Hunter 50CC Operation Manual Download Page 198

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Leech:

1, the after edge of a triangle sail; 2, both side

edges of a square sail.

Leehelm:

the tendency of a boat to bear away from the

wind.

Lee shore:

a shore on to which the wind blows.

Leeward:

away from the wind; the direction to which the

wind blows.

Leeway:

the sideways movement of a boat off its

course as a result of the wind blowing on one side of
the sails.

Lifeline:

a wire or rope rigged around the deck to pre-

vent the crew falling overboard.

Limber holes:

gaps left at the lower end of frames

above the keel to allow water to drain to the lowest point
of the bilges.

List:

a boat’s more or less permanent lean to one side,

owing to the improper distribution of weight, e.g., ballast
or water.

Log:

1, an instrument for measuring a boat’s speed and

distance traveled through the water; 2, to record in a
book the details of a voyage, usually distances covered
and weather.

Luff:

the forward edge of a sail. To luff up is to turn a

boat’s head right into the wind.
Luff groove: a groove in a wooden or metal spar into
which the luff of a headsail is fed.

Lurch:

the sudden roll of a boat.

Marlin spike:

a pointed steel or wooden spike used to

open up the strands of rope or wire then splicing.

Mast Step:

the socket in which the base of the mast is

located.

Measured mile:

a distance of one nautical mile mea-

sured between buoys or transits/ranges ashore, and
marked on the chart.

Member:

a part of the skeleton of the hull, such as a

stringer laminated into fiberglass hull to strengthen it.

Meridian:

an imaginary line encircling the Earth that

passes through the poles and cuts at right angles
through the Equator. All lines of longitude are meridians.

Mizzen:

1, the shorter, after-mast on a ketch or yawl; 2,

the fore and aft sail set on this mast.

Navel pipe:

a metal pipe in the foredeck through which

the anchor chain passes to the locker below.

Noon Sight:

a vessel’s latitude can be found, using a

sextant, when a heavenly body on the observer’s merid-
ian is at its greatest altitude. The sight of the sun at
noon is the one most frequently taken.

Off the wind:

with the sheets slacked off, not close-

hauled.

On the wind:

close-hauled.

Out haul:

a rope used to pull out the foot of a sail.

Overall length (OAL):

the boat’s extreme length, mea-

sured from the foremost past of the bow to the aftermost
part of the stern, excluding bowspirt, self-steering gear
etc.

Painter:

the bow line by which a dinghy, or tender, is

towed or made fast.

Pintle:

a rudder fitting with a long pin that fits into the

gudgeon to form a hinged pivot for the rudder.

Pitch:

1, the up and down motion of the bows of a boat

plunging over the waves; 2, the angle of the propeller
blades.

Point of sailing:

the different angles from which a boat

may sail; the boat’s course relative to the direction of
the wind.

Port:

the left-hand side of the boat, looking forward

(opp. of starboard).

Port tack:

a boat is on a port tack when the wind strikes

the port side first and the mainsail is out to starboard. A
boat on the port tack gives way to a boat on a starboard
tack.

Position line/ Line of position:

a line drawn on a chart,

as a result of taking a bearing, along which the boat’s
position must be, i.e. two position lines give a fix.

Pulpit:

a metal guard rail fitted at the bows of a boat to

provide safety for the crew.

Pushpit:

a metal guard rail fitted at the stern.

Quarter:

the portion of the boat midway between the

stern and the beam; on the quarter means about 45
degrees abaft the beam.

Rake:

the fore and aft deviation from the perpendicular

of a mast or other feature of a boat.

Range:

1, see transit; 2, of tides, the difference between

the high and low water levels of a tide; 3, the distance at
which a light can be seen.

Rating:

a method of measuring certain dimensions of a

yacht to enable it to take part in handicap races.

Reach:

to sail with the wind approximately on the beam;

all sailing points between running and close-hauled.

Reef:

to reduce the sail area by folding or rolling surplus

material on the boom or forestay.

Reefing pennant:

strong line with which the luff or

leech cringle is pulled down to the boom when reefing.

Rhumb line:

a line cutting all meridians at the same

angle; the course followed by a boat sailing in a fixed
direction.
Riding light to anchor light: an all-around white light,
usually hoisted on the forestay, to show that a boat

Hunter 50

• Glossary

15.4