Lingo!

I was researching yesterday about sailboats (duh) and I came across something amusing. Apparently sailors have their own sailing lingo. Ok, I did know there was such a thing, but I didn't know there was so many! I even found a website where they show all of the lingo terms in alphabetical order, and trust me, there was a lot.

Here are some examples:

• Bow: the front of the boat
• Stern: the back of the boat (a.k.a. the butt. ok, not really, I'm just kidding)
• Starboard: the right side of the boat
• Port: the left side of the boat
• Line: general term for rope
• Galley: the kitchen
• The Head: the toilet
• Belay: to secure a rope around a post or pin
• Trim the sails!: to set the sails for maximum efficiency.
• Poopdeck: the main deck on a ship

Those are some of the ones I have learned and there are a whole lot more to know, for sure. I have actually learned bow, stern, starboard, and port during family trips to the British Virgin Islands, but that is pretty much it because we use a powerboat and not a sailboat. Like I said, I'm gonna be the first "sailor" in the family. And with that it is imperative that I learn the different lingo so there is no miscommunication between me and other sailors, and you know me, I'll probably be shouting, "What?" the whole time. I'll likely frustrate many people with my novice skills, or at least no skills at the moment. So I hope that my future sailboat will have both a galley and a head because those are absolutely necessary if I'm going to spend a lot of time onboard.