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Stemhead Fitting

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A stainless-steel fitting on the bow of a boat to which the forestay and jib tack are attached, as well as the roller fairlead for the anchor rode.

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Turnbuckle

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A mechanical fitting attached to the lower ends of stays, which connects them to the chainplate, allowing for the standing rigging to be adjusted (tightened.)

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Chainplate

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Metal plate bolted to the hull of a boat to which standing rigging is attached.

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Hatch

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A covered opening in the deck.

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Transom

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The flat surface forming the stern of a vessel.

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Self-bailing cockpit

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A cockpit that is high enough above the waterline that any water that gets inside will drain overboard by gravity, through scuppers (drains) located in the aft corner of the cockpit well.

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Compass

answer

An instrument that indicates direction relative to Earth's magnetic field.

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Binnacle

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The pedestal on which the boat's main compass is mounted.

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Cockpit locker

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Storage compartment in the cockpit seating area.

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Emergency tiller

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On boats with wheel steering, a tiller that can be fitted to the top of the rudder stock so the boat could be steered in the event the wheel-steering mechanism fails.

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Companionway

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A staircase leading from a deck to the cabins or area below.

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Saloon

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The area of a boat that serves as the living room, dining room, and possibly extra sleeping quarters.

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Galley

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The kitchen on a boat.

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V-berth

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The forward cabin of a boat that takes the shape of the bow.

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Auxiliary engine

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The source of auxiliary propulsion on a sailboat. Used also to produce electricity needed to charge the house batteries.

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Bilge

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The lowest interior region of the hull.

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Bilge pump

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A pump used to remove water from the bilge. Usually there is an automatic (electric) bilge pump and a manual bilge pump on every boat.

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Through-hull fitting

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A fitting in the hull through which water can be drawn in or discarded.

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Seacock

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A marine valve which opens and closes a hole through the hull for saltwater needed on board or for discharge.

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Ground tackle

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A group term for all gear used in anchoring a vessel: anchor, chain, rode.

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Windlass

answer

A winch used primarily for lifting and lowering an anchor.

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Federally required equipment for a 33-foot recreational vessel equipped with an inboard diesel engine.

answer

Boat registration certificate and hull numbers. PFDs: one per person (type I, II or III) + one type IV. Visual distress signals for day: distress flag and/or 3 smoke flares. Visual distress signals for night: 3 red night flares. Fire extinguishers: 2 B-I or 1 B-II. Sound producing device: air horn (hand-held or mouth-blown.) Navigation lights: sidelights, stern light, masthead light. Placards: "Discharge of Oil Prohibited" placard and a "MARPOL" placard (Marine Pollution.) Marine Sanitation Device: type I, II or III.

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PFDs characteristics

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Type I=Offshore Life Jacket--most buoyant, will roll unconscious person face-up. Type II=Near-Shore Buoyancy Vest--foam vest MAY turn unconscious person face up. Type III=Flotation Aide (Inland Use)--for light use, presumes a conscious person, more comfortable than type I (used on waterski.) Type IV=Throwable Device--not designed to be worn, but to be thrown to victim in water to grasp until rescued. Ex: horseshoe buoys, life rings, floating cushions. Type V=Special-Use Device--hybrid device such as hypothermia suits, inflatable life vests, etc.

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ASA recommended safety equipment for a recreational sailing vessel.

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VHF radio. Cell phone. Rope and twine: for spare sheets and docklines, or to replace a shackle that lost its pin. Charts and plotting tools (parallel rule, dividers, pencils.) Anchor and rode. Binoculars. First aid kit. Tool kit: screwdriver, wrench, pliers, hammer, hacksaw, duct tape, vise grips. Rigging knife (have a blunt end, not a sharp tip.) Flashlights and spare batteries. High-powered flashlight (to see other boats, aids to navigation, or shining it on the sails to use as nav light.) Battery lantern. Clock or watch (waterproof preferred.) Boathook. Portable bilge pump. Softwood plugs (in case a through-hull fitting fails.) Bucket. Radar reflector (to enhance your visibility to other vessels.)

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Purpose and proper use of a safety harness and tether.

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To stay safe on deck in strong weather conditions or when sailing alone. A safety harness is worn outside the clothing. It has straps over each shoulder, one around the rib cage, and possibly one between the legs, and is secured in the middle of the chest with a heavy clasp. A safety tether has a heavy metal clip at each end. One is secured to the harness and the other is clipped to a jackline on the deck (or a robust piece of hardware well inboard.) A jackline usually runs on both sides of the deck, from the cockpit all the way to the bow, and is secured to the deck by pad-eyes.

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Refueling procedure for a diesel engine using diesel fuel.

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Most sailboats have diesel engines. Locate the "diesel fill plate" on the deck. Open it with a winch or a special deck-plate key. Check the signage on the fuel hose before dispensing: diesel! Place a rag over the fuel nozzle to catch drips. Insert the nozzle into the fuel fill. Squeeze the trigger on the nozzle to start fueling. Start slowly to make sure the fuel tank's vent is not blocked and can allow displaced air to escape. Have someone call out the number of gallons pumped periodically. Do not overfill--listen carefully for sound of filling up. Withdraw the nozzle while holding the rag around it. Return the nozzle to attendant. Wipe up any spills. Dispose of rag properly. Replace the cap in the fuel-fill plate.

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Refueling procedures for a vessel equipped with an outboard engine using gasoline.

answer

Outboard motors burn gasoline which is highly flammable. The gasoline tank should be stowed on deck or in a cockpit locker that's sealed from the boat's interior to prevent gasoline and its fumes from getting belowdecks. To refill: disconnect the fuel line from the motor and take the tank onto the fuel dock. Place it where fumes displaced from the tank as it fills will not fall into the sailboat, and fill it carefully. Wipe off any spilled gas before placing the tank aboard the sailboat.

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Essential navigator's tools.

answer

Compass. Nautical charts. Chart No. 1. Parallel rule. Dividers. Pencils. Log book. Depthsounder. GPS receiver.

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Depth sounding.

answer

Depth marked on a chart is the depth at the very low state of the tide, so it should be the least depth you would expect to find at that location. However, this is the depth on the day the sounding was made, and it could have changed due to mobility of seabed. Wind, tide, silting and erosion can cause depth changes over time, or within one season.

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Bottom types--Sand (S)

answer

Provides consistently good holding and is easy for anchors to penetrate. Lightweight and plow anchors work well.

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Aids to navigation

answer

The lateral system: buoys and beacons set along sides of channels to mark the limit of navigable water. IALA Region B is used in North America where "red, right, return" rule applies. IALA Region A is used in much of the rest of the world. Regulatory markers are white cylindrical with orange stripes above and below these shapes: diamond (danger), circle (restricted operations), diamond with a cross (exclusion zone, keep out), rectangle (information: direction, distance, etc.)

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Latitude / Longitude

answer

Imaginary lines that divide the earth into sections horizontally (latitude) and vertically (longitude) and form coordinates on a chart. 1' of latitude=1 nautical mile

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Determining magnetic direction

answer

Finding the number of degrees on the compass card that corresponds to the lubber's line.

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Measuring distance

answer

Use the dividers to measure the distance on a chart between points A and B. Transfer the dividers to a Latitude scale on the side of the chart and count the minutes between the two points of the dividers. This is the distance in nautical miles.

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How to prevent undue magnetic influence on a compass.

answer

Keep anything containing iron or electric current away from the compass. Keep such items at least 3 feet away from the ship's compass: cell phones, flashlights, batteries, deck knives, radios.

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Dangers of, and how to avoid, a 'Lee Shore.'

answer

A lee shore can be any obstruction or hazard (land or pier) toward which the wind is blowing. To be prudent, keep in mind the surrounding hazards and the potential effect of a change in the wind or current to avoid getting in a lee shore. When trying to get away from a lee shore avoid "pinching" (sailing too close to the wind) which slows the boat down.

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Sources of weather information

answer

National Weather Service (NWS) of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) online. VHF radio--Wx channels tunned to NOAA continuous broadcast of local marine weather.

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Wind speed-5 knots (Beaufort scale 2: wind 4-6 knots, wave height 1 ft.)

answer

Light breeze: the wind forms small wavelets that bump against the hull. The apparent wind will be higher and you can make steady progress upwind, but will be slow downwind.

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Wind speed-10 knots (Beaufort scale 3: wind 7-10 knots, wave height 2 ft.)

answer

Gentle breeze: large wavelets with crests beginning to break, scattered whitecaps appear. An ideal breeze for an invigorating sail.

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Wind speed-15 knots (Beaufort scale 4: wind 11-16 knots, wave height 3 ft.)

answer

Moderate breeze: small waves becoming longer, frequent whitecaps. Sailing downwind is fun, but upwind the boat will be at capacity for carrying full sail-time to reef.

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Wind speed-20 knots (Beaufort scale 5: wind 17-21 knots, wave height 6 feet.)

answer

Fresh breeze: moderate size waves, wind begins to kick up spray. Sails should be reefed.

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Wind speed-25 knots (Beaufort scale 6: wind 22-27 knots, wave height 10 ft.)

answer

Strong breeze: large waves form, the white foam crests are more extensive, chance of spray.

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Beaufort scale 1: wind 1-3 knots.

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Light air: ripples with the appearance of scales but without foam crests.

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Cumulonimbus clouds

answer

Towering, tall clouds with gray bottoms that can bring heavy rain, lightning, and tornados. Associated with cold front.

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Bottom types--Gravel (Gr)

answer

Provides consistently good holding and is easy for anchors to penetrate. Lightweight and plow anchors work well.

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Bottom types--Mud (M)

answer

Offers low resistance to dragging. Claw anchors work better than others because of their greater surface area and ability to penetrate deeper.

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Bottom types--Rock (Rk)

answer

An anchor's ability to hold depends on what it can catch onto. Plow and fisherman-type anchors work best.

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Bottom types--Clay (Cl)

answer

Challenging for all anchor types, and the anchor's weight is more important than its shape. Heavy claw or plow types are better than lightweight types.

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Bottom types--Grass (G)

answer

Challenging for all anchor types, and the anchor's weight is more important than its shape. Heavy claw or plow types are better than lightweight types.

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Bottom types--Coral (Co)

answer

Delicate, live organism protected by law in many places. Damage to it can incur heavy fines. Never anchor on this type of bottom.

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Small craft advisory

answer

Warning issued by the National Weather Service, most frequently in coastal areas. It is issued when sustained winds or frequent gusts are expected to be 22 to 33 knots or seas 5 to 7 feet or greater. A sailboat properly handled by an experienced crew can cope with such weather.

question

Gale warning

answer

Warning of sustained surface winds or frequent gusts of 34 to 47 knots, predicted or occurring.

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Downhaul or Cunningham

answer

A line used to tension the luff of a sail by pulling down the boom at the gooseneck.

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Outhaul

answer

A line used to tension the foot of the mainsail.

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Boom vang

answer

An item of running rigging, often a block and tackle, used to hold down the boom.

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Mainsheet

answer

The line used to control the boom and thus also to trim the mainsail.

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Traveler

answer

A car and track system that allows the mainsheet's attachment point to the deck to be moved athwartships.

question

Jibsheet fairleads

answer

A fitting used to lead a jib sheet fair and at the correct angle to a winch, cleat, or other fitting.

question

Ways to reduce heeling

answer

1. Decrease the angle of attack. Steer closer to the wind (feather); ease the mainsheet or drop the traveler to leeward; ease the jib sheet. 2. Use twist. On windward or close-reaching courses, add twist. Ease the mainsheet or vang, move the jib sheet lead aft. On a broad reach or run, remove twist: tighten the boom vang. 3. Flatten the sails: tighten the halyards on both mainsail and jib; tighten the outhaul on the mainsail.

question

Chord

answer

Straight line from a leading edge of a sail (luff) to the trailing edge (leech) in the direction parallel to the direction of airflow.

question

Depth of a sail

answer

The perpendicular distance from the chord to the sail at that point (also called draft.)

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Chord-depth ratio

answer

The maximum depth along the chord, expressed as a percentage of the chord length. A full sail has a higher chord-depth ratio than a flat sail, and it generates more power.

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Draft position

answer

The location along a chord of the maximum depth of the sail.

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Angle of attack

answer

The angle at which the wind strikes the chord.

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Twist

answer

The difference between the angle of attack at the foot and at the head of the sail.

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Aback

answer

Of a sail, when the wind is on the wrong side.

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Abaft

answer

Toward the stern, as in abaft the beam.

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Abeam

answer

Off the boat at right angles to its centerline.

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Amidships

answer

At or toward the middle of the boat.

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Astern

answer

Behind the stern.

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Athwartships

answer

Across the boat from side to side.

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Apparent wind

answer

The combination of true wind and the wind effect of motion as felt aboard a moving boat.

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Backwinding

answer

The act of setting a sail aback.

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Beacon

answer

An aid to navigation that's fixed in place.

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Bear away

answer

To turn the boat away from the wind, to fall off

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Bearing

answer

The direction in degrees toward one object from another.

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Beat (beating)

answer

To sail to windward close-hauled.

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Blanketed

answer

Hidden by the wind, as when one sail is covered by the other.

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Block

answer

A pulley.

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Bridgedeck

answer

The deck connecting the hulls of a catamaran.

question

Bridgedeck clearance

answer

The distance from the underside of the bridgedeck to the surface of the water.

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Bridle

answer

A line fixed at both ends that spreads the force of another line, attached at its midpoint.

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Bulkhead

answer

An upright partition in the interior of a boat.

question

By the lee

answer

Sailing on a run with the wind on the same side as the mainsail.

question

Nautical mile

answer

6,076 feet. A knot is one nautical mile per hour. Interestingly, and for comparison's sake, a mile is 5,280 feet, meaning wind speed measured in knots is 15% greater than measured in miles per hour.

question

Heaving to

answer

To set the sails in opposition so the jib is on one side and the mainsail on the other. This is achieved most often by tacking and leaving the jib sheet cleated on the new tack. Adjust mainsheet so boat is on a close reach. Adjust helm as needed and lash wheel so it can't move.

question

Navigation Rules 16,17 and 2.

answer

These are all related. Rule 16 states the give way vessel must take early and substantial action to keep well clear of the stand on vessel. Rule 17 requires the stand on vessel to maintain course and speed. Rule 2 overrides these if a collision is imminent, requiring vessels to take whatever action necessary to avoid a collision.

question

Navigation Rule 5

answer

The Lookout Rule. This rule requires all vessels to maintain a proper lookout by sight and sound and all means available, at all times.

question

Navigation Rule 12 (Sailing Vessels Only)

answer

Starboard tack has right of way. The position of the main boom determines which tack you are on. If it is on the port, even if you are sailing by the lee, you are on starboard tack. The other rule is windward/leeward. For boats on the same tack converging, the boat to windward is the give-way vessel, and would most often alter course to pass astern of the stand-on vessel.

question

Rule 13: Overtaking

answer

The overtaking vessel must give way. A vessel is considered overtaking if it is within an arc 22.5 degrees aft of your beam. The overtaking rule applies whether under sail or power.

question

Rule 14: Head-on situation

answer

Both boats turn to starboard

question

Rule 18: Responsibilities between vessels

answer

Establishes a hierarchy of privilege as follows: 1. Boat not under command, unable to maneuver 2. Restricted in ability to maneuver, such as dredges, tugboats towing another vessel. They are required to display special shapes or lights to advise other vessels of their status. 3. Constrained by draft: such as large container ships 4. Engaged in fishing 5. Under sail 6. Under power. This includes sailboats under power even if sails are up.

question

Rule 9

answer

Narrow channels: A vessel less than 20 meters in length shall not impede the passage of any other vessel navigating within aa narrow channel or fairway.

question

Security Zones

answer

Do not approach within 100 yards of a naval vessel longer than 100 feet.

question

Rule 10

answer

Traffic separation schemes: A vessel operating in a traffic separation scheme is required to use the lane designated for its direction of travel--In most of the world, that means keep to the right and slower vessels to the right in that lane. Rule 10 requires crossing a traffic lane at a right angle. Sailboats are not required to use the separation scheme if an inshore zone is available. But if are using one, use appropriate lane and act as if you are in a narrow channel.

question

Danger Signal

answer

Under International and US Inland Rules, five short blasts mean, "I am unsure of your intent."

question

Action Signals

answer

Under both rules, three short blasts means I am operating stern propulsion. One short blast means, under International Rules, I am altering course to starboard; under Inland Rules, it means I intend to leave you to port. Two short blasts means (International Rules) am altering course to port, and (US Inland Rules) I intend to leave you on my starboard side.

question

Channel 13 on VHF

answer

The channel used by most commercial vessels to communicate bridge to bridge.

question

Rule 6

answer

Requires every vessel to proceed at a safe speed, allowing, depending on conditions such as fog and limited visibility, traffic, etc., time and space needed to "take proper and effective action."

question

Sound signals in reduced visibility

answer

Vessels under 12 meters (40 feet) not obliged to use horn but make some other efficient sound signal at not less than two minute intervals. Signal under sail: One long blast followed by two short Signal under power: One prolonged blast. Sailboat under power uses this signal.

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