YPI Yachting Glossary
All the yachting terms explained...from A to Z
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
| E | In sail measurements, the longest reach of the mainsail along the boom. |
| ease | To slowly loosen a line while maintaining control, such as when loosening the sails. |
| ease the sheets | To loosen the lines that control the sails. |
| east | One of the 4 cardinal compass points. East is at 90° on a compass card. |
| east wind, easterly wind | A wind coming from the east. |
| ebb | A receding current. |
| ebb tide | A receding tide. |
| echo sounder | An electrical fish finder or depth sounder that uses sound echoes to locate the depth of objects in water. It does so by timing the sound pulses. |
| eddy | Water or air currents flowing in circular patterns. |
| el Niño | a warm inshore current annually flowing south along the coast of Ecuador. About every seven to ten years it extends down the coast of Peru , where it has a devastating effect. |
| electronic navigation | The use of echo sounders, radio, and various electronic satellite and land based position finders to determine a boat's location. |
| emergancy tiller | A tiller that is designed to be used in the event that wheel steering fails. |
| Emiz | The longest reach of the mizzen along its boom. |
| ensign | The national flag of a boat's home nation. |
| entrance | The area of a bow that first meets the water. |
| EP | Estimated Position, a value plotted on a map or chart in temporal intervals |
| EPIRB | Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon. Radio signaling aid that allows the transmission of emergency position calls |
| equator | An imaginary line around the center of the world at 0° of latitude. |
| escape hatch | The escape hatch is usally a deck hatch that is set into the side of the catamarn hull to be used for emergency exit |
| estimated position | A position based on dead reckoning estimations of a boat's position using estimated speed, currents, and the last known position (fix) of the boat. |
| even keel | When a boat is floats evenly to its waterline, well balanced. |
| eye of the wind | The direction that the wind is blowing from. |
| eye splice | A splice causing a loop in the end of a line, by braiding the end into itself or similar methods. It may or may not be reinforced by a metal fitting known as a thimble. |