Nautical Terms Vocabulary

a small, long, lightweight boat that stays on a ship until the captain or crew members need to use it to get to other ships or to go ashore

• jibboom

• starboard

• landing boat

• anchor

the large pole of a ship that sticks out in the front and holds the jib sails

• jibboom

• crew

• port

• bowsprit

toward the front, or bow, of the ship

• port

• main deck

• fore

• sail

a piece of fabric attached to a ship that is used to catch wind as a way to move a ship through the water

• sail

• captain

• mast

• jibboom

toward the back, or stern, of the ship

• aft

• starboard

• anchor

• mast

the open-air area of a ship that is the surface, or floor, of a ship; there may be different levels or locations of the main deck on a ship

• port

• landing boat

• bowsprit

• main deck

just below the captain in ranking and would take on the captain’s duties if left in charge

• crew

• first mate

• main deck

• jibboom

toward the right-hand side of the ship when facing the front of the ship

• starboard

• port

• crew

• mast

a group of people who work on a ship; this group excludes the captain and officers

• main deck

• fore

• crew

• landing boat

toward the left-hand side of the ship when facing the front of the ship

• fore

• first mate

• sail

• port