List of nautical terms

Ais forAnchor

An anchor is a device that is used to stop a ship or boat from drifting away. Anchors are made from heavy metal, and are hooked so they catch onto the seabed. They are attached to the ship by a long chain or rope, and are let down when the ship needs to be still, and lifted up when the ship needs to move again.

Nautical

Photo by Alex Thomson

Bis forBarge

A barge is a low boat with a flat bottom that was originally designed to move by being towed or pushed along. Barges were once propelled by pushing them along using a bargepole, or were pulled by a horse walking along the shore. Modern barges are propelled by motors.

Nautical, Vehicles

Photo by Troon Lifeboat

Bis forBerth

A berth might be a compact place you sleep when you are on a ship, train or plane. A berth is also the space a boat stays at when it comes to shore.

Nautical

Photo by Donika Sadiku

Bis forBoat

A boat is a vehicle that travels over water. Boats may be driven by the wind, by a motor, or by paddling them, like a canoe.

Nautical, Vehicles

Photo by Planetlight

Bis forBow (ship)

The bow of a ship is the front end. It is easy to remember the bow as the pointy end of the ship, and the stern is the back or blunt end.

Nautical

Photo by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District

Bis forBuoy

A buoy (pronounced boo-ee) is a brightly colored floating marker that is anchored in place in the water. Buoys can be used to mark where deeper water is in a harbor so ships can safely navigate through.

Nautical

Photo by Benny Mazur

Cis forCanoe

A canoe is a small, narrow boat that moves forward as you paddle, like the people in the picture.

Nautical, Vehicles

Photo by Jim Sorbie

Cis forCapsize

A boat is capsized when it has flipped upside down or onto its side, and can't be sailed until it is righted.

Nautical, Verbs

Photo by kansasphoto

Cis forCatamaran

A catamaran is a type of boat that has two hulls. The hulls are connected somehow, ranging from a simple connection with thin rods to the bulk of the boat forming the bridge. Catamarans may be either sail or motor powered, and can be any size from tiny sailboats to quite large ships.

Nautical