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P Paddle .... A small broad-bladed oar, which is used without a rowlock. Painter .... A rope attached to the bow of a boat, used to tie it to the quay. Palm .... A device used by a sail maker to protect the palm of the hand while pushing a needle through the cloth. PAN PAN .... An urgent radio signal, only transmitted to inform of matters regarding the immediate safety of a vessel or a crew member. Distress Calls. Papa .... The letter P in the phonetic alphabet. Phonetic Alphabet. Parallel .... A line of latitude, an imaginary circle parallel to the equator. Pay off .... When a vessel's head turns away from the wind. Peak .... The upper corner of a four sided sail, usually a gaff sail. Peak .... The upper part of a gaff. Pennant .... A long triangular flag. Phonetic alphabet .... Words which are used to represent the letters of the alphabet to avoid any misunderstanding when using similar sounding letters. Complete Alphabet Pile .... A concrete or wooden post driven into the seabed used for mooring, or as part of a dock or jetty. Pilot .... An official who is licensed to to navigate vessels in confined waters. Pilot .... A reference book with detailed navigational directions of an area. Pilotage .... The navigation of a vessel in confined waters. Pilot-house .... A wheelhouse. Pinch .... To sail too close to the wind so that the sails start to luff. Pintle .... A metal pin attached to the sternpost of a vessel upon which the rudder is hung by it's gudgeons. Pitch .... The angle of the propeller blades to the drive shaft. Pitch .... When the bow of a vessel moves violently up and down. Pitch .... A bituminous substance produced by the distillation of tar. Used for caulking the seams of a vessel. Pitch-pole .... Said of a vessel when it is overturned by a wave, stern over bow. Plane .... When a vessel rises up on its own bow wave enabling it to reach speeds in excess of the normal limitations imposed by the length of the waterline. Planking .... The covering of the frames or ribs of a vessels hull with planks. Planing hull .... A hull designed to lift up on its own bow wave when travelling at speed. PLB .... Personal Locator Beacon. Basically a miniature version of the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). Plot .... To record bearings, directions, positions and courses on a chart. Plotter .... An instrument used to plot a course on a chart. Plough, C.Q.R. .... A type of anchor. Anchor Types. Plymouth .... The name given to a sea area situated between the South West coast of England and Brittany. Point .... Any one of the 32 principal bearings on a magnetic compass. Point high .... To sail very close to the wind. Points of sail .... The different directions that a vessel may sail, relative to the direction of the wind. Polyester .... A material used for the production of both laid and braided rope. Polypropylene .... A material used for the production of both laid and braided rope. Pontoon .... A floating platform used for mooring. Poop .... A raised deck on the stern area of a vessel. Pooped .... When the stern of a vessel is overwhelmed by an overtaking wave and water is shipped. Port .... The left-hand side of a vessel facing forward. Port bow .... The left hand side of the bow Looking forwards. Portland .... The name given to a sea area situated between the Western part of the South Coast of England and France. Port tack .... When the wind comes from the port side of a vessel and the boom is on the starboard side. A vessel on the port tack should give way to a vessel on the starboard tack. Position line .... A line plotted on a chart along which the position of the vessel lies. Practique .... A clearance certificate releasing a vessel from quarantine. Pram bow .... A square shaped bow, sometimes found on small dinghies. Pram dinghy .... A small open dinghy with a square or pram bow. Preventer .... A stay used to support the mast from the aft. Promontory .... A headland, a piece of high land jutting out into the sea. Prop walk .... The sideways effect that a propeller has on the stern of a boat, especially at slow speeds. Protest signal .... A signal flag that is hoisted during a race when one competitor has been fouled by another. Prow .... The forward most part or bow of a vessel. Psychrometer .... A specialist wet and dry bulb thermometer that is used to measure atmospheric humidity. Pulpit .... The guard rail at the bow. Punt .... A square ended flat bottomed boat usually propelled with a pole. Normally used on inland waterways. Pushpit .... the guard rail at the stern. Q Quant .... A long pole used to propel a small vessel on inland waters, by pushing on the bottom. Quarantine .... A vessel is kept in quarantine or isolation when arriving from a foreign country, crew not allowed ashore, until practique has been granted by the health authorities. Quarter .... One side or the other of the aft part of a vessel. Quarter berth .... A bunk that is positioned under the side of the cockpit. Quartering .... With the wind or the waves on the quarter. Quay .... A solid permanent structure constructed alongside or projecting out into the water to provide a landing-place for loading or unloading a vessel. Quebec .... The letter Q in the phonetic alphabet. Phonic Alphabet. |