Before venturing out into open waters, it’s crucial to have a basic understanding of common boat terms associated with the positions and directions of your boat. We want to make sure you have the best experience possible on your boating journey, therefore, we’ve gathered a few of the most commonly used boating terms for reference. Take a look at our list below!
- Bow – refers to the front end of a boat
- Stern – refers to the rear end of a boat
- Forward – used to describe moving toward the front end of a boat
- Aft – used to describe moving toward the rear end of a boat
- Hull – the main body of the boat
- Underway – when a boat is moving
- Ahead – refers to a boat moving in a forward direction
- Astern – meaning: at the back of the ship
- Port – when you’re standing at the rear of the boat looking forward, “port” refers to the entire left side of the boat.
- Starboard – standing at the rear of a boat and looking forward, “starboard” refers to the entire right side of the boat
- Port Bow – refers to the front left of the boat
- Port Quarter – refers to the rear left side of a boat
- Starboard Bow – refers to the front right of a boat
- Starboard Quarter – refers to the rear right of a boat
- Amidships – the central part of a boating vessel
- Topside – moving from a lower deck to an upper deck
Be sure to add these terms to your repertoire this summer to sound like a true boating professional. For all your other summer boating needs, be sure to check out our Hi-Tide products.
