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Chapter One: Before You Cast Off
Operating a boat means more than just getting in and turning the key or
hoisting a sail. As a boater, you need to know all about federal and state
boating laws, required safety equipment, operational characteristics of your
boat, what to do during an emergency and the environment where you operate,
before venturing onto the water. The more you know before you go can make a
significant safety difference once you’re on the water.
NAUTICAL BOATING TERMS
Speaking and understanding nautical language makes for a better boating
experience. Additional terms will be defined as they appear within the text of
the course.
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- Abaft - Behind, toward the stern.
- Abeam - To one side of a vessel, at a right angle to the bow and stern line.
- Aft - A direction towards the back of a boat; at the stern.
- All-round White Light - A white light showing an arc of 360 degrees.
- Astern - Opposite of forward. Behind a boat.
- Beam - Width of a boat at widest part.
- Below - Under the main deck.
- Bilge - Bottom, inside of the hull.
- Bridge - Structure above the main deck. Housing or shelter.
- Bow - Front of the boat.
- Centerline - A measurement halfway between the port and starboard sides.
- Chine - Steps made into the hull allowing for a softer ride in rough seas.
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- Cleat - Raised two-ended (horn-shaped) fitting to which a line is secured.
- Deck - Surface above a bilge. Area you walk on.
- Draft - The amount of hull under the surface of the water.
- Freeboard - The amount of the hull above the waterline.
- Forward - A direction toward the bow.
- Gunwale - The top portion of the freeboard.
- Helm - Device used to control steering. Same as a steering wheel.
- Hull - Physical structure of the outside of a boat.
- Keel - Bottom most center of the hull. Backbone of a boat.
- Port - Left side of a boat when looking toward the bow.
- Side Lights - A red light on the port side and a green light on the starboard side with each light showing an unbroken arc of 112.5 degrees. On boats less than 65.6 feet in length, the sidelights may be combined in one housing (sometimes referred to as a combination bow light).
- Rudder - Device that assists in steering. Located astern of the
propeller.
- Starboard - Right side of a boat when looking toward the bow.
- Stern - Back, or after end, of a boat.
- Stern Light - A white light showing an arc of 135 degrees.
- Transom - Vertical surface area of the stern
- Waterline - Where a boat rests in the water. A separation point of how
much boat is above the water and how much is below the water.
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