Nautical Glossary - S

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

safety harness

A harness, usually made of webbing, worn over the shoulders and around the chest equipped with a lanyard for security

sag

To drift off course

sail

A flexible vertical foil, usually made of canvas, Dacron, or Mylar, used to catch the wind and propel a boat across the water

sailmaker

A person who designs, makes, and repairs sails; see also sail repair kit and palm

sail repair kit

Tools and material used for emergency repairs to sails including: sewing twine, needles, a palm, and beeswax

sail slide

A small metal or plastic fitting often used on the forward and lower edges of a mainsail or mizzen to attach it to a track along the appropriate mast and boom. A slide may also be used on the head, luff or foot of a gaff sail

sail slot or groove

A narrow channel running the length of the mast or boom into which a rope-reinforced edge of the mainsail is inserted and thus bent

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sail trim (set)

The positioning and shape of the sails to the wind

sampson post

Strong post on a boat to which mooring lines are tied

scend

A boat lifting to a swell or seaway

schooner

A sailboat with two or more masts in which the mainmast is behind the smaller one or ones

scope

The length of mooring or anchor line in use

scow

A flat-bottomed boat with square unpointed ends

screw

A boats propeller

scud

To run before the wind in a storm

scull

To propel a boat by means of one oar over the stern

scupper

Drain in the cockpit, coaming, or toe-rail allowing water to drain out and overboard.

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scuttle

1. To cut or bore holes in a boat to make her sink; 2. To sink a ship in order to prevent others from boarding or using her

scuttlebutt

Gossip

sea anchor

A drag, usually made of canvas, that is used to keep a boat's bow pointed into the wind during heavy weather

sea buoys

The last buoy a mariner encounters when leaving a channel or harbor and going out the sea

seacock

1. A drain; 2. A shutoff valve attached to through-hull pipes

sea going

A vessel capable of going to sea

sea-kindly

Performed or performing well in rough seas

sea room

Enough space for maneuvering without danger of colliding or going aground

sea way

An area with moderate to rough seas running

sea smoke

During winter, when very cold air (temperature less then 10^º F) blows off land and across warmer adjacent coastal waters creating a dense fog that looks like it is "steam" or "smoke" rising from the water

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secure

To make fast

secure for sea

An order for extra lashings on all movable objects

seize

To bind two parts of rope together to keep them secure

serve or serving

To wind tightly, as rope, with small stuff (such as marline) in order to protect it against chafe and weather

set

1. To lay out or prescribe, as to set a course; 2. To hoist and spread to the wind, as to set the sails; 3. The manner in which a sail is pulled up and fastened to its spars

set a course

To steer

set up

To tighten or make taut the last few inches of a halyard when raising the sail

sextant

An instrument used in navigation which determines altitude of the sun or stars

shackle

A U-shaped metal fastener with a pin across its open end, used for attaching various sails and rigging

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shakedown

A trial cruise to test the boat's condition and crew's readiness

shake out

1. To let out a reef; 2. To hoist the sails

shank

Long part of an anchor

she or her

A nautical pronoun used when referring to a boat

sheathing

A casing or covering on the bottom of a vessel

sheave

(shiv) 1. The wheel inside a block over which a rope runs; 2. The grooved wheel in a block, a masthead fitting, or elsewhere, over which a rope runs

sheepshank

A knot used for temporarily shortening a line

sheer

The curve of the deck or gunwale as viewed from the side; see sheer strake and strake

sheer off

To bear away

sheer strake

The top plank of the topsides; see garboard strake

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sheets

Lines used to control the lateral position and movement of the sails

shipshape

Well-kept, orderly, and clean

shoal

An underwater hill or sandbar whose top is near the surface

shock cord

An elastic cord that can be quickly fastened and unfastened

shore

1. The coast or land adjacent to the sea; 2. A timber or other prop placed in position to act as a support, as in to shore up

shorten

To reduce sail by reefing or dropping sail

shrouds

transverse wires or ropes that support the mast laterally.

ropes or wires led from the mast to chain plates at deck level on either side of the mast, and which hold the mast from falling or bending sideways.

side slip

To slide sideways through the water

side stay

1. Standing rigging, usually of wire, running from the mast to the sides of the boat forward and aft of the shrouds to support the mast; 2. Same as shrouds

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sister hooks

A pair of hooks suspended from a common link and flat on their facing sides so that they lie together and form an eye when in use

sister ship

Another ship of similar class, line, design, or name

skeg

A triangular, vertical projection below the after end of a boat's keel, designed to increase the boat's lateral resistance and directional stability

skiff

A small, lightweight rowboat or sailboat

skin

1. The outside part of a sail when it is furled; 2. The outer planking on a vessel

skipper

Same as captain

skysail

A square sail hung from crosstree on a gaff-rigged ship, on the fifth tier of sail above the deck, above the royals

skyscraper

A triangular skysail

slack water

The period at high or low tide when there is little or no current

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slip

1. The space between two wharves or piers where a boat can be secured or moved; 2. To move sideways in the water, as in side slip

sloop

A single-masted sailboat in which the mast is set amidships

snap hook

A metal device with a spring catch to attach one thing to another

snatch block

A block with an open or hinged sheave, enabling it to be used quickly without reeving a line through the shallow

snub

To check or stop quickly

sound

To measure the depth of the water

sounding

The charted depth of an area

sou'wester

A wind coming from the southwest

spanker

A gaff-rigged sail set on a mizzen mast

spar

A mast, boom, or pole

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spinnaker

A large, light headsail used when a boat is sailing before the wind or on a reach

splice

A method of joining together two ends of line or of creating a loop in a line by interweaving the strands.

spreaders

A horizontal struts to which shrouds or stays are attached, to support the mast and to spread rigging

spring line

Additional docking lines used to prevent the boat from moving

spring tide

A tide that occurs when the moon is new or full and has a greater range than those at other times

sprit

A spar for a spritsail

spritsail

A four-sided sail differing fro a gaff-rig sail in that the sprit (a pole) extends diagonally fro the lower part of the mast across the sail to hold up the outer corner, the peak

square knot

A utility knot that is made of two overhand knots and used for binding together two ends of a line or joining two lines of equal size when the strain on either line is not great. Also called a reef knot.

square-rigged

Vessels on which the principal sails are set generally athwartships; 2. Having square sails hung from yards

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stanchion

An upright metal pole, bolted to the deck, and used to support permanent fixtures such as life lines.

standing part

The part of a line made fast to something

standing rigging

See rigging

starboard

The right side when facing forward toward the bow

starboard tack

Sailing with the wind coming over the starboard side of the boat

stay

1. A rope or wire running forward or aft from the mast to support it. The headstay is the foremost stay on which the jib is set; a forestay is aft of the headstay and carries a staysail; the backstay offsets the pull of the headstay.

stem

1. A more or less vertical timber at the bow; 2. A boat's entering edge

stern

The after part of a boat

stern post (or staff)

A short pole used for flying the ensign aft

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stock

On some types of anchors, known collectively as stocked anchors, a crosspiece at the end of the shank opposite the arms. Its purpose is to hold the anchor in such a position that one of the flukes will bury itself in the ground.

stopper

A short rope, device, or knot used to hold something in place temporarily or to check a rope from running

storm anchor

Heavier anchor carried for emergencies; see lunch hook and working anchor

stove

To break the planking on a hull from the outside

stow

To put away or to store onboard

strake

A continuous line of planking along a hull from bow to stern; see garboard strake and sheer strake

surf

Produced when waves leave deep water forming breakers on the shore as they crest and curl over

surge

Rising and falling of the sea, usually due to wave action

swamp

When a boat that fills with water from over the sides; See flounder

swells or ground swells

Long heavy undulations of the water surface resulting from disturbances some distance away on oceans and seas