Gaff, Gaff Hook, Gaff-Headed Sail, Gaff Rigged, Gaff Sail, Gale,
Galley, Gallows Frame, Galvanic Corrision, Gangway, Gasket,
Generating Force, Gennaker, Gennie, Genoa, Geographic Position,
Gimbal, Gipsy, Give-Way Vessel, Global Positioning System (GPS),
Gnomonic Chart, Gooseneck, Goosewing, Grab Rail, Granny Knot,
Grapnel, Grapple, Grappling Hook, Gravity Wave, Great Circle,
Great Circle Sailing, Great Circle Track, Green Buoy,
Green Daymark, Green Sector, Green Water, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT),
Greenwich Meridian, Grinder, Grog, Grommet, Grooved Luff Stay,
Grooved Spar, Ground Tackle, Ground Track, Gudgeon, Gulf, Gunkhole,
Gunkholing, Gunwale, Guy, Gybe, Gypsy, Gyre.
GAFF
A Spar attached the Head of a Gaff Sail.
GAFF HOOK
An iron hook with a long handle for landing large fish or
retrieving items Overboard.
GAFF-HEADED SAIL
(See GAFF SAIL)
GAFF RIGGED
(See GAFF SAIL)
GAFF SAIL
a Quadrilateral Fore-And-Aft Sail with the Head attached to the Gaff
and the Foot attached to the Boom.
(Also, see LUGSAIL)
GALE
(Gale Force Wind)
A storm with wind speed between 32 to 63 mph.
GALLEY
An area on a boat with kitchen facilities.
GALLOWS FRAME
A frame used to support the Boom.
(Also, see BOOM CRUTCH)
GALVANIC CORRISION
(Electolysis)
Corrision induced by the electro-chemical reaction of Salt Water
and two different metals, where the less noble metal (Anode)
corrodes.
GANGWAY
1. The narrow Side Deck that runs Fore-And-Aft between the Cabin Trunk
and Gunwale.
2. A Mariner's term, meaning clear the way or move aside.
GASKET
Any one of a number of light Lines for Securing Furled Sails to a Boom.
GENERATING FORCE
Any one or combination of Atmospheric, Gravitational, and/or
Meterological forces that propagate and sustain Waves on
bodies of water.
(Also, see FORCED WAVE)
GENNAKER
A Headsail that is larger than a Genoa and smaller than a Spinnaker.
GENNIE
(See GENOA)
GENOA
(Gennie, Genoa Jib, Reaching Jib)
A large Headsail with a Clew that extends Aft of the Mast on a
Sloop-Rigged Sailboat.
GEOGRAPHIC POSITION
A navigation term indicating the position of a boat on a Chart.
GIMBAL
A special hinge designed so that mounted objects, such as lamps,
compasses and other fixtures on a boat, can tilt freely at any
angle and remain horizontal/vertical while the Vessel is Yawing.
GIPSY
(Gypsy)
A drum fitted onto the rotating shaft on one side of the Windlass
housing, specifically designed for Hauling Anchor Rope.
(Also, see WILDCAT)
GIVE-WAY VESSEL
(Burdened Vessel)
The Navigation Rules stipulate that Give-Way Vessels are to take
whatever action necessary to avoid a collision with another Vessel.
For example, a sailboat with the Wind on its Port side is usually
Give-Way. For Vessels sailing with the Wind on the same side, the
Windward boat is Give-Way. In Overtaking Situations, the overtaking
Vessel is Give-Way. A power driven Vessel is Give-Way to a sailboat.
[NOTE: The term "RIGHT-OF-WAY" is only applicable with regard to boat
traffic in specific situations such as in a regatta, etc.]
(Also, see HAMPERED VESSEL and STAND-ON VESSEL)
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
(GPS)
A global system of U.S. Navigational satellites developed to provide
precise position, speed, and time synchronization data for air,
sea, and land travel so as to electronically locate one's position
anywhere and at any time on the globe with great accuracy.
GNOMONIC CHART
A Chart that indicates the Altitude of the sun at specific Latitudes.
GOOSENECK
The metal Fitting, usually a universal joint, that connects the
Boom to the Mast.
GOOSEWING
To Boom Out the Headsail to Windward when Sailing Dead Downwind.
(Also, see WING-AND-WING)
GRAB RAIL
(See HAND RAIL)
GRANNY KNOT
An incorrect version of the Square Knot in which the Bights cross
each other in the wrong direction at the ends.
GRAPNEL
(Grappling Hook, Grappling Iron)
A stockless Anchor with five curved sharp-billed clawlike prongs that
are symmetrically arranged around the Crown end of the Shank.
A Grapnel is designed primarily to Grapple and is not
recommended for use as an Anchor.
GRAPPLE
To seize or hook onto something as with a Grapnel.
GRAPPLING HOOK
(See GRAPNEL)
GRAVITY WAVE
A wave that is generated by gravity alone.
GREAT CIRCLE
The plane of the circumference of a sphere, as of the earth.
(Also, see EQUATOR)
GREAT CIRCLE SAILING
Sailing a course that is the shortest distance between two points,
more or less according to an arc of a great circle; in practice,
almost always using a series of Rhumb Lines of different Bearings
to approximate the arc, whose own bearing changes constantly
unless it coincides with a Meridian or the Equator.
GREAT CIRCLE TRACK
(Great Circle Route)
The Course of a Vessel following the arc of a Great Circle, appearing
as a curved line on a Mercator Chart and as a straight line on a
Gnomonic Chart.
GREEN BUOY
(Can Buoy)
A cylindrical Buoy painted green and having an odd number, used as an
Aid To Navigation (ATON). At night, a Green Buoy may have a green light.
Green Buoys are to be kept on the left (Port) side of the Vessel
when returning from Sea.
(Also, see NUN BUOY)
GREEN DAYMARK
(Channel Marker)
A green triangular Aid To Navigation (ATON) used in the United
States and Canada to mark Channels. Green triangular daymarks
are to be on the left (Port) side of the Vessel when
returning from Sea.
(Also, see RED DAYMARK)
GREEN SECTOR
The Green (Running Light) Sector on the Starboard side from Dead Ahead
to 22.5° Abaft the Starboard Beam. Other Vessels approaching the
Green Sector are Stand-On Vessels.
(Also, see RED SECTOR and WHITE SECTOR)
GREEN WATER
Sailor slang indicating that a lot more than just spray is coming
Aboard the Vessel.
GREENWICH MEAN TIME
(GMT)
The time in Greenwich, England (site of the zero meridian and
"zero time" adopted at an international conference in 1884),
starting point of the Coordinated Universal Time standard to
dispense with the task of computing for differences in time
zones around the globe. That is, time in which the day begins
at midnight as distinguished from the former Astronomical Time
in which the day began at noon.
(Also, see UNIVERSAL TIME and ZULU)
GREENWICH MERIDIAN
(See PRIME MERIDIAN)
GRINDER
A term used to describe the Crew member who turns a Winch Handle.
GROG
A mixture of rum and water served, beginning in 1740, to a ship's
crew twice daily. The ration was one pint for men and a half pint
for boys, diluted by the addition of a half pint of water, served
at noon and six P.M.
(Also, see SPLICING THE MAIN BRACE)
GROMMET
A metal ring or strop of fiber or wire sewn into the Head, Tack,
Clew, and Reef Points of a Sail through which Lines are Rove.
(Also, see CRINGLE)
GROOVED LUFF STAY
(See HEADFOIL)
GROOVED SPAR
(See BOOM SLOT and MAST SLOT)
GROUND TACKLE
(Anchoring Equipment)
There are three types of Ground Tackle:
1. Light Tackle, which consists of a heavy Anchor with a length of
Chain Leader and Warp (Anchor Rope) ready for immediate action;
2. Heavy Tackle, which consists of a medium Anchor with chain only
and ready to use as a back-up for the Light Tackle and for long
Moorings;
3. Reserve Anchor or Lunch Hook, which consists of a long and light
nylon Line connected to a light Anchor.
(Also, see RODE and SCOPE)
GROUND TRACK
(See TRACK #3)
GUDGEON
The socket or ring plate, Fitted on the Rudder, into which the
Pintle is inserted to complete the Rudder hinge assembly.
(Also, see PINTLE)
GULF
An area of Ocean or Sea that is partly enclosed by land.
(Also, see BAY)
GUNKHOLE
A quiet Anchorage for sailboats and small Yachts, such as a Cove, Bay,
or Harbor.
(Also, see GUNKHOLING)
GUNKHOLING
1. Cruising in shallow and protected waters such as Coves, Bays, Harbors,
and Waterways.
2. Traveling on Waterways under Auxiliary Power with the Mast down.
(Also, see GUNKHOLE)
GUNWALE
(Rail)
[Pronounced: "Gun'l" or "Gunnel"]
The edge of a boat's weather deck.
GUY
(Brace)
Line attached at the end of a pole at the Tack of the Spinnaker.
Primarily used to stabilize and control the Spinnaker Pole.
The Guy is not to be confused with the Spinnaker Sheet.
(Also, see AFTERGUY)
GYBE
(See JIBE)
GYPSY
(Warping Drum)
(See GIPSY)
GYRE
[Pronounced: "Jire"]
A ringlike system or a circular course of Ocean Currents that rotate
clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the
Southern Hemisphere.
