Even if you've never stepped foot on a boat, you've probably mastered a variety of nautical terms – without even knowing it! In this section we will look at some of the more common nautical terms used on a boat. Even if you might have to take a lot of time to understand and figure out what to do with stuff like that, it will help a lot. (You can remember "bow" as the front, because when you take a bow, you're leaning forward.) In a nautical context, knot is used to refer not only to the loop made to secure lines or ropes. High and dry 8. This can be attributed to the attractiveness of the romantic image of horny-handed sailors singing shanties and living a hearty and rough life at sea. All Rights Reserved, Nautical Terms Acronyms and Abbreviations, Common Nautical and Sailing Terms With Abbreviations, Anchor - A heavy object attached to a vessel which is thrown overboard to prevent drift, Backstays - Lines or cables used to support the mast, Bilge - Compartment at the bottom of a ship’s hull, Cleat - Stationary device on a vessel where you secure a rope, Fender - Bumper filled with foam or air that keeps boats from bumping into others or docks, Mast - Vertical pole that supports rigging or sails, Rigging - System of lines and masts on vessels, Bearing - A horizontal visual line between two objects, Forward - Moving toward the front end of a boat, Port - The left side when you’re looking toward the bow of a ship, Starboard - The right side when you’re looking toward the bow of a ship, Gale - Sustained high winds of around 35-45 knots, Leeward - In the direction the wind is blowing, Ox-eye - Cloud or other indicator of a coming storm, Swell - Waves generated by wind that have moved away from where they started, Waterspout - Rotating column of air that forms over water and reaches its surface, Windward - The side from which wind is blowing, Azimuth compass - Used for finding the position of the sun relative to magnetic north, Fathom - A measurement of depth, about 6 feet, Knot - A measurement of speed, about 1.1508 miles per hour, League - A measurement of depth, equal to 3 nautical miles, Nautical mile - A measurement of length, equal to approximately 6,076 feet, Scuttlebutt - Barrel that holds drinking water, Abandon ship - Directive to leave the ship immediately, All hands - Everyone who works on the ship, Anchor’s away - The anchor has cleared the bottom, As the crow flies - Direct line between two points, Davy Jones locker - The bottom of the sea, Adrift - Vessel is not attached to the shore or seabed, Bar pilot - A person who guides a vessel over dangerous sandbars, Bosun - Ship’s officer who takes care of equipment, Captain - The person in charge of the ship, Careening - Making the ship tilt on its side, Helmsman - The person who steers the ship, Maritime - Anything nautical or related to the sea, Piracy - Robbery or violence at sea on the occupants of a vessel by the occupants of another vessel, Skipper - Person in charge of a small boat, Stowaway - A person on a vessel without permission, AMNI - Associate Member of The Nautical Institute, Bimco - Baltic and International Maritime Council, BOSVA - British Offshore Support Vessel Owners Association, CEN - European Committee for Standardisation, EC - European Community or European Commission, HSE - Health Safety and Environmental, Health and Safety Executive, IACS - International Association of Classification Societies, IBIA - International Bunker Industry Association Ltd, IFTPA - International Forest Product Transport Association, IFSMA - International Federation of Ship Masters' Associations, ISMA - International Ship Managers' Association, ISO - International Standards Organisation, LAN - Local Apparent Noon (nautical), Local Area Network, MEPC - Marine Environment Protection Committee, IMO, NECSA - Navigational Electronic Chart System Association, Opec - Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, P and I (P&I) - Club Protection and Indemnity Club, PRS - Polish Register of Shipping - classification society, RMT - National Union of Rail, Maritime And Transport Workers, Unclos - United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, AMVER - US Coast Guard's Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System, Bimcosale - Bimco standard form of bill of sale, DGPS - Differential Global Positioning System, DOC - Document of Compliance (as per ISM Code), DX.90 - Format for digital cartographic data, ECDIS - Electronic Chart Display and Information System, EPIRB - Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, FPSO - Floating Production, Storage and Offloading System, HO - Hydrographic Office, observed height, HSC - International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, IMO, IICL - Institute of International Container Lessors, ISM - Code International Safety Management Code, IMO, ISSN - International Standard Serial Number, LOC - Letter of Credit, Letter of Compliance (USCG), LR - Lloyd's Register (classification society), LSA - Life Saving Appliances, Lloyd's Standard Form of Salvage Agreement, LW - Low Water, Winter Load Line (timber), MAIIF - Marine Accident Investigators' International Forum, MEO - Medium Earth Orbit (satellite configuration), MERSAR - Merchant Ship Search and Rescue Manual, OOD - Officer of the Deck, Officer of the Day, OPPR - Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response, SCR - Special Casualty Representative (P&I), SMC - Safety Management Certificate (as per ISM Code), STCW - International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping, IMO.