Ship Lingo

[clarets1]

This is such a nice friendly and helpful thread.

Thanks guys.

xx

[Fuzzzy]

"The origin of the term starboard comes from old boating practices. Before ships had rudders on their centerline, they were steered by use of a specialized oar. This oar was held by a sailor located towards the stern (back) of the ship. However, like most of the rest of society, there were many more right-handed sailors than left-handed sailors. This meant that the right-handed sailors holding the steering oar (which had been broadened to provide better control) used to stand on the right side of the ship. The word starboard comes from Old English steorbord, literally meaning the side on which the ship is steered. The old English term steorbord descends from the Old Norse words stýri meaning “rudder” and borð meaning “side of a ship”. The modern term "steering wheel" comes from the same language root as "starboard" or "steer board".

Similarly, the term for the left side of the boat, port, is derived from the practice of sailors mooring on the left side (i.e., the larboard or loading side) as to prevent the steering boards from being crushed. Because the words larboard and starboard sounded too similar to be easily distinguished, larboard was changed to port."

[DevilMike]

An extension on a previous post: bow (pointy end) = head, and stern (hoo hoo, Robin...flat end) - rear. Just like people: pointy heads and flat rear.

[jsfofec]

I think I'll be able to remember port because it has 4 letters, like left...thanks for the idea. I can also remember aft because if you say back and aft it kind of sounds the same...they both have the same sounding a. I'll have to keep practicing the others

[damagedgoods]

Where are the head lights on a ship located?

By the way, I teach ships nomenclature and compartmentation at the Navy Shiipyard

[ancldaca]

Where are the head lights on a ship located?

 

As well as the port and starboard turn signals. :)

[damagedgoods]

Got me on that one

???????:confused:

[Aandark]

Aft is anything to the rear of your location, stern is the back end of the ship.

 

Forward in anything towards the bow from your location, bow is the front end of the ship, known in some circles as the pointy end, or prow.

 

Technically Aft is anything rear of the midship point...likewise forward is anything before the midship point. The Midship point is sometimes referred to as the beam (Widest point of the ship- usually).

[AZbeachboy]

great thread, I knew most of the terms but not dreivations. Thanks

[Admiral Horatio Nelson]

These phrases come from the Royal Navy. In fact many Royal Navy traditions/skills were adopted by most other navys, including uniform etc.

 

And as others have said are to prevent confusion especially when steering. If any of you have ever sailed the straits of Magellan, you will have seen (maybe) the wreck of an American ship (the name escapes me) which ran aground in the 50s because of the lack of these phrases. The captain shouted out left rudder right? which was misinterpreted to mean right rudder and the ship turned the wrong way running aground, it remains there to this day.

 

I understand the US Navy still use these terms right rudder left rudder which always mystifies me as the possibility of mistakes still remain

[sddsddean]

Where are the head lights on a ship located?

 

By the way, I teach ships nomenclature and compartmentation at the Navy Shiipyard

 

Surely they are the toilet windows!

 

Simon

[Next]

Where are the head lights on a ship located?

By the way, I teach ships nomenclature and compartmentation at the Navy Shiipyard

 

Ships do not have headlights. They might use a temporary spot light to view something, otherwise it is moonlight and radar.

 

The main nav lights are the green and red lights on the starboard and port sides respectively.

[CruisenOne]

Let's really confuse the issue:)

 

Foot traffic pattern on Naval Ship during General Quarters (GQ) is:

 

Forward and Up on the Starboard Side.

 

Down and Aft on the Port Side

 

Those in the Middle -- Stand-By and direct traffic;)

[damagedgoods]

All the heads on all the ships (and Subs) I worked on had Lights in the Head, usually in the Overhead:rolleyes:

[Fuzzzy]

Technically Aft is anything rear of the midship point...likewise forward is anything before the midship point. The Midship point is sometimes referred to as the beam (Widest point of the ship- usually).

Maybe they were thinking of "abaft".

[LeftCoastCruiser]

We are a land based species and the sea is a different world. When the mariners when to sea they were use to isolation with their shipmates and the elements. Over time this fraternity established its own language and rituals.

 

There is a certain romance in the sea. Its is greatly unknown to most of us. It is the conduit to foreign lands and different cultures to many of us. It is special to all and those who sail upon it and within it have a certain reverence and respect for it. Such things we hold special we have special names for and that is why things are named different at sea.

 

"They say the sea is cold, but the sea contains the hottest blood of all..." Admiral Kirk quotes DH Lawrence, Star Trek IV