Glossary of boating terms for the uninitiated

Mainsail = the biggest sail on the boat generally at the mid point of the boat (ish)

Headsail = smaller sail at the pointy end

Reef (verb or noun) = taking a wedge of sail in when the wind gets up to slow down and avoid capsizing (there are generally 3 or 4 reefs in one sail)

Bear away = go left a bit if the wind is coming from your right and you are facing forwards (towards the pointy end)

Luff up = go the other way

Stern = what the skipper is when you mess something up

Bow = what you do when people wave at you as you sail past

Pulpit = railings at front of boat (pointy end)

Pushpit = same but at blunt end

Guardrails = what stops you from falling in

Davits = what the dinghy hangs off at blunt end

Moor (verb) = tie boat onto a) a pontoon b) a buoy

Pontoon (noun) = floating raft that generally leads to land at one end

Hull = the bits that sit in the water (one on a MONO hull, two or three on a MULTI hull)

Pod = middle bit that does not sit in water but is suspended between the two hulls

Galley = like a kitchen but a whole lot smaller and much more impractical

Heads = ridiculous bloke name for the lav

Impeller = something that makes the engine work (blue domain)

Anchor = expletive delivered when holding screwdriver/spanner/mole grips in teeth because hands are busy

Drag anchor (verb) = when you come back from the bar and the boat is no longer where you left it

Row (verb or noun) = a) propel small craft with the use of oars b) heated discussion with loved one after him/her/you left oars somewhere and outboard engine fails to work

Outboard engine = motorised propulsion (on a good day)

Wind over tide = as suggests, uncomfortable situation leading to nasty choppy sea and going nowhere fast