Language of Boating
June 7, 2008 · Filed Under General info
“Jargon” or specialised language has been developed over the years to refer to specific aspects of boating and provide clear and concise communication. You don’t need to know all of the terminology, but a working knowledge will prove useful.
| Terminology |
Definition |
| Abeam |
abreast of, or at right angles to, the fore and aft line of the vessel.
|
| Aft |
towards the “stern”, or rear of the vessel.
|
| Bar |
a shallow area formed by sand, mud, gravel, or shingle, near the mouth of a river or at the approach to a harbour which is often dangerous.
|
| Bombora |
a shallow area where waves may break.
|
| Bow |
the front of the vessel.
|
| Chart datum |
the level below which soundings are given on some charts and maps above which are given the drying heights of features. Datum is also the level above which tidal levels and predictions are given in Tide Tables.
|
| Conditions of heightened risk |
in relation to a vessel, means conditions when tides, river flows, visibility, rough seas, adverse weather or an emergency cause a risk to the safety of persons onboard the vessel.
|
| Draft |
the minimum depth of water a vessel needs to float in.
|
| Ebb tide |
the falling or run-out tide.
|
| Enclosed waters |
means any port or inland navigable waters in New South Wales.
|
| Fairway |
any navigable channel.
|
| Flood tide |
the rising or run-in tide.
|
| Give way |
reduce speed, stop, go astern or alter course so as to keep out of another vessel’s path.
|
| Go astern |
reverse engines or travel backwards.
|
| Gunwales |
pronounced “gunnels”, the top edge of the vessel’s sides.
|
| Heave to |
steering into the wind and sea making minimum headway.
|
| Knots (speed) |
one knot is a speed of one nautical mile per hour, or 1.852 km/hr.
|
| Leads (transits) |
marks used in channels and at bar entrances which when in line indicate the centre of the navigable channel.
|
| Lee shore |
the shore onto which the wind blows.
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| Leeward |
downwind side.
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| Open waters |
means navigable waters which are not enclosed waters.
|
| Open vessel |
means a vessel that has no part of, or not more than one-quater of, the area between its gunwales permanently covered so as to hinder water from entering the vessel.
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| MHWS |
Mean High Water Springs is an average value of high tides used on some signs. Makes no allowance for unusual tide conditions.
|
| Port |
includes: (a) any harbour or haven, whether natural or artificial, or any estuary, channel, river, creek or roadstead, and
(b) any navigable water in which vessels may lie for shelter or for the shipment or unshipment of goods or passengers. |
| Port side |
the left hand side of a vessel when you are looking forward from the stern and the side on which a red sidelight is displayed.
|
| PWC |
a personal watercraft is a vessel designed to be operated by a person standing, sitting astride or kneeling on. It uses waterjet propulsion and has an engine
in a watertight compartment. |
| Sailing Vessel |
a sailing vessel is only classed as a sailing vessel when it is propelled only by sails; a vessel under sails but being propelled by engines is classed as a power driven vessel.
|
| Sidelight |
lights to be shown at night when underway, showing an unbroken light over an arc of 112.5 degrees from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam.
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| Spring tide |
a tide or relatively large range occurring near the times of New or Full Moon.
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| Stand on |
to continue on the same course and speed.
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| Starboard side |
the right hand side of the vessel when you are looking forward from the stern, and the side on which a green sidelight is displayed.
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| Stern |
the back or rear of the vessel.
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| Underway |
not at anchor or made fast to the shore or ground. If you are drifting you are underway.
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| Windward |
the direction from which the wind blows (upwind).
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