Wake, Warm Front, Warp, Warping, Warping Drum, Wash, Watch, Watch Bell,
Waterline, Waterlogged, Waterway, Water Track, Wave, Wave Height, Way,
Weather Deck, Weather Eye, Weather Helm, Weigh Anchor, Wetted Surface,
Wharf, Wheel, Whip, Whisker Pole, White Squall, White Sector, Wide Berth,
Wildcat, Winch, Winch Handle, Wind, Windage, Windlass, Wind Scoop,
Wind Shadow, Wind Velocity, Windward, Wing-And-Wing, Wing out,
Wire Cable, Wire Rope, Working End, Working Guy, Working Line,
Working Sails, Working Sheet, Wrap, Wung out.
WAKE
The track of Waves left by a Vessel moving Through-The-Water.
WARM FRONT
Meteorological term used to describe the surface boundary where
warm air is replacing cool air.
(Also, see COLD FRONT)
WARP
Heavy three-strand or Hawser-Laid Rope.
(Also, See HAWSER)
WARPING
To move a Vessel by Hauling on a large or thick Rope connected to
something fixed, such as an Anchor.
(Also, see KEDGING)
WARPING DRUM
(See GYPSY)
WASH
Turbulent water Astern a moving Vessel.
(Also, see PROP WASH and WAKE)
WATCH
An allotted period of time, usually four hours, into which twenty-four
hours is divided for Crew to take turns of duty tending the Vessel
while Underway. The Watch cycle can be either static (3 to 4 hours
per watch) or rolling (4 hour Watches with 2 short Dog Watches at
2 hours each Dog Watch). In either case, the First Watch begins
at 2000 hours and continues on to 2000 hours the next day to
start the cycle over again.
The typical rolling Watch is the following:
2000 to 2400 hours First Watch (8:00 PM to 12:00 Midnight)
2400 to 0400 hours Middle Watch (1200 Midnight to 4:00 AM)
0400 to 0800 hours Morning Watch (4:00 AM to 8:00 AM)
0800 to 1200 hours Forenoon Watch (8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon)
1200 to 1600 hours Afternoon Watch (12:00 Noon 4:00 PM)
1600 to 1800 hours First Dog Watch (4:00 PM to 6:00 PM)
1800 to 2000 hours Last Dog Watch (6:00 PM to 8:00 PM)
WATCH BELL
The passing of time for each Watch is indicated every half hour by a
sequence of rings on the ships bell. For example, when the first half
hour of the Watch has elapsed, the bell is rung once; when the
second half hour has elapsed, the bell is rung twice, and so on until
the end of the Watch which is eight bells per Watch. The cycle of
eight bells begins again at the start of the next Watch and is
repeated every four hours around the clock.
WATERLINE
The line around the Hull indicating the level where the water
meets the engineered displacement depth when the boat is in
calm seas and not Heeling over.
(Also, see DESIGN WATERLINE and LOAD WATERLINE)
WATERLOGGED
Completely filled with water.
(Also, see AGLUB)
WATERWAY
A River, Canal, or other enclosed Body-Of-Water with boat traffic.
WATER TRACK
(See TRACK)
WAVE
The progressive Oscillation of surface water, as on an Ocean or a Lake.
(Also, see Forced Wave and Free Wave)
WAVE HEIGHT
The vertical distance between Crest and Trough.
(Also, see RANGE OF TIDE)
WAY
The movement of a Vessel Through-The-Water.
[e.g., When a boat is simply moving on the water, it is Under Way.
When a boat is moving on the water and someone is on the Helm
And Steering, it is Making Way.]
WEATHER DECK
(Deck)
The upper main Deck on the Vessel that is exposed to the weather.
WEATHER EYE
1. To be alert and sensitive to climate changes when on the water.
2. An acute state of alertness; to be ever watchful for change.
[e.g., "Keep a Weather Eye on the clouds to the Starboard Quarter."]
WEATHER HELM
The tendency of a Sailboat to Head to Windward.
WEIGH ANCHOR
(Anchor Aweigh)
To raise the Anchor and be Under Way.
(Also, see UP ANCHOR)
WETTED SURFACE
The amount of area of the Hull, Keel, Rudder, and other objects that
are under water.
WHARF
A structure built along the Shore or projecting out into the water
for the purpose of loading, unloading, or tying up Vessels.
(Also, see QUAY)
WHEEL
A circular device mounted vertically on the Weather Deck and connected
by cable or Rope to the Rudder, used to Steer the Vessel.
[Note: A Wheel operates differently from a Tiller in that the Wheel
turns in the same direction as the intended Heading. Whereas, the
Tiller moves in the opposite direction to which one wants to steer.
If one wants the Bow to turn to Port, one must move the Tiller
to Starboard and Vice Versa.]
WHIP
To bind the strands at the end of a Line with Sailing Twine.
WHISKER POLE
A pole that can be extended and has a Parrot's Beak at one end,
used to extend the Jib Clew when Sailing Down-Wind, especially
Wing-And-Wing.
WHITE SQUALL
(See SQUALL)
WHITE SECTOR
The White (Running Light) Sector Astern with an arc of 135° Abaft
the Starboard and Port Beams. Other Vessels approaching the White
Sector are Overtaking Vessels and must Give-Way.
(Also, see GREEN SECTOR and RED SECTOR)
WIDE BERTH
To avoid other Vessels and Hazards on the water by a large distance.
[e.g., "Make sure to maintain a Wide Berth of the Flotsam off the
Bow, Starboard."]
WILDCAT
A wheel Fitted onto the rotating shaft on one side of the Windlass
Housing, specifically designed for Hauling Anchor Chain.
(Also, see GIPSY)
WINCH
A mechanical device with a rotating Drum around which Lines are
Wrapped to assist in Hoisting heavy loads.
WINCH HANDLE
A handle that is inserted into the Winch Slot and used to rotate the Winch.
(Also, see CRANK)
WIND
The horizontal variable movement of air over the surface of the earth
generated by Atmospheric Pressure and biogeographical causes.
(Also, see APPARENT WIND, RELATIVE WIND, and TRUE WIND)
WINDAGE
That portion of a Vessel's surface where there is Wind resistance.
WINDLASS
(Anchor Winch)
A large mechanical device attached to the Foredeck of large Yachts,
specifically designed for Hauling heavy Anchor Rode, which may be
Chain, Warp, or both. The Windlass differs from the Capstan in that
its lifting power is derived from a horizontal shaft with a Gipsy
attached on one side of the Windlass housing for Hauling Rope,
and a Wildcat attached to the shaft on the other side of the
Windlass housing for Hauling Chain.
WIND SCOOP
A funnel used to scoop Wind into a Hatch and ventilate Below Decks.
WIND SHADOW
(Dirty Wind)
The area behind a Sailboat to Windward, where wind direction and speed
is deflected. The Wind Shadow of a Windward Sailboat extends Leeward
about four to eight Boat-Lengths depending on wind velocity.
(Also, see BLANKET)
WIND VELOCITY
The speed of the Wind.
WINDWARD
The side of a boat or Sail that faces the Wind.
WING-AND-WING
(Wing Out)
Sailing Dead Downwind, almost By-The-Lee, with the Main Sail
Full-Out on one side of the boat and the Jib Full-Out on the other.
(Also, see GOOSEWINGED)
WING OUT
(Wung Out)
Sailor slang for Wing-And-Wing.
WIRE CABLE
(Cable)
(See WIRE ROPE)
WIRE ROPE
(Cable)
Thin Cable constructed in the same manner as Cordage made of Rope,
the Strands Laid with steel wire instead of yarn, used primarily for
Standing Rigging and Lifelines.
WORKING END
The outboard end of a Line or Rope, usually Made Fast to objects
located outside the Vessel, such as a Mooring or other Vessel.
(Also, see BITTER END)
WORKING GUY
The Guy that is holding the Spinnaker Pole at the Tack of the Sail.
(As opposed to LAZY GUY)
WORKING LINE
(See RUNNING RIGGING, WORKING SHEET, and DOCK LINE.)
WORKING SAILS
Hoisted Sails used when a Vessel is Under Sail.
WORKING SHEET
(Working Line)
The Sheet being used to Trim the Sail.
(As opposed to LAZY SHEET)
WRAP
To wind a Line around something such as a Winch.
[e.g., "Wrap the Sheet around the Winch twice for better Purchase."]
WUNG-OUT
(See WING OUT)
