5 Nautical Terms You've Never Heard Before

Whether you're a first-time boater or a seasoned Captain, knowing your nautical terms can be helpful and fun sharing your knowledge with your family and friends while spending the day on the water. But today we're going outside the norm by sharing five nautical terms you've probably never heard before.

Baggy wrinkle – Baggy wrinkle are short lengths of yarn which are attached to a marline with the use of a knot. The baggy wrinkle is basically frayed out as a protective gear to prevent the sails from chafing.

Cats Paws – Believe it or not, Cat’s Paws is a pattern of the wind. This pattern is created by light wind on the surface of water and it resembles to the paws of a cat.

Down Bound – This term is used in the nautical world when a ship is headed in the down bound lane between the ports on the lake. This terminology is used basically to avoid collision. So if a vessel is down bound, it simply means that it is out of the Great Lakes and headed towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Fluke – Surely you are well aware of a ship’s anchor. Fluke can be designated to any of the triangular blades at the far end of the anchor which is crafted to hold the ground, and yes, we mean that literally!

Quayside – Quayside is basically a wharf or a bank which is created to load and unload ships. A wharf is basically an open construction for handling cargos.

Bonus Nautical Term

Parley – (If you've seen The Pirates of The Caribbean you already know what it means) Parley is a pirate term which is used as a self defense mechanism when one needs a chance to talk to the captain without being harmed.

What's the craziest nautical related word you've ever heard?