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Nautical terms

Find out here what are the main nautical terms used.

diagram of the nautical terms of a sailboat

Like in many other areas of human knowledge, the nautical field also has its own terminology. Because sea-related activities are very ancient, the origin of many of the terms has been lost in time. The most frequently used terms are listed below:

TermKeyDescription
BowBForward end of the boat or ship. The front in its normal direction of travel.
SternSnThe back part of the boat and the opposite side of the bow.
PortPOWhen facing forward, the left side of a ship.
StarboardSdWhen facing forward, the right side of a ship.
Fore(f)
Towards the front of the ship next to the bow. Term used to indicate the relative position of an object that is in the front of the ship.
Aft(a)
Towards the back of the ship next to the stern. Term used to indicate the relative position of an object that is in the back of the ship.

Learn more: Sailors’ knots e Nautical signals.

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