Tradecraft topics: Terminology

Next in a series of postings concerning sailing tradecraft, offering various tips on technique, is the topic of terminology. Using words that the team universally understands improves efficiency, clarity, and safety in communications. There are hundreds of glossaries of sailing terms online and books published, but most are just lists of definitions and do not describe how to apply or compare terms in practice. The information in this post is more specific to sailing technique. A good pre-read is the basic description of terminology in the "Orientation to sailing and to Volant" document on the Resources page. Though other synonyms may exist, here are terms I use and think are important for clear communication, organized by categories of usage...

POINT OF SAIL

Head to wind = boat pointed directly upwind. Upwind = direction with wind forward of the beam. Beat or on the wind or close to the wind = sailing upwind as high as the sails make possible. Reach = sailing with true wind direction broadside, generally a wide range of 55-140 degrees relative. Beam reach = sailing with TWD very close to 90 degrees perpendicular. Close reach = further upwind than a beam reach, say 55-75 degrees relative. Broad reach = further downwind than a beam reach, say 105-140 degrees relative. Downwind = direction with wind aft of the beam. Run = sailing downwind with true wind direction generally 140-179 degrees relative. Dead down = sailing very close to 180 degrees relative. By the lee = sailing lower than (past) 180 degrees relative - wind is coming over the leeward side, risking a gybe.

ACTIONS TO THE WIND
Make way = move the boat purposefully. Windward = direction upwind. Head up or come up = turn upwind. Harden up = trim sails to steer closer to the wind. Close hauled = position of the sails trimmed towards the boat's centerline - it infers beating, but in some circumstances, may not be. Point = beat with optimum VMG. Pinch = head up past the point of optimal VMG, for purposes of gaining height, trading off speed. Feather =  head up to the verge of sails losing lift and power, primarily for purposes of moderating heel angle and leeway. Luff up = turn further upwind than a beat but not past head to wind - sails would be expected to luff and lose lift. In irons = angle of attack too narrow, with sails stalled too close to the wind to make way. Leeward = direction downwind. Head down or bear off or bear away or bow down or foot off = turn downwind. Press = turn downwind with more powerful sail shape specifically for acceleration. Before the wind or off the wind = run downwind. Angle of attack = difference between apparent wind angle and chord of the sail. Twist = change in angle of attack vertically for a sail. 

WIND BEHAVIOR
Shift = change of wind direction. Persistent shift = trend in wind direction over hours. Oscillating shift = short-term shift in a reciprocal pattern - can occur along with a persistent shift. Lift = shift in the direction off the wind relative to the boat - applies both upwind and downwind. Sailing upwind, a lift is beneficial for VMG. Header or knock = shift in the direction upwind relative to the boat. Sailing downwind, a header is beneficial for VMG. Puff = short-term wind increase. Velocity lift = more sustained wind increase. Lull = short-term wind decrease. A shift and a velocity change often occur together. Gradient = difference in wind velocity ascending vertically from the water surface. Runway = distance ahead with apparently steady wind.

RELATIVE BOAT PERFORMANCE
Board or tack = defines wind over the starboard or port side, used upwind or downwind. Height = heading of a boat with respect to angle to true wind direction. High or low = descriptors of height, compared to target boats, relative to wind. Faster or slower = descriptors of boatspeed, compared to target boats. Length = 33 ft. or 10 m - the length of our boat's hull, not another one, in reference to distance on the water.  Constant bearing = target boat is maintaining a convergence collision course. Making trees or gaining = bearing to target boat is receding by reference to shore landmarks (trees!) - a trend indicating we might cross ahead on convergence. Falling back = bearing to target boat is increasing to windward.

LINE HANDLING
Take or take in hand = assume responsibility for trim/ease for a line. Trim = pull in a line to tension it. Trim can also mean pull in or let out, as required, but I think the former is less ambiguous. Haul or take up = pull in aggressively. Jump = haul a halyard at the mast - it connotes jumping with the line to pull it down with body weight! Hoist = action of raising a sail, not necessarily how. Tail = pull in the end portion of a standing line to take up slack and maintain tension, preparatory to locking it. Release = open the associated rope clutch, winch self-tailor, or cam cleat. Ease = let out a line to reduce the tension. Pay out = ease as much line as the task requires. Smoke or blow =  release and let line pay out rapidly. The attribution for smoke is what happens to hands or sailing gloves if holding that loaded line tightly! Cut is sometimes used for this, but I don't like the unfortunate association with severing the line (put yer knife away)! Lock = secure a line by rope clutch, cam cleat, winch self-tailer, or cleat.

CREW ACTION

Hike = sit on the rail on high side. Hike hard = every crew who can, sit on outside edge of the rail on high side, with torso outside upper lifeline but inside lower lifeline, with legs extended, to get maximum weight out. Extra credit for arms extended, too! Though you see crews in photo ops maximum hiking, this position is not sustainable for long! One down or one up = request for one crewmember move to low side or high side of the boat, respectively. Call relatives = request height and speed performance comparisons for target competitors (not phone Aunt Betty!). Time = request countdown time remaining, typically for race start, onset of new wind, mark rounding, or convergence with target boat.    

NAVIGATION
Bearing = direction of a waypoint or object from the boat. Heading = direction the boat is pointing, not necessarily sailing. Course = actual direction the boat is moving over the bottom. Leeway = angle of the boat's movement downwind, that is, difference between heading and course. Velocity made good (VMG) = calculated speed toward a point bearing directly upwind or downwind. Course velocity made good (CMG) = calculated speed on a fixed compass course, accounting for waves, current, and tides. Turn angle = degrees the boat turns to achieve reciprocal true wind angle on opposite tack or gybe. Overstand = sail past the optimal layline to a mark. Stand off = keep clear of a shore or obstacle.

RULES OF THE ROAD
Right of way or stand on = have rights to sail proper course. Give way or burdened = yield right of way to other boat. Starboard = hail right of way as starboard tack boat. Clear ahead = boat's hull is forward of a line abeam (perpendicular to) other boat's bow on same tack. Clear astern = boat's hull is behind a line abeam from other boat's stern on same tack. Overlap = neither boat is clear astern, within 3 of her lengths distant. Cross = pass ahead of right of way boat on opposite tack. Duck = pass behind right of way boat on opposite tack. Safe leeward = position just ahead of a windward boat unaffected by her wind shadow. Wind deflection from sails often heads the windward boat. Lee bow = tack into safe leeward position. In the circle = crossing inside 3-boat-length circle around a mark, where mark-rounding rules apply. Tactical rounding = rounding a leeward mark with a turn wide enough to be in favorable position heading upwind when adjacent the mark (like a race car passing a turn apex). Seamanlike rounding = rounding a leeward mark close abeam without taking extra room. Rules usually require entitled mark room when overlapped leeward traffic is present be seamanlike vs. tactical.