Do you remember our article Sailing Jargon to use Ashore? Sailing expressions have crept into our language over hundreds of years and become a part of our culture. If you’re a beginner you may be surprised at how many traditional sailing terms you already know.

If you’re just learning how to sail, with friends, family or with an Essex sailing school here’s an introduction to the basic terms that may soon become second nature to you.

Know your aft from your elbow

The aft or stern is at the back of a boat or ship. The bow is the front, (the pointy end!) Once you know this you will understand that when facing the bow your left will be port side and on your right will be starboard. It makes more sense than saying “left” or “right” when you’re out on the open water.

Leeward or “lee” is the direction opposite to the way the wind is blowing (windward). Windward is an important term to know as sailboats move with the wind.

Watch the boom!

The horizontal pole extending from the bottom of the mast is the boom. Adjust it towards the direction of the wind to use the power of the wind to move the boat forwards or backwards. Be aware of the boom at all times; you don’t want to be hit by one!

Tacking and jibing is when the boom moves from one side of the boat to the other when turning the boat. Tacking is turning the bow through the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the boat to the other. Jibing means turning the stern through the wind and is a less common sailing manoeuvre than tacking as it involves tuning the boat directly into the wind.

Last but not least, you could not turn the boat without the rudder: A flat piece of wood, fiberglass, or metal underneath the boat, used for steering. It may be controlled by a wheel, or on a smaller boat a steering mechanism aft of the boat.

Are you new to sailing?

If you have a boating or sailing story to tell contact us: we’d be happy to share it on our blog. If you’re just getting started check out our smaller sailboats for sale in Essex.

Peggy

Image credit: Westerly Griffon – now reduced in price!

You may also like:
Free ebook: Boating in Essex / Thinking about selling your boat? / Sailing – The Antidote to Stress / A slideshow of our boat of the moment. / Don’t miss: The Boatshed Essex Daily/ More news articles and stories.

New here? Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to hear of new listings, our boat of the moment and regular boating and sailing news.

Never miss an article: Sign up and get the latest blog articles sent directly to you.