An essential part of boat care and safety is being familiar with all the different components of your craft. When you’re a new owner, a lot of that jargon can seem intimidating, but being able to account for every part will make it easier to stay safe and take care of your boat. Here’s a guide to some of the core aspects of a vessel you should know. 

A Boat Care Glossary

1. Direction

The bow is the front of the boat. Its original meaning comes from the word “bend,” referring to the craft’s shape from the front. The back of the boat is called the stern. It comes from the Old Norse for “steering,” since the rear is typically where steering occurs. Starboard describes the right side of the boat when you’re facing the bow. It comes from a word for rudder, since the starboard side was the one where sailors would row. And finally, port is the left side of the boat. Scholars believe that it earned that name because older ships had a loading station on the left side.

2. Body

The hull is the cladding or body of the boat. The word comes from terms for a seed pod, reflecting how the hull provides crucial protection from the sea. The beam is a measure of the width of the boat, determined at its widest point. The size of the beam is correlated with the stability of the boat since a wider boat has more surface area, making it less likely to tip over.

3. Amenities

The top edges of the hull are known as gunwales (pronounced guh-nuhl), providing needed heft for balance. In the past, they served as an area to mount guns at a higher point of elevation.  The transom is the surface on the stern — where a motor is positioned on a motorboat, for example. The propeller is the rotating mechanism that allows the boat to move. Depending on its direction, it can propel the craft either forward or backward. Finally, cleats are the metal fittings where you can secure your boat with rope as you prepare to dock.

If any parts of your boat need a touch-up, replacement, or repair, reach out to a top boat care shop like Harbortown Marine in Vermilion, OH. Serving the community for over 25 years, the locally owned marine supply store offers boat repair and essential equipment. Call (440) 967-8072 to contact their helpful staff. Learn more about the boat care company by visiting their website.