Basic yachting terminology: what do you need to know before you go to sea?

Do you dream to become a skipper and go sailing? Well, first you need to know at least basic yachting terminology! Interparus will help you to understand the main yachting concepts and terms! By the way, this topic is perfectly revealed in the video of Sasha Goron, skipper of Interparus team, which is called "Yachting and Marine Terminology".

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Yacht hull and its componentsи

In this article we will look at a classic monohull with Bermuda sails. The hull itself is divided into three main parts: bow, midships (middle part of the hull) and stern (rear).‍

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The most forward part of the bow is called the foreshaft or simply the mainsail. It is also where the anchor roll is located on the bow, which is sometimes called the broach or spire. This mechanism is needed to lower and raise the anchor. At the forward end of the deck is the tank, and at the top of the foredeck is the anchor-role.‍In the middle of the yacht is the midships. The midships is usually where the deckhouse is located.

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The deckhouse is where you will spend most of your time inside the boat. In addition to the deckhouse, the midships also have ducks on which the mooring ropes (mooring ropes) are thrown. The duck itself can be located on either the bow, midships or stern.

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Closer to the midships is the mast, a vertical beam on which the sails are attached. The mast carries the main sail (discussed below) and allows the boat to be propelled by the wind. Perpendicular to the mast is the boom, which carries the lower part of the main sail. Watch your head, the boom can flip very sharply from one side to the other!

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Next comes the cockpit. The cockpit is the real heart of the yacht. This is where you and your crew will dine, socialize and steer the yacht. The cockpit may have one or two helms and seats. In the cockpit there are usually several winches for sail operation - the set of winches and their presence or absence depends on the boat.

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The cockpit can have two types of awnings - sprayhood and bimini. The former protects you from splashing while driving and the latter protects you from the blazing sun.

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The outermost rear part of the boat is called the transom. The transom is often hinged and used as a stern bathing platform. Along each side of the boat you can see metal antennas with metal ropes stretched on them - these are lines. Leerages play an important role in ensuring the safety of the crew.

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Yacht rigging

Let's move on to rigging! Basically, all rigging on board is divided into standing and running rigging. As the name implies, standing rigging is stationary and immobile, it does not move any parts of the boat or the sails. In contrast, running rigging is used for the operation of the sails and consists of cables that can be set in motion.

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Fixed rigging of the yacht

Usually standing rigging includes the foresail (or staysail), the afterstay, and the cables.

- A foresail (or staysail) is a rope (rope) that is stretched across the front. The jib (foresail) is also attached to the foresail. The main function of the boom is to support the mast at the front.

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- The Achterstag is a rope that is stretched from behind. An afterstay also supports the mast, but from behind. There can be more than one afterstay.

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- The staysails are cables that support the mast on the sides. They are attached to the crampons (horizontal bars on the mast) and additionally secure the mast.

Running rigging and sail operation

Let's move on to running rigging. In contrast to standing rigging, a conversation about running rigging would not be complete without mentioning sails. So, the most common small yacht usually has few sails. Two to be exact:

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- The mainsail, also known as the main sail. It is located between the mast and boom and is triangular in shape.

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- The jib (or genoa) is the foresail. It is usually smaller than the mainsail.

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There are varieties of jib, which we will talk about another time. Right now we are interested in a basic understanding of the process.

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Sails are steered by means of so-called halyards, which are used for hoisting and operation. Each sail has its own halyard, and a mainsail halyard will be called a mainsail halyard, a jib halyard a jib halyard. Similarly with other types of sails.

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We have hoisted the sail (using the halyards), but what next? Then we need to control the sail so that we can catch as much wind as possible in the direction we want. This is done with the help of ropes. Clews are ropes that allow us to steer the sails in relation to the wind.

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The names of the lines are similar to those of the halyards, but there are nuances. For example, the jibs for the operation of the jib are called jib ropes. What about the mainsail? There is no such thing as a mainsail-anchor, because the lower part of the mainsail is attached to the boom (a horizontal beam attached to the mast) and is controlled, accordingly, by the boom.

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Therefore, we use the mainsail booms to operate the mainsail.‍The mainsail controls (winches) are usually placed in the cockpit or on deck for convenience.

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Accessories & Devices

One of the most important attributes of yachting is the so-called Lazy bag (literally translated). It is a pouch in which the mainsail is stored when folded. In order for the sail to fit neatly into the lazy bag, the so-called lazy jacks were invented - a special type of rigging that guides and neatly folds the sail directly into the bag.

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Among other devices on deck, we already know the winches - special units that help to control the rigging. Winches also have stoppers that prevent accidental loosening or tensioning of the rope.‍

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The cockpit can house a lot of different equipment. Among the most popular attributes of a modern yacht is a chartplotter (a device for reading electronic charts). The cockpit is also where the engine operation is located.

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Yacht interior

From the cockpit you can usually get directly into the interior of the yacht. The first thing we see when we get below deck is the saloon. The saloon is the main room below deck, a sort of cabin. This is where you will spend most of your free time. ‍

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The saloon is usually the galley (kitchen). Some modern yachts offer a separate galley, but a galley in the saloon is still common.

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In addition to the galley, the saloon has a dining table, a sofa and a navigator's table. At the navigator's table, you, as the skipper, will be making calculations, studying navigation charts and plotting routes.‍I

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n addition to the saloon, there are also crew cabins on board. Depending on the model of the yacht, the cabins will vary in size and position. Through the salon you can access the saloon, which not so long ago was called a lavatory. Nowadays the bathrooms have been combined to save space and both shower and toilet can be found inside.

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Conclusion

In fact, yachting and all its aspects are impossible to fit into even a large logbook. In this article we have given the most famous and popular terms and definitions in yachting, and tried to explain in simple words what and how it works on board. If you want to immerse yourself in the world of maritime adventure, Interparus Skippers School will help you!  See you at sea

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