Hobie University, NAHCA
Page 4
30 Mar 02
GLOSSARY
Abeam
- At right angles to the centerline of the hulls.
Aft
- In or near the stern. To the back or behind the boat.
Apparent Wind
- To those aboard a boat in motion, the direction from which the wind appears to blow. The sum of the true
wind and the wind created by the boats forward motion. See the “
Apparent Wind
” section in this book.
Batten
- A fiberglass strip inserted into a pocket in the sail to support the leach and provide shape.
Block
- A seagoing pulley through which lines and sheets run.
Bow
- The forward or front end of the boat.
Chainplate
- A metal strip, connected to the hull or bridle wire, to which shrouds or forestay are attached.
Cleat
- A device used to hold a sheet or line, such as a jib sheet cleat. (i.e. cam cleats, jam cleats, etc.).
Clew
- The lower aft corner of the jib or mainsail.
Close-Hauled
- Sailing upwind as close to the wind as possible (all sails trimmed in).
Downwind
- Sailing with the wind or in the same direction as the wind(sails trimmed out). (2) To leeward.
Ease
- To let out a sheet or line, as in easing out the sail.
Footing
- Sailing to windward slightly below an optimum course (the opposite of pinching).
Furl
- To roll up a sail, typically wound around the forestay.
Gudgeon
- The fitting on the stern into which the rudder pin is inserted.
Halyard
- A line to raise a sail. A main halyard for raising the main and a jib halyard for raising the jib.
Harden
- To trim in the sheets (opposite of easing the sheets). To harden up is to sail closer to the wind.
Header
- A wind shift that shifts toward the bow and thus makes you steer below your previous course to avoid luffing or losing
speed. Headers work against you when sailing upwind, but aid in downwind.
Head Off
- To steer away from the wind or turn off the wind. The opposite of head up.
Head-To-Wind
- With the bow headed into the wind. The boat will come to a stop and then back up.
Head Up
- To steer the boat toward the wind. The opposite of head off.
Hobie
- Means fast fun on the water.
Irons
- A boat is in irons when it is pointing into the wind and unable to bear away on either tack
Jib
- The triangular shaped front sail.
Jibe
- Passing from one down wind tack to another by swinging the stern of the boat through the wind.
Lay
- To sail a course that will clear a point of land, mark or buoy on the desired side. Also called “fetch”.
Layline
- The line leading up to a windward mark along which you can sail an optimum close-hauled course and lay the mark, or
the line down to a leeward mark, along which you sail fastest to the mark.
Lazy Sheet
- The windward jib sheet, which has no pressure on it. The leeward jib sheet bears the load.
Leech
- The rear edge of the jib or mainsail
Leeward
- The side of the boat that is down wind. (2) Away from the wind or down wind (such as a leeward boat).
Lift
- A wind shift that shifts toward the stern and thus allows you to sail a higher course in order to maintain the same angle with
the wind. Lifts work against you when sailing downwind.
Line
- Every rope used on a boat except a sheet or bolt rope
Luff
- The forward edge of a sail. (2) to turn the boat toward or into the wind, to luff up. (3) a flapping sail.
Mainsheet
- The line used to trim or adjust the mainsail.
Overlap
- The positioning of two boats, in close proximity and on the same course, the bow of the boat astern extending past the
stern of the forward boat. Overlap can establish right-of-way.
