Aft :
near or at the stern of the boat.
Aground:
with the keel or bottom fast on the sea bottom.
All-round white light :
navigation light visible at 360 degrees from up to 2 miles away.
Anchor :
a metal device, fastened to a chain or line, to hold a vessel in position, partly because of its weight, but chiefly because the designed shape digs into the bottom.
Anchor light:
an all-around white light displayed when anchored in or near a channel at night or during periods of restricted visibility
Back light:
all-around white light
Back-fire:
an explosion which can result when fuel spills or leaks in the engine area are ignited.
Barge:
A type of large cargo vessel that is usually propelled by another vessel such as a tugboat.
Beam:
the width of a boat, also the direction at right angles to the centerline of a vessel.
Bilge :
the lowest point of a boat's interior hull.
Bow :
front portion of a vessel.
Bow cleat:
a metal fitting located on the bow on which a rope can be fastened.
Bow line :
a simple, strong knot that can be easily untied, it is used to make a loop in a line.
Cabin:
an enclosed living quarters for passengers or crew.
Canoe:
a relatively lightweight, narrow boat propelled by paddle.
Capacity:
maximum allowable weight or number of persons allowed onboard a vessel as determined by the manufacturer and displayed on the capacity plate.
Capacity Plate :
indicates the maximum allowable weight of persons, equipment, stores, fuel, engine assembly and steering controls as well as the recommended safe limits of engine power.
Capsize:
the turning over of a vessel onto his size.
Catamaran:
type of multi-hulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls that are joined by a frame.
Channel :
a marked and designated area where there is a known depth of water; boats may not usually anchor in a channel.
Chart:
seagoing maps; most charts are issued by government sources, showing buoys, depths and other aids to navigation.
Cleat:
metal fitting on which a rope can be fastened.
Cockpit:
a space for the crew, the cockpit is lower than the deck and usually watertight.
Current:
horizontal movement of water; cause by the normal flow of a river or by the rise and fall of the tide.
Deck :
the portion of a vessel which covers its hull.
Dock :
an enclosed or nearly enclosed water area; a place where vessels can make fast.
Documented Vessel(s) :
a vessel registered with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Downstream:
towards the direction in which the current is flowing.
Downwind:
towards the direction in which the wind is blowing.
Draft:
the vertical distance from the waterline to the lowest point of the keel; the minimum depth of water in which a vessel will float.
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) :
An emergency locator device transmits a radio signal to alert rescue teams to a vessel or person's position.
Float Plan :
a plan given to a person on shore describing where you intend to cruise, when you plan to make port again and includes a description of the vessel.
Forward:
aboard a boat, the direction to the front, to the bow.
Freeboard:
the vertical distance between the top of the deck and the water line.
Give-way vessel :
the vessel that does not have right of way in a crossing or overtaking situation.
Gunwale:
the upper edge of a vessel's side.
Hatch:
an opening in a boat's deck.
Headwater :
the source of a river or stream.
Hull:
the body of a vessel.
Hull Identification Number (HIN) :
a number that is permanently affixed to the rear of vessel's hull indicating the manufacturer, serial number as well as the month and year of production.
Hydraulic :
the result of water going over a dam creating a back current or undertow that can pull a boat or a person into the turbulence and capsize.
Hyperventilation:
When breathing becomes much faster and/or deeper than normal, resulting in the loss of carbon dioxide from the blood, leading to various negative effects such as a decrease in blood pressure, fainting, etc.
Hypothermia:
a drop in body temperature below the normal level.
Idle speed:
the slowest possible speed required in order to maintain steerage and headway.
Impeller :
a rotor inside a tube or conduit to increase the pressure and flow of a fluid.
Inboard engine :
a motor fitted inside the vessel.
Inboard/Outboard (I/O) engine:
a motor fitted inside the vessel, just forward of the transom (stern drive).
Inland waters :
The navigable waters of the United States shoreward of the navigational demarcation lines dividing the high seas from harbors, rivers and other inland waters of the United States, and the waters of the Great Lakes on the United States side of the International Boundary.
Intracoastal waterway :
a series of tributaries generally running parallel along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts.
Kayak:
A boat similar to a canoe, that is water-tight and can be easily righted.
Keel :
the main structural member of a boat; its backbone; the lateral area beneath the hull that helps to provide stability and reduce the sideways drift of a boat.
Lanyard :
a cord affixed with a clip connecting to the ignition which stops the engine in the event that the operator falls overboard.
Lowhead dam :
a type of dam which can be a threat to an unwary boater, swimmer or wader due to the dangerous hydraulic it creates.
Marine Sanitation Device (MSD):
a mechanism which must be fitted to marine toilets in order to stop the dumping of raw sewage into inland waters.
Masthead light :
a white light, located near the masthead used by a vessel underway at night.
Moor :
to fasten a vessel to a fixed or floating object such as an anchor buoy.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere.
No wake speed :
the slowest possible speed required in order to maintain steerage and headway.
Outboard engine :
a detachable motor mounted on the transom of a boat.
Personal flotation device (PFD):
terminology for a life preserver, either a jacket or throwable device.
Personal Watercraft (PWC):
vessels less than 16 feet in length that use an inboard engine powering a water jet pump as their primary source of propulsion, designed to be operated by a person sitting, kneeling, or standing in other than the conventional manner of boat operation.
Pier :
a structure extending into the water, used as a landing place for boats and ships.
Pontoon boat:
type of motorized multi-hulled boat consisting of two hulls joined by a frame.
Port:
left hand side of a vessel.
Portage:
The act of carrying a boat or vessel overland between two waterways or around an obstacle to navigation.
Powerboat (powered boats):
any boat propelled by the force of an engine.
Pre-Departure Checklist :
a checklist to ensure passengers are informed and comfortable and that all equipment and requirements have been accounted for.
Propeller:
a rotating mechanism that propels a vessel through the water.
Regatta :
a boat race, or series of boat races often accompanied by social activities.
Restricted visibility :
Any condition in which visibility is restricted by fog, mist, falling snow, heavy rainstorms, sandstorms or any other similar causes.
Rode:
the anchor line.
Sailboard:
a board similar to a surfboard that is propelled by sail.
Sailing vessel :
a vessel under sail, provided that propelling machinery, even if present, is not being used.
Scull :
a small and slender racing vessel which can be designed for one or multiple rowers.
Seaplane:
any aircraft designed to maneuver on the water.
Seaworthy:
a vessel that is able to operate effectively even in rougher waters.
Shoal (shoaling area):
mud flats or sandbars typically composed of sand, silt or small pebbles deposited by water currents.
Sidelights:
green and red navigation lights, visible from forward or the beam.
Slow-No Wake :
the slowest possible speed required in order to maintain steerage and headway.
Stand-on vessel :
the vessel that has the right of way in a crossing or overtaking situation.
Starboard:
right hand side of a vessel.
Stern:
rear portion of a vessel.
Stern drive:
a motor fitted inside the vessel, just forward of the transom(inboard/outboard engine).
Sternlight :
white light located at or near the stern of a vessel.
Submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) :
underwater plants often found in shallow areas (usually less than 6 feet deep).
Swamping:
for a boat to fill with water to the point where it will sink
Swim platform :
low platform installed at the transom for ease of boarding.
Tailwind :
a wind coming from the rear of a vessel.
Tide:
the rise and fall of waters caused by the gravitational forces of the moon and sun.
Tongue weight :
the trailer weight when loaded with a boat and on the hitch ball.
Towline:
the chord used for towing a person behind a vessel.
Transom:
the cross section of the stern.
Trim:
the way in which a vessel floats, on an even keel or trimmed by the hear or stern.
Underway:
a vessel that is not at anchor or made fast to the shore
Upwind:
towards the windward side.
Vessel:
any type of watercraft, including non-displacement craft and seaplanes used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.
VHF Radiotelephone :
a high frequency electronic communication system.
Visual Distress Signal (VDS) :
any device designed to show that your vessel is in distress and help others locate you.
Wake:
tracks left in the water caused by a moving vessel.
Waterline:
the intersection of a boat's hull and the water's surface.
Whitewater:
frothing white-tipped water caused by the presence of turbulence, whitecaps, rapids, etc.
Winch:
a device mounted on a vessel which is used to haul on a line; if used with a lever it provides a mechanical advantage.
Windward:
the side opposite to that on which the mainsail is carried.
Yacht:
a larger recreational vessel propelled by either sail or power.