Nautical Glossary - IJK

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

inboard

1. Inside a hull; 2. Toward the center of the boat; 3. An engine that is mounted within the hull

in irons

When a boat's bow is in the wind's eye and, having lost all headway, will not go off on either tack

in haul

A line used to haul in the clew

inspection port

A hole in the hull with a watertight covering that may be removed to inspect the interior of the hull

inshore

Toward shore

intercoastal waterway

The system of inland waterway channels running along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States from Manasquan Inlet, New Jersey, to the Mexican border in Texas; commonly abbreviated as ICW.

international code of signals

The system of signal flags adopted between ships and shore internationally, that can be decoded into any language

in the wind

Pointing a boat too high into the wind, resulting in some of the wind being spilled from the sails

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jam cleat

A fitting designed with a V-shaped throat between the prong and its base so that when a line is pulled tight, or "jammed" into the throat, the line is held fast without further tying.

jaws

A semicircle or U-shaped end on a boom or gaff which fits around the mast

jenny

See genoa

jib

1. A triangular sail set forward of the mast; 2. A foresail or headsail; 3. On a schooner, this is the middle sail set on the jib boom, between the flying jib and fore topmast staysail.

jib boom

A spar extending forward from the bow of two or three-masted ship and used to set additional headsails

jibe or jibing

1. When running, to bring the wind on the other quarter so that the boom swings over; 2. Changing tacks with the wind passing astern rather than ahead of the boat; also spelled gybe

jibe-ho!

A command issued by the skipper to inform the crew that he is starting the act of jibing

jib halyard

The line by which the jib is pulled up and down

jib headed

A sailing rig that has all triangular sails

jibsheet

The line that leads from the lower aft end of the jib sail to the cockpit and controls the angle at which the sail is set

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jibstay

The forward stay (forestay or headstay) on which the jib is hoisted

jiffy reefing

A fast method of reefing the mainsail

jigger

Another name for the mizzen on a ketch or yawl

kedge

A small anchor

keel

1. The backbone of a boat running fore and aft; 2. A finlike member projecting down from the hull that provides resistance to leeward and weight to control heeling

keel boat

A boat with a fixed keel that extends below the hull

keep away

To change to a safer course away from the wind

keep her full

An order to keep the sails filled with wind

keep her luff

To sail close-hauled

keep her off

An order to continue sailing further from the wind

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keep her so

An order to remain steady on course

kentledge

Pig iron, as laid out in a vessel for ballast

ketch

A two-masted sailing vessel with smaller aftermast stepped forward of the sternpost

kicker

A line led from the middle of the spinnaker pole to a cleat in the cockpit to prevent the pole from flying upward under wind pressure

kick-up

Describes a rudder or centerboard that rotates back and up when an obstacle is encountered

kite

Colloquialism for spinnaker

knot

1. A unit of speed equivalent to 6,076 feet per hour; 2. A specific pattern made when securing a rope to another line or object (i.e. square knot, overhand knot, figure eight knot)