The Basic Parts of the Boat

The Basic Parts of the Boat

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There are many types of boats that can be seen on the water. There are very few things that a large cruise ship and small fishing boat have in common. Nevertheless, some boat terminology is the same for all boats. You can get all type of boat parts from PartsVu at a fraction of a cost.

Anchor: An anchor is any heavy object attached to a line that is used to moor a vessel. When they hear the term anchor in English, most people think of the typical shape. True anchors can come in many shapes. The function of the anchor is more important than its visual appearance. There are two types of anchors: an anchor and a sea-anchored anchor.

Anchorage: An area suitable for anchoring your boat.

Amidships: The average boater doesn't use this term often. It may be used informally. It may also be usable by serious boaters. The middle section of a boat is known as the midships.

Beam: This imaginary line runs from port to starboard. It is the largest part of the boat.

Bilge: The bilge is a common problem for boaters. This is the bottom of the boat, and it is where water tends t accumulate. This can get dirty in larger boats and you should clean them frequently. To help get the water out, a bilge pump has been installed.

Bimini: A type of canvas or hardtop that protects the boat from the sun or rain.

Boom: A horizontal pole attached to a mast. It extends from the foot of mainsail.

Bulkhead: bulkheads are the vertical walls that run along the sides of a boat. Some boats are too small to warrant a bulkhead. If the hull is sufficiently large, the walls are known as bulkheads. They attach to the hull, but not the hull.

Cabin: This room is inside the boat. A cabin is not possible on small boats. A boat's entire interior is also known as the cabin. It could be a small area that is perfect to use as living space.

Cockpit: A enclosed area surrounding the helm. Larger yachts and fishing vessels will have cockpits.

Companionway: This is an entry from the deck to the cockpit, deck or cabin.

Console: Sometimes, a helm will have a console. There may be storage beneath the console depending on the boat's size.

Deck: The place where you can stand on the boat is known as deck. Technically, every boat does not have a deck. You can't stand on a canoe.

Dodger: A canvas structure has a support of a frame. It covers the cockpit as well as a portion of the companionway. It acts in the same way as a Bimini and protects helmsman from sun and rain. Vinyl windows are usable on dodgers, but they are not hardtops, like a Bimini.

Foot: This is the bottom edge a sail.

Fender: Boat fenders are typically made from rubber or foam. They act as bumpers. They are ideal to absorb any impact when you move in and out of a dock. To prevent damage to the dock and boat, they have fenders to rails or cleats using rope. You can also use a crew member or boater to hold a fender. There are all types of boat parts are available and you can buy high quality boat parts from PartsVU.

Gunwale: Your boat's outer, top edge is called the gunwale. The gunwale is the place where the deck meets the hull if you have one.

Hatch: A hatch is a type of covering on a boat. A hatch can cover any window, portal, or door. The hatch is the covering that allows access to the living space. 

Head: This is how you refer a bathroom in nautical terms. People will often say that they are going to "hit their head", which is a way of saying that they need to use the bathroom.

Helm: This controls the boat's movements. The helmsman is the person who is in charge of the boat and is at the helm. Or helmsperson.

Hull: This refers to the boat's body. A hull is the body of your boat, even if it had no sails, motor or seats. A hull is as simple as a log hollowed out. It is the frame that allows everything else to move and holds it in place.

Inboard Engine: Also known as an inboard motor. This engine is located between the ships, unlike an outboard one. The propeller runs through the bottom of a hull. This type of engine isn't immediately visible on boats.

Jib: A triangle-shaped sail. It is visible from the mast because it projects in front of it.

Keel: The keel is located under the boat, and is not visible from the water. Some boats have a keel that is as large as a shark fin. It stabilizes the boat and prevents it from moving sideways. It can also hold ballast, which helps keep the boat upright. Some boats will have a large or even no keel. These boats have a flat bottom. You will need to determine the depth of your keel.

Kill Switch: A safety device on a boat. This is a type of lanyard that attaches to the boat's driver. As a safety measure, it immediately turns off the engine.

Lifelines: This line runs between the mast and the stanchions. Passenger and boaters can use lifelines to support themselves.

Livewell: This item is basically a part of a fishing boat. You can store a huge amount of water in livewell to use it for multiple purposes. It can hold fish so that they stay alive.

Mainsail: This is the main sail of a boat. This sail will be the largest.

Mast: A large, vertical pole that supports the sails of a sailing boat.

Mizzen Mast: Certain boats may have a mizzenmast. This smaller mast is located after the mainmast.

Multihull: There will be multiple hulls on some boats. You can call these boats the multihull boats as their name suggests their nature and composition. Catamaran is an example of these type of boats.

Navigation lights: The red and green navigation lights are on the port and stern sides of the boat. Sometimes, this light may be located at the stern. These navigation lights have a white light that has directions towards the stern. Each side of a boat must have a visible light on the water.

Outboard motor: An attached motor to the transom is an outboard motor. These motors are the easiest to identify. You can easily see outboard motor from the waterline.

Propeller: Also known as a prop. This is the rotating blade of a boat motor. The propeller rotation can be either counter clockwise or clockwise. If you want to replace or buy any new boat part, then you can get all types of boat parts from PartsVU.


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