The first step in becoming a safe boater is to familiarize yourself with basic boating terminology. Boating language originates from many places, including ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, Scandinavia and England. For instance, the word starboard comes from the Norwegian language. The rudder, or stjorn, pronounced “starn,” is located on the right side of the boat. Thus, the side of the boat became known as starn board, hence the name starboard. The word port has also evolved in a similar manner. When a vessel would dock, it would always dock with the left side of the boat towards the wharf. Vessels would load cargo through port openings in their sides; hence, the left side became known as the port side.

For the purposes of understanding the Navigational Rules of the Road that will be described later in this manual, you should understand that the word vessel is used indiscriminately to describe every type of watercraft that could be used as a means of transportation on the water, including seaplanes. The term motorized vessel or powerboat is used to describe any vessel that is mechanically powered by an engine. Sailboats refer only to vessels that are being operated by sail only. Since many sailboats are equipped with engines, they are considered powerboats when their engines are in use, even if their sails are up. The term underway is used to describe any vessel that is not anchored, moored or aground. The keel of a boat is located on the centerline on the bottom of a boat and runs from the front to the back of the boat. The bilge is a compartment, located underneath the floorboards inside the hull near the bottom of the boat. The following diagram gives further examples of boat terminology.

Roll your mouse over the "plus" signs in the following diagram to view a term and its description.