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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:
| Term | Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bow | B | Forward end of the boat or ship. The front in its normal direction of travel. |
| Stern | Sn | The back part of the boat and the opposite side of the bow. |
| Port | PO | When facing forward, the left side of a ship. |
| Starboard | Sd | When 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.
