Glossary
The vocabulary of offshore racing, explained: boats, keels, foils, rigs, weather, rules and results. 195 terms.
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- 24-hour recordResults & records
- The greatest distance sailed in 24 hours, by type of boat or by class.
A
- Air draftDimensions
- Height of the boat above the water: from the waterline to the top of the mast.
- AISOn-board systems
- A system that broadcasts the boat's position, course and identity to nearby ships by radio.
- AnticycloneWeather & oceans
- An area of high pressure with light wind at its centre; boats sail around it.
- Apparent windSailing & navigation
- The wind felt on board: the true wind combined with the wind created by the boat's speed.
- AppendageKeels, foils & rudders
- Everything that sticks out under the hull: keel, foils, daggerboards, rudders.
- AutopilotOn-board systems
- A computer and actuator that steer the boat instead of the sailor.
- Average speedResults & records
- Distance divided by time, either along the theoretical route or over the distance actually sailed.
B
- BackstayRig
- The wire or rope holding the mast from behind; runners are the movable version, one per side.
- BeamDimensions
- Maximum width of the boat; for a multihull, from one float to the other.
- Beaufort scaleWeather & oceans
- A scale from 0 to 12 that grades wind strength by its effect on the sea.
- Boat captainCrew
- Runs the technical preparation of the boat and its shore crew.
- BoomRig
- The horizontal spar hinged to the mast, holding the foot of the mainsail.
- BowHull & structure
- The front of the hull, which cuts a way through the water and the waves.
- BowspritRig
- A spar sticking out beyond the bow to carry the large headsails.
- Box ruleRules & safety
- A rule that sets limits (dimensions, materials) and leaves designers free within them.
- BroachSailing & navigation
- The boat escapes the helm and suddenly rounds up into the wind, lying on its side.
C
- C-foilKeels, foils & rudders
- A foil shaped like an arc: its whole curve lifts, and the boat regulates itself.
- CalmWeather & oceans
- No wind, or too little to make headway.
- Canting keelKeels, foils & rudders
- A keel that swings sideways, to windward, to better counter heeling.
- Canting mastRig
- A mast that can lean sideways, to windward.
- CapsizeSailing & navigation
- The boat turns over; a pitchpole is a capsize end over end.
- Carbon fibreHull & structure
- A very stiff and light composite material, the standard of racing boats.
- CatamaranHull & structure
- A multihull with two identical hulls joined by beams or a platform.
- CharterBoat life & partners
- Renting a boat for a race or a season.
- ChineHull & structure
- A lengthwise edge on the hull, where the bottom meets the side.
- ClassRacing
- A family of boats racing together under the same rules: IMOCA, Ultim, Class40…
- Class recordResults & records
- The best performance of a class, as its association keeps it.
- Class ruleRules & safety
- Construction and equipment rules shared by the boats of a class, to keep racing fair.
- Close-hauledSailing & navigation
- The point of sail closest to the wind that a sailing boat can hold.
- Co-skipperCrew
- The second sailor of a pair, sharing the running of the boat with the skipper.
- CoachroofHull & structure
- A raised part of the deck that shelters the interior and protects the cockpit.
- CockpitHull & structure
- The space set into the deck from which the boat is steered and trimmed.
- Code zeroSails
- A very large, fairly flat headsail for light air and reaching.
- Collision avoidance systemOn-board systems
- Cameras and software that spot obstacles ahead of the boat: ships, debris, whales.
- CompositeHull & structure
- A material made of fibres (glass, carbon, flax…) set in resin.
- Corrected timeResults & records
- Elapsed time adjusted by a handicap rating, to compare different boats.
- CourseRacing
- The route set by the organisers: start, marks to round, forbidden zones, finish.
- Crewed sailingCrew
- Racing with several sailors on board, with shared roles.
- CrossbeamHull & structure
- A beam joining the hulls of a multihull.
D
- DaggerboardKeels, foils & rudders
- A retractable vertical fin that stops the boat drifting sideways, without lifting it.
- DeckHull & structure
- The surface closing the hull on top, where the crew works the boat.
- DepressionWeather & oceans
- An area of low atmospheric pressure, bringing strong wind and bad weather.
- DesignBoat life & partners
- The drawing a boat is built from; sister-ships share the same design.
- Did not startResults & records
- An entered boat that did not start (DNS).
- DismastingSailing & navigation
- The mast breaking at sea.
- DisplacementDimensions
- The mass of the boat ready to sail, equal to the mass of water it displaces.
- DisqualificationResults & records
- Removal from the ranking decided by the jury (DSQ).
- Distance to finishResults & records
- The distance left to the finish, measured along the shortest route that respects the course.
- Distance to leaderResults & records
- The gap in miles between a boat and the leader of the provisional ranking.
- DivisionResults & records
- A group of boats ranked together in a race: a class, or a grouping of mixed boats.
- DoldrumsWeather & oceans
- An area near the equator, between the trade winds of both hemispheres, made of calms and storms.
- Double-handed sailingCrew
- Racing with two sailors on board.
- DownwindSailing & navigation
- Points of sail with the wind coming from behind the boat.
- Downwind sail areaDimensions
- Sail area carried with the wind on the beam or from behind, with the big headsails.
- DraftDimensions
- How deep the boat sits: from the waterline to the lowest point of the keel.
- Dynamic Stability SystemKeels, foils & rudders
- A retractable wing on the leeward side that lifts the hull without making it fly.
E
- Elapsed timeResults & records
- Time between the boat's start and finish, before penalties.
- EPIRBOn-board systems
- A beacon that sends the position of a boat or sailor in distress by satellite.
- Exclusion zoneRules & safety
- An area competitors may not sail in: ice, shipping lanes, protected areas.
F
- FinishResults & records
- Crossing the finish line, which stops the boat's clock.
- Fixed keelKeels, foils & rudders
- A keel fixed to the hull, which does not move.
- FlagBoat life & partners
- The country the boat is registered in.
- FloatHull & structure
- A side hull of a trimaran, smaller than the central hull.
- FlyingSailing & navigation
- When the foils lift the hull completely out of the water.
- FoilKeels, foils & rudders
- An underwater wing that lifts the boat so it drags less in the water and goes faster.
- Foil rakeKeels, foils & rudders
- The angle of a foil or rudder to the water flow; it sets the lift.
- FootDimensions
- An imperial unit of length, 0.3048 m, still used to name boats.
- ForestayRig
- The wire or rope holding the mast forward, on which the headsail is set.
- FreeboardDimensions
- Height of the hull above the water, from the waterline to the deck.
- FrontWeather & oceans
- The boundary between two air masses, marked by a wind shift and often rain.
- Fuel cellOn-board systems
- A silent generator that makes electricity from a fuel (methanol, hydrogen) without burning it.
- FurlerSails
- A system that rolls a headsail up on itself to stow it without lowering it.
G
- GateRacing
- A virtual line between two points that boats must cross.
- GenerationBoat life & partners
- Build period: boats of the same generation often share the same technical choices.
- GennakerSails
- A large, light and full headsail for reaching and downwind sailing.
- Glass fibreHull & structure
- A composite material heavier and cheaper than carbon, common in production boats.
- Great capesWeather & oceans
- The capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn, the milestones of a round-the-world voyage through the Southern Ocean.
- Great circleSailing & navigation
- The shortest path between two points on the globe, which looks curved on a chart.
- GRIB fileWeather & oceans
- A compact weather forecast file (wind, pressure, waves) read by routing software.
- GrinderCrew
- The crew member who works the pedestal grinder to turn the winches.
- GustWeather & oceans
- A brief increase in wind strength above the average.
- GybeSailing & navigation
- Changing the side the wind comes from by turning the stern through the wind.
H
- HalyardRig
- The line used to hoist a sail.
- HeadsailSails
- A sail set in front of the mast; upwind it is a jib (J1, J2, J3 from largest to smallest).
- HeelSailing & navigation
- The boat leaning over to one side under the force of the wind.
- HelmCrew
- The crew member who steers the boat.
- HullHull & structure
- The body of the boat: the part that floats and carries the deck, the rig and the appendages.
- Hull lengthDimensions
- Length of the hull alone, without the bowsprit or protruding appendages.
- Hydraulic ramKeels, foils & rudders
- A hydraulic piston that swings a canting keel or adjusts an appendage.
- HydrogeneratorOn-board systems
- A small propeller trailing at the stern that makes electricity as the boat moves.
I
- Ice limitRules & safety
- A line south of which competitors may not sail, to avoid icebergs.
- In-port raceRacing
- A short race sailed near a port, in front of spectators, alongside an offshore race.
- Inverted bowHull & structure
- A bow that slopes backwards from the waterline up to the deck, instead of forwards.
J
K
- KeelKeels, foils & rudders
- The weighted fin under a monohull's hull, which stops it drifting sideways and keeps it upright.
- Keel bulbKeels, foils & rudders
- A streamlined lead weight at the bottom of the keel, putting the ballast as low as possible.
- KnotSailing & navigation
- The unit of speed at sea: one nautical mile per hour, or 1.852 km/h.
L
- L-foilKeels, foils & rudders
- A foil made of a vertical shaft and an almost horizontal wing: it makes the boat fly.
- LaunchBoat life & partners
- The moment a new boat touches the water for the first time.
- LeaseBoat life & partners
- Renting a boat for a long period, often a whole campaign.
- LegRacing
- One section of a stage race, from one port to another.
- Length overallDimensions
- The total length of the boat, from the tip of the bowsprit to the back of the rudders.
- Life raftRules & safety
- An inflatable raft, with supplies and equipment, where the crew takes refuge if the boat must be abandoned.
- Lifting keelKeels, foils & rudders
- A keel that can be raised into the hull to reduce draft.
M
- MainsailSails
- The main sail, set behind the mast and held by the boom.
- MastRig
- The vertical spar that carries the sails.
- MonohullHull & structure
- A boat with a single hull, kept upright by the weight of its keel.
- MouldBoat life & partners
- The form in which a hull or composite part is built; it can be used for several boats.
- MultihullHull & structure
- A boat with several hulls, a catamaran or a trimaran, stable thanks to its width rather than to ballast.
N
- Nautical mileSailing & navigation
- The unit of distance at sea: 1,852 metres.
- Naval architectBoat life & partners
- The designer of the boat: hull shape, appendages, structure, sail plan.
- NavigatorCrew
- The crew member who plans the route: weather, strategy and positioning.
- Non-stopRacing
- A race sailed in one go, without stopping in port or receiving help.
- Notice of raceRules & safety
- The document that announces a race and sets its conditions: dates, eligible classes, qualification, special rules.
O
- Official timeResults & records
- Elapsed time with the jury's penalties added and redress taken off.
- Offshore racingRacing
- Sailing races on the open sea, over days or weeks, far from the coast.
- On-board energyOn-board systems
- How the boat makes and stores its electricity: solar panels, hydrogenerators, engine…
- Onboard reporterCrew
- Crew member who films and reports during the race, without sailing the boat.
- One-designRules & safety
- A class where all boats are identical: only the sailors' skill makes the difference.
- Outside assistanceRules & safety
- Any material help received from outside during the race, forbidden in unassisted races.
P
- PenaltyResults & records
- Time added by the jury to a boat's elapsed time for breaking a rule.
- Pit stopRacing
- A stop in port for repairs, allowed or not depending on the race rules.
- PlaningSailing & navigation
- When the hull skims over the water instead of pushing it aside, allowing much higher speeds.
- Point of sailSailing & navigation
- The boat's direction relative to the wind: close-hauled, beam reach, broad reach, running.
- PolarSailing & navigation
- A table of a boat's speeds for each wind strength and angle.
- PrepregHull & structure
- Fibre cloth already impregnated with resin, cured in an oven or autoclave to harden.
Q
- QualificationRules & safety
- The conditions to meet to be allowed to start: solo passage, races sailed, miles covered.
R
- Race recordResults & records
- The best time ever on a race's course.
- Racing Rules of SailingRules & safety
- The international rulebook of sailing races, published by World Sailing every four years.
- RankingResults & records
- The order of boats at a race's finish, within their division or across all classes (line honours).
- ReachingSailing & navigation
- Points of sail with the wind from the side, from beam reach to broad reach; often the fastest.
- RecordResults & records
- The best ratified performance over a course or a duration, in a race or an attempt.
- RedressResults & records
- Time given back by the jury, for instance after diverting to assist another boat.
- ReefSails
- Reducing the mainsail's area by lowering and tying down its bottom part.
- RefitBoat life & partners
- A major yard period modernising an existing boat: new foils, new deck, reinforcements…
- RetirementResults & records
- The boat started but did not finish the race (DNF).
- RigRig
- The mast, its boom and all the wires and lines that hold them and control the sails.
- Righting momentDimensions
- The force with which the boat resists heeling; it sets how much sail it can carry.
- Roaring FortiesWeather & oceans
- Southern latitudes between 40° and 50° South, swept by strong westerlies; further south, the Furious Fifties.
- RookieCrew
- A sailor taking part in a race for the first time.
- Rotating mastRig
- A mast that turns on itself to line up with the sail, for a cleaner airflow.
- Round-the-world raceRacing
- A race around the planet, generally via the three great capes and the Southern Ocean.
- RouterCrew
- Weather specialist who advises on the route, often from shore.
- RudderKeels, foils & rudders
- The pivoting fin at the back that steers the boat.
S
- Safety equipmentRules & safety
- The mandatory safety gear on board, checked before the start.
- Sail numberBoat life & partners
- The identifier printed on the mainsail: a country code followed by a number.
- Sail planSails
- All the sails of a boat and how they are arranged.
- Sailing instructionsRules & safety
- The document describing how the race is run: course, marks, forbidden zones, times, penalties.
- Sandwich constructionHull & structure
- A panel made of two composite skins bonded on either side of a light core.
- Satellite communicationsOn-board systems
- Satellite links connecting the boat to land: weather files, videos, calls.
- Scow bowHull & structure
- A very wide, rounded bow, shaped like a spoon, that rides over the waves.
- Sealed engineRules & safety
- In racing, the propeller shaft is sealed: the engine may charge batteries but not drive the boat.
- SheetRig
- The line that sets the angle of a sail to the wind.
- ShipyardBoat life & partners
- The company that builds the boat, or carries out major work on it.
- ShroudRig
- A wire or rope that holds the mast up from the sides.
- Single-handed sailingCrew
- Racing with a single sailor on board.
- Sister-shipBoat life & partners
- A boat built to the same design as another.
- SkipperCrew
- The sailor in command of the boat, responsible for it in the race.
- Solar panelOn-board systems
- A flexible or rigid photovoltaic panel fitted to the deck or coachroof.
- SpreaderRig
- A horizontal strut on the mast that holds the shrouds out to support it better.
- SquallWeather & oceans
- A sudden, short burst of wind under a cloud, often with rain.
- Stability testRules & safety
- A check that the boat rights itself after a capsize and cannot sink.
- Stage raceRacing
- A race split into several legs, with stops in intermediate ports.
- StartRacing
- Crossing the line between the committee boat and a buoy at the starting signal.
- StaysailSails
- A small headsail set on an inner forestay, for strong wind.
- SternHull & structure
- The back of the hull; the transom is its flat, vertical end.
- SwellWeather & oceans
- Long, regular waves formed by distant wind; wind waves are raised by the local wind.
T
- T-foilKeels, foils & rudders
- A vertical fin with a horizontal wing at its tip, often on rudders.
- TackSailing & navigation
- Changing the side the wind comes from by turning the bow through the wind.
- TeamBoat life & partners
- The organisation running one or more racing boats: technical crew, logistics, partners.
- Title sponsorBoat life & partners
- The company that gives its name to the boat or team.
- TrackerRacing
- A beacon that regularly sends the boat's position, shown on the race map.
- Trade windsWeather & oceans
- Steady winds blowing towards the equator, from the northeast in the northern hemisphere and the southeast in the south.
- Transatlantic raceRacing
- A race across the Atlantic Ocean, most often from Europe to the Caribbean or South America.
- TrimaranHull & structure
- A multihull with three hulls: a central hull and two side floats.
- TrimmerCrew
- The crew member who constantly adjusts the sails to the wind.
- True windSailing & navigation
- The wind as it blows, measured against the sea, regardless of the boat.
U
- U-foilKeels, foils & rudders
- A foil whose tip turns back up, forming a U, to keep lift as it rises out of the water.
- UFOSailing & navigation
- Unidentified floating object: a container, log, debris or sea animal hit at sea.
- Upwind sail areaDimensions
- Sail area carried when the boat sails towards the wind: mainsail and headsail.
V
- Velocity made goodSailing & navigation
- The speed at which the boat actually gets closer to its goal.
- VentilationKeels, foils & rudders
- When air or vapour forms on a foil and makes it suddenly lose lift.
W
- Water ballastOn-board systems
- A tank filled with seawater on the windward side to add weight and stability.
- Waterline lengthDimensions
- The length of hull in contact with the water when the boat is at rest.
- WatermakerOn-board systems
- A device that makes fresh water from seawater.
- Wave-piercing bowHull & structure
- A fine, sharp bow that cuts through the waves instead of riding over them.
- WaypointRacing
- A point the course requires boats to round or pass: a buoy, an island, a cape or coordinates.
- Weather routingSailing & navigation
- Working out the fastest route from weather forecasts and the boat's performance.
- WinchRig
- A drum that multiplies force to pull in a sheet or halyard.
- Wing mastRig
- A mast shaped like a wing, which works as part of the sail plan.
- WithdrawalResults & records
- An entered boat that withdrew before the start.
- WSSRC recordResults & records
- A record ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, which checks sailing records.