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
| P | In sail measurements, the longest reach of the mainsail along the mast. |
| P flag | signal flag known as the "Blue Peter" [blue square in a white the vessel is about to proceed to sea." |
| pad eye | A small fitting with a hole used to guide a line. |
| paddle | A stick with a blade in the end of it used to propel a small boat through the water. The act of using a paddle to propel a boat. |
| painted waterline | A painted line on the side of a boat at the waterline. The color usually changes above and below the waterline as the boat is painted with special antifouling paint below the waterline. |
| painter | A line attached to the bow of a dinghy and used to tie it up or tow it. |
| palm | A tool worn on the hand with a thimble shaped structure on it and used when sewing sails. |
| PAN PAN | An urgent message used on a radio regarding the safety of people or property. A PAN PAN message is not used when there is an immediate threat to life or property, instead the MAYDAY call is used. PAN PAN situations may develop into MAYDAY situations. As with a MAYDAY, PAN PAN messages have priority on the radio channels and should not be interrupted. In the case of a less urgent safety message, such as a hazard to navigation, the appropriate signal to use is SECURITE. |
| Parachute | Balloon spinnaker. |
| parachute anchor | A parachute anchor is used to stop drifting |
| parachute flare | An emergency signal flare that will float down on a parachute after launch, hopefully improving its visibility. |
| parallax error | Error that can be introduced when not reading an instrument directly from its front, due to the separation of the indicator and the scale being read. |
| parallel rules | A navigational tool used to move a line on a chart from one location to another without changing its angle, such as when moving a plotted course to a compass rose. Parallel rules are two straight edges that are mechanically connected such that both edges always remain parallel. Lines can then be "walked" across a flat chart. |
| parallels | Lines of latitude, north and south of the Equator. |
| parcel | Material wrapped around a line to prevent chaffing. |
| parrot beak | A clip at the end of a spinnaker pole to hold the guy. |
| part | fray or break |
| partners | Supporting structures used to support areas where high loads come through openings in the deck, such as at the mast boot. |
| passage | A route between points or ports. |
| patant log | A type of log that uses a counter attached to a rotor on a line which is towed behind the boat to help measure distance and speed. |
| pax | Abbreviation for Total Passengers |
| pay off | Allow the boat turn to leeward. |
| pay out | To let out a line. |
| peak | The upper corner of a four sided sail or top end of a gaff or spritsail. |
| pedestal | The column that the wheel is mounted on. |
| peeling | Changing from one spinnaker to another. |
| pelorus | A card marked in degrees and having sightings on it that is used to take bearings relative to the ship, rather than magnetic bearings as taken with a compass. |
| pendant | A small line attached to a mooring chain. Also sometimes called a pennant. |
| pennant | A small flag, such as can be used for signaling. Flags can be used together to spell words or individually as codes, such as the quarantine flag. |
| personal floatation device | PFD for short. A device used to keep a person afloat. Also called a life jacket, life preserver or life vest. |
| phosphorescence | luminescence |
| pier | A place extending out into the water where vessels may dock. Usually made out of wood or cement. |
| pile, piling | A pole embedded in the sea bottom and used to support docks, piers and other structures. |
| pilot | An individual with specific knowledge of a harbor, canal, river or other waterway, qualified to guide vessels through the region. Some areas require that boats and ships be piloted by a licensed pilot. |
| pilothouse | a small cabin on the deck of the ship that protects the steering wheel and the crewman steering. |
| piloting | The act of guiding a vessel through a waterway. |
| pinch | Steering a sailboat too close to the eye of the wind, causing the sails to luff. |
| pintle | A pin used to attach a stern mounted rudder. The hole that the pin fits is known as a gudgeon. |
| pitch | A fore and aft rocking motion of a boat. Also see roll and yaw. How much a propeelor is curved. A substance used to seal cracks in wooden planks. |
| pitch poled | When a boat's stern is thrown over its bow. |
| pitman | Crewmember who controls the halyards and mast winches and assists the mastman. |
| planing | A boat rising slightly out of the water so that it is gliding over the water rather than plowing through it. |
| planing hull | A hull design that is capable of planing. |
| planing speed | The speed needed for a boat to begin planing. |
| planking | Wood strips used to cover the deck or hull of a wooden vessel. |
| plot | To find a ship's actual or intended course or mark a fix on a chart. |
| plow anchor | Also called a CQR or coastal quick release anchor. An anchor that is designed to bury itself into the ground by use of its plow shape. |
| plug | A tapered device, usually made from wood or rubber, which can be forced into a hole to prevent water from flowing through it. Plugs should be available to fit every through hull. The act of using something to prevent water entering through a hole. |
| Pmiz | The longest reach of the mizzen along its mast. |
| point | To sail as close as possible to the wind. Some boats may be able to point better than others, sailing closer to the wind. The names given to directions on a compass. |
| point of sail | The position of a sailboat in relation to the wind. A boat with its head into the wind is known as "head to wind" or "in irons". The point of sail with the bow of the boat as close as possible to the wind is called close hauled. As the bow moves further from the wind, the points of sail are called: close reach, beam reach, broad reach, and running. The general direction that a boat is sailing is known as its tack. |
| polaris | Polaris, the North Star, is visible in the northern hemisphere and indicates the direction of north. In the southern hemisphere the Southern Cross is used to find the direction of south. |
| pole | A spar. Such as a pole used to position a sail. One of the 2 points around which the earth spins and from which the earth's magnet field is emitted, as in the North and South pole. |
| poop deck | A boat's aft deck. |
| pooped | having a wave wash over the stern of the boat |
| port | The left side of the boat from the perspective of a person at the stern of the boat and looking toward the bow. The opposite of starboard. A place where ships go to dock. A porthole |
| port tack | Sailing with the wind coming over the port bow. |
| porthole | A port. A window in the side of a boat, usually round or with rounded corners. Sometimes portholes can be opened, sometimes they are fixed shut. Also see hatches. |
| position doubtful | A mark of PD made on a chart when plotting a boat's position to indicate that there is reason to doubt that the fix is accurate. |
| pound | The action of a boat's bow repeatedly slamming into oncoming waves. |
| pram | A type of dinghy with a flat bow. |
| preferred channel buoy | Also known as a junction buoy. A red and green horizontally striped buoy used in the United States to mark the separation of a channel into two channels. The preferred channel is indicated by the color of the uppermost stripe. Red on top indicates that the preferred channel is to the right as you return. Also see can and nun buoys. |
| prevailing winds | The typical winds for a particular region and time of year. |
| preventer | A line run forward from the boom to a secure fitting to prevent the boom from jibing accidentally when running. If the boat jibes anyway, this can cause the sail to become backwinded. |
| prime meridian | The 0° longitude line that runs through Greenwich, England. |
| privileged vessel | The vessel that is required to maintain its course and speed when boats are approaching each other according to the navigation rules. Also known as the stand on vessel. |
| prop | Slang for propeller. |
| propane | Also known as LPG (liquid petroleum gas). Propane is a common fuel used for cooking and heating. CNG (natural gas) is considered safer because propane is heavy than air and will sink into the bilge if it leaks, creating the potential for an explosion. Propane is more easily available throughout the world than CNG however, so it is used for most boats outside of North America. |
| propeller | An object with two or more twisted blades that is designed to propel a vessel through the water when spun rapidly by the boat's engine. |
| propeller shaft | The spinning shaft from the engine to which the propeller is attached. |
| protractor | A navigation tool used to measure angles on a chart. |
| prow | The part of the bow forward of where it leaves the waterline. |
| pull | in rowing, to row an oar, putting your back into it |
| pulpit | A sturdy railing around the deck on the bow. |
| pump out | Removing waste from a holding tank. |
| purchase | Two or more blocks connected to provide a mechanical advantage when lifting heavy objects. |
| pushpit | Also called stern pulpit. A sturdy railing around the deck at the stern. |
| put in | to enter a port or harbor |
| PVC foam | PVC is the acronynm for Ployvinyl chloride foam. A tough, resilient foam that is not affected by water |