Glossary Archive

The RYA First Aid course is a one-day program tailored to the unique challenges of the marine environment. Participants learn essential first aid techniques, including CPR, treating hypothermia, and managing injuries at sea. The course also covers using marine-specific safety equipment and responding to emergencies like drowning or cold water shock. It’s a vital qualification...

Substitute or repeater flags allow messages with duplicate characters to be signalled without requiring multiple sets of flags.

Sea area of the Met Office Shipping Forecast. Covers Fisher Bank in the central North Sea, known for its rich fishing grounds. Taking its name from Fisher Bank’s rich fishing grounds, Fisher sees variable winds of Force 3–5 veering northwest at Force 4–6, with slight to moderate seas. In the 19th century, fishermen timed herring...

Sea area of the Met Office Shipping Forecast. Covers the Atlantic west of the Bay of Biscay. Honoring Admiral Robert FitzRoy, founder of Britain’s first storm warning service (1861), FitzRoy sees west to southwest winds of Force 5–7 and moderate to rough seas. FitzRoy’s pioneering gale warnings originated here.

The position of a vessel as plotted on the chart from position lines obtained by compass bearings, direction finder, echo sounder etc.

A system for conveying information at a distance through visual signals using hand-held flags. The position of the flags encodes the information; it is read when the flag is in a fixed position. Semaphores were adopted and widely used (with hand-held flags replacing the mechanical arms of shutter semaphores) in the maritime world in the 19th...

To lay out or coil a line or rope in a flat, organised manner to prevent tangling or kinking. Flaking is a crucial technique in maritime operations, particularly when dealing with ropes, lines, or cables. When a line is flaked, it is laid out in a series of flat, overlapping loops, typically on the deck....

The process of neatly laying out a rope or line in a series of back-and-forth folds to prevent tangling and ensure it runs out smoothly when needed. Flaking a line is an essential skill in marine operations, particularly on sailing vessels, where lines (ropes) are used for various purposes such as hoisting sails, securing the...

Flaking a sail is neatly folding or arranging it in parallel or accordion-like folds. This is typically done to store or stow the sail properly when it is not in use, such as when docked or when it is being removed for maintenance. Properly flaking a sail helps prevent wrinkles, creases, and damage and ensures...

A pyrotechnic device used on boats to signal distress or indicate position, especially in emergencies. Flares are an essential part of marine safety equipment, designed to attract attention in emergency situations at sea. They are typically used when a vessel is in distress, such as when it's sinking, disabled, or in need of immediate assistance....