Glossary

Verb: To change the direction of a sailing vessel by turning its bow through the wind, allowing the wind to shift from one side of the sail to...

The lower forward corner of a sail, where it is secured to the boat or rigging. 

The tack of a sail is the point where the luff (leading edge)...

To manoeuvre or turning a sailing vessel's bow through the wind to change direction, allowing it to sail in a zigzag pattern upwind.

Tacking...

To assume control or responsibility for steering or navigating a vessel.

Taking the helm refers to the act of assuming control over the...

Pronounced: TANG-go

The term for the letter T in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.

The International Maritime Signal Flag Tango.

Meaning

Keep clear of me.
Fishing boats: Keep clear of me; I am engaged in pair...

A measure used primarily in maritime and aviation contexts to estimate the time until two moving objects (e.g., ships or aircraft) reach their...

A measure used in satellite navigation systems, such as GPS, to quantify the effect of errors in the timing of satellite signals on the accuracy...

Small strips of lightweight material, such as yarn or ribbon, attached to a sail or rigging to indicate airflow and help sailors optimise sail...

A small boat used to transport people or goods between a larger vessel and the shore or another vessel. 

A tender is an essential component of...

Sea area of the Met Office Shipping Forecast. Covers waters off southeast England, centered on the Thames Estuary.

From the River Thames...

An internationally renowned professional institution representing naval architects and marine engineers worldwide. It was founded in 1860 and is...

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

The phrase “three sheets to the wind” comes straight from nautical life—and originally had nothing to do with drinking at all!

🚢 Nautical...

The horizontal movement of water caused by the rise and fall of the tide.

A tidal stream refers to the flow of water generated by the...

A collection of charts that depict the set (direction) and rate (speed) of tidal currents at various stages of the tidal cycle.

A Tidal Stream...

The rise and fall of sea levels caused by the gravitational forces of the moon and the sun acting on the Earth's oceans. Tides are characterised...

Charts or listings that provide the predicted times and heights of high and low tides for specific coastal locations over a given period.

Tide...

A measure used in satellite navigation systems, such as GPS, to quantify the effect of errors in the timing of satellite signals on the accuracy...

A measure used primarily in maritime and aviation contexts to estimate the time until two moving objects (e.g., ships or aircraft) reach their...

A region of the Earth where the same standard time is used.

A time zone is a geographical area that observes a uniform standard time for...

Flag semaphore indicating the letter T.

International Morse Code sequence representing the letter T.

A low, raised edge running along the outer perimeter of a boat's deck, designed to provide footing stability and prevent gear or crew from...

A line or wire used to support the boom of a sailboat when the sail is not hoisted, or to adjust the height of a spinnaker pole. 

A topping...

The outer hull of a vessel above the waterline, extending from the deck to the water's edge.

The term "topsides" is a fundamental concept in...

Sea area of the Met Office Shipping Forecast. Located off the southern coast of Spain, near Cape Trafalgar.

Named after Cape Trafalgar (site of...

A navigation system designed to organise the flow of vessel traffic in congested or high-risk areas, ensuring safe passage by separating opposing...

The transom is the flat, vertical surface at the back of a boat. It is typically where the outboard motor or stern drive is attached to a motor...

A sliding fitting or track on a sailing vessel, used to adjust the position of a sail's sheet or other control lines for optimal sail...

Trim is the adjustment of a boat's sails, weight distribution, and angle relative to the water to optimise performance, balance, and...

Trinity House is a maritime organisation responsible for maintaining navigational aids, including lighthouses and buoys, along England, Wales,...

A tropical hurricane is an intense tropical cyclone characterised by strong winds, heavy rainfall, and low pressure. These storms typically form...

True North refers to the geographic direction towards the Earth’s geographic North Pole. The direction along the Earth’s surface points directly...

A navigation system designed to organise the flow of vessel traffic in congested or high-risk areas, ensuring safe passage by separating opposing...

When a rope passes around an object, such as a post, when tying a knot.

Sea area of the Met Office Shipping Forecast. Covers the southwestern North Sea, off the River Tyne estuary in northeast England.

From the River...

A region of the Earth where the same standard time is used.

A time zone is a geographical area that observes a uniform standard time for...