Glossary

Using reference material, this glossary has been designed to provide you with a basic explanation or definition of each of the terms provided.  This glossary will be constantly updated so please contact us, if you would like us to comment of any of the terminology used.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

A

admiralty ferry
ferry owed and operated by the Admiralty
after hold
that part of the hold which lies aft of the mainmast
Source: Country Life Book of Nautical Terms Under Sail
aircraft carrier
a warship with a flight deck on which aircraft can be launched and landed
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship
aloft
above the deck, usually high up in the rigging
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship
amidships
the centre of the vessel, transversely and/or longitudinally
amphibious operations vessel
a military vessel participating in amphibious operations
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship
anchor
a heavy metal implement dropped from the side of a boat which partly embeds in the sea/river/lake bottom and thus holds the vessel in position
anchor chain
the chain used to anchor vessel
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship
anchor crane
a crane ususlly mounted forward in a vessel for stowing the anchor
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship
anchor handling craft
a vessel which tows oil rigs to location and anchors them
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship
anchor windlass
hand or mechanical winch used to raise or lower an anchor
Source: MDA: Waterways Object Name Thesaurus
angle bar
rolled iron or steel bar having an L shaped cross section
Source: Country Life Book of Nautical Terms Under Sail
angle iron
L' shaped iron or steel plates used as stiffeners
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship
angle stringer
longitudinal member made up of angle bars, sometimes strengthened by a bulb bar, usually fitted midway between the deck and the bilge
Source: Country Life Book of Nautical Terms Under Sail
anser pin
metal bolt fitted through the hull side of a narrow boat to carry the tunnel hooks
Source: MDA: Waterways Object Name Thesaurus
anti aircraft cruiser
a large type of warship providing air defence for a fleet
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship
anti-fouling
any specially prepared composition used for coating the bottom of a vessel to prevent marine growth
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship
apron
a member jointed to the aft side of the stempost or false post, extending down to the deadwood. It may be bearded to take the fore-ends of the strakes.
athwartships
parallel to the vessel’s transverse axis
auxilliary cruiser
merchant ship converted into a vessel armed with cruiser-size guns, and employed either for convoy protection against true cruisers, or for commerce-raiding mission.
Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship

landing strake:

the strake between the binding strake and the top strake