Despite changes in water transport, nautical terminology remains consistent. Common terms include fore, stern, port, starboard, mast, keel, and nautical mile. Some terms have been redefined, but “old salts” prefer the original usage.
The list of common nautical terminology is long and some go back many centuries. Until the late 1700s, ships were strictly sailboats and boats. The first steamboat sailed up the Delaware River in 1787, followed by the first commercial steamboat in 1807. It didn’t take long for fuel ships to follow. Finally, in the mid-1950s, the first nuclear ship was launched at sea.
With all the changes that have taken place in water transport, the common nautical terminology has maintained its continuity. Some nautical terms have been redefined, but the “old salts” prefer the original usage. For example, the difference between “ship” and “ship” used to be that a ship had three or more masts. In modern times, “ship” describes any ship that is “big,” and yet “ship” is used interchangeably. “Larboard” was a term used for “port”. “Tilt” refers to tilting the boat into the wind. In the old days, it also meant tipping a boat on its side to clean it.
The most common nautical terminology uses the language of sailing ships, since they were the only means of transportation for many centuries. Modern sailors continue to respect the ancient sailors and use their nautical terms. Some examples are:
fore = towards the bow of the ship
stern = backwards
bow = the front of the ship
stern = back
port = left side of the ship from the perspective of being on the ship, looking forward
starboard = right side of the ship from the perspective of being in the boat, looking forward
boom = horizontal pole sail continues
mast = vertical pole that can hold a sail or rig for sailboats and lights or antennas for motor boats
keel = center of hull. Lower in water where the weight is primarily carried
reef = reduce sail area due to too much wind
leeward = side of the boat protected from the wind
windward = the side of the boat is coming from the wind
tack = to reach the destination that is upwind, so that the bow of the ship passes through the wind to the other side
heel = lean
trade winds = regular and constant winds
luff = move the front of the boat into the wind so the sails droop and the boat slows down. Also refers to the leading edge of the sail.
nautical mile = one minute of arc on the surface of the earth. There are 360 degrees in the sphere of the earth. Each degree is divided into 60 minutes. One of those minutes is equal to one nautical mile. Operates at 1.2 statute miles (1.93121 kilometers)
celestial navigation = navigate using the sun, stars, and planets for direction
Common nautical terminology used before 1600 was:
search = get to a place
hawser = big rope
league = 3 miles
meridian = used to refer to noon. It is also a line of longitude.
road = sheltered water that is good for anchoring
strike = lower or knock down
yard = horizon spar (boom) from which the sails are set
Nautical terminology has retained its value and integrity longer than any other mode of transportation. Progress continues to integrate many of the nautical terms into new and futuristic modes of transportation, such as air and space travel.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
