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Alinghi practising in Valencia for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series - Source: Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi -
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Aft: at the back of the boat.
Afterguard: the group of sailors who stand at the
back of the boat by the wheel and other instruments, including the
navigator, tactician and helmsman.
Backstays: adjustable lines that support the
mast from the stern.
Ballast: weight in the keel of a boat, to add
stability.
Batten: a light strip of wood or plastic inserted
into the sail to give it shape and support.
Beam: the widest part of the boat.
Bear away set: to hoist and set a spinnaker
without gybing.
Beat: the upwind leg in a race, which involves
sailing a zigzag course towards the wind.
Boom: a horizontal spar that holds the foot of the
mainsail to control its
position.
Bow: the front of the
boat.
Bowman: the person in charge of all headsail
changes during the race and watchman for the helmsman during
pre-start manoeuvres.
Broach: when a fixed keel yacht falls on its
side.
Capsize: to overturn accidentally.
Chute: another name for a spinnaker.
Clew: the two bottom corners of the sail.
Close hauled: sailing as close to the wind as
possible with your sails pulled in tightly.
Cockpit: where the skipper and afterguard operate
and where the instruments are located including the wheel.
Cover: when the front boat stays on the same tack
as the second boat to ensure they don't pass.
Crew: the team of sailors who man the boat.
Current: a flow of water or air in a particular
direction.
Deck: the horizontal base of the boat where the
crew stand.
Downwind: travelling in the same direction towards
which the wind is blowing, with the wind behind you.
Draft: the depth of the boat under the
water.
Drag: the resistance to the motion of a body
passing through air or water.
Eddies: a small current going against the main current in a circular motion.
Fleet: the number of yachts in the race.
Floater: this person is responsible for trimming
the runner cables after every tack, the runner cables run from the
stern of the boat to the top of the mast and need to be loose or
taunt depending on the tack. They also often grind between
tacks.
Foot: the bottom of a sail.
Foredeck: the deck in front of the mast.
Forestay: a rigid rod-stay from the top of the
mast to the bow, which supports the rig.
Friction: resistance created when water moves over
the surface of the hull.
Gennaker: an asymmetric spinnaker used in
lighter breezes when sailing downwind.
Genoa: a large headsail, overlapping the mast,
hoisted in light winds.
Gooseneck: joint which connects the mast and the
boom.
Grinders: provide all the energy and power to
hoist the sails by spinning large winches.
Gybing: when the boat changes direction sailing
downwind, to take the wind on the other side of the boat.
Halyard: a rope used to hoist and lower the
sails.
Head: the top of the sail.
Headsail: the sail attached to the forestay, which
acts like the boat's gears. The lighter the wind, the bigger the
sail.
Heads Up: the person who adjusts the main
traveller position. Also helps to call the wind pressure and assist
with tactics and relative boat speed.
Heel: when the boat leans over from the pressure
of the wind on the sails.
Helmsman: in charge of the entire boat, drives it
around the course and has the final say in tactical
manoeuvres.
Hull: the main body of the boat.
Jib: the sail attached to the forestay, which acts like the boat's gears. The lighter the wind, the bigger the sail.
Keel: located under the boat, helps to
stabilise the boat and allows the boat to move upwind.
Kicker: the rope that travels through the
gooseneck attaching the boom to the mast.
Kite: another name for a spinnaker.
Layline: an imaginary straight line tracking
the course along which a yacht can reach a mark without tacking or
gybing.
Leech: the back edge of the sail.
Leeward: the downwind side of the yacht, the
leeward yacht is the one furthest away from the wind.
Luff: the front edge of the sail.
Luff up (head-to-wind): pointing the boat directly
into the wind.
Mainsail: the large sail flown from the back
edge of the mast.
Mainsheet: the rope which is used to pull the boom
and mainsail in and out.
Mast: Vertical spar that holds up the sails, also
know as the rig.
Mastman: the person who pulls halyards up and
helps the bowman and mid-bowman during gybes.
Matchracing: when two boats race each other
using tactics to win the race.
Mid bowman/sewer: in charge of sail handling,
packing and preparing sails for the next leg.
Navigator: the person who decides the fastest way through the course according to wind direction, strength and other obstacles.
On-the-wind: sailing upwind.
Off-the-wind: sailing downwind.
Pitman: manages all the halyards on the
boat.
Port: the left side of the boat looking
forward.
Port tack: when the wind comes from the left side
and the mainsail is out to starboard (the right).
Rail: the edge of the deck where crew sit with
their legs over the side in stronger winds.
Reach: to sail with the wind side-on to the
yacht.
Rig: the rigging is the equipment such as sails,
mast etc. To rig a boat is to put all the equipment on ready to
sail.
Rudder: a vertical hinged piece that projects into
the water at the stern, used to steer the boat.
Run: the downwind legs of a race.
Runner: this person is responsible for trimming
the runner cables after every tack, the runner cables run from the
stern of the boat to the top of the mast and need to be loose or
taunt depending on the tack. They also often grind between
tacks.
Sheets: the ropes used to control the shape of
the sails.
Shroud: cable or rod which supports the sideways
motion of the mast.
Sidestays: rigid rod-stays supporting the rig
sideways.
Skipper: head of the syndicate, sometimes the
skipper also steers the boat.
Spinnaker: a large, light balloon-shaped sail used
when sailing downwind.
Spreaders: horizontal struts attached to the
mast.
Starboard: the right side of the boat, looking
forward.
Starboard
tack: when the wind
comes from the right side and the mainsail is out to port (the
left).
Stern: the back of the boat.
Strategist: the person who decides the fastest way
through the course according to wind direction, strength and other
obstacles.
Tacking: when the yacht changes direction when
sailing upwind, and takes the wind on the other side of the boat as
it "tacks" into the wind. Also known as "going about."
Tactician: decides where the boat will start and
how best to optimise speed. Also in match racing decides how and
when to execute manoeuvres to shut out the other boat at marks and
finish lines etc.
Tender: a chase boat which carries spare crew,
parts and food etc for the sailing crew.
Transom: the horizontal backline of the
boat.
Traveller: a fitting that slides in a track and is
used to alter the angle of the sheets.
Trim: to adjust the angle of the sails with the
sheets.
Trimmer: the people who adjust the sails according
to the strength and direction of the wind.
Telltails: pieces of thread attached to strategic
points of the sails to indicate windflow.
Upwind: sailing a course about 40 degrees to the true wind direction.
Woollies: pieces of thread attached to
strategic points of the sails to indicate windflow.
Winch: a device used to raise the sails and adjust
them more efficiently.
Windward: the upwind side of the yacht.
Wind shadow: also known as bad air, when the front
boat sits directly between the wind and the other boat causing the
second boat to receive disturbed air.
