Terms You Should Know

No one likes to look like a rookie, and for those new to boating, learning commonly used nautical terms is a good way to avoid this pitfall. Knowing the proper name for all things boating is the first step to letting others know you know your “aft” from a hole in the ground.

Aft: The rearward section of a boat, also called the stern. It’s also a direction as in, “I’m going aft.

Transom: The back portion of the boat above the water line. It’s where an outboard engine would be mounted.

Fore: The forward section of a boat, also called the bow (pronounced as in “taking a bow”).

Port: The left side of the boat if you are looking forward. The easiest way to remember this is by thinking, “the boat left port.”

Starboard: The right side of the boat if you are looking forward. The easiest way to remember this is to think that when you’re right, you get a star.

Head: The nautical term for a bathroom. Announcing you are going to the head compartment is a far classier way of saying you’re heading to the toilet.

Helm: The command center of a boat, where the crewmember wearing the funny hat sits and holds the wheel.

Cleat: The name for a two-horned metal device located on the sides of the boat that creates a place to tie a line to secure a boat to a dock. Only landlubbers call dock lines “ropes.” The knot needed to secure a boat’s cleat should be the first one a boater learns.

Fender: An air- or foam-filled, tube-shaped pillow that cushions a boat to prevent it from banging against a dock. 

Bilge: The area below your deck that houses the pumps, batteries and engines (if you have a sterndrive). A working bilge pump eliminates the need for the crew to remove accumulated water via the 5-gallon bucket method.     

Livewell: A specialized compartment on a boat designed to keep fish, shrimp and other fishing bait alive.

Rubrail: A protective outer element on the hull sides that helps protect the hull from damage.

Swim Platform: A structure on the stern of a boat designed to make getting in and out of the water easier.

Safety Lanyard: A flexible synthetic or wire rope used to stop the engine in the event the driver moves away from the helm.

Blower: A small fan that removes fumes from the engine compartment.

Bimini: A canvas top that provides shade for the cockpit area.

Ski Pylon: A reinforced tow point to attach ropes for watersports.

Freeboard: The height of the boat between the waterline and the deck.