So you want to be a shrimp boat captain like Forest Gump, but you don’t know the first thing about life at sea? A small technicality like that shouldn’t stop you from following your dream. While others may question the practicality of your ambition, OSM would never dare trample on the pursuits of the heart. That said, we’ve compiled a list of the most common and crucial nautical terms to set you sailing after your dream the right way.
The first thing any sea-faring citizen will tell you is how to identify the different areas of a boat deck. Where the whole rest of the world recognizes direction as front, back, left, right, sailors and boat enthusiasts have gone to great lengths to customize the art of boating. Left is no longer left on a boat; it’s port. The right side is called starboard, the front is the bow and stern is the back of a boat. If you hear words like “hull” or “gunwale” these are specific parts of a boat. The body of the boat is called the hull while the upper edge of a boat’s side (surrounding lip) is the gunwale. The cross section of the stern or rather the step that leads into the boat is called a transom. Ever notice those metal tees that screw in all around the gunwale and usually have a rope knotted around them? Those are cleats.
The width of the boat is called the beam while the length is still the same. The bilge or the lowest point of the inside hull is located at the center of the bottom of the boat. The lateral area under the hull is the keel of a boat. Think of it more like the belly of the boating beast. If you measure from the bottom of the keel to the waterline that also has a term; draft. Draft represents the minimum depth in which a boat can float. That space from the waterline up to the top of the gunwale is called the freeboard. There are many more slang words for the sea, but lets shift over to some important terms that may save your life one day.
If you are planning to go on a week long excursion to find the best shrimping spot in the ocean, you will need a healthy stock of equipment and supplies. One of the main things you will need is a float plan. A float plan is a detailed itinerary of your expected journey. It highlights where you plan to travel, where you will make port and what your vessel looks like among other things. You give a float plan to a trusted associate who is going to remain on shore, so if the worst happens and you disappear, the float plan will allow authorities to follow after you like a treasure map.
Maritime lingo doesn’t stop there, as there is a dictionary of terms that describe everything installed and instilled within a boat. At least from here, you have a general understanding of what a boater is talking about when they say, “Check the cleats on the starboard side”. The rest of the language will come as you count hours on-board a boat and you learn the ins and outs of boating. This guide should hold you over until that day.
Tyler Baker; OSM Writer
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