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6-9
CONSUMER INFORMATION & INDEX 6
BOATING TERMS
TERM DEFINITION
Bow The front part of the boat.
Deck The “floor” or upper structure which covers the hull.
Give-Way The vessel which must yield the right-of-way when two boats meet.
Gunwale The meeting junction of the deck and hull; the upper edge around the
boat. Pronounced “gun’l.”
Hatch An opening in the deck which provides access below.
Helm The steering console.
Hull The basic part of the boat; the under side.
Lanyard The cord or tether that connects the operator to the engine stop
switch so the engines will stop if the operator accidentally leaves the
helm.
PFD A Personal Flotation Device, also known as “life jacket.”
Planing Traveling at a speed fast enough so the boat has leveled out and is
skimming on top of the water. There is a wake.
Port The left side of the boat.
Stand-On The vessel with the right-of-way when two boats meet.
Starboard The right side of the boat.
Stern The back part of the boat.
Sub-Planing Traveling at a medium speed. The bow of the boat is out of the water,
but you are still traveling through the water. There is a wake.
Transom The vertical part of the stern.
Trolling Traveling at idle speed, using little or no throttle. The boat is down in
the water and it is not leaving a wake.
Wake The visible track of disturbed water that the boat leaves behind as it
moves in the water.