Various technical or nautical terms are applied throughout this manual, a clear explanation of their meaning follows to make it easier to understand.
Fresh way: speed that a yacht gain at propulsion engines start, and speed that the yacht holds when the engines shut down.
Through-hull stuffing box: propeller shaft support, placed where the shaft comes out from the hull, that allows shaft rotation thus keeping the hull tight.
Port: left side in bow direction.
Beam: supporting beam for deck, connecting the bulwarks.
Cleat: little column for yacht mooring.
Anchor chock: bow opening, equipped with rollers and steel and Teflon protections, through which anchor and chain glide.
Hatchway: watertight door.
Wildcat: used for anchor weighing, to engage anchor chain in the winch barrel.
Rub rail: shelter placed at yacht’s sides near the water line.
Walkway: lateral passage of main deck allowing to reach the bow.
Bottom hull: lower part of the hull, usually submerged.
Universal joint: joint allowing the transmission of motion between two shafts with concurrent axes, e.g. from engine to gear box or to V-Drive (according to the kind of shaft line).
Keel: central part of bottom hull.
Deck: part of the yacht closing and covering the hull on which the superstructure is fixed.
Anchor roller: opening for anchor chain passage and gliding.
Displacement: weight of the water moved by the submerged part of the yacht, equal to the weight of the yacht itself.
Starboard: right side in bow direction.
Quarter: each side of the hull aft end.
Washboard: curved table placed along the top of the bulwark, lifting it so as to prevent the water penetration leeward.
Trim tab: wing hinged to the stern edge of the bottom hull, that during navigation, allows longitudinal and transversal trim variations.
Gear box: device consisting of mechanical gears, which allow reversing the rotation direction of the propeller shaft with respect to the engine shaft.
Inverter: electric device converting direct current into alternated current.
Sponson beam: structural element of hull reinforcement placed longitudinally to the yacht.
Rudderhole: hole in the hull for the rudder.
Stringer: structural element of hull reinforcement placed transversally to the yacht. The stringers form with the sponson beams the “skeleton” of the yacht.
Loof (if quarters are fitted): each side of the bow structure.Bulwark: each side of the vessel above the water line.
Bulwark: each side of the yacht above the water line.
Scupper: draining mouth of water splashing against the bulwark and sea drainage of deck water.
Skylights: shelter against harsh sea conditions for the decks openings, to lighten and ventilate the rooms below.
Manhole: opening of the deck allowing the passage of a person.
Deck: each “floor” separating the yacht in height.
Cockpit: embedding the stern used as a shelter for the crew.
Aft: direction indication on board: i.e. “- aft cabin...-”.
Bow: front part of the yacht with tapered shape so as to break the waves.
Fore: direction indication on board: i.e. “- fore cabin...-”.
Hull: floating section of a yacht.
Bilge: the inner lowest section of a yacht, in which possible water infiltrations are collected.
Aft transom: back section of the yacht.
Tonnage: “taxable” loading capacity of the yacht.
Sun deck: open deck in the highest part of the yacht.
Handrail: structure firmly connected to the deck or superstructure, able to ensure a safe hold.
Starboard: right side in bow direction.