Course (sail)In sailing, a course is a type of square sail. It is the sail set on the lowest yard on a mast. The courses are given a name derived from the mast on which they are set, so the course on the foremast may be called the fore-course or the foresail; similarly main-course or mainsail for that carried on the mainmast. On the mizzen, a course is not usually carried. If it is, it is called the crossjack (or cro'jack) or mizzen sail.
Sheet (sailing)In sailing, a sheet is a line (rope, cable or chain) used to control the movable corner(s) (clews) of a sail. TerminologyIn nautical usage the term "sheet" is applied to a line or chain attached to the lower corners of a sail for the purpose of extension or change of direction. The connection in derivation with the root "shoot" is more clearly seen in "sheet-anchor", one that is kept in reserve, to be "shot" in case of emergency.
Port and starboardPort and starboard are nautical terms for watercraft, aircraft and spacecraft, 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 mirror images of each other. One asymmetric feature is where access to a boat, ship, or aircraft is at the side; it is usually only on the port side (hence the name).Yard (sailing)A yard is a spar on a mast from which sails are set. It may be constructed of timber or steel or from more modern materials such as aluminium or carbon fibre. Although some types of fore and aft rigs have yards, the term is usually used to describe the horizontal spars used on square rigged sails. In addition, for some decades after square sails were generally dispensed with, some yards were retained for deploying wireless (radio) aerials and signal flags.
Square rigSquare rig is a generic type of sail and rigging arrangement in which a sailing vessel uses square sails which are carried on horizontal spars that, when at rest, are perpendicular (or ) to the centre line of the vessel. This is in contrast to fore and aft rig, where the sails are on the vessel's centre line when at rest.List of ship directionsThis 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. TermsAbaft (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: toward or at the stern.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.