We put together this glossary of common boating terms to make sure everyone is on the same page when we talk about Chesapeake Bay boating, specifically powerboating. Whether you are new to boating or just want a refresher, we hope you find this list helpful!
A
Aft: Toward the stern of the boat, or near it.
Amidships: The central part of the boat.
Anchorage: An area that is suitable for a boat to anchor in.
Angler: People who fish.
B
Ballast: A weight that is added to a boat to make it more stable.
Beam: The measurement of a boat’s width at its widest point.
Below: When you go into a cabin, it's never "downstairs," but "down below."
Berth: A sleeping place on a boat, or where a boat is docked.
Bilge: The lowest area in a boat where water can collect.
Bimini: A folding sun and rain shield made of canvas.
Bow: The forward end of a boat.
Bulkhead: An extensive structure in a boat that supports a deck.
Buoy: An anchored float serving as a navigation mark, to show reefs or other hazards, or for mooring.
C
Cabin: A sheltered, enclosed area in a boat.
Cabintop: The deck surface that is above the cabin on a boat.
Casting Platform: An open, raised deck used on fishing boats to cast fishing rods.
Chine: Where the sides of a boat’s hull and bottom intersect, making an angle.
Cleat: A fitting made of metal or plastic which is used to attach lines on a boat.
Coaming: Edges or sides of a boat that are raised to shield and prevent water from entering.
Cockpit: A partially enclosed, hollowed area in a boat that is lower than decks surrounding it.
Companionway: An entrance to any space below the deck on a boat.
Console: A raised area above the deck or cockpit on a boat used for sitting or standing while the boat is in motion.
D
Deadrise: The angle of the hull’s “V” shape, which is usually measured in degrees at the transom.
Deck: Almost any part of a boat that has a flat exposed surface that can be stood on.
Dinette: A dining area on a boat that usually has a table in between two seating areas.
Displacement: The weight of water that is displaced by the hull of a boat.
Draft: The distance a boat penetrates the water, measuring from waterline to keel or appendage bottom.
Dry Weight: A boat’s weight of a boat without fuel or water onboard.
F
Flybridge: A steering location on top of a boat’s cabin with a clear view of the surrounding water.
Foredeck: The forward-most deck on a boat.
Freeboard: The distance between the waterline on a boat and the top of its gunwales.
G
Galley: Where food is prepared on a boat.
Gunwale: The upper edge on a boat’s hull.
H
Hardtop: A structure made of fiberglass covering a part of a boat’s external structure.
Hatch: A door or barrier separating the deck of a boat or cabin top from the cabin.
Head: The bathroom on a boat.
Helm: The area of a boat where the steering and engine controls are located.
Holeshot: The time it takes for a boat to accelerate and get onto a plane.
Hull: The part of the boat that rests in the water; the main body of the boat.
I
Inboard Engine: An engine that is placed inside the hull of a boat.
J
Jump Seats: Pop-up seats in the aft cockpit of a boat.
K
Knots: Term that describes the speed at which a boat is traveling in nautical MPH. One nautical mile equals 1.15 statute miles.
L
Lifelines: Lines or cables whose purpose is to prevent items or people from falling overboard.
Livewell: An area or compartment where bait can be stored on a boat.
Locker: A gear storage location on a boat.
O
Outboard Engine: An engine that is mounted on to the transom of a boat with an engine block that is self contained, a transmission, and a lower drive unit.
P
Plane: The boat’s positioning when at its optimal running speed.
Planing: The horizontal position the boat’s bow is in after the initial lift it had while accelerating.
Pod Drives: A propulsion system where the gearbox and drive is attached right beneath the boat in the water.
Port: The left side of the boat when facing forward. A way to remember this is both the word left and port have four letters.
Propeller: A rotating, fan-shaped, aluminum device that propels a boat through the water.
R
Rubrail: A guard on the sides of the hull protecting it from damage.
S
Salon: An entertainment room inside of a cabin on a boat.
Scuppers: Drainage points on the deck of a boat that expel excess water.
Sheer Line: A line on a boat’s deck at the gunwale or joint between the hull and deck that extends from the bow to the stern.
Starboard: The right side of a boat when facing forward.
Stateroom: Sleeping quarters inside of an enclosed cabin on a boat.
Stern: The aft-most section of a boat’s hull.
Stern Drive: An inboard engine that is connected to an outboard drive at the back end of the boat.
Swim Platform: A structure on the stern of a boat used to assist people in getting in and out of the water.
T
T-Top: A metal frame with canvas or a hardtop on it shielding occupants of a boat from the elements.
Toerail: A rail made of wood or fiberglass on the edge of a boat where the hull meets the deck.
Topsides: The place on the boat where the hull is above the waterline.
Tracking: The tendency for a boat to move in a straight line though the water naturally.
Transom: The aft-most section of a boat connecting the port and starboard sections of the hull.
Trim Tabs: Metal plates on the hull of a boat that adjust to help the boat’s pitch, roll, and running attitude through the water.
Twin-Engine: A boat that has two outboards.
V
V-Berth: A berth that is situated in the bow of a boat.
W
Wake: the waves caused by the boat’s movement through the water.
Waterline: A line around a boat’s hull where it intersects the water.
Windlass: An anchor windlass is a machine that restrains and manipulates the anchor chain on a boat, allowing the anchor to be raised and lowered by means of chain cable.