Sailing Vocabulary

noun a loop in a rope

• The ship navigated through the treacherous bight of the coastline.
• We found a nice spot to anchor in the bight of the bay.
• Let's hang out in the bight and chill for a bit.
• She found herself in a moral bight, unsure of which decision to make.

noun A person who is in charge of a boat and its crew, responsible for steering and generally supervising the rowers

• The coxswain is responsible for steering the boat and coordinating the rowers.
• Hey, did you see the coxswain yelling at the rowers during practice?
• The coxswain totally bossed the boat today, they were on fire!
• In a way, the CEO is like the coxswain of the company, guiding and directing its operations.

noun a small hole or ring in the edge or corner of a sail to which a rope is attached

• The sailor expertly tied the cringle to secure the sail to the mast.
• Can you help me with this cringle? I'm not sure how to tie it correctly.
• I really need to get my cringle game on point before the next sailing trip.
• The cringle of responsibility weighed heavily on his mind as he made the difficult decision.

noun Fair weather refers to pleasant weather conditions, usually characterized by clear skies, mild temperatures, and little to no precipitation.

• The event was held outdoors, and we were fortunate to have fair weather throughout the day.
• Let's plan a picnic for this weekend, as the forecast is showing fair weather.
• I'm so glad it's fair weather today, let's make the most of it!
• In times of trouble, true friends are like fair weather, always there to brighten your day.

noun a wind blowing directly against the course of a moving object, especially an aircraft or ship

• The airplane struggled to maintain altitude due to the strong head wind.
• We had to pedal extra hard on our bikes because of the head wind.
• I feel like I'm walking through molasses with this head wind slowing me down.
• Dealing with constant criticism felt like facing a head wind in my personal growth journey.

verb to collapse or fall over suddenly, especially as a result of exhaustion or illness

• The sailor keeled over from exhaustion after hours of rowing.
• I thought I was going to keel over from laughter during the comedy show.
• If I eat any more of this spicy food, I'm going to keel over!
• The news of his sudden death made her feel like she was going to keel over.

noun a strong, cold, northwesterly wind that blows through the Rhone valley and southern France into the Mediterranean, especially in the winter

• The mistral is a strong, cold northwesterly wind that blows through the Rhone Valley in France.
• Make sure to hold onto your hat when the mistral starts blowing!
• I can't stand the mistral, it always messes up my hair!
• The mistral of change swept through the company, bringing new ideas and opportunities.

noun the skill or art of managing or navigating a ship

• His seamanship skills were impeccable, navigating the rough waters with ease.
• I heard he's been working on his seamanship, trying to become a better sailor.
• Yo, his seamanship game is on point, he can sail like a pro.
• The CEO's seamanship in steering the company through tough times was commendable.

verb to make or become less active, vigorous, intense, etc.; slow down or lessen

• The manager instructed the team to slacken their pace in order to avoid making mistakes.
• Hey, can you slacken a bit on the deadlines? I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.
• Dude, you need to totally slacken off and chill out for a bit.
• As the tension in the room began to slacken, everyone felt a sense of relief.

noun a very short time; an instant

verb to pull or haul with a rope

• She tied the knot in a trice, showcasing her expertise in knot-tying.
• I'll be back in a trice, just need to grab my keys.
• He fixed the car in a trice, making it run like new.
• The magician made the rabbit disappear in a trice, leaving the audience in awe.

noun a person's appearance, manner, or style that gives an indication of their character or mood

• I must say, I am quite impressed by the cut of that candidate's jib during the interview.
• I really like the cut of her jib, she seems like a cool person to hang out with.
• I can tell by the cut of his jib that he's a good guy.
• The cut of someone's jib can give you a sense of their personality and character.

adverb at a distance; away

preposition at a distance from the shore

• The ship remained abeigh as it waited for further instructions from the captain.
• The car was abeigh in the parking lot while we ran into the store for a quick errand.
• I saw the dog running abeigh down the street, chasing after a squirrel.
• Her mind was abeigh with thoughts of the upcoming exam, making it hard for her to focus on anything else.