WASNT Dictionary of Sailing Terms
Jackline – Not, as popularly believed, a lot of people at a bar waiting for whiskey. It’s where you clip your safety harness to keep from falling overboard.
List – You won’t find this stuck to your refrigerator with a magnet. But, if you find your boat doing it, you’re in big trouble.
Stern – Although commonly used to describe the butt end of a boat, it can also mean the look you give your husband when he uses his captain’s prerogative to yell at you.
Pedestal – Don’t hope to be placed on one anymore. It’s reserved for something more important – your navigational equipment.
Front – Something that’s always coming and has no back.
Swell –An annoying roll of the ocean. Definitely not as in “Gee, that’s swell.”
Outside – A four-letter word disguised as a seven-letter word meaning “in the ocean.”
Fetch – Commonly thought to be the impact of the wind on an open stretch of water, but actually means constantly retrieving whatever the captain of a vessel needs and/or wants.
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