Chesapeake Bay Program: Boats of the Chesapeake Bay
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The official boat of Virginia, the deadrise is a traditional work boat used by watermen to catch blue crabs, fish and oysters. The vessel is marked by a sharp bow that expands down the hull into a large V shape and a square stern.”
International Maritime Organization: International Convention on Load Lines
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“It has long been recognized that limitations on the draught to which a ship may be loaded make a significant contribution to her safety. These limits are given in the form of freeboards … All assigned load lines must be marked amidships on each side of the ship, together with the deck line.”
NASA: Integrated Truss Structure
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Port-6 (P6) Truss Starboard-0 (S0) Truss”
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): NIST Guide to the SI (SP 811), Appendix B.8: Factors for Units Listed Alphabetically
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“mile, nautical | meter (m) | 1.852 | E+03”
Naval History and Heritage Command (U.S. Navy): Meaning and Origin of Nautical Terms
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“Larboard referred to the left side, the side on which the ship was loaded.”
Naval History and Heritage Command (U.S. Navy): Port and Starboard: General Order, 18 February 1846
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“It having been repeatedly represented to the Department, that confusion arises from the use of the words "Larboard" and "Starboard," in consequence of the similiarity of sound, the word "Port" is hereafter to be substituted for "Larboard."”
NOAA National Ocean Service: Why do ships use “port” and “starboard” instead of “left” and “right?”
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 6 claims

“When looking forward, toward the bow of a ship, port and starboard refer to the left and right sides, respectively.”
NOAA National Ocean Service: What is the difference between a nautical mile and a knot?
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“The measurement was officially set at exactly 1.852 kilometers in 1929 by what is now known as the International Hydrographic Organization.”
U.S. Coast Guard: Boat Crew Handbook – Seamanship Fundamentals, BCH 16114.4A (September 2020)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 49 claims

“Flare is the outward turn of the hull as the sides of the hull come up from the waterline.”
U.S. Coast Guard: Boat Crew Seamanship Manual, COMDTINST M16114.5C (September 2003), Appendix A
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“Stem Pad-Eye (Trailer Eye Bolt) An attaching point available on most trailerized small boats.”
U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety: A Boater’s Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats (2023)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“Warning: Do not exceed the load specified on your boat’s capacity plate.”
U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety: Life Jacket Wear / Wearing your Life Jacket
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements, a recreational vessel must have a U.S. Coast Guard Approved Wearable PFD for each person onboard.”
U.S. Coast Guard, Office of Investigations and Analysis: Marine Safety Alert 09-14: Air Draft Is Critical!
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Air draft (draught) is a term used to describe the distance from the top of a vessel’s highest point to its waterline. … Knowledge of a vessel’s air draft is a critical component in determining whether a vessel can pass safely under a bridge or overhead structure.”

Regulations

Colorado Secretary of State / Colorado Parks and Wildlife: 2 CCR 405-8, Chapter P-8 Aquatic Nuisance Species, #800 Definitions
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

““Water Drain Plug” means a valve or device on or in a vessel or other floating device which is used to control the drainage of water…”
eCFR (Federal Highway Administration, 23 CFR Part 658): 23 CFR 658.15 Width
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“No State shall impose a width limitation of more or less than 102 inches, or its approximate metric equivalent, 2.6 meters (102.36 inches) on a vehicle operating on the National Network, … a State may grant special use permits to motor vehicles, including manufactured housing, that exceed 102 inches in width.”
eCFR (U.S. Coast Guard, 33 CFR Part 174): 33 CFR 174.17 Contents of application for certificate of number
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Hull material: Authorized terms are “aluminum”, “fiberglass”, “plastic”, “rubber/vinyl/canvas”, “steel”, “wood”, or “other”.”
eCFR (U.S. Coast Guard, 46 CFR Part 42): 46 CFR Part 42 Domestic and Foreign Voyages by Sea (load lines)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“The load line marks when placed on a vessel shall indicate the maximum amidships draft to which such vessel can be lawfully submerged, in the various circumstances and seasons applicable to such vessel.”
U.S. Government (eCFR), U.S. Coast Guard regulations: 33 CFR § 183.3 Definitions
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 16 claims

“Transom means the surface at the stern of a boat projecting or facing aft.”
U.S. Government (eCFR), U.S. Coast Guard regulations: 33 CFR § 183.21 Applicability (capacity markings)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“This subpart applies to monohull boats less than 20 feet in length, except sailboats, canoes, kayaks, and inflatable boats.”
U.S. Government (eCFR), U.S. Coast Guard regulations: 33 CFR § 183.23 Capacity marking
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“Each boat must be marked … with the maximum persons capacity in whole numbers of persons and in pounds, the maximum weight capacity in pounds…”
U.S. Government (eCFR), U.S. Coast Guard regulations: 33 CFR § 83.21 Definitions (Rule 21, Inland Navigation Rules)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 4 claims

“Sidelights mean a green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side each showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 112.5 degrees…”
U.S. Government (eCFR), U.S. Coast Guard regulations: 33 CFR § 175.13 Definitions (Personal flotation devices)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“Personal flotation device or PFD means a device that is approved by the Commandant under 46 CFR part 160.”
U.S. Government (eCFR), U.S. Coast Guard regulations: 33 CFR § 83.03 General definitions (Rule 3, Inland Navigation Rules)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The word underway means that a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.”
U.S. Government (eCFR), U.S. Coast Guard regulations: 33 CFR § 173.3 Definitions (Vessel numbering and casualty and accident reporting)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 3 claims

“Pontoon boat means a vessel with a broad, flat deck that is affixed on top of closed cylinders which are used for buoyancy, the basic design of which is usually implemented with two rows of floats as a catamaran or with three rows of floats as a trimaran.”
Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia): § 1-510. Official emblems and designations
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Boat — "Chesapeake Bay Deadrise."”

Courses and teaching notes

Aceboater (E.S.N.N.A. Inc., NASBLA- and state-approved boating course): Common types of hulls, shapes & designs
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 6 claims

“Examples of flat bottom boats are Jon boats, small utility boats, and some high-speed runabouts. … Many runabouts use the vee-bottom design. … Many trawlers, canoes and sailboats have round bottoms.”
Aceboater (E.S.N.N.A. Inc., NASBLA- and state-approved boating course): Displacement & Planing hulls
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 4 claims

“Planing hulls are extremely common on: Bowriders Jet skis / PWCs Wakeboard & wakesurf boats Center consoles (many of them) Runabouts Bass boats”
Aceboater (E.S.N.N.A. Inc., NASBLA- and state-approved boating course): Types of boats - Choosing the right one!
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“It consists of a V shape hull with a wide beam to accommodate more passengers than a pontoon boat.”
Aceboater (E.S.N.N.A. Inc., NASBLA- and state-approved course provider): Boat parts – Free Boating License Study Guide
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 9 claims

“A swim platform is a structure on the stern of a boat designed to make getting in and out of the water easier.”
American Sailing (ASA): The Anatomy of a Boat
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 10 claims

“A wire supported on stanchions around the perimeter of the deck to prevent crew from falling overboard.”
American Sailing (ASA): 40 Sailing Terms: How to Talk Like a Sailor
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 16 claims

“The wire or rope that runs from the top of the mast to the stern and helps support the mast”
American Sailing (ASA): Parts of a Sailboat – The Keel
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“The keel also carries ballast, usually iron or lead, the weight of which counteracts the force of the wind that causes a sailboat to heel, or lean over.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): How Planing Hulls Operate
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 8 claims

“Different boats reach planing mode at different speeds.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Parts of a Boat From a Side View
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 7 claims

“Upper edge of vessel’s side (generally pronounced "gunnel")”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Parts of a Boat From a Front View
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 5 claims

“Main centerline (backbone) of a vessel or the extension of hull that increases stability in the water”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Displacement Hulls
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 4 claims

“A round-bottomed hull shape acts as a displacement hull.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Planing Hulls
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“Flat-bottomed and vee-bottomed hull shapes act as planing hulls.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Descriptions of Hull Shapes
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 3 claims

“Gives a smoother ride than a flat-bottomed hull in rough water.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Measuring Length Overall
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“Length overall is measured from the tip of the bow in a straight line to the stern of the vessel.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Outboard Engines
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 3 claims

“An outboard is a portable, self-contained package of an engine, gear case, and propeller that is attached to the transom of a boat.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Parts of a Sailboat
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“The rudder is used to steer the sailboat, turned by a tiller or steering wheel.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Common Navigation Lights
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“This white light is seen only from behind or nearly behind the vessel.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Stern Drives
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A stern-drive engine is attached through the transom to a drive unit (also called an “outdrive”) that is essentially the lower unit of an outboard.”
Boat-Ed (Kalkomey Enterprises): Inboard Engines
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The engine turns a drive shaft that runs through the bottom of the hull and is attached to a propeller at the other end.”
Boating magazine: How to Choose the Right Hull Shape
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“The correct term for this shape, however, is “warped plane.” … Almost all V-hull boats have variable deadrise as the running surface transitions from very sharp (58-plus degrees) at the bow to whatever the builder chooses at the transom. Some carry the transom deadrise angle fairly far forward and can be said to have “constant deadrise,” even though the deadrise does vary from that point to the bow.”
Boating magazine (Chris Caswell): How to Choose the Right Hull Shape
Checked Oct 3, 2026 · 1 claim

“A flats boat may have a deadrise at the transom of just a couple of degrees, while a serious offshore deep-V will be in the 24-degree range.”
Boating magazine (Lenny Rudow): 6 Things To Look for in a Center Console (New or Used)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Most modern center-consoles are deep-V (20 to 24 degrees of transom deadrise) or semi-V (12 to 19 degrees of transom deadrise) hull forms.”
BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water: Anchoring & Mooring (boating safety course study guide)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The anchor line, including chain, is called the rode.”
BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water: Boat Types & Uses (Boating Safety Study Guide: The Boat)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“Displacement hulls typically have a rounded bottom with a tear drop shape running bow to stern. … most long range cruising boats such as trawlers and many sailboats use this type of hull.”
BoatUS Magazine (BoatUS Editors): Inspecting Older Boats, Runabouts, and Center Cockpits (January 2013)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“The repair is not a job for the average boat owner because it involves removing the affected core from between the fiberglass sandwich.”
BoatUS Magazine (Chris Becker, naval architect): Want to Know How a Boat Will Perform? (January 2013)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 8 claims

“Deadrise is the angular measurement from the hull to a horizontal plane, typically measured at the transom.”
BoatUS Magazine (Lenny Rudow): Hull Bottom Technology (April 2018)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 3 claims

“A step in the hull is an abrupt change in hull-height running athwartships, from chine to chine, and ending with a notch in each of the hullsides.”
BoatUS Magazine (Mike Longman): The Value Proposition (June 2026)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“By the early 2000s, production boatbuilders widely adopted use of composite cores like Divinycell and Coosa, which are lighter than wood and extremely resistant to moisture absorption”
Boy Scouts of America: Sea Scout Manual, 12th edition (2016, updated October 2019)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 54 claims

““Gunnel”; upper edge of a boat’s side.”
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum: Deadrise (tag archive: Chesapeake Bay Deadrises talk)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The deadrise and cross-planked bottom style of boatbuilding started on Chesapeake Bay in the 1880s, when builders of wooden boats began to shift away from constructing vessels out of logs and into using planks to create hulls with a V-shaped bottom.”
Nautical Know How (My Sailing Course, online RYA course provider): Lazarette
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A storage or service compartment in the after part of a vessel.”
Nomad Sailing (RYA Recognised Training Centre): Glossary of Nautical Terms and Abbreviations
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 24 claims

“horizontal struts attached to the mast which extend to the shrouds and help support the mast.”
Power & Motoryacht: Boat Hull Design 101: Understanding Waterlines and Buttocks
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“Deadrise angle is simply the degree to which a boat’s bottom is angled up in a “V,” measured athwartships from the keel to the chine. … But transom deadrise is only part of the story, for a good planing hull’s deadrise angle varies from bow to stern.”
Soundings: Comparing Boat Hulls in Rough Water (Displacement vs. Planing Hulls)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“In this first article, I’ll consider the capabilities and limitations of the three basic hull forms: displacement, semidisplacement and planing.”
Soundings: How Does Deadrise Define Your Boat?
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 3 claims

“The right amount of deadrise, which generally varies from bow to stern, matters. … Deadrise is the angle between the bottom of the hull in relation to a horizontal plane as you go from the keel towards the chines.”
The Nautical Research Guild: Interpreting Line Drawings (Russell Barnes)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 3 claims

“There are three drawings in a set of lines.”
U.S. Naval Academy, Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering: EN400 Principles of Ship Performance, Chapter 2: Hull Form and Geometry
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 28 claims

“Freeboard is the difference between “D” and “T”.”
U.S. Naval Academy, Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering: EN400 Principles of Ship Performance, Chapter 7: Resistance and Powering of Ships
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 11 claims

“It is known as “hull speed,” which is the last efficient speed for a displacement ship.”
U.S. Naval Academy, EN400 Principles of Ship Performance: Chapter 3: Hydrostatics
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“each object in the water is buoyed up with a force equal to the weight of the water displaced by the object. To get an object to float, the object must be able to displace a volume of water equal in weight to the weight of the object itself.”
University of Wisconsin–Madison, Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures (Wiigwaasi-Jiimaan canoe project): Construction
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“an inner upright piece that runs along the inner top of the canoe (the “inwale”), an outer upright piece that runs along the outside top rim of the canoe (the “outwale”)”
WoodenBoat: Yacht Design Terminology
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 3 claims

“Draft: The maximum measurement from the designed waterline to the bottom of the hull. A boat with a centerboard will have two drafts. … Since the weight of that displaced water is equal to the weight of the entire boat, 8,000 lbs is the boat’s displacement.”
WoodenBoat Publications: Reading Boat Plans (Mike O’Brien)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 6 claims

“All of the half-sections are presented in a single drawing, the body plan.”

Technical references

Australian National Maritime Museum: Show us the keel – Australian National Maritime Museum marks the 40th anniversary of historic America’s Cup win (media release, 24 September 2023)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“Australia II, with its winged keel was kept literally under wraps before the America’s Cup races off Newport, Rhode Island.”
Bassmaster (B.A.S.S.), Mark Hicks: 50 years of bass boat evolution
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The Wrangler marked the beginning of the move away from flat bottoms and tri-hulls to the V-hull … bass-boat makers took note of racing hulls designed by Paul Allison of Allison Boats and added running pads to their V-hulls.”
Boat Anatomy: Method: how the drawings are made
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 28 claims
Good Old Boat (Ted Brewer, yacht designer): Keel design: What’s best? (first published July/August 2000)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“a long, full keel with deep forefoot and fairly vertical sternpost”
IALA (International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities): Reserve buoyancy, International Dictionary of Marine Aids to Navigation
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The watertight volume of a vessel above the designed waterline, expressed as a percentage of the total buoyancy (volume).”
International Towing Tank Conference (Quality Systems Group of the 30th ITTC): ITTC Dictionary of Hydromechanics, Version 2024
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 42 claims

“Angle between a straight line approximating the bottom part of a body section and the intersection between basis plane and section plane”
Marine Insight: What is Gunwale of a Boat or Ship? (20 March 2024)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“In certain boats (and ships), the gunwale may be fortified (adding additional strength and protection) or broadened to accommodate fixtures like rod holders or cleats as well”
Naval Historical Society of Australia: The Origin Of Port (Side To . .) (Naval Historical Review, June 2004)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“IN 1844 THE ADMIRALTY issued an order, stating: ‘The word ‘ Port ‘ is frequently substituted for the word ‘ Larboard ‘ … it is the Lordships’ direction that the word ‘ Larboard ‘ shall no longer be used.’”
PassageMaker (Bill Parlatore): Selecting The Right Boat
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The vast majority of trawlers and cruising motorboats out there are semi–displacement boats”
Practical Boat Owner (Peter Poland): Keel types and how they affect performance
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“shorter chord fin keels found on many production family cruisers”
PropTalk (Chesapeake powerboating magazine): Boatbuilding Basics: Fiberglass, Composites, and Wood (16 June 2013)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Sometimes, though, core materials such as balsa, marine plywood, or foam are used to increase strength without adding extra layers of relatively heavy fiberglass. You’ll typically see this method used in areas like the transom, topsides, or deck.”

Dictionaries

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: draw
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“To require (a specified depth of water) for floating: a boat drawing 18 inches.”
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: beam
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“2. Nautical a. A transverse structural member of a ship's frame, used to support a deck and to brace the sides against stress. b. The breadth of a ship at the widest point.”
Collins English Dictionary: reverse transom
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a surface forming the stern of a vessel, canted forwards at the upper side”
Merriam-Webster: gunwale
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 3 claims

“: the upper edge of a ship’s or boat’s side”
Merriam-Webster: bilge
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“: the lowest point of a ship’s inner hull”
Merriam-Webster: console
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a panel or cabinet with dials and switches for controlling an electronic or mechanical device”
Merriam-Webster: windshield
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a transparent screen (as of glass) that protects the occupants of a vehicle”
Merriam-Webster: bowrider
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a recreational motorboat that has a pointed bow with a seating area in front of the helm”
Merriam-Webster: topsides
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the top portion of the outer surface of a ship on each side above the waterline”
Merriam-Webster: chine
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 4 claims

“the intersection of the bottom and the sides of a flat or V-bottomed boat”
Merriam-Webster: trunk
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the part of the cabin of a boat projecting above the deck”
Merriam-Webster: masthead
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the top of a mast”
Merriam-Webster: traveler
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a rod on the deck on which such a ring slides”
Merriam-Webster: rake
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the overhang of a ship's bow or stern”
Merriam-Webster: spoon bow
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“an overhanging bow of a ship whose underside is somewhat spoon-shaped”
Merriam-Webster: clipper bow
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“an overhanging ship's bow with a concave profile”
Merriam-Webster: bulbous bow
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a form of entrance in high-speed ships designed for the avoidance of wavemaking at high speeds…”
Merriam-Webster: counter
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the after portion of a boat from the waterline to the extreme outward swell or stern overhang”
Merriam-Webster: double-ender
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a ship or boat with bow and stern of similar shape”
Merriam-Webster: fin keel
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 3 claims

“a plate of metal fixed to the keel of a shallow boat to provide lateral resistance usually supplemented by a cigar-shaped bulb of lead”
Merriam-Webster: centerboard
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a retractable keel used especially in sailboats”
Merriam-Webster: stem
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the main upright member at the bow of a ship”
Merriam-Webster: forefoot
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the forward part of a ship where the stem and keel meet”
Merriam-Webster: transom
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“Middle English transyn, traunsom, probably alteration of traversayn, from Middle French travessain, from Old French traversain set crosswise”
Merriam-Webster: leeway
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“2 a : off-course lateral movement of a ship when underway The sailboat's centerboard helps to reduce leeway.”
Merriam-Webster: daggerboard
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“: a removable narrow centerboard in some small boats that is raised and lowered by sliding up and down”
Merriam-Webster: astern
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“1 : behind a ship 2 : at or toward the stern of a ship 3 : with the stern in advance : backward”
Merriam-Webster: cuddy
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a usually small cabin or shelter (as on a sailboat)”
Merriam-Webster: head
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a ship's toilet”
Merriam-Webster: hardtop
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“an automobile or a motorboat having a permanent rigid top”
Merriam-Webster: trimaran
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a fast pleasure sailboat with three hulls side by side”
Merriam-Webster: multihull
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a vessel (such as a catamaran or trimaran) with multiple side-by-side hulls”
Merriam-Webster: catamaran
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“a vessel (such as a sailboat) with twin hulls and usually a deck or superstructure connecting the hulls”
Merriam-Webster: johnboat
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a narrow flat-bottomed square-ended boat usually propelled by a pole or paddle and used on inland waterways”
Online Etymology Dictionary: beam (n.)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The nautical sense of "one of the horizontal transverse timbers holding a ship together" is from early 13c., hence "greatest breadth of a ship,"”
Online Etymology Dictionary (Douglas Harper): transom
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

““a crossbeam spanning an opening, lintel,” a word of uncertain origin. Probably (Middle English Compendium, etc.) by dissimilation or otherwise from Latin transtrum “crossbeam””
Online Etymology Dictionary (Douglas Harper): gunwale
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

““uppermost edge of a ship's side,” mid-15c., gonne walle, from gun (n.) + wale “plank” (see wale). Originally a platform on the deck of a ship to support the mounted guns.”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: gunwale
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“the upper edge of the side of a boat or small ship”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: bilge
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the almost flat part of the bottom of a boat or a ship, inside or outside”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: deck
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the top outside floor of a ship or boat”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: coaming
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a raised border around a ship’s hatch that keeps the water out”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: companionway
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a set of stairs on a ship”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: mast
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a tall pole on a boat or ship that supports the sails”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: masthead
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“the top of a mast on a ship”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: winch
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a machine for lifting or pulling heavy objects using a rope or chain”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: windshield
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“a glass or plastic screen that provides protection from the wind, for example at the front of a motorcycle”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: transom
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a bar of wood or stone across the top of a door or window”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: astern
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“if a ship or boat is moving astern, it is moving backwards”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: port
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“the side of a ship or aircraft that is on the left when you are facing forward”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: starboard
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“the side of a ship or an aircraft that is on the right when you are facing forward”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: cabin
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a small room on a ship in which you live or sleep”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: berth
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a place to sleep on a ship or train, or in a caravan”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: galley
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“the kitchen on a ship or plane”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: tender (noun)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a small boat, used for carrying people or goods between a larger boat and land”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: mooring
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“the ropes, chains, etc. by which a ship or boat is moored”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: cast off (phrasal verb)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“to untie the ropes that are holding a boat in a fixed position, in order to sail away”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: ahead
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“further forward in space or time; in front”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: fathom (noun)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a unit for measuring the depth of water, equal to 6 feet or 1.8 metres”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: tack (verb)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“to change the direction of a sailing boat by turning the front of the boat into and through the wind, so that the wind blows onto the sails from the opposite side”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: sheet
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a rope or chain fastened to the lower corner of a sail to hold it and to control the angle of the sail”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: trimaran
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a fast sailing boat like a catamaran, but with three hulls instead of two”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: catamaran
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“a fast sailing boat with two hulls”
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries: Plimsoll line
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“a line on the side of a ship showing the highest point that the water can safely reach when the ship is loaded”
Wiktionary: bimini
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“A lightweight cover, usually made of fabric stretched on a metal frame which is readily removable, for the cockpit or deck of a speedboat or sailboat.”
Wiktionary: bowrider
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“A kind of runabout boat with an open bow area.”
Wiktionary: sole
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“The floor inside the cabin of a yacht or boat”
Wiktionary: coach roof
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“The portion of the deck raised to give increased headroom in the cabin.”
Wiktionary: swim platform
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“A board sticking out from the stern of a yacht, allowing people easy access to swim into the water or come aboard.”
Wiktionary: bow rail
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“A railing that is mounted on the bow of a boat.”
Wiktionary: bilge pump
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A small pump fitted in ships and boats to pump the bilges clear of water.”
Wiktionary: spring line
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A line stretched longways between a docked vessel and a cleat on the pier, or used during berthing to guide the vessel into its slip”
Wiktionary: tritoon
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A type of boat with three parallel pontoons.”
Wiktionary: monohull
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A boat that has a single hull.”
Wiktionary: draw
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“(nautical) Of a vessel: to require (a certain depth of water) to float in.”

Industry and builders (tendencies only)

Boat Outfitters: What Is a Transom On a Boat? Fixing & Install Tips
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“A “notched” transom is very similar to a full transom except that it has a lower section in the middle where outboard motors can be mounted.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Boat Hull Types
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 13 claims

“Deep V hulls cut through waves and ride smoothly in chop.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Boat Deadrise
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 6 claims

“…deadrise measured at the transom is the figure you’ll most commonly see printed in a boat’s specifications.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Boat Draft
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 5 claims

“A boat's draft is simply the distance between the waterline and the deepest point of the boat.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Boat Beam
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“…the boat beam is the widest distance between the two gunwales…”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Parts of a Boat
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 4 claims

“Also known as a gunnel, the gunwale is the outermost top edge of a boat's hull, typically where the deck and hull meet.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Buyer's Guide To Bowriders
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“These boats have an open bow seating area and will likely be based off of a "Deep-V" hull.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Pontoons vs. Bowriders: How to Choose
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Bowriders feature a V-shaped hull, an open bow seating area, and either outboard or sterndrive power.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Center Console vs. Bay Boat: Which One is Right for You?
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Hull Design: Bay boats have a flatter, shallower hull to access skinny waters, while offshore center consoles feature a deep-V hull for cutting through waves.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): What is a Jon Boat?
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Jon boats have a flat or nearly flat bottom. They have squared-off bows rather than coming to a point at the front.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Deck Boat or Bowrider: What’s the Difference?
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A deck boat stretches the beam forward to create a wider bow area … Deck boat: Modified-V or hybrid hull shapes with extra beam forward.”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Trawler
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“many builders design them with relatively small powerplants and displacement hulls”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): What is a Keel on a Boat?
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Fin keels, which we mentioned earlier, are more like sports cars. … Most modern boats use this type”
Discover Boating (National Marine Manufacturers Association): Catamaran Boats
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“today’s catamarans are usually fiberglass or carbon fiber constructions with twin hulls connected by a bridge deck”
Discover Boating (NMMA): What Is a Trimaran?
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A trimaran is a multihull vessel consisting of a central hull and two smaller outer hulls—also known as "amas" or "floats"—attached by lateral beams called akas.”
Sea Tow Services International: Understanding the Transom on a Boat
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“1. Full (Flat) Transom Runs straight across the stern and rises well above the waterline. … 2. Notched Transom Features a cut-out for an outboard.”

Encyclopedias (orientation only)

Encyclopaedia Britannica: America’s Cup
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“In 1983, after American yachts (sponsored by the New York Yacht Club) had successfully defended the cup 24 times without a loss since the first defense in 1870, the Australian yacht Australia II won the cup.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Plimsoll line
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Plimsoll line, internationally agreed-upon reference line marking the loading limit for cargo ships.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica (Britannica Editors): Keel (ship part)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“Another type of main keel—properly, the “full keel,” or “ballast keel”—is a vertical downward extension of the boat’s hull, narrowly V-shaped”
Wikipedia: Hull speed
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 5 claims

“The concept of hull speed is not used in modern naval architecture, where considerations of speed/length ratio or Froude number are considered more helpful.”
Wikipedia: Planing (boat)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“Planing ( PLAY-ning) is the mode of operation for a waterborne craft in which its weight is predominantly supported by hydrodynamic lift, rather than hydrostatic lift (buoyancy).”
Wikipedia: Keel
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 3 claims

“The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability.”
Wikipedia: Chine (boating)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 1 claim

“A chine in boat design is a sharp change in angle in the cross section of a hull.”
Wikipedia: Transom (nautical)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“A transom is the aft transverse surface of the hull of some boats and ships forming its stern.”
Wikipedia: Draft (hull)
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“The draft or draught of a ship is a determined depth of the vessel below the waterline, measured vertically to its hull's lowest point—its propellers, or keel, or other reference point.”
Wikipedia: Cathedral hull
Checked Sep 26, 2026 · 2 claims

“It has sponsons which extend almost as far forward as the main hull.”
Wikipedia: Transom (architecture)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Transom or transom window is also the customary U.S. word used for a transom light, the window over such a crosspiece.”
Wikipedia: Gunwale
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 3 claims

“In modern boats, it is the top edge of the hull where there is usually some form of stiffening, often in the form of traditional wooden boat construction members called the “inwale” and “outwale”.”
Wikipedia: Winged keel
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 2 claims

“The winged keel is a sailboat keel layout first fitted on the 12-metre class yacht Australia II, 1983 America's Cup winner.”
Wikipedia: Sailboat
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 3 claims

“More traditional yachts carried a full keel which is generally half or more of the length of the boat.”
Wikipedia: Daggerboard
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“While other types of centreboard may pivot to retract, a daggerboard slides in a casing.”
Wikipedia: Twin keel
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Twin keels or bilge keels are two keels that emerge at an angle from the hull of a sailboat (and some ships), at or near the bilge.”
Wikipedia: Sterndrive
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The engine sits just forward of the transom while the drive unit (outdrive or drive leg) lies outside the hull.”
Wikipedia: Bow (watercraft)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Ideally, the bow's shape should both reduce water resistance and block water from regularly washing over the top of it.”
Wikipedia: Port and starboard
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 3 claims

“Larboard sounds similar to starboard and in 1844 the Royal Navy ordered that port be used instead. The United States Navy followed suit in 1846.”
Wikipedia: Lazarette
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A lazarette is usually a storage locker used for gear or equipment a sailor or boatswain would use around the decks on a sailing vessel.”
Wikipedia: T-top (boat)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A T-top is a type of top for center console boats that is built with a T-shaped structure when viewed from the side.”
Wikipedia: Multihull
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A multihull is a boat or ship with more than one hull, whereas a vessel with a single hull is a monohull.”
Wikipedia: Trimaran
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A trimaran (or double-outrigger) is a multihull boat that comprises a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls (or "floats") which are attached to the main hull with lateral beams.”
Wikipedia: Centreboard
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“The retractability allows the centreboard to be raised to operate in shallow waters,”
Wikipedia: Air draft
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“Air draft (or air draught) is the vertical distance from the surface of the water to the highest point on a vessel.”
Wikipedia: Recreational trawler
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · 1 claim

“A fishing trawler, for example, always has a displacement hull for load-carrying capacity. Recreational trawlers, on the other hand, are as likely to have a semi-displacement hull.”