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Nautical Terms and Phrases
The letters of the alphabet are listed with their corresponding phonetic alphabet term. The phonetic alphabet is used when spelling terms over a radio so that the listener does not confuse one letter for another. The terms will show up below the list of letters when you click a letter.
A - Alpha	N - November
B - Bravo	O - Oscar
C - Charlie	P - Papa
D - Delta	Q - Quebec
E - Echo	R - Romeo
F - Foxtrot	S - Sierra
G - Golf	T - Tango
H - Hotel	U - Uniform
I - India	V - Victor
J - Juliet	W - Whiskey
K - Kilo	X - X-Ray
L - Lima	Y - Yankee
M - Mike	Z - Zulu

A-hull	The situation of a vessel when she lies with all her sails furled and her helm lashed a-lee.
Aback	Condition of sail when the wind pressure is on the leeward or forward side, with sails backed or trimmed to windward.
Abaft	Toward the rear of the boat. Behind.
Abeam	At right angles to the keel of the boat, but not on the boat.
Aboard	On or within the boat.
About Ship	The order to tack ship.
Above Deck	On the deck, not over it.
Abreast	Side by side or by the side of.
Admeasure	Regulation measurement of a vessel for documentation.
Admiralty Law	The Law of the Seas, often debated by Sea Lawyers.
Adrift	Loose, not on moorings or towline.
Aft	Toward the rear of the boat.
Agrond	Touching or fast to the bottom.
Ahead	In a forward direction.
Ahoy	Seaman's call to attract attention.
Aids To Navigation	Artificial objects to supplement natural landmarks which indicate save or unsafe waters.
Alee	Opposite of the wind direction. Opposite of windward.
All Hands	The whole crew.
Aloof	At a distance.
Alow	Down or downwards; as in "Lay alow!" (Get down on deck!)
Ama	Output hull of a trimaran.
Amain	Suddenly. At once.
Amidships	In or toward the center of the boat.
Anchor Ball	A black ball visible in all direction display in the forward part of a vessel at anchor.
Anchor Bend	A knot used to fasten the anchor to the anchor line.
Anchor Light	A white light, usually on the masthead, visible from all directions, used when anchored
Anchor Locker	A storage area, usually in the bow, to store the anchor, rode and line
Anchor Roller	A fitting with a small wheel that allows the anchor and chain to roll over when dropping or raising the anchor. Some anchor rollers also have a provision to store the anchor. This is sometimes referred to as the bow roller.
Anchor Windlass	A windlass used to assist when raising the anchor, can be manual or electric.
Anchorage	A place suitable for anchoring in relation to the wind, seas and bottom.
Anemometer	An instrument used to measure wind velocity.
Apparent Wind	Wind felt on a vessel underway.
Apron	A piece of timber fixed behind the lower part of the stern [sic], just above the fore end of the keel. A covering to the vent or lock of a cannon.
Arming	A piece of tallow put in the cavity and over the bottom of a lead-line.
Astern	In the back of the boat; opposite of ahead.
Athwartships	At right angles to the centerline of the boat. rowboat seats are an example of athwartships.
Autopilot	A device used to steer a boat automatically, usually electrical, hydraulic or mechanical in nature. A similar mechanism called a self-steering gear may also be used on a sailing vessel.
Auxiliary	A yacht propelled by both sail and power or a support group,
Avast	A nautical command to stop or cease.
Aweigh	The position of anchor as it is clears of the bottom.