Glossary
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TermDefinition
- General Nautical Terminology Boat WindJust like running down the road or cycling downhill you will feel the wind on your face; boat wind is just the same. As the boat moves through the... More Details
- General Nautical Terminology BollardStrong fitting, firmly bolted to the deck, to which mooring lines are made fast. Large bollards are on quays, piers and pontoons
- General Nautical Terminology Boom
A horizontal spar used to extend the foot of a sail and control its angle to the wind.
A boom is an essential part of a sailing vessel's...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Boom OutOn a run to thrust the Genoa out to windward so that it fills with wind
- General Nautical Terminology, Weather (Meteorology) Bora
A strong, cold, and dry northeasterly katabatic wind that blows from the land to the sea, particularly along the eastern Adriatic coast.
The...
More Details - Did you know?, General Nautical Terminology Bosun
Short for boatswain, the Bosun is a senior crew member responsible for the vessel's maintenance, repair, and overall operation. The bosun...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology, Parts of a Boat Bow
The forward part of a vessel, designed to cut through the water and reduce resistance.
The bow of a vessel is its frontmost section, typically...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Bow Line
A rope used to secure the bow of a vessel to a dock or another fixed object.
A bow line is a critical part of a vessel's mooring system,...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology, Knot Bowline
A type of knot used to form a fixed loop at the end of a rope, commonly employed in maritime settings for securing or towing.
The bowline is...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Bow Spring
A mooring line that runs diagonally from the bow of a vessel to a fixed point on a dock, used to control forward and backward movement while...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology BowspritA spar projecting from the bow used to attach the tack of some headsails, particularly asymmetric spinnakers
- Phonetic Alphabet, Signals & Communication Bravo
Pronounced: BRAH-voh
The term for the letter B in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.
- General Nautical Terminology BreakwaterA structure constructed on a coast as part of a coastal defense system or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.
- General Nautical Terminology BroachWhen a sailing vessel loses control of its motion and is forced into a sudden sharp turn, often heeling heavily and in smaller vessels sometimes... More Details
- General Nautical Terminology Broad Reach
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A point of sail where the wind comes from behind the beam of the boat, typically at an angle of 90 to 160 degrees relative to the vessel's... - General Nautical Terminology Bruce Anchor
A type of claw-shaped anchor designed to provide strong holding power in a variety of seabed conditions.

The Bruce anchor, also known as...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology, Navigation BTW
The direction from a vessel's current position to a predetermined navigational point or waypoint.
In marine navigation, Bearing to Waypoint is...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology BulkheadAn upright wall within the hull of a ship. Particularly a watertight, load-bearing wall.
- General Nautical Terminology BungSoftwood device for plugging holes in vessel or failed seacocks.
- General Nautical Terminology Bunk
A built-in bed or sleeping berth on a boat or ship, typically compact and designed to maximise space efficiency.
A bunk is a fundamental...
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