Glossary Archive

Sea area of the Met Office Shipping Forecast. Spans the North Atlantic west of Ireland around Rockall islet. Named for the remote granite islet Rockall, this area endures some of the Atlantic’s strongest gales (Force 9–11) and massive northwest swells. Competing territorial claims rest partly on the meteorological significance of its isolated weather station.

The line, chain, or cable that connects an anchor to a vessel. Rode refers to the length of chain, rope, or a combination of both that attaches a vessel to its anchor. The rode plays a crucial role in anchoring, as it absorbs the forces exerted by wind, waves, and currents, ensuring the anchor holds...

Roller furling is used on sailing boats to roll or unroll a sail, typically the jib or genoa, around a stay to quickly deploy or stow the sail. Roller furling is a popular sail handling system on modern sailboats, designed to make managing headsails more efficient and safer, especially for short-handed crews. The system consists...

A system or mechanism that allows a sail to be partially or fully rolled up, often used to manage sail area efficiently.  Roller reefing is a widely used technique in sailing, particularly on modern yachts and cruising vessels, to simplify the process of reducing sail area when conditions become too windy or when less sail...

Pronounced: ROW-me-oh The term for the letter R in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.

Turning towards the wind, often quickly or unintentionally. This may happen when a sailing vessel is overpowered, badly balanced, hit by a gust, or steered too sharply. As the bow turns up, the sails may lose drive and flap, and the vessel may slow or stop. A controlled turn towards the wind is useful for...

A spare fender, held ready by a crew member in case of emergencies. A roving fender is a type of fender used on boats and ships to protect the hull from damage caused by contact with other vessels, docks, or structures. Roving fenders are typically cylindrical in shape and can be easily moved or adjusted...

The volunteer crewed rescue service providing 24-hour rescue services around the UK and Irish coastline. They also provide seasonal lifeguards who look after people on busy beaches. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charitable organisation in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland dedicated to saving lives at sea. Founded in 1824,...

The national governing body for sailing, motorboating, and other recreational boating activities in the United Kingdom.  The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is responsible for promoting and regulating boating activities, ensuring safety standards, and providing training and certification for sailors and powerboaters. Established in 1875, the RYA oversees a wide range of disciplines, including dinghy sailing,...

The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) governs the sport of sailboat and sailboard racing. It is revised and published every four years by World Sailing.