Language

[stelican]

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

Is that with a capital K

 

[Portofino]

It’s part of the experience using the lingo .
Over and above the already mentioned safety related clarity aspect guests like it .
The ones that accept our invitation s to bomb round the Cote d Azur in our boat usually do a little background googling on the terminology.
It’s not snobby we see it as fun for newbies they do too .
So picture the scene wife invites a group of ladies ( stay in our Antibes residence)
Me - I,am ordered to bring the boat round .
So with “Patsy “ Joanna Lumley types ( wife’s already sorted the take high heels off )
They want to know the lingo .
My opening line after the welcomes and kisses are over are
“ there’s no such thing as a rope on a boat “
“Lines “ call them “ lines “

Port and Starboard are picked up in seconds and the rudder gauge is coloured .

They normally want a go helming so I stand aside once out in a safe seaway and give instructions.
Using the lingo .
Typically say “ port 20 “ meaning turn L 20 degrees ,they soon get it
Or sometimes rudder 1/4 to port - they use the rudder guage .
Midships is straight on the gauge etc .

They get the full monty very quick.
We then move to “ revolutions “
Yup guys I say “ reduce revs to 1650 “ etc .
As opposed to slow down

They love it .
Tbo I enjoy sharing/ teaching .

So with newbies using the correct lingo is actually more important to avoid embarrassment at fuel pontoons , visiting pontoons .
Saying tie that rope there on the front ,or pull this rope at the back etc is confusing for them imho .

So we use gelcoat friendly trad lingo

 

[derekbland]

Which end is the front if you are going backwards?

The pointy end, not difficult. Do you ask which is the front of the car when reversing? Methinks not. Do we ask which id the front of the house when facing the back...…..

 

[Assassin]

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!

Think about it another way Sam, it doesn't matter what you're wearing if you fall overboard as you will still be coming out wet.

 

[prv]

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:

Not just "these days" - it got bowdlerised into the "cut splice" by the Victorians

Pete