Glossary
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TermDefinition
- General Nautical Terminology BarA shallow area (shoal) close by a river mouth or harbour entrance or A measure of barometric pressure usually noted as 1000 millibars
- General Nautical Terminology Barber Hauler
A line or tackle system used to adjust the angle of a jib or genoa sheet to optimise sail shape and performance, particularly when sailing off...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Bare PolesNo sails are set and boat is driven by the force of the wind on the spars and rigging
- Courses, RYA Basic Sea Survival CertificateThe Basic Sea Survival Certificate course teaches life-saving techniques for emergencies at sea. Participants learn how to use life rafts, don... More Details
- General Nautical Terminology Bathing Platform
A bathing platform is a purpose-built area that sits at water level when the vessel is stopped. It allows easy access to and from the water. It...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Batten
A thin, flat strip of wood, plastic, or fibreglass inserted into a sail to help maintain its shape and improve performance
A batten is an...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Batten Pocket
A reinforced sleeve sewn into a sail to hold a batten, which helps maintain the sail's shape.
A batten pocket is an essential feature of many...
More Details - Flag / Pennant, Signals & Communication Code Flag Bravo (B)

The International Maritime Signal Flag Bravo.
Meaning
I am taking in or discharging or carrying dangerous goods.
- General Nautical Terminology BeachTo run a vessel ashore deliberately
- General Nautical Terminology Beacon
A fixed or floating signal, often a light or radio transmitter, used to guide mariners or mark hazards in navigable waters.
A beacon is an...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology, Parts of a Boat Beam
The widest part of a vessel, measured at its broadest point across the hull.The term beam is a fundamental concept in nautical terminology,...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Beam Reach
The point of sail where the wind is coming from directly abeam, or at a right angle to the boat's centreline.
A beam reach is one of the most...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Bear AwayTo alter course away from the wind
- General Nautical Terminology, Navigation Bearing
The direction or angle between a reference point, typically true north, and an object or destination, usually expressed in degrees.
A bearing...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology, Navigation Bearing to Waypoint (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 BeatingSailing towards the wind with the sails hauled in tight
- General Nautical Terminology, Weather (Meteorology) Beaufort Scale
A scale used for estimating and reporting wind speeds based on observed sea conditions.
British Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort developed it in...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Below Deck
Below deck refers to the interior spaces of a vessel located beneath the main deck or upper deck. These areas typically include crew quarters,...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology Bermudan Rig
A type of sail plan characterised by a triangular mainsail set aft of the mast, with the mast typically taller than the length of the boat.
A...
More Details - General Nautical Terminology BerthA place where a vessel can be tied up; A sleeping place on a vessel; To give an obstruction wide clearance by keeping well clear

