What Nautical Terms Do B.C. Boaters Need to Know?
What’s the right side of the boat called? Do you know the basic nautical terms? As a B.C. boater you should know at least the basic nautical terms, especially as a new boater.
When you know the correct boating terms, it will help ensure your safety and the safety of other B.C. boaters. Knowing nautical terminology will help you clearly communicate with other boaters.
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Here are the boating terms you need to know
Starboard
The right side of the boat.
Port
The left side of the boat.
Bow
The front of the boat.
Stern
The rear of the boat.
Helm
The area where the steering wheel is located.
Hull
The hull is the main body of a boat. It does not include masts, sails, rigging, machinery or equipment.
Buoy
Buoys are markers that float on top of the water to help British Columbia boaters stay on course and avoid hazards. They can give information such as directions, distances, and hazards such as rocks and shallow water.
Knot
A knot is one nautical mile per hour and is used to measure speed. This unit is still used because it’s convenient for navigation and weather forecasting. A nautical mile is slightly longer than a regular mile. If a boat is going 20 knots, it’s doing about 23 miles per hour.
Mooring
Mooring a boat is securing it to a fixed object like a dock, buoy, or anchor.
Keel
The hull of a boat is built around the keel. The keel runs along the centerline of the ship, from the bow to the stern and it supports the weight of the vessel. It’s basically the bottom of a boat or ship.
Head
The head on a boat is the toilet or bathroom. Historically, it was located at the bow and the name "head" stuck, even though it’s now usually near the boat’s galley.
Galley
The boat’s kitchen.
Advantages of knowing nautical terms
Clear communication
When you know and understanding nautical vocabulary, it allows you to communicate clearly with other B.C. boaters and helps prevent misunderstandings and potential accidents.
Safety
Marine terms help increase safety because it ensures that boaters can navigate and manoeuvre their vessels correctly. It also helps to understand nautical terms when responding to a boating emergency.
Historical appreciation
Nautical terms are part of marine tradition and have been used for centuries. These terms will help you understand maritime history and its influence on our language.
Boat etiquette
Using nautical terms is considered good boating etiquette because it promotes clear and efficient communication, especially when docking, when safety is all important.
Practicality
Nautical terms help you to understand the different parts of a boat and their functions.
Test your marine history knowledge. What’s keelhauling?
Keelhauling was a brutal punishment for a sailor who was accused of mutiny or desertion. The sailor was tied to a rope and dragged beneath a ship's hull, hauling them across the barnacle-covered keel to the opposite side or along the ship's length. Keelhauling usually caused severe lacerations, broken bones, or drowning. It was used in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Who used it? There are historical references and paintings showing keelhauling in the Dutch navy, but there's no clear evidence that it was used by the British Royal Navy.
What else do you need to know before you go boating on British Columbia’s waterways?
In Canada, you need a valid Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC).
You can get the card by taking a boating safety course in-person or online and passing the test at the end of the course.
The PCOC is also known as a Canadian boating license. It is mandatory for anyone operating a motorized recreational vessel in Canada, regardless of age, boat size, or engine horsepower, except in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
Operating a motorized boat without the required proof of competency (PCOC card) can result in a fine, with a minimum of $250.
Do you have boat insurance?
It’s not mandatory in Canada, but if your boat is financed your lender may require boat insurance. Many B.C. marinas require boat insurance with $3 million in liability coverage.
Boat insurance protects you and your loved ones. It protects your boat and its motor, boating equipment, and boating accessories like lifejackets, GPS, depth sounders, and many other items.
Can you afford the risks involved in not having boat insurance?
Final thoughts
To get ready for B.C. boating, make sure you understand the basic nautical terms, get your PCOC card (boat license), and insure your boat. Safety first!
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