Abaft

Farther towards the stern than a stated point or object on a vessel.

It is a relative positional term: equipment abaft the mast lies on the stern side of the mast, while a compartment abaft the bridge lies behind the bridge in the vessel’s fore-and-aft orientation.

Abaft does not necessarily mean at the stern and differs from “aft”, which may indicate a general direction or the after part of the vessel. The opposite relative term is “before” or “forward of”, depending on context.