Language

[Bigplumbs]

For those that speak English why did the boating world have to invent its own language. Also if I spell something incorrectly remember that the words below are often just spoken.

I think it causes confusion and dare I say is a bit 'Snobby' So here are my definitions

1) Heads............................. More than one thing that you can put a hat on

2) Port............................... A rather nice drink but watch out for gout

3) Line.............................. Drawn with a writing implement or a white powder ready for consumption in this modern world

4) Painter ....................... A bloke with a paint brush and a pot of paint

5) Bow ............................ Remember spoken mostly ..................... A bit on a tree

Instead

A) Toilet, Bog, Wet room etc ............................... We all understand

B) Left or right.... Yes I know about which way you are standing but it would be facing forward in the direction of travel for pitys sake

C) Rope ....................... Who don't understand that

D) Shorter rope ..................................... !!!

E) Front and Back ............................... Any confusion here

Opinions please

Dennis

 

[Angele]

E) Front and Back ............................... Any confusion here

Which end is the front if you are going backwards?

 

[Kawasaki]

Ahh
But do you know what a 'Spurlash' is?

 

[BruceK]

Ahh
But do you know what a 'Spurlash' is?

The sound a sixpack of Roy's tinnies makes as you drop them from the flybridge into the water to hide the evidence of your transgression when John is doing his security rounds?

 

[Kawasaki]

The sound a sixpack of Roy's tinnies makes as you drop them from the flybridge into the water to hide the evidence of your transgression when John is doing his security rounds?

Close but no Cigar!

 

[kashurst]

A lot of naval/sailing terms are very old words that have been modified over time - starboard, comes from old english for steer board. The right side of the boat where the steering oar would be. Google some of these words, when you see the original words and meaning they are usually pretty obvious. Over 1000+ years though language changes
Most of them still exist because they give greater clarity and permit shorter sentences when operating a sailing boat. Important to avoid misunderstanding and accidents. Skippering a sail boat with a crew that do not understand the sailing terms is really difficult, arguably dangerous.

E.g." tighten the main sheet,"
Without more specific nouns etc then that sentence would be something like "tighten that rope over there that controls the angle of the main boom" which begs the question "which rope ?" And so on. In the cockpit of a yacht you could be looking at 8 - 12 ropes all doing different things.

However a motor boat is pretty simple to operate in comparison. The only rope that gets used is for mooring up.

Terms like "heads" are probably a bit of an anachronism these days, unless you are wild widdling over the bow.

 

[Sailorsam101]

I don't care what words people call things..all i say is call it whatever you want but as long as other people know exactly what you are talking about.

But then I've never been one for the faded red chinos with jumper around my neck!

 

[Bigplumbs]

Which end is the front if you are going backwards?

The bit that is usually moving forwards most of the time. Lika a car. No difference

 

[Bigplumbs]

I don't care what words people call things..all i say is call it whatever you want but as long as other people know exactly what you are talking about.

But then I've never been one for the faded red chinos with jumper around my neck!

If you do have that jumper around your neck make sure it is quite thin material and has a logo just above your left tit

 

[Angele]

The bit that is usually moving forwards most of the time. Lika a car. No difference

On a car, I call that the bonnet.

Are you going to suggest that we apply the same approach to cars?

Bonnet = lid at the front
Boot = lid at the back
Sunroof = lid in the middle
Windscreen = front window.....

 

[Sailorsam101]

If you do have that jumper around your neck make sure it is quite thin material and has a logo just above your left tit

Do you mean the one that says "look at the size of my bank balance"

or the other one that says "My boat is bigger than yours so i must be better than you at everything"

Can you tell i'm not a boat snob! I can't stand most of the yacht club fashion and poncing around. I've been on the water too long and too much to give a toss what i look like!

 

[Bigplumbs]

On a car, I call that the bonnet.

Are you going to suggest that we apply the same approach to cars?

Bonnet = lid at the front
Boot = lid at the back
Sunroof = lid in the middle
Windscreen = front window.....

Yes indeed

I suppose my issue is that I often take friends on my boat and they are not boaty people. If I use all them nautical phrases (which I don't) They would either get confused or think I am a nob

 

[BruceK]

Let me get this right. When they have clarity of mind they think you are a nob? Bravo! That's priceless


<that's a joke before you take offence>

 

[markc]

Shouldn't this steaming pile of nonsense be in the lounge?

 

[benjenbav]

On a car, I call that the bonnet.

Are you going to suggest that we apply the same approach to cars?

Bonnet = lid at the front
Boot = lid at the back
Sunroof = lid in the middle
Windscreen = front window.....

I guess language divides as well as unites us. Certainly for the above (apart from sunroof) which would - in the USA - tend to be, respectively:

Hood = lid at the front
Trunk = lid at the back
Windshield = front window

Technical language tends to save words. Very useful to use 'main sheet' to distinguish same from all of the other lines. But, as above, only when the person speaking and the person to whom the speaker is speaking both understand the relevant terminology.

Language also evolves and its usage waxes and wanes. I suspect that, these days, the usual term for this image (below) would earn me an infraction were I to write it here:

 

[Davy_S]

Ahh
But do you know what a 'Spurlash' is?

Its the sound the anchor makes when you either let it go, or fall off the bow.

 

[Grubble]

Shouldn't this steaming pile of nonsense be in the lounge?

At the risk of sounding like a snob, but I think you mean the Saloon.

 

[Praxinoscope]

The whole object of using the standard nautical language is to avoid confusion. But it’s not confined to the sea, try telling your airline pilot to turn left or right, the aviation has adopted port and starboard.
Most of the terms used for ropes are for the ‘rag’ sailors where there are so many ropes each rope is identified by a specific name, it’s quicker and the likely hood of an error to say haul in the main sheet than haul in the (blue) specked rope that controls the Mainsail.
Similarly if you say push the tiller to port rather than push the tiller to the left (who’s left, mine or the helmsman?).
I still tend to use the term head, maybe this is pehaps an anachronism, but so what?
Although port and starboard are easily identifiable descriptions, one might be forgiven for reverting to the description of a ‘Coarse Sailor’ in Michael Greenes book ‘The Art of Coarse Sailing’ ‘a Coarse Sailor is one who in times of stress forgets all nautical language and shouts for Gods sake turn Left’

 

[Angele]

Most of the terms used for ropes are for the ‘rag’ sailors where there are so many ropes each rope is identified by a specific name, it’s quicker and the likely hood of an error to say haul in the main sheet than haul in the (blue) specked rope that controls the Mainsail.

I am one of those raggies, and the two biggest problems with using the colour of the rope in the description of which one to pull are:

1) I have lots of light blue ones (6 in total). They all control the sail at the front, but in subtly different ways. "Pull the light blue one" doesn't define which of the six I am talking about.
2) I still remember the colours that the ropes had when I bought the boat 13 years ago. I am told that both "the white one" and "the dark green one" are actually now both "grey" (albeit different shades). As a consequence, "pull the dark green one" tends to yield only a shrug of the shoulders.

 

[Praxinoscope]

I am one of those raggies, and the two biggest problems with using the colour of the rope in the description of which one to pull are:

1) I have lots of light blue ones (6 in total). They all control the sail at the front, but in subtly different says. "Pull the light blue one" doesn't define which of the six I am talking about.
2) I still remember the colours that the ropes had when I bought the boat 13 years ago. I am told that both "the white one" and "the dark green one" are actually now both "grey" (albeit different shades). As a consequence, "pull the dark green one" tends to yield only a shrug of the shoulders.

Whoops I mis-typed, my sentence should read “and far less likelihood of an error to say haul in the main sheet”. Although all the halyards and sheets on my boat are flecked with different colours I still use the correct name for each rope and only revert to the colour code if my crew look a bit blank.
From another ‘rag’ Sailor