long lens will help isolate your subject from the background, such as the convenient little 50mm lens on a DSLR.

Just choose an aperture with the smallest number like f2.8 or f4 and the background will blow out of focus, especially distant background.

Conversely a wide-angled lens of 18mm or below, is also useful, as long as you get close in on the action.

Stay in front of your subjects when taking a group shot in order to capture the best facial expressions, but they don’t have to look at you. Credit: Richard Langdon

Stay ahead of your subject in order to capture great facial expressions, and if they are doing something active, keep their hands in shot so that the viewer can see exactly what is happening.

When it comes to lenses, having some kind of zoom lens available lets you change focal length much more easily.

If you want one lens, a good range of wide angle to long lens gives you lots of flexibility, but you may end up sacrificing a little in aperture settings or image quality.

Your light source on board will either be the sun and/or a flash. Most likely just the sun.

So taking photos of people on board in the middle of the day will give harsh shadows from the overhead light which are not very flattering.

This problem gets worse in mid summer or close to the equator.

If you have a choice wait until the ‘golden hour’, a couple of hours before sunset or soon after sunrise.

The hour before dawn and sunset is known as the ‘golden hour’ giving soft light without harsh shadow. Credit: Richard Langdon

You’ll be treated to a warm soft light that will make your subjects look amazing!

Ideally they will be ‘frontlit’ facing the light but if the sun’s behind their backs (backlit) just let them be silhouetted for a different effect.

If they are backlit and you are using a DSLR, expose the picture for the sky behind not their faces or rotate the exposure compensation down one stop for the same result.

This will create a nice silhouette.

Your phone camera will also let you adjust the exposure.

There is also a setting called ‘high dynamic range’ (HDR) on most phones, which takes three identical images but with different exposures, then merges them together so that the highlights, the shadows and the mid range are all properly exposed.

This can give a really dramatic effect rather than losing areas of the image in shadow.

Torches or other light sources can be used over a flash to create a different atmosphere. Credit: Richard Langdon

In low light, it is possible to get images by using a wide aperture (small f-stop number) and a slow shutter speed, but as the exposure will take longer, try propping your camera up on something to hold it steady and avoid blur.

If you can change the ISO (the sensor’s sensitivity), put it onto a higher number so it records the light faster.

Your camera may well have automatic settings for low light and it’s worth trying these rather than just relying on flash.

If you’ve got a flash, think about using it in the middle of the day to fill in those harsh shadows.

A smartphone or compact will only give limited adjustment, but if you have a DSLR you can get great results.

Set both on automatic and nine times out of 10 you’ll get a great result, albeit with a face that will be pretty flattened by light.

For best results, prior to switching the flash on, switch the camera to Manual (M) and set the shutter speed as fast as possible when using flash (usually 1/160-1/250) and the aperture to a setting that will give a slightly underexposed shot (take a quick frame to test).

Then switch on the flash and set on manual, set the flash power to suit your distance from your subject.

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Start at, say…. 1/4 power and try a shot.

Too much flash? Reduce power to 1/8, and so on.

Try to avoid putting too much flash into your subject unless you want something really punchy.

Then once the camera and flash are set you can pretty much shoot anything happening aboard, as long as the light or distance from the subject stay more or less the same.

If you want to get closer, just reduce the flash power to suit.

If your camera doesn’t have a flash, you could try shining a torch for a similar effect to fill in shadows.

Below decks, it’s worth turning the lights on for a better image.

On a DSLR, you can soften the flash by bouncing it off a bulkhead, or you could shine a torch from another part of the cabin, or use a diffuser to soften the flash.

How to take great boat photos

So how can you capture great sailing images, perhaps of a boat nearby or your own boat?

A dream scenario would be to sail with another boat owner who wants the same thing.

For taking great boat photos, get the boat sailing well, then choose your angle. The leeward bow is a flattering angle and will let you see the deck and crew. Credit: Richard Langdon

Sail in convoy and snap away, or see if your sailing club could send a RIB out for half an hour.

Just make sure you consider the following factors…

Camera settings

Boats and waves move fast. For crisp, sharp boat photos you will probably need to set your DSLR to a shutter speed of 1/500th of a second or less.

A short focal length will help isolate the boat from the background, but be careful of autofocusing on the waves ahead of the boat.

On other cameras, select the ‘sport’ setting for faster exposures.

If you are close and using a wide-angle lens, the rig of the boat you are shooting might look disappointingly short.

When taking boat photos, a long lens avoids distortion and can bring an interesting background into the picture. Credit: Richard Langdon

The wide-angle lens will distort this.

So think about moving apart so that you are using a standard lens or something a little bit zoomed.

This will bring things more into proportion.

While a wide-angled lens might distort the rig and possibly even bend the boat, using a telephoto lens also needs to be done with care.

Close up with a wide angle can create a dramatic effect, but distorts the boat. Credit: Richard Langdon

Pick your angle carefully as telephoto shots ahead or behind the boat will squash or foreshorten the boat and could make it look dumpy.

You will lose those beautiful lines.

So with a telephoto lens, keep more or less abeam of the boat so as not to distort.

Composition of your boat photos

Think about your composition too. The rule of thirds is a good start for a pleasing picture.

Start with 1/3 sea and 2/3rds sky. And also the boat 1/3 across the frame, preferably sailing into the frame.

But break the rules if you like. How about 2/3 sea, and 1/3 sky?

Think about the angle of the sun relative to the wind direction.

Boat photos taken from windward show more of the hull and less detail on deck. Credit: Richard Langdon

To show off a boat well, shooting from the leeward side will show more of the boat’s lines and less of the dirty underwater hull.

If the boat is front-lit and perhaps in the golden hour you will get some great shots.

But also shooting straight into the light works, as you’ll be rewarded by a sea speckled with sparkling highlights.

Try some vertical (portrait) shots with full rig. This is especially great when you’ve got an interesting cloud formation behind.

Try horizontal too. Crop the rig out to get the length of the boat to fill the frame and give you lots of crew detail.

If you have an amazing background, some stunning cliffs for example, use a telephoto lens if you can to emphasise the scale of that background.

If you are feeling ambitious and in a second boat tracking alongside and have a DSLR, try shooting with a slow shutter speed to give the sea some motion blur.

This works best on flat water so as to avoid camera shake.

The technique also works best using a wide angle to show more sea.

Opting for a slow shutter speed will create impactful ocean blur. Credit: Richard Langdon

Just set the camera to a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second, even slower as you get the hang of it. (A slow ISO like 100 will also help.)

The aim is to get a shot where the boat is sharp but the water is blurred. So keeping the camera steady is key.

And don’t be frightened to keep your finger on the shutter, as multiple shots will increase your chance of achieving a good result.

Taking boat photos from the dinghy

If organising a boat-to-boat shoot is not possible, think about dumping your designated photographer into your tender somewhere safe.

Give him or her a hand- held VHF for safety and control.

You could even anchor it in a bay so they don’t have to worry about drift.

I’ve successfully managed to get some great boat photos bobbing about in the tiniest of tenders.

If you’ve been designated this task, make sure the crew onboard is briefed not to sail miles past you in each direction, which can be frustrating, and also brief them on the best distance you want them to pass and on which side.

Exposure, Aperture & ISO

Your choice of aperture will give you control of how much of your shot is in focus.

A wide aperture, which confusingly has the smallest ‘f-stop’ number, will enable a fast shutter speed, reducing motion blur.

When taking boat photos, increasing the depth of focus using the aperture can cause motion blur

This gives a really small depth of focus. Ideal for portraits.

Let’s say for example, on a certain day:

Aperture f2.8 Shutter speed 1/1000th of a second

If you would like more in focus move the aperture to f4.

You will be halving the area of the lens’s aperture.

So as a result you have to double the amount of time the shutter is open. Simple!

So the below combinations will give the same exposure but differing depths of focus:

Aperture f4 Shutter speed 1/500th of a second

Aperture f5.6 Shutter speed 1/250th of a second

Aperture f8 Shutter speed 1/125th of a second

Aperture f11 Shutter speed 1/60th of a second

Aperture f16 Shutter speed 1/30th of a second

Aperture f22 Shutter speed 1/15th of a second

Whilst you will be successfully increasing the depth of focus, conversely your shutter speed is getting slower and slower and that can effect motion blur.

So be careful here and if you are using a long lens stick to a fairly open aperture.

You can also adjust the camera’s sensitivity to light, known as ISO.

The higher the ISO, the grainier and flatter the image, but it will help avoid blur in low-light conditions. Credit: Rachel Fallon-Langdon/Team Phaedo

An ISO of 100 is slow, giving you rich, detailed colours, but requiring a longer exposure.

An ISO of 800 or above (some cameras now go up to ISO 6,400 or more) is fast, but will result in a grainier image with flatter colours.

Using drones to take boat photos

Last but by no means least, using a drone can open up a whole new angle for you (subject to local rules and regulations).

No tender, RIB or mate required.

Be well practised with your drone flying before you use it over the water and always leave enough battery power for a potentially tricky and time consuming recovery.

A few other settings also need to be considered.

Disable the ‘return to home’, ‘object avoidance’ and ‘distance limitation’ settings.

The latter two have both caught me out.

Return to home won’t work because you will no longer be where you took off.

Once mastered, a drone can capture your boat from previously inaccessible angles. Credit: Richard Langdon

If you leave the object avoidance on it’s possible the drone will want to escape your hand when you try to grab it.

And the distance limitation will mean the drone stubbornly stops when it’s flown a certain set distance meaning you’ll have to tack or gybe to get back and retrieve it!

Using the drone to take boat photos will need practice.

Try looking at your screen as much as possible rather than at the drone.

It’s a good idea to have an observer watching the drone in case you reverse it into a passing yacht or nearby cliff (don’t laugh, it’s highly possible!).

Try an abstract shot taken straight down the mast from above; lower angles work well too or track alongside like being on a photo boat, only without the photo boat.

You should also take care not to overexpose the picture, especially when shooting your subject from directly above.

You should expose the picture to suit the boat, not the sea.

On a sunny day, from above, there’s always an angle where you can shoot straight into the sparkle of the sun’s reflection.

I really like using this angle with a drone and it will often give you a great shadow of the rig on the water.

Once anchored up in a beautiful bay for the evening, you’ve got so many photo opportunities.

Use the drone, tender or try swimming in the water with a GoPro.

The drone will allow you to include the backdrop of the bay from an elevated angle.

Or how about flying the drone over the land, if safe to do so, to include the location in the foreground?

If you’re anchored close to shore you can also send the drone high above for an overhead shot of the boat and coastline.

Submerge yourself and use a GoPro dome to take a shark’s eye view of your yacht. Credit: Richard Langdon

From your tender you can get a lovely low-level shot with the coast in the background, especially if the afternoon (or morning) sun is giving you some warm light.

A longish telephoto lens will make the boat appear closer to the shore than it really is.

You could also try shooting images when immersed in the sea with your GoPro.

For a small cost you can buy a dome for your GoPro for an overwater/underwater image – in clear water you’ll be able to see the keel below the water and the topsides and rig above.

It’s almost impossible to pull off this shot without the dome, even in flat water, as the water level needs to be half way up the lens.

However, with the dome, which measures about 15cm in diameter, you can submerge half way with ease.

Detail shots

Close up details taken during your sailing adventure always look great in a gallery of shots.

The detail could be parts of your boat, an ice-cold bottle of beer complete with beads of condensation, or a bit of driftwood on the beach.

Your choice of lens will help dictate what will be shown.

If you choose a wide-angle lens you can get super close to your detail and get some background information too, though bear in mind the GoPros have a fixed-focus lens so will not focus very closely.

Make sure you focus on the detail.

Details of life on board can be just as impressive as wide action shots. Credit: Richard Langdon

However, if you would just like a really close-up shot of a certain detail, go for a longer lens.

Both methods will give you good results. Think about your light source, too.

Early morning or late afternoon light is lovely.

And if your detail has some nice texture to it, choose an angle where the sunlight hits the detail at an acute angle to emphasise that texture.

For more advanced DSLR users your choice of depth of focus will really depend on what you want to achieve.

I suggest starting with a very large aperture for a small depth of focus to isolate that detail from its background.

Processing and editing

These days it’s much more acceptable to heavily process an image, especially for social media where ‘filters’ are often used to give it more punch.

For a classic image of your boat, however, or any other image you want to print and frame, be a little more subtle.

Print might not handle heavy post processing well.

There are many schools of thought as to how much one should process an image.

At the beginning I would suggest you only process just enough to get your desired result.

You can always save that version for print and then go to town on another version of the same image.

There are still many audiences who hate over-processed images.

Selective editing when taking boat photos allows you to single out the sky, for example, and alter its exposure in isolation from the rest of the image. Credit: Richard Langdon

Postproduction is nothing new and manipulating an image to emphasise certain things was going on in the dark room well before the digital era. That burned-in sky, for example.

Controls in Lightroom and Photoshop programmes include exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, blacks, clarity, vibrance and saturation.

Any editing will work significantly better with a RAW image over a Jpeg.

Play with them all as practice makes perfect, and the internet is packed full of informative tutorials on how best to use these programmes.

Another adjustment I find myself using a lot is the graduated filter.

You can select an area and adjust just that area.

An obvious one is darkening the sky or giving it extra contrast, but how about selecting the sea instead and playing with contrast and exposure there, too?

If you’re using a DSLR camera, the editing may well be done at home on a computer, but most phones will let you do it there and then; the majority of the above controls feature in the ‘edit’ option when you open your picture on your phone, which is a fantastic option to have when you’re on the move editing and posting.

Newer GoPros also have WiFi, allowing you to download your pictures to your phone on the go.

Practice makes perfect

Photography is a pastime where this saying really does apply.

The more you use your camera the more you learn what it can and can’t do. With digital photography, even in difficult lighting conditions, you can ‘build’ a shot by taking a frame, seeing how it looks on the screen and then if there’s room for improvement you can adjust and take another.

This luxury wasn’t around in the days when images where taken on film.

We all enjoy a wonderful sport and we all know that it’s not always sunny and bright. So take your camera out on all occasions to tell the world it’s not always plain sailing!

Taking boat photos: RAW vs JPEG

I need to explain the difference between RAW images and Jpeg. Oh, and your own eyes!

Our eyes and brain are super clever and have the ability to see details in most shadow areas and also in highlight areas too.

Our eyes and brain can see detail under a bimini and also on a white sail above.

A camera is less clever, especially in Jpeg mode and will only be able to expose the shadow areas and the highlight areas as a compromise.

This often ends up in pictures with shadows completely blacked out, or the highlights blown out (all white).

If you want your boat photos to contain the maximum amount of detail, select the RAW setting. Credit: Richard Langdon

We can get one step closer to our eyes by shooting in RAW format, which records far more information in all areas.

Initially a RAW image perhaps won’t look as good as a camera’s Jpeg but in post production you can get more out of your shot.

While nearly all cameras now have the option to shoot in RAW, smartphones have been slow to adopt this option and it was only on the iPhone 12 Pro that they introduced this.

If you are serious about your image taking, choose RAW.

If you just want quick social media shots then Jpeg is fine.

If you would like to use the images in both areas you can often choose an option to capture both simultaneously, so that you can back up the RAWs for when you are back at your computer, and use the Jpeg instantly.

If you do select Jpeg, your camera may have options as to which size file to save.

Always go for the largest option, as you’ll just lose quality in smaller files, and more memory cards aren’t expensive to buy.

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Below Deck Sailing Yacht  Recap: Marcos Is a Human

Below deck sailing yacht.

This episode is a study of masculinity, patriarchal systems, and how they oppress the people who live within them, in rise and grind culture, in masochism.

Marcos receives tragic news that his best friend’s mother passed away, and yet, the show must go on. He has no time to grieve or react consciously. Gary finds him on the top deck where Marcos confides in him and shares that his friend can’t leave Miami and go back to Venezuela, where his family is, because of immigration issues. Marcos can relate: The same thing happened to him after his grandparents died. Gary, bless his heart, tries his best to comfort Marcos despite having the emotional intelligence of a foot. He tells him that the guests can wait, but Marcos has no time to waste. It’s seafood night, and he rejects Gary’s offer to come keep him company. He needs to focus and throw himself into his work.

In a confessional, Marcos cries. He reveals that he imagines losing his own mother and wishing that this won’t happen to him. Obviously, this news weighs on Marcos throughout the charter. How could it not? And unlike the rest of the crew, he has no one to help him do his job. He is a team of one. A lone wolf. Even worse, the guests request a molecular gastronomy night. Not that Marcos would ever phone it in, but he literally can’t with that cuisine. And then, these polite Canadian guests have the gall to invite Captain Glenn to dinner. Not now, pals! Captain Glenn relays this news to Daisy, who flubs it up and doesn’t relay this to Marcos until the next day.

This is a huge mistake on Daisy’s part, and she knows it. Marcos has to scrap his entire menu since he doesn’t have enough food for an extra diner. He’s pissed, rightfully. And the fact that the rest of the crew is off splashing around in a relay race with the charter guests is simply salt in the wound. Edvard Munch couldn’t have painted a sadder scene. The image of Marcos alone in the galley, tapping his knife against the tomatoes he most likely has to 86, while the others are romping about, having fun in the sun in matching sailors’ uniforms, is permanently burned into my brain. I swear he was the only one with a job this episode! Save for the deckies saving the  Parsifal  from dragging again amid 30 knots of wind — but how can I talk about that when Marcos is struggling with larger-than-life issues?

The food is, of course, flawless. If Marcos does one thing, it’s consistently deliver. The guests — and me — are fawning over Marcos. In fact, when the guests depart, primary guest Lane turns to Marcos to say, “I’m going to be keeping an eye out, my friend, because I expect to see the word ‘Michelin star’ somewhere next to your name very soon. Every dish totally redeemed the wind and the weather.” And these kind Canadians put their money where their mouth is! The crew receives the biggest tip of the season: $23,000, or $2,555 each.

And they earned it. In addition to Marcos cooking through grief, the rest of the crew relatively put in the work. Like I said in the  last recap , this charter wants the crew to join them in a relay race — and these people clearly take their fun and games very seriously. They bring along two sets of matching uniforms (pirates and sailors) and Captain Glenn is decked out in a referee’s ensemble with matching arm floaties. I still don’t understand or believe in the concept of making your crew participate in mandatory fun, but different strokes!

These guests also introduce the boat, and viewers I’m sure, to the “Canadian tradition” of hurricanes. When I heard ‘hurricane,’ I thought of the classic New Orleans cocktail. I was mistaken. According to this group, a hurricane is when a person does a shot and gets a glass of water thrown in their face and slapped. The men aboard want the stews to slap them. Scarlett smacks the shit out of Lane and his dick immediately gets hard. This group loves costumes and humiliation (I will be thinking about this a lot). To the point that this is a Canadian tradition, I am not sure. Granted, I only conducted two cursory Google searches (“canadian hurricane slap” and “canadian hurricane slap shot”) but only found one Reddit post dedicated to the phenomenon. Please comment below if you’ve ever heard of this!

Poor Marcos can’t catch a break, though. In the pref sheet meeting, the team learns that for their final charter, the guests want a wedding officiated by Captain Glenn. Of course, they also want a multi-tiered wedding cake, and oh yeah, it has to be gluten- and dairy-free. This sends Marcos over the edge. “I’m emotionally destroyed. I’m stressed. I’m tired. This is ridiculous. This is too much,” he says in a confessional. He needs a minute to process alone, and relays this. King of communication and expressing his needs! Daisy has never seen him like this and is concerned.

Like a good hen mother, she grabs Marcos for a cigarette during their night-off dinner and creates a safe space for him to talk about his feelings. He says he feels better at first, but after some pressing, he starts crying. He’s going through so much and so often shoves away his emotions to make room for work. He needs this release. I am proud of Daisy for giving Marcos that room to open up. He says he’s just human. True babe! Let yourself be! It’s okay to not be okay. His confessional breaks my heart: “This is the first time in the whole season that I’m thinking I’m not going to pull it off. It’s that serious. I may have reached my limit, and now I’m in a glass of water ready to drown.” I am praying for Marcos that he can pull through, but I wish he didn’t have to be strong. He deserves to be soft and at least have a singular night off between these back-to-back charters.

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The 'Below Deck Sailing Yacht' Season 3 Trailer Is Here: Watch!

Season 3 of the series is returning Monday, Feb. 21.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht is back for season 3 with new and familiar faces and sea-level chaos! In the latest trailer for the hit Bravo series, Captain Glenn Shephard is back on the epic Parsifal III,  sailing across the beautiful waters in Menorca, Spain.

“When you go sailing, you never really know what the conditions are going to be like,” Captain Shephard says at the beginning of the trailer before the preview of the chaos aboard the luxury yacht plays out.  

Returning this season are chief stew Daisy Kelliher, chief engineer Colin MacRae and first mate Gary King. Joining the vets on board the yacht are a few new faces, chef Marcos Spaziani, second stew Gabriela Barragan, third stew Ashley Marti, and deckhands Kelsie Goglia and Tom Pearson. 

From the looks of it, this season is set to bring all the action and drama as the crew manages to navigate various hookups (and makeout sessions), power struggles, injuries and a storm that looks like it could take the boat underwater.  

In the new trailer, we see that Tom, who isn’t ashamed of showing off his self-proclaimed “dad bod,” is bringing the body shots, and Gabriela, who braves the elements and topples over in the hot tub, is bringing the fun. Meanwhile, Gary is bringing the romance and a “striptease,” and Daisy is all about a fabulous party -- all while managing the expectations of the guests who board the yacht. 

However, the season isn’t going to be without some serious drama as the yacht faces strong winds and a storm that could possibly send it underwater, and Chef Marcos gets a severe head injury that could leave the crew without a head chef.  

Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3 premieres Monday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo. 

Updates on Celebrity News, TV, Fashion and More!

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• Below Deck Sailing Yacht

What Does 3 Shackles Mean In Yachting?

Shackles are an extremely strong U-shaped piece of equipment that connects items together , securing with a pin, spring, or bolt. While most commonly thought of for industrial uses, shackles come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are used in boating to secure an anchor, hold lines in place, etc.

What is a shackle on an anchor?

A shackle is a u-shaped, load-bearing connecting device designed to be used with a removable pin . … Shackles can be used in a number of different rigging and load securement applications to connect different types of lifting slings, chain, or rope to an object or to each other.

How much chain is a shackle?

A shackle is a unit of length and equal to 15 fathoms or 90 feet and is the standard length of a chain .

What does shackle mean?

One shackle is 15 fathoms, aka 90 feet . Universally used throughout the world. And for all practical purposes a cable, i.e. one tenth of a sea mile, is 200 fathoms, and guess how long a standard coil of rope is!

What does two shots mean in yachting?

A shot of anchor chain is measured either in fathoms or feet. Each shot is 15 fathoms or 90 feet long, which for all you mathematical types equals six feet per fathom. … After 90 feet of chain it is followed by a white detachable link with two white links on both sides; this identifies the 2nd shot.

What is a shackle used for?

A shackle consists of a body and a bolt which can be used to link to other items . They are primarily used to link different equipment together in rigging systems as they can be removed and attached easily. Bow Shackles can also be used to recover vehicles as they can cater to most vehicle weights available.

What are the 3 types of shackles?

Essentially, there are three basic types of shackles used for lifting: Bow (also known as anchor), Dee (or chain), and Grab shackles . All three types have a “U”-shaped body and a pin. Their size is determined by the diameter of the body material, rather than the diameter of the pin.

What is the difference between chains and shackles?

As nouns the difference between shackle and chain

is that shackle is a restraint fit over a human or animal appendage , such as a wrist, ankle or finger usually used in plural, to indicate a pair joined by a chain; a hobble while chain is a series of interconnected rings or links usually made of metal.

Who invented the shackle?

One type of shackle, called an “Oregon Boot” or “Gardner Shackle”, was patented by Oregon State Penitentiary Warden J.C. Gardner in 1866. The shackle consisted of an iron band of varying weights that was locked around one of prisoner’s ankles that was supported by braces which went down and under the prisoner’s foot.

What is shackle plate?

This is the most commonly used Shackle Plate™. … It will accept shackles or jaw type turnbuckles with a 1/2″ through-bolt and mounts easily to the bottom-rail of any flat or for use as a floor or ceiling plate. Pre-drilled for 1/4″ bolts. Eye accepts up to 1/2″ hardware.

What types of shackles should be used?

Different Types of Shackles

• Bow shackles. Recognisable by their ‘O’ shape, bow shackles are commonly used on multi-leg slings. …
• Dee shackles. …
• Green pin shackles. …
• Safety pin shackles. …
• Screw pin shackles. …
• Stainless steel shackles. …
• Piling shackles.

Is Captain Lee a real captain?

In short, yes, Lee is actually a yacht captain in real life and is not just “acting” for Below Deck. But the 71-year-old hasn’t always worked on yachts, as he didn’t realise his love for being on the water until later on in his life. …

How much is a shackle in yachting?

A nautical unit used for measuring the lengths of the cables and chains (especially anchor chains), equal to 15 fathoms , 90 feet or 27.432 meters.

How many shackles do I need for anchoring?

A general guide: The cable length of should be 3 times of the water depth plus 90 metres in normal condition. It should be 6 shackles under normal circumstance for a depth of 25 metres. In rough weather condition, the cable length should be 4 times the water depth plus 150 metres.

What do shackles look like?

A shackle, also known as a gyve, is a U-shaped piece of metal secured with a clevis pin or bolt across the opening, or a hinged metal loop secured with a quick-release locking pin mechanism. … A shackle is also the similarly shaped piece of metal used with a locking mechanism in padlocks.

How do you use shackles?

For over head lifting operations, shackles with screw pins or bolts must be used . Hand tighten the shackle pin when using. Do not back off the pin once the pin shoulder contacts the shackle body. When lifting with one sling, make sure the sling is centered (0 – 5 degrees) in the bow of the shackle for maximum capacity.

What is difference between bow shackle and shackle?

Bow shackles and anchor shackles are terms that are often used interchangeably, as both names refer to a shackle with a larger, rounded “O” shape look. … A D-shackle is narrower than a bow or anchor shackle and generally has a threaded pin or pin close. The smaller loop is designed to take high loads primarily in line.

Why did slaves wear shackles?

Iron wrist shackles with a locking end clamp date back to the seventeenth or eighteenth century and bear witness to the cruelty of slavery . These shackles were used in the African slave trade; similar kinds of restraints were employed to punish uncooperative slaves.

How do you pick a shackle?

Shackles are sized according to the diameter of the bow section rather than the pin size. Never use a shackle if the distance between the eyes is greater than listed in the manufacturer’s tables.

What does veering the anchor line mean?

Scope The ratio between the length of anchor chain and depth. … A light line secured to the tip of the anchor and marked with a float, employed to release the flukes when they are fouled on the bottom. Veering. 1) Changing direction of the wind clockwise, opposite of backing wind .

What does 5 shots mean on a boat?

“We have depth finders on board and charts, so you try and use a minimum ratio of 5 to one, which means 5ft of chain for every foot of water ,” he described. “So in 10 ft of water you would let out 50 ft of chain. I much prefer 7-1 or 10-1 myself. More is better than not enough.”

What does 3 shots mean when dropping an anchor?

A shot is 90 ft. So 3 shots is 270 ft. https://www.sizes.com/units/shot.htm. The captain selects the amount of chain depending on how deep the water is so that the anchor will set properly and not allow the boat to swing into things if the wind changes.

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Why Bryson DeChambeau purposely mishits some shots

Bryson DeChambeau has a fascinating approach to find pure contact.

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There’s no denying that Bryson DeChambeau is a mad scientist when it comes to golf experimentation.

Whether it’s using 3D printed golf clubs or soaking his golf balls in Epsom salt to make sure they properly spin (among plenty of other ideas), the recent U.S. Open champ has brought the fun back to a sport that desperately needs it.

Bryson DeChambeau’s no-look drill will make you an ‘unstoppable’ ball-striker

What I most admire about DeChambeau is that he’s unapologetic when it comes to improving his game, and he’ll go to great lengths to test something out — no matter how out of the box it may appear to others.

The two-time major champ recently talked to our Dylan Dethier about a number of topics on GOLF’s Warming Up . One of those things was the bizarre (yet practical) reason why he actually mishits shots during practice — and how it makes him a better ball-striker. (Ed. Note: The tip begins at the 14:46 mark in the video below, or on YouTube here ) .

Bryson DeChambeau explains the reason he purposely mishits shots

While amateur golfers like you and I accidentally mishit shots off the heel or the toe, DeChambeau says he’s prone to do it on purpose during his practice sessions — all with the intent of helping understand the parameters of the miss.

When asked by Dethier how often he’ll screw around in practice with different types of shots or mishits, DeChambeau was quite candid.

“I’ll do it every single day. It’s a couple shots, and then I go back to what I’m doing good,” he says. “I want to know the parameters. If I know what the toe is, a little bit of heel, [and the] center, then my brain gets calibrated to what it needs to do.”

DeChambeau then goes onto demonstrate a purposeful mishit — with the image below showing how far on the toe he sets up to the ball.

“For example, if I super-toe this, I know that, even if I miss the golf ball, that ball’s still going straight,” he adds. “All I care about is where that ball’s going, I don’t necessarily care about the strike.”

DeChambeau then shows how a heel ball looks before hitting a normal, center-face shot — which helps him understand his dispersion depending on what type of ball contact he makes with the club. Put simply: he’s calibrating the center of the clubface by testing the parts around it.

“It just helps me know [for me],” he says. “But everybody’s got to experience it on their own.”

You can watch the full Warming Up episode with Bryson DeChambeau below, and get other great golf tips by following GOLF’s YouTube channel .

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3 Day Crewed Charter

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3 days crewed charter “The Relaxing”

Our driver will pick you up from your hotel and escort you at the port of Vlychada in Santorini. The trip begins at 10:00 am, sailing through the Caldera with first stop of the trip at Folegandros around 15.30. It is one of the most peaceful and sophisticated islands in Cyclades, characterised as “a pristine piece of real Greece”, known for its relaxing atmosphere, warm hospitality, and exotic beaches. You will have plenty of time for swimming and enjoying the beauty of the sea and sun. The night lights of the island, blooming the background and the peaceful atmosphere, will give you the chance to reflect and enjoy your moments of relaxation, at the end of the first day. Next day we depart from Folegandros at 11am and continue our trip sailing towards the next stop, which is Ios , arriving around 14.00.

In Ios you will have the chance to visit one of the most spectacular beaches in Cyclades. Maganari is the most famous one, with golden sand, crystal blue waters and away from the crowds. Maganari is the place to be and spend idyllic moments like in the Movie “The Big Blue”, which was shot here. You will have the time for sunbathing while lying on the deck of the yacht, enjoying the blue crystal waters. You will live experience a wonderful night enjoying the spectacular landscapes of the island.

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DISCLAIMER NOTE * The company reserves the right a) to modify the route of the tour or cancel it due to inclement weather b) to carry out the tour with any vessel of the same category depending on the availability **The duration and the time schedule of the tour is adjusted during the season depending on the time of sunset.

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Police: Man arrested months after firing shots at vehicle with 3 occupants in southwest Miami-Dade

Ryan Mackey , Digital Journalist

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A man has been arrested months after police say he fired shots at a vehicle with three occupants inside in southwest Miami-Dade, authorities confirmed.

According to an arrest report from the Miami-Dade Police Department, Leycer Jesus Alfonso Casanova, 31, is facing one count each of second-degree attempted murder, shooting or throwing a deadly missile and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

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Investigators said on April 15, two individuals arrived at a home near the 9200 block of Southwest 36th Street to pick up their friend.

Upon arrival, one of the victims exited a silver 2018 Volkswagen Jetta, while the other stayed in the vehicle.

Authorities said the first victim entered the home to meet with their friend and then moments later, both the first and second victims exited the residence and ran back to the vehicle.

At that time, all three individuals were in the Volkswagen Jetta when police say Casanova exited the home with a gun in his hand.

Shortly after the driver attempted to back the vehicle onto Southwest 36th Street to get away, Casanova walked up to the vehicle and pointed the gun at the driver’s side window, the report stated.

He then repeatedly slammed the gun against the roof of the vehicle while shouting at the first victim: “This is for you,” according to police.

Authorities said Casanova then fired one gunshot into the roof of the vehicle.

The gunshot entered through the roof and exited through the rear passenger window of the vehicle without striking any of the occupants, the report stated.

Authorities said the victims drove away and called 911 from a nearby gas station.

As of Wednesday, Casanova was being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

A motive remains unclear at this time.

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About the Author

Ryan mackey.

Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG. He was born in Long Island, New York, and has lived in Sunrise, Florida since 1994.

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I Drink a Ginger Shot Every Morning—Here Are All the Benefits

By Maria Goldbach

As a beauty editor, I’ve tried nearly every possible morning routine . While few have stood the test of time, there’s one that I truly swear by: a daily ginger shot. Originally, I only used the little immune booster when I felt a cold coming on, but now, the humble ginger shot has found a permanent place in my morning routine. In fact, I’m so impressed with the results that I think it should be an addition to everyone’s day—right up there with lemon water , apple cider vinegar , coffee with MCT oil , and adaptogenic fungi .

There are a ton of benefits to consuming ginger —especially if you do it every day: “Ginger looks so inconspicuous from the outside, but it hides a wide range of medically effective ingredients inside,” explains Dr. Roman Huber , head of the University Center for Naturopathy in Freiburg. “For these reasons, it’s a remedy that is often used in naturopathy.”

The benefits of taking a ginger shot every day

Ginger stabilizes the blood sugar Food cravings and midday lows are often the work of unbalanced blood sugar —and we all know how unpleasant those can be. Ginger, on the other hand, works to stabilize insulin ; it supports glucose uptake into cells and increases insulin. (This property is currently being investigated as a therapeutic approach for patients with type 2 diabetes.) Controlling blood sugar spikes and crashes is important—not just for managing our weight but because it helps us maintain a consistent energy level, feel less tired, and stay positive.

In Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, ginger has long been used as a remedy; today, the ready-made ginger shots in the supermarket often attract people with promises of “immune boosting.” Rightly so: ginger is rich in iron , magnesium , vitamins B6 and C, zinc , and antioxidants that help protect cells from damage. It also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and stimulates blood circulation in the mucous membranes which helps the respiratory system flush toxins. All of this adds up to support the immune system in a big way.

Gas and bloating become a thing of the past when ginger enters your daily repertoire. Ginger helps speed food through the GI tract, promotes stomach emptying, protects the gut microbiome , and can even help reduce bloating and gas. It can also help ease nausea.

A ginger shot every day

After reading up on the many benefits of taking a ginger shot every day, I had to find out for myself. So, I stocked up on ginger shots from my local cold-pressed juice shop and started my test: a ginger shot every day for a whole month.

On the first morning, I noticed that I feel refreshed and awake right away after my shot. However, I will admit, it did burn a bit going down—but that’s to be expected; ginger can be kind of spicy, after all. After the first week, I actually began to love the morning kick. I also felt more energetic and more awake—both mentally and physically. These uplifted feelings remained for the next few weeks and my usual afternoon cravings for something sweet also decreased.

After a month it was clear: I no longer wanted to miss out on my morning ginger shot. And, I’ve kept it up. My energy levels have significantly increased, and I feel more productive because I can concentrate better and am less easily irritated. (It’s amazing how a low mood can be caused by low energy and sugar spikes !) Of course, having a stronger immune system also feels pretty good—I didn’t have the slightest hint of a scratchy throat throughout the last month, even despite the fact that I was sitting next to a colleague who had a nasty cold. Of course, I know this improved immunity won’t last forever; even the all-powerful ginger root can’t prevent some diseases. But overall, I’ve found that it’s a really helpful immune booster, especially during flu and cold season .

How to get the full benefits of ginger shots

Though a little ginger is better than no ginger at all, it’s definitely best to consume ginger consistently. Studies show that the benefits of eating ginger daily include reduced cholesterol levels and balanced insulin , so try to drink your ginger shot every day to reap the full body-supporting effects. And, of course, continue your other healthy habits for maximum health: getting sufficient exercise, eating a balanced diet, and getting sufficient sleep .

Can you make ginger shots at home?

Sure, ginger shots are readily available everywhere—but keep in mind that there are significant differences in quality when it comes to the ready-made versions purchased at the average supermarket. Look for cold-pressed, unheated ginger shots; these will have the most intact vitamins and nutrients. And, make sure your ginger shot does not contain added sugar or glucose-spiking juices like orange or apple. Do your due diligence and check the label.

Or, better yet, make your own ginger shots at home by simply blending fresh ginger root in a high-powered blender. If you go that route, try adding a squeeze of fresh lemon, a dash of cayenne, and a bit of Manuka honey for an extra immune boost.

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• First time on a sailboat: 10 things you need to know before you depart

Has someone invited you to spend a sailing holiday with them? Congratulations! You are guaranteed an unforgettable experience. But what exactly should you expect from your first ever sailing trip? How should you prepare for it and conduct yourself on board so that you won't be the "rookie"? Check out our tips and advice from experienced sailors.

An elegant lady with a wide-brimmed hat, high-heeled shoes and a huge suitcase packed full of clothes — every captain's worst nightmare. Be aware that shoes like this should remain firmly on the wharf, as should the suitcase along with most of its contents.

1. Packing for a sailing holiday

If you've ever spent a holiday in a caravan or campervan, you'll already have a good idea of what it's like to be short of storage space. Just like with a motorhome, designers are incredibly creative when designing the interior of a sailboat, so there are quite a few different lockers and storage spaces on board. You'll come across storage spaces almost everywhere and chances are you won't discover them all during your stay. A lot of these spaces tend to be harder to access (such as, under beds or salon sofas) making them more suited for storing less frequently used items. You'll probably be allocated a small locker in a not-so-spacious cabin for your personal belongings, so you should choose carefully what to pack and how. The best is to pack your things in a fabric bag that's easy to stow . Generally, on a boat, you unpack your clothes and stow the bag under your bed for the rest of your trip. As there may be part of the engine or a water tank occupying part of the storage compartment, a suitcase just wouldn't fit.

So what exactly to pack? Below you will find a basic checklist for a summer yachting vacation. If your skipper is planning a voyage in the Baltic or the UK, they can advise you on what else to add.

YACHTING.COM TIP: Don't shell out on sailing apparel for a single sailing trip. For one thing, it's often expensive and, more importantly, the clothing is generally designed for professionals or enthusiasts who can take full advantage of its features, especially in harsher conditions. However, if you do get hooked on sailing, you'll need to invest in some quality gear. Take a look at our guide —  How to choose sailing clothing: what to wear .

Clothing and footwear you'll need on board a boat

• Lightweight long trousers.
• Fleece jacket, sweatshirt or sweater as it can get cold at night.
• Shoes for dry land: sandals or walking boots if you are going to do some hiking.
• Flip-flops or crocs, especially when visiting the bathroom.
• White-soled canvas shoes for getting around on board, but you can also go barefoot. 
• Water shoes if you are going to an area where sea urchins are found. 
• Underwear and socks.
• T-shirts and tank tops.
• Swimwear or bikinis, although skinny dipping is always an option in deserted bays (if the crew agree). 
• Nightclothes – this depends on where and when you are going. In most popular sailing destinations you will be warm in your cabin at night and a light T-shirt will be fine, but towards the end or beginning of the season the nights can get a bit chilly and you'll appreciate a good pair of warm pyjamas.
• Headgear to protect against the sun is essential – cap, scarf etc.
• Women, be sure to pack at least one lightweight dress for dinner at a restaurant.
• Lightweight clothing to protect your legs and arms from the sun –⁠ especially useful when sailing in the Caribbean , but appreciated anywhere you're at risk of sunburn. I've come to love a lightweight, long-sleeved cotton shirt that I can throw over my swimsuit if needed and have my back, shoulders and arms covered.
• Waterproof windbreaker –⁠ you might not even put it on, but it's good to have.
• Gilet/lightweight body warmer in case of colder weather.
• If you're planning to use your hands while sailing, sailing gloves will come in handy, but cycling gloves or regular work gloves that you've cut the fingers off will do.

Cosmetics: don't expect a big bathroom 

We recommend packing everything you need into a cosmetic bag that you can then quickly take with you whenever you visit the bathroom.

• Sunscreen, preferably biodegradable. It's best not to take oil that someone might slip on, and avoid spray tan, which sprays all over the place and can leave unsightly greasy droplets all over the deck.
• After-sun cream or gel and something to treat sunburn.
• Lip balm/salve.
• Shower gel, shampoo and conditioner in smaller containers –⁠ again, prefer biodegradable.
• Insect repellent.
• Laundry bag.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste. 
• Nail clippers (if flying to your destination).
• 2 quick-drying towels.
• Clothes pegs.
• Earplugs –⁠ they will help in case of a snoring roommate and travelling overnight using engine power.

Essential medicines

Every boat should have a first aid kit, but it's better to have your own medication.

• Paracetamol.
• Activated charcoal –⁠ used not only for diarrhoea but also as a precaution in case of ingesting poison.
• Medicines for diarrhoea.
• Nose drops.
• Cough lozenges.
• Some tried and tested hangover cures (e.g. Alka-seltzer). 
• Medicine for seasickness.
• Antihistamine cream –⁠ not only works for insect bites, but can also be used for light burns whether from the sun or otherwise
• Antihistamine drops –⁠ pack drops in addition to the cream, as they work well for sun rash.
• Effervescent multivitamin –⁠ it also adds a nice flavour to the water.
• Disinfectant –⁠ I personally recommend Alfasilver spray, which does not soak the wound and aids healing.
• Plasters and bandages.

Other essentials or recommended items 

• Sunglasses –⁠ you definitely can't do without them, the sun is very harsh on board. Pack two pairs.
• Lanyard for your glasses –⁠ especially if you wear dioptric ones or your sunglasses cost a fortune. One look in the water and you'll be squinting for the rest of your holiday.
• Headlamp or torch.
• Dry bag, a smaller waterproof case for your belongings, will come in handy if you're swimming or paddleboarding to the beach. 
• Stowable backpack for trips ashore or a canvas bag for shopping and bathroom trips.
• Light reading material (you don't usually get to read much on a boat and Nietzsche would take up half your suitcase).
• Music on your smartphone or flash drive –⁠ some boats have an older radio with a USB input. Your own portable speaker may also come in handy.
• Charger for your smartphone and other gadgets. Leave your more expensive devices at home, the salty environment is not good for electronics.
• Fully-charged power bank. 
• Snorkel and diving goggles.
• Inflatable mattress, paddleboard etc. (if the captain agrees).

2. Yachting etiquette: how to conduct yourself on board

Observing certain rules of courtesy and simple consideration can prevent the most common illness on a boat: cabin fever . As the saying goes, you will all be " in the same boat ". Some of the advice below may seem obvious, but surprisingly there are people who are completely unaware of how they should behave on a sailboat.

The first thing to remember is that a boat is not a hotel and your cabin is not a hotel room. Staying on a boat is more like a comfortable camping experience. Cabins are usually not soundproof, so it's quite possible that whatever you say or do in your cabin others will know about it (yes, we're talking about making love too).

Common areas like the saloon or cockpit are used by everyone, so it's a good idea to be considerate and keep them tidy. There really isn't much room for individualism but that also doesn't mean you have to socialize at all costs. If you're an introvert who likes to sit on the bow with a book and appreciates a bit of solitude, no one will mind. After all, sailing is about relaxation and rest. It's more a matter of not bothering others with your behaviour and being considerate.

YACHTING.COM TIP: If you are interested in more in-depth information about etiquette on board and in the harbour, read our complete guide to  Yachting Etiquette from A to Z .

The captain will certainly set some rules of their own, such as galley duty  (who's in charge of washing dishes and cooking — usually crew members eat together and take turns doing duty) or pooling your money . It is common practice for stocking up the boat and other  bulk expenses  (such as diesel or marina stays) to be paid out of a common budget, which you put in to as needed. So ask the captain in advance to ensure you have enough cash with you. In any case, remember that what is bought from the common budget belongs to everyone . It's a good idea to ask the others before you polish off a whole packet of cookies unless you want to be dropped off on a deserted island.

3. Managing water supplies

Being considerate on board also applies to water consumption . Unless you have a boat with a desalination system (which charter boats usually don't) the freshwater capacity is limited. There are usually one or two freshwater tanks that are filled up before sailing and can be refilled at marinas along the way. However, it does depend on your travel plans. It's also quite possible that you'll have to make do with the water you took in before departure for the rest of your stay. And if you waste it, you may be in for a keelhauling — the ultimate pirate punishment . So only shower if you really have to. After a dip in the sea, just rinse your hair and face, salt water is healthy and you'll get used to it. And even when washing the dishes be careful . Most boats have a saltwater pump in the galley, where you wash the dishes before rinsing them with fresh water. Those who really want to conserve water even cook in seawater (pasta water has to be salted anyway). In other cases, of course, use water from the tank, including making coffee and tea for breakfast. But if you want to avoid an upset stomach, it's best not to drink unboiled tank water and use bottled water  instead.

YACHTING.COM TIP: Managing the eating arrangements on a boat can be quite a challenge, especially if the crew have differing needs. This means it's always best to plan how the meals are going to be sorted out on your sailing trip in advance — what you'll take with you, where you'll shop, and who’ll actually be feeding those hungry mouths on board. Take a look at our guide,  Food for sailing: how to manage meals on board , for advice and potential pitfalls.

4. Moving around on board

The deck is often wooden and at risk of getting scratched. Therefore, it is usual to walk  barefoot  or in  lightweight deck shoes designed specifically for this purpose (to avoid getting sand or pebbles on the deck, do not wear these shoes on shore). The shoes should also have white soles  so they don't leave marks. Plain canvas ones are ideal.

We move around the boat with caution, especially when sailing. The interior is usually equipped with various handrails to hold on to. However, these are designed to provide stability, not to hang on to, especially if you're a larger person. Use extra caution when moving around on deck and  do not run . It's always a good idea to be holding on to something — whether it's railings or the shrouds (metal cables securing the mast). Remember, never climb on the hatches or windows as they could easily break. If you're on a charter boat and don't have deposit insurance, you'd lose a fair amount of money.

Have a look at more handy sailing tips:

Currents and sailing: the atlantic ocean, where to shelter from the bora in croatia, sail trim 3: become a pro, skippered boats: how to pack for a yachting holiday, don’t panic: handling maritime emergencies, sextant and navigation: survival without gps, the ultimate yacht cleaning kit, new year's resolution: let's sail more eco, how to sail a yacht on a tailwind, how to sail a yacht in crosswinds, how to have a nautical christmas, what to pack for a tropical sailing, how to sail a yacht against the wind, how to gear up for the 2024 sailing season, medicanes in greece, top 10 reasons boaters contact their insurers, 5. be careful when getting off the boat.

There are several ways to get off a boat, but it depends on how the boat is moored. The most common and inconvenient way is when the boat is moored stern to the pier. Either the distance is so small that it just takes a single step from the stern and you are safely ashore, or  a gangplank (passerelle)  must be placed between the stern and the pier to bridge the gap. Particularly if there are waves, this plank can be somewhat unstable, so again, caution is in order. If in doubt, there is no shame in asking someone to give you a hand.

The second most common way is to get off  from the side of the boat . The railing tends to open on the side, but sometimes you'll need to step over it. Keep your hands free, give all your belongings to someone else or throw them on the pier, and hold on to railings, posts or shrouds as you disembark. Depending on the height of the boat and the distance to the pier, the captain will either place a ladder or a step fender  (a fender designed to be stepped on) on the side, or you can step right off the boat onto the pier. However, always step on the edge after stepping over the railing and don't try to reach the ground in one go. Hanging off the side of the boat with the railing cutting into your crotch isn't the best way to discover your legs are shorter than you thought. If the tip of the boat is facing the pier, the same procedure applies, except that there will be no opening in the railing. 

Occasionally, if there is not enough room in the marina, you will be moored to another boat and go ashore over its deck. In this case, follow the same procedure as when disembarking from the side. You should inform the other boat's crew of your intention to board their boat, but it is usually fine if you don't. When you are moored to another vessel (presumably with its consent) it is understood that you will be leaving your boat over their deck. Never walk on someone else's boat with your shoes on , and if possible, walk over the tip  to respect the privacy of the other crew. Try to be quiet as they may just be taking an afternoon siesta in the cabin below you.

6. Safety is crucial when sailing

After reading this section you may think that death lurks at virtually every turn but this is not the case. Fortunately, serious accidents at sea are very much the exception and are usually the result of inexperience or underestimation. It's all about being aware of the risks and behaving accordingly. Paradoxically, it is often the situations that look the most dramatic (such as heeling or water splashing on the deck) that are not dangerous at all, whereas a trivial run into the marina in the sunshine with light winds can be fraught with danger. The important thing is always to listen to the skipper  as they know what they are doing and why. Otherwise, sailing is all about relaxation, sunbathing, the wind in your hair, beautiful locations and unique experiences.

A proper captain should give you safety training before setting sail: explaining where life jackets are located  (each boat must be equipped with an amount corresponding to its capacity or the number of crew members), how they are used, and where to find other life-saving equipment  — flares, a lifebuoy, liferaft... You should also know what to do when there is a man overboard (MOB) (every captain's nightmare).

Beware of the lines and boom when manoeuvring the boat

Every sailing trip is potentially dangerous. A sailboat is full of various lines with incredible pulling power and a flying boom  (the pole perpendicular to the mast where the mainsail is attached) can easily  knock you off the boat . So be careful where you sit or climb, what's under your feet (such as, whether you're standing on a line) and what's above your head. Be especially vigilant when tacking. This is when a boat sailing into a crosswind changes direction and the sails fly from one side to the other . This can be done either upwind or downwind with the latter, called gybing, being more dangerous, harder to control, and involving more force in the sails. But an experienced skipper can manage it without too much trouble. What's important to know is that once the helmsman announces a tack, something is going to happen. If you aren't helping, don't stand, don't walk around the boat, just make sure your mug of hot coffee is in the sink or in a holder (never on the table) and sit down so that you are not in the way of the boom or any of the lines.

It's a good idea to be aware of the dangers of fire on board. Ideally do not smoke on board and to take all safety precautions when cooking (take a look at our article — Fire on board and how to prevent it ).

Chosen a sailing destination yet?

Yachting without crowds, top marinas in croatia, yachting and accessible hiking routes, sail from lefkada for 14 days. where to, what not to miss when visiting lefkada, where and why to sail from lefkas marina, the best sailing routes from biograd na moru, sail to the 7 most beautiful sights in greece, from lefkada or corfu to paxos and antipaxos, discover the paradise of paxos and antipaxoss, discover corfu: sailing adventure in the ionian, 5 best sailing routes in the bahamas, yachting guide to the bahamas, sailing the maldives: paradise, croatia in autumn a definite yes, top marinas in montenegro, 7. alcohol on board... to drink or not to drink.

Sailors have always been partial to a drink . And a holiday without the odd beer or glass of wine is almost unthinkable.   However, t he captain  of a sailboat, just like a driver, should avoid alcohol altogether even when the ship is at anchor. They never know when they'll have to leave in a hurry if conditions change. As for the crew, opinions and legislation vary from country to country, but what the captain tells you is crucial. They are the ones who will suffer the consequences if something happens to you, so it is up to them what to allow. But be aware that the boat is not a pub, and even if you're not under sail, don't forget safety. Ironically, most drinking accidents happen in marinas. This is where the crew feel safe and they'll have a few drinks in a local bar or restaurant. But it takes just one misstep when boarding to end up in the water. If you hit your head in the process, it might not end well.

Know that even if the captain is a fun laid-back guy who won't spoil your fun, they are still responsible for the crew and the boat. If there are any problems, they'll be the one who has to sort it out. So it's up to them to keep order on board and avoid any dangerous situations. Don't be angry with them for ordering you around or forbidding something, and always listen to them.  Whatever the captain says goes : they are who is responsible, and also the one who makes the decisions on board. Think what you want, but don't argue. Just follow orders. Mutiny on a ship is punishable by death.

8. Heeling looks scary but isn't dangerous

The most beautiful shots of sailboats are with stretched sails, water splintering off the bow and heeling nicely (leaning to one side). Sailing is all about physics, and it's not worth going into much detail to explain why a boat  doesn't sink or capsize . Just know that both are virtually impossible. For the boat to sink, there would have to be a massive leak (automatic pumps can handle minor leaks) or some serious fault or accident.

What prevents  the boat from capsizing   is the keel  (part of the hull of the sailboat underwater that acts as a counterweight to the pressure exerted on the vessel by the wind). By definition, therefore, motor boats do not need one, and there are sailboats (usually smaller sporty boats) without one too. These can capsize, but a boat with a keel cannot. However, in good wind conditions, your boat can be at a large angle of heel and quite possibly the skipper will be doing it on purpose for a bit of fun. Don't panic. You may look a bit like unsecured cups on a shelf or occasionally be walking on the wall instead of the floor... but  this is completely normal on a sailboat . A large angle of list is not advantageous in terms of sailing efficiency, so it is not the goal to sail with such. If you have a crosswind, the boat will be heeling slightly to one side all the time. That is until the helmsman reports your going to tack. Then the sails are reefed, the boat changes course (direction), the wind blows from the other side and you start heeling to the other side.

9. Onboard toilets have their own specifics

It may seem strange, but the subject of toilets on board (known as the 'head') deserves a chapter of its very own, and we have an entire article devoted to the subject — Marine toilet: how to use it . But you will certainly hear about them during the captain's introductory briefing. There are several types of toilets and each works on a different basis. The captain will show you how to use yours specifically. But it's definitely a different system than the one you find at home. Strictly follow the procedure for closing and opening the various valves, and be warned, the method of flushing can be quite a science. Remember that the pipes are quite narrow so nothing belongs down a boat toilet that hasn't gone through your digestive tract. Food scraps, hair, toiletries, and usually not even toilet paper are thrown in. Again, be considerate and follow the rules. No one will thank you if you do something to break the only toilet on board. Don't be shy to ask how they work again, it's better than making a mistake.

10. Seasickness and other ailments

Many novice sailors are  afraid of seasickness . But the fear of it can actually be worse than the reality. Except for a few poor souls who suffer from seasickness always and everywhere, it is quite possible that, when sailing in calmer waters (such as in Croatia), it won't affect you at all. The important thing is your state of mind. If you are convinced that you will suffer from it, quite possibly you will, and vice versa. And if you do get seasick, all you usually need is a bit of fresh air, a look at the horizon and something else to think about.

YACHTING.COM TIP: For guidance on how to prevent seasickness and what to do if someone suffers from it, read our article on  how to deal with seasickness .

Paradoxically, you may be fine at sea, but then get dizzy as soon as you step ashore. This is the normal reaction of a body that has been swaying on the waves for a week and suddenly finds itself on solid ground.  So it wasn't always just the rum that was responsible for the sailors' unsteady steps.  Don't worry though, this effect will wear off fairly quickly and you'll feel normal again in no time.

On board a yacht, you're much more exposed to the sun's rays.   Therefore,   the most common ailments  are sunstroke , heatstroke  and sunburn . Don't forget to apply a high SPF sunscreen, even when it's cloudy. Wear sunglasses and something to cover your head, and follow a drinking regime. If possible, avoid physical activity out in the sun at midday. If you take all these precautions, you'll avoid any unpleasantness. Indigestion on a sailing trip may be caused by consuming unboiled tank water or spoiled food.

There is not always a refrigerator on board, and when the boat is equipped with one, it may not work if you are travelling under sail. Drink only bottled water if possible, and consider storage conditions when buying food. It's better to have a steak in a restaurant than to waste meat that hasn't been eaten. Occasionally you can buy fresh fish from the locals, which is a real treat, but make sure to eat it immediately.

What are the benefits of sailing?

You'll soon realise that sailors are almost a different species with their own language (after a week at sea, you'll certainly enrich your vocabulary with technical terms) and are much more accomplished at sea than on land. After your first sailing holiday, it's likely you'll get hooked too and quickly won't be able to go a full year without being at sea. One of the great things about sailing is that even the biggest workaholics forget about work , and you all begin to lose track of time . Everything kind of goes slower and at its own pace. After all, a sailboat sometimes reaches "incredible" speeds of 20 km/h. Plus, you'll get to discover new places and deserted bays , and see the world from a completely fresh perspective . And in no time, you'll find out that all the initial fears you had about sailing are a thing of the past.

Want to take a sailing vacation with friends or family? Get in touch and we'll work it out together.

Denisa Nguyenová

Faq: how to prepare for your first boating holiday..

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NBA Draft Grade: Houston Rockets Select Reed Sheppard With No. 3 Overall Pick

Kade kimble | 16 hours ago.

• Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets drafted Reed Sheppard with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

The Rockets are determined to secure a star player this offseason, and it was reported and rumored they'd move off the No. 3 pick to do so. Still, they stood pat, landing Sheppard as he and Donovan Clingan were continually mocked to Houston ahead of the two-day event beginning.

Houston last drafted No. 3 in the draft in 2022 securing Jabari Smith Jr. who is an incredible defender who's offensive game is slowly coming together. The team adds Sheppard to a strong young core, which includes Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and more. Still, the team lacked shooting and Sheppard directly adds that to the Rockets.

Rockets No. 3 pick grade: A

The Rockets intention to win now has been made incredibly clear. They built a near playoff team last season, posting a 41-41 record after signing Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to their roster in free agency.

One area the team lacked in pursuit of postseason basketball, as mentioned, was shooting. Sheppard averaged 12.5 points per game, playing 28.9 minutes per game in 33 contests (five starts). In those games, he converted 52 percent of his 3-pointers, adding elite floor-spacing.

Sheppard is sneakily athletic, though undersized at 6-foot-3, 187 pounds. His lack of size can be covered by his backcourt counterpart Thompson, as the two will be the guards off the bench next season.

Drafting Sheppard was one of the ways the team can address an immediate need while getting a high-upside player who fits the bill with the long-term plans.

Now, the Rockets will continue to navigate free agency and the offseason as potential trade partners linked to a handful of stars, which Sheppard might get the opportunity to play alongside.

READ MORE: Rockets Take Reed Sheppard With No. 3 Pick In 2024 NBA Draft

Want to join the discussion? Like  Inside the Rockets  on Facebook and  follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also  meet the team  behind the coverage.

KADE KIMBLE

'Babies killing babies:' Teenagers charged in shooting that killed 3-year-old and wounded 7-year-old

Two teenage boys have been indicted in a shooting that killed a 3-year-old and wounded his 7-year-old sister outside their Buffalo home last week

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Two teenage boys were indicted Tuesday in the shooting death of a 3-year-old who was killed while riding his tricycle outside his Buffalo home last week, officials said. The toddler’s 7-year-old sister was wounded.

“Literally, babies killing babies,” Mayor Byron Brown said as city leaders announced the charges against a 14-year-old and 16-year-old at an evening news conference.

Three-year-old Ramone Carter and Jamia Griffin, 7, were not the intended targets as the suspects fired toward another young person about 9:30 p.m. on June 21, acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane said.

The children’s mother, Shakenya Griffin, told The Buffalo News the next morning that she heard gunshots and ran outside to look for her children.

“He ran right to me, and he was full of blood,” she said. “I collapsed in my neighbor’s grass and said call 911.”

Keane said each of the teenagers fired an illegal gun, one of them a pistol and the other a revolver. Both boys were arraigned on charges of murder, attempted murder, assault and weapons possession and were being held without bail in a youth detention facility. The older boy would be sentenced as an adult if convicted, the prosecutor said.

The teenagers’ names were withheld because of their ages.

Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia credited the cooperation of witnesses in leading police to the suspects, recalling how officers arriving on the scene had rushed Ramone to the hospital themselves in the hope of saving him.

“They were able to get that poor baby in a police car, race the baby to (Erie County Medical Center) to try to give him a fighting chance,” Gramaglia said. “Unfortunately, we all know that that wasn’t the outcome. The baby was declared dead at the hospital.”

Keane declined to comment on a possible motive when asked whether the shootings may have been gang-related.

“It appeared that they were targeting someone else,” Brown said. “But the fact that these children had guns and were so willing to use them indiscriminately is what brings us to this point today.”

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15 shot after a ‘sideshow’ took over a peaceful Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, police say

Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, turns violent when fights break out and several people are shot

Oakland police officers respond to a multiple shooting during a Juneteenth celebration near Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. A Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, turned violent when several people were shot, police said. (Ray Chavez /Bay Area News Group via AP)

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Oakland police officers respond to a multiple shooting during a Juneteenth celebration near Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. A Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, turned violent when several people were shot, police said. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group via AP)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Fifteen people were shot after an illegal “sideshow” took over a peaceful Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, police said Thursday.

Investigators are seeking multiple shooters — more than 50 shell casings were recovered at the scene — following the violence Wednesday night at Lake Merritt, but no arrests had been made by Thursday afternoon.

About 20 vehicles -- mostly all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes — arrived around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday and started a sideshow on the north side of the lake as 5,000 people attended the Juneteenth event.

Sideshows, also known as street takeovers , involve stunts like doughnuts, drifting and burnouts. Street takeovers often involve hundreds of spectators. Cars block access to an intersection, stopping traffic in all directions and making it harder for police to respond. It’s become a widespread problem around the country, including Oakland and other cities across the U.S.

Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell on Thursday said one person walked across the hood of a sideshow vehicle. Multiple occupants got out and attacked the person, whose injuries required them to be hospitalized.

Some of the people in the crowd also attacked police officers, Mitchell said during a news conference. A woman was taken into custody for assaulting an officer while the officer was giving first aid to a gunshot victim.

Detectives are combing social media for leads to the shooters’ identities, Mitchell said.

At least one gunshot victim was in critical condition. The victims’ ages ranged from 20 to 30 years old. Other injuries included the loss of fingers and minor gunshot wounds.

“The opportunity to celebrate with your family and friends should never be marred by gunfire,” Mitchell said.

June 19, or Juneteenth, marks the day in 1865 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas found out they had been freed — after the end of the Civil War, and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth was designated a federal holiday in 2021 and has become more universally recognized beyond Black America. Many people get the day off work or school, and there are a plethora of street festivals, fairs, concerts and other events.

AP AUDIO: Several people shot at Oakland Juneteenth celebration, police say

In an interview for KTVU-TV, Tamia Robinson says a fight broke out near a display of motorbikes at the Oakland Juneteenth celebration, and then people started running. COURTESY: KTVU-TV

In 2021, a shooting during a Juneteenth celebration at Lake Merritt left several people injured and a 22-year-old San Francisco man dead.