Nautical Terms

Armada

A fleet of warships

Aft

At or toward the stern of a ship.

Spar

Long, round bits of wood to which sails are bent.

Davy Jones

The bottom of the sea. "Davy Jones Locker '' refers to the grave of those who perished at sea.

Knots

The nautical measure of speed. Knots are determined using pieces of knotted string fastened at intervals to the log-line; the number of pieces that run out while the sand glass is running indicates the ship's speed.

Starboard

The right hand side of a ship when facing forward. The term began with the Vikings who called a ship's side its "board" and placed the steering oar (the "star" on the right side.

Red over White over Red

Warning lights on a ship that signal that it has restricted maneuverability.

Plank

a board or ramp used as a temporary footbridge from a ship to the dock. Also known as "gangplank". TO "walk the plank" is to be forced to move along a plank over the ship's side to a watery death.

Frigate

a fast naval vessel of the 17th- 19th centuries

Jolly Roger

a flag with a skull and crossbones. Black flags indicated that pirates aboard the ship would consider showing mercy, while red flags meant no mercy would be shown.

Gunter

a manner of rigging a sail attached to a spar to a short mast, so that the spar can slide up the mast in order to spread the sail.

Cesspit

a pit for sewage or other waste.

Foretop

a platform mounted at the head of a ship's foremast (the forward lower mast)

Poop

a superstructure installed on a raised afterdeck, which, in large ships, comprises the roof of the captain's cabin, Describing the Neverland as "long in the poop" implies that the old ship has seen better days.

Frammistan

also called "framistat", a nonsense word referring to a part or device one doesn't really understand or know the proper name for

Capstan

an apparatus, rotated manually, used for hoisting weights and heavy sails. It consists of a vertical spool shaped cylinder, around which rope is wound.

Gangway

an opening in the railing or bulwark of a ship, into which a gangplank fits. Can also be an especially narrow passageway.

Mast

an upright pole, usually raked, which is fixed or stepped in the keel of a sailing ship in order to support the sails, either directly or by means of horizontal spars.

Futtocks

one of the middle timbers forming the curved position of the ship's frame.

Swag

plunder or booty

Merchant sailors

sailors on a trade vessel

Stern

the aftermost part of the ship's hull (the body of the ship between the desk and the keel)

Stem

the bow of the ship.

Bilge

the deepest part of a ships hull where any leakage and spray collects

Longboat

the largest open boat belonging to a sailing vessel , powered by sail or oars.

Main-brace

the principal line that controls the rotation of a sail.

Jib

the triangular shaped sail at the front of the ship.