Ayla’s Voyage Blog

Publish Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2009
We need to to use the boat hook to get the mooring ball on the port side while making sure not to step in the anchor locker or hit the windlass! WHAT????? That is what I asked myself when I heard this for the first time early into our cruising. I counted about five phrases in that sentence alone that were like gibberish to me! Now, in my blogs, I use phrases like these a lot. Some of you may be wondering “Um…what in the world is she saying?” Read on and get a glimpse into the secret code of cruisers…

• Boat Hook: A long pole with a hook on the end, used for putting lines over cleats, retrieving things from the water, and picking up mooring balls.
• Mooring Ball: A floating ball anchored to the bottom of the ocean for boats to hook up to, as an alternative to anchoring. 
• Anchor Locker: Where the anchor chain is stored and goes into when it is pulled up.
• Windlass: A machine that pulls in or lets out the anchor chain.
• Anchor: A metal hook like thing that sets into the bottom of the sea and holds the boat.
• Log Book: A book used for recording information about being underway.
• Berth: Bed
• Head: Bathroom
• Cabin: Bedroom
• Provisions: Groceries
• Swim Platform: An extension from the stern of the boat used for tying up the dingy and swimming off of.
• Transom: The wall separating the cockpit from the swim platform. Also where the boat name is displayed. 
• Cockpit: A sunken space in the deck of the boat, usually at the stern.
• Stern: The back of the boat.
• Aft: Toward the rear of the boat.
• Bow: The very front of the boat.
• Starboard: Right
• Port: Left
• Navigational Lights: Red and green lights near the front of the boat telling people which way you are coming at them. The green light is on the starboard side; the red light is on the port side.
• Pilothouse: On a power boat, where you drive from.
• Flybridge: An outside area at the top of the boat for driving.
• Boat Deck: A large open area on top of the boat used for storing the dingy, or entertaining.
• Dingy: A small boat used for transporting people to and from the boat and other places.
• Davit: A long and strong arm used for hoisting the dingy on and off the boat deck.
• Generator:  An “engine” used for producing power and charging the boats batteries when not connected to shore power.
• Wing Engine: A smaller engine used if your main engine breaks down.