This list of ship directions provides succinct definitions for terms applying to spatial orientation in a marine environment or location on a vessel, such as ''fore'', ''aft'', ''astern'', ''aboard'', or ''topside''.
Terms
* Abaft (preposition): at or toward the stern of a ship, or further back from a location, e.g. the mizzenmast is abaft the mainmast.
[
* Aboard: onto or within a ship, or in a group.][
* Above: a higher deck of the ship.][
* Aft (adjective): toward the stern (rear) of a ship.][
* Adrift: floating in the water without propulsion.
* Aground: resting on the ]shore
A shore or a shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. In physical oceanography, a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past a ...
or wedged against the sea floor.[
* Ahull: with sails furled and helm lashed alee.][
* Alee: on or toward the lee (the downwind side).][
* Aloft: the stacks, masts, rigging, or other area above the highest solid structure.][
* Amidships: near the middle part of a ship.][
* Aport: toward the port side of a ship (opposite of "astarboard").][
* Ashore: on or towards the ]shore
A shore or a shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. In physical oceanography, a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past a ...
or land.[
* Astarboard: toward the ]starboard
Port and starboard are nautical terms for watercraft and aircraft, referring respectively to the left and right sides of the vessel, when aboard and facing the bow (front).
Vessels with bilateral symmetry have left and right halves which are ...
side of a ship (opposite of "aport").[
* Astern (adjective): toward the rear of a ship (opposite of "forward").][
* Athwartships: toward the sides of a ship.][
* Aweather: toward the weather or windward side of a ship.][
* Aweigh: just clear of the sea floor, as with an anchor.][
* Below: a lower deck of the ship.][
* Belowdecks: inside or into a ship, or down to a lower deck.][
* Bilge: the underwater part of a ship between the flat of the bottom and the vertical topsides][
* Bottom: the lowest part of the ship's hull.
* Bow: front of a ship (opposite of "stern")][
* Centerline or centreline: an imaginary, central line drawn from the bow to the stern.][
* Fore or forward: at or toward the front of a ship or further ahead of a location (opposite of "aft")][
* Inboard: attached inside the ship.][
* Keel: the bottom structure of a ship's hull.][
* Leeward: side or direction away from the wind (opposite of "windward").][
* On deck: to an outside or muster deck (as "all hands on deck").][
* On board: on, onto, or within the ship
* Onboard: somewhere on or in the ship.][
* Outboard: attached outside the ship.][
* Port: the left side of the ship, when facing forward (opposite of "starboard").][
* Starboard: the right side of the ship, when facing forward (opposite of "port").][
* Stern: the rear of a ship (opposite of "bow").][
* Topside: the top portion of the outer surface of a ship on each side above the waterline.][
* Underdeck: a lower deck of a ship.][
* Yardarm: an end of a ]yard
The yard (symbol: yd) is an English unit of length in both the British imperial and US customary systems of measurement equalling 3 feet or 36 inches. Since 1959 it has been by international agreement standardized as exactly 0.914 ...
spar below a sail.
* Waterline: where the water surface meets the ship's hull.
* Weather: side or direction from which wind blows (same as "windward").[
* Windward: side or direction from which wind blows (opposite of "leeward").][
]
Date of first use
* "Aboard": 14th century[
* "Aft": 1580
* "Outboard": 1694]
* "Inboard": 1830[
* "Belowdecks": 1897.][
]
See also
* Deck (ship)
A deck is a permanent covering over a compartment or a hull of a ship. On a boat or ship, the primary or upper deck is the horizontal structure that forms the "roof" of the hull, strengthening it and serving as the primary working surface. Ve ...
- defines the various decks on ships
* Port and starboard
Port and starboard are nautical terms for watercraft and aircraft, referring respectively to the left and right sides of the vessel, when aboard and facing the bow (front).
Vessels with bilateral symmetry have left and right halves which are ...
- explanation, with signal lights, and history
* Glossary of nautical terms
This glossary of nautical terms is an alphabetical listing of terms and expressions connected with ships, shipping, seamanship and navigation on water (mostly though not necessarily on the sea). Some remain current, while many date from the 17th t ...
- list of over 2,400 nautical
Seamanship is the art, knowledge and competence of operating a ship, boat or other craft on water. The'' Oxford Dictionary'' states that seamanship is "The skill, techniques, or practice of handling a ship or boat at sea."
It involves topics a ...
words or phrases
References
{{Sailing ship elements
Nautical terminology
Directions