Useful Terms

A compartment at the bottom of a boat where water collects so that it may be pumped out of the vessel at a later time.

A pump used to remove water from the bilge.

The front of a boat

Device for tying ropes to.

Technical: A hull shape characterized by a sharp deadrise i.e. angle of hull from keel, typically more than 20 degrees.
Layman’s: Deep V softer ride, shallow V harder ride.

Technical: Direct Injection
Layman’s: Modern technology 2 stroke, more fuel efficient

A cushion, placed between boats, or between a boat and a pier, to prevent damage.

Technical: Acronym for Global Positioning System, a satellite-based navigation system that uses transmitted signals and mathematical triangulation to pinpoint location.
Layman’s:  It tells you where you are.

Technical: glass re-enforced plastic
Layman’s: Material used to construct the hard part of most RIB hulls.  Also known as fiber glass.

HIN

Technical: Hull Identification Number
Layman’s: Number usually stamped onto the hull and is unique to that boat

Technical: High Pressure Direct Injection
Layman’s: Modern technology 2 stroke, more fuel efficient

Type of rubber material used in the manufacture of tubes for ribs.

The main body of a boat, usually made from GRP

Technical: An internal combustion engine, petrol or diesel usually coupled to an outdrive.
Layman’s: Engine that sits in the boat, as opposed to on the transom.

Drive system that develops thrust by ejecting a jet of water from the rear of the boat to create forward motion.

Also known as straddle or saddle seat

Technical: A switch with a cord that automatically shuts off an engine if disconnected.
Layman’s:  The cord is attached to the operator and therefore if the operator leaves the boat accidentally it will kill the engine.

Technical: Length overall; the distance between the most forward part of the boat and the most rear part.
Layman’s: The length between the most distance parts of the boat. 

Any vessel propelled by machinery.

Lights on a boat which help others determine its course, position and what it is doing. Boats underway should have a red light visible from its port bow, a green light on the starboard bow and a white light at its stern.

Modern technology 2 stroke, more fuel efficient

Outdrive/Leg:

Technical: Special type of gear box which transmits the power from the engine to the propeller mounted outside the boat.
Layman’s: The lower unit of a stern-drive motor that houses the drive gears and to which the propeller fastens.

Technical: Internal combustion engine mounted at the transom that incorporates motor, driveshaft and propeller.
Layman’s: Engine that sits on the transom, as opposed to in the boat.

The left side of a boat when facing the front.

A boat that is propelled by a motor. A motorboat or speedboat.

Technical: A polymer of vinyl chloride. A member of the family vinyl resin, used in the manufacture of tubes for rigid inflatable boats.
Layman’s: Type of rubber material used in the manufacture of tubes for ribs

Technical: Pre Delivery Inspection
Layman’s: Inspection that is given to boat and engine before it is handed over.

A line attached to the bow of a boat for use in towing.

Technical: Rigid Inflatable Boat
Layman’s: Boat with hard bottom and inflatable sides.

Technical: Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat
Layman’s: Boat with hard bottom and inflatable sides.

Technical: Electronic device using high frequency radio waves to detect objects and display their positions on a monitor.
Layman’s: Electronic device with a screen that allows you to see other boats even when it is dark or foggy. 

A small motorboat designed to move quickly.

Any vessel that may be used in a sporting context. These include sailing boats, speedboats, canoes, kayaks and RIBs.

The right side of the boat when facing the front.

Technical: A high-performance hull design with lateral notches, or steps, in the keel. 
Layman’s: It makes the boat plain quicker and also go faster.

The back of a boat

2 Stroke

Technical: A 2-Stroke is an engine having two strokes per cycle. The combustion stroke occurs when the piston moves down allowing the exhaust gases to exit through an opening. The compression stroke is the upward movement of the piston where the air-fuel mixture is drawn in and the spark plug ignites the mixture causing an explosion, thereby forcing the piston back down again.
Layman’s: Oldest technology used in outboards.  Its main features – a bit noisy but excellent power to weight ratio, a little inefficient.

Technical: A 4-Stroke is an engine that uses four strokes to finish a complete cycle. The four strokes are: Intake, Compression, Combustion, and Exhaust. During the Intake Stroke, the intake valve opens and an air-fuel mixture enters the chamber above the piston. The piston moves down drawing the mixture in. The intake valve then closes and the piston moves up for the Compression Stroke compressing the mixture. The spark plug then ignites the mixture causing an explosion. The resulting force moves the piston down again for the Combustion Stroke. Then the exhaust valve opens as the piston moves upward for the Exhaust Stroke and all the exhaust gases are ported through the exhaust system.
Layman’s: New technology used in outboards.  Its main features – much quieter than a 2 stroke but somewhat heavier, more efficient than a 2 stroke.

Technical: The rear section of the hull connecting the two sides.
Layman’s: An outboard motor sits on a transom.

Technical: Very high frequency; a bandwidth designation commonly used by marine
radios.
Layman’s: A 2 way radio that is commonly used on a boat.