
Like numerous sports or careers cruising features its own language. Developed during the last a few hundred years with all the current richness that comes with that. At first quite a few cruising terms might appear to have been assigned in a haphazard way but, they usually have all created from nautical traditions, mainly from European countries with some from Polynesia (read: Multi-hulls).
By way of example, the terms for right and left come from a time whenever ships utilized a steering board slung over one region of the motorboat. With sheer man-power or block and tackle they would use influence into the steering board in order to make their turns. Imagine getting into port and docking; you would not wish to dock privately the steering board is on so the other side of the vessel, facing the port, came to be called 'port' therefore the region of the watercraft the steering board was on became known as 'starboard'.
Basic Keelboat (ASA 101)
Areas of a sailboat:
backstay. A stay (usually cable or rod) that works from near or at the very topof mast towards the stern of boat; such as: Your backstay appears to be tensioned precisely. boom. A spar that supports the base of the mainsail; such as: The reef outlines and outhaul might be given through the boom. See figure number 1.
bow. The forward section of a motorboat also referred to as 'the pointy end'; like in: go right to the bow to drop the anchor. bow pulpit. Guardrail and support within bow for lifelines; such as: The lifelines put on the bow pulpit with unique fittings.
cabin. A space in a vessel; like in: time for you go-down to my cabin. deck. The outer lining since the hull of a boat; as in: looking at deck is a good solution to capture some sunshine.
Figure number 1
gooseneck. The fitted that attaches the growth towards the mast; such as: the base ahead part of mainsail (known as the 'tack') is attached close to the gooseneck. Additionally illustrated will be the mast plus the growth.
Also referred to as forestay, a cable that runs from bow toward upper area of the mast; such as: Our headsail connects on headstay. See figure #5.
hull. The underbody of a motorboat; like in: This hull is solid fiberglass. See figure #5.
jib. A foresail (headsail) that meets inside the foretriangle (the clew does not increase beyond the mast); as with: As we approach our anchorage we will furl the jib. See figure #5.
keel.

mainsail. The key sail of a motorboat, usually the biggest sail and increased on mainmast; as with: Leaving the anchorage the very first sail we ready may be the mainsail. See numbers no. 1 and #5. mast. A pole created from wood, aluminum, or carbon fibre from where a sail is placed; such as: The mast of many boats have stays to hold all of them upright.

traveler. An athwartships (sideways) track upon which is installed a block for mainsheet hence permitting sideways adjustment; such as: falling the tourist to leeward is the one option to decrease climate helm.
Features of products on a sailboat:
(growth) topping lift. a range that operates from the end of the increase to the mast in order to
hold it up whenever sail just isn't set; as in: In the event that growth is simply too reasonable after we furl the key we will need to enhance the topping raise.