Volvo Ocean Race

Aback

A sail in the backed position with the wind blowing on its wrong side.

Abaft

Behind, toward the stern. Abaft the beam is the area between abeam and astern. Compare with aft.

Abandon ship

To leave a fatally distressed vessel. An abandon ship bag (grab bag) is a container of emergency and survival gear pre-prepared by the crew to take with them if they must abandon ship, usually containing tools, water, VHF radio, flares, food etc.

Abeam

At right angles to the boat

Aft

Towards or at the back of the boat.

Apparent wind

The wind that blows over the boat modified by the boat’s forward progress. The wind direction felt on the boat as it moves, a combination of the true wind blowing over the land, and the wind created by the boat’s movement relative to the land.

Astern

Behind the boat

Asymmetric Spinnaker

A downwind sail, flown from the bow of a boat, often from a short bowsprit. Sometimes called A-sail and, incorrectly, gennaker. Asymmetric spinnakers can only be flown one way round, i.e. with one dedicated corner, the tack, attached to the spinnaker pole or the bowsprit, one dedicated corner, the head, attached to the halyard, one dedicated corner, the clew, attached to a sheet.

Athwartships

Across the beam of the boat

Back

To pull a sail against the wind so that it fills on the wrong side. Also to force the boat to sail backwards – back down - by pushing the sails back against the wind so that weed or other debris might be washed off the keel or rudder.

Backstay

Stay between the top of the mast and the stern.

Balaklava

A warm hood which covers the head except the face.

Bare headed

Without a headsail hoisted. Bare headed change, changing headsails where one sail is completely lowered and removed before another is hoisted – very slow

Barometer

An instrument which measures the air pressure in millibars

Batten

Thin strips of composite material inserted into a pocket in a sail to support the curved leech of the sail.

Beam

Width of the boat at the widest point. Also the side of the boat (e.g. 'wind on the beam' means the wind is coming sideways onto the boat).

Bear away

Turn downwind, to bear away from the wind.

Beat

Sail a zigzag course to make progress into the wind. It is impossible for a boat to sail directly into the wind, tacking is like climbing the stairs when you want to go to bed.

Berth (bunk)

Bed on board

Beaufort scale

Way of measuring wind strength from Force 1 to Force 12 etc

Block

A pulley used for changing the direction of a line or in making up a simple system to multiply the force applied to a line – see Tackle.

Boom

Spar (rigid pole) at the bottom edge of a sail, generally the mainsail.

Bow

Front of the boat.

Bowman

Crew member who is responsible for most things that happen forward of the mast. Rigs the gear for spinnakers and for headsail changes, is usually the one whisked up the rig if anything goes wrong. Usually seen wearing a climbing harness over all his sailing gear and carrying strapped thereto rolls of tape, spikes, knives, karabiners, snap shackles, sail ties etc.

Bowline

Useful knot, when tied forms a secure loop in a rope.

Bowsprit

A projecting spar extending from the bow of a boat, generally used in modern times to fly an asymmetric spinnaker. Volvo Open 70s have 1.82m long carbon fibre bowsprits on which to fly their A-sails.

Brace

Metal construction on teeth, also an antipodean term for the line from the windward corner of a spinnaker used to control the position of the spinnaker pole.

Broach

Uncontrolled, sudden alteration of course usually when sailing fast downwind.

Broach Reach

When the Wind is between 90 and 150 degrees off the bow.

Bulb

A torpedo shaped construction fastened at the bottom of the keel foil.

Buoy

Floating object anchored to the bottom of the sea - some are for navigation, some are for mooring to, others are set temporarily to mark out a race course.

Buoyancy aid

Helps you to stay afloat if you fall in the water.

Canting Keel

A canting keel is hinged at the bottom of the hull and canted from side to side by massive hydraulic rams. This enables the crew to swing the ballast bulb to the windward side to counteract the forces of the sails trying to heel over the boat.

Carbon

Strong and stable material used in the hull and rudders. Carbon has the same characteristics as Kevlar, but is even lighter and stiffer.

Clew

Free-flying corner of a sail, usually closest to the stern, to which the sheet is attached

Close hauled

Sailing as near to the wind as you can with the sails pulled in as tightly as possible

Close reach

When the wind is between 35 and 90 degrees off the bow.

Cockpit

The lowered portion of the deck, from the stern and forward where the crew work.

Code Zero

A special light air sail, which measures in as a spinnaker but is actually a huge genoa.

Crash Gybe

When the boat gybes without the crew being prepared.

Crew

The team who sail the boat. In the case of the Volvo Open 70, the full complement of 11 people who sail the boat, including the skipper, navigator, helmsmen, trimmers, pitmen, mastmen, bowmen and media crew member.

Crosswind

Crosswind is the measure of whether you are ahead or behind another boat that has leverage, when you’re sailing upwind or downwind. It’s actually pretty simple – just a line drawn through your own bow, at a right angle to the True Wind Direction (TWD). If you are going upwind, then anyone upwind of that line is ahead of you, and anyone downwind of that line is behind.

Daggerboard

Raised directly up and down. Volvo Open 70s have one or two daggerboards forward of the mast which supply lateral resistance – to stop the boat slipping sideways under the force of the sails, when the canting keel is swung out to the side to keep the boat upright

Desalinator

Properly a reverse osmosis desalinator. This machine takes salt water, forces at extremely high pressure through a special membrane which traps the salt and only allows fresh water through. It tastes horrible, but it is clean water eminently suitable for mixing with power drinks, protein shakes and freeze dried food. By making only just enough water for immediate use, the boats save the deadweight of carrying the tankage that would otherwise be needed for each leg.

DNF

Did Not Finish - an abbreviation used in the Leaderboard.

DNS

Did Not Start - When a boat does not start a leg. Abbreviation used in the Leaderboard and data tables.

Doldrums

An area around the equator which has little wind and showers

Downhaul

Any rope or line that pulls something downwards. Often used to hold a spinnaker pole down or to tension the tack of a sail

Drysuit

Clothing made from waterproof – often Gore-Tex, breathable - material and using waterproof zips and wrist and neck seals from soft latex rubber; generally with built in boots or latex socks, to prevent the majority of water ingress. Used in severe conditions to enable crew to work in heavy spray or on-deck waves without suffering too severely from cold or hypothermia. Some foredeck crew wear dry-tops which have neck and wrist seals and waist seals of soft neoprene to give greater protection than conventional foul weather gear without the difficulty of getting into a drysuit

Ease

To let any rope or line out under control. Often used as: “ease sheets” when bearing away to sail downwind

Emergency light

(see strobe light)

Endoscope

A device inserted through the hull – or sometimes permanently fitted – just ahead of the rudders or keel so that the leading edge can be inspected to see if anything that shouldn’t be there such as snagged fish, weed or pieces of fishing net. Any debris that isn’t too big can be swept off the keel by a flossing rope, usually a piece of rope attached to the end of a long rod that can be swept down the leading edge of the keel or rudder.

EPIRB

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon Sends emergency signals to planes and satellites

Eye of the wind

Directly into the wind

Flossing

A way of cleaning the leading edge of keel or rudders should weed or other detritus lodge there by dragging a rope down the leading edge

Foot

Bottom edge of a sail.

Foredeck

The deck in front of the mast

Foredeck crew

One who is responsible for everything in front of the mast, i.e. hoisting or dropping sail on the foredeck and climbing the rigging.

Forward

Towards the front of the boat

Foreguy

Spinnaker pole downhaul. Usually leading forward to the bow on a boat like the Volvo Open 70. Controlled by the pitman and operated in conjunction with the pole lift. The foreguy works with the guy or brace and the pole lift to position the end of the spinnaker pole in space.

Forestay

Wire, rod or synthetic stay at the front of the boat used to hold up the mast. Sometimes there is more than one forestay

Forestay track

A track with two slots attached around the forestay. The headsail runs up one of the slots when they are hoisted.

Foul weather gear

Waterproof clothing worn to protect from as much of the spray and waves bursting over the boat as possible.

Freeze dried

Lightweight food carried aboard long distance racing boats. The food is reconstituted by pouring boiling water into the pack stirring well and then allowing it to stand for about 10 minutes, absorbing the water.

Front

A weather front is a line representing the transition between two air masses; an air mass is a section of the earth’s atmosphere which has relatively uniform temperature and moisture, but not uniform pressure. Fronts generally cause changes in wind speed and direction as they pass.

Galley

Kitchen on board

Gennaker

A cross between a spinnaker and genoa, used for broad reaching.

GMT

Greenwich Mean (or Meridian) Time is the average time that the earth takes to rotate from noon-to-noon. The Greenwich Meridian (Prime Meridian or Longitude Zero degrees) marks the starting point of every time zone in the world.

GPS

Global Positioning System. Satellite navigation system that fixes a position on the earth’s surface by comparing the minute time differences between signals transmitted from a selection of satellites and a controlling ground station. For the Volvo Ocean Race, navigators have to carry sextants and know how to use them in order to use conventional sun or star sight navigation if there is a catastrophic breakdown of GPS either on the boat or in the system itself.

Grinder

Crew member who is using the pedestal system in the cockpit to apply force to the winches. Also the winch system itself that is operated by the pedestal system – the grinder pedestal.

Gust

Sudden increase in wind velocity

Guy

Also the line used to control the outboard end of the spinnaker pole, running from the sail. Certain nations, particularly Australians and New Zealanders, call the guy a brace, which is in fact more likely to be correct, coming as it does from square rig terminology where the braces were used to turn the yard arms of a ship so that the wind caught the sails in the correct way.

Gybe

To change direction by turning so that the stern of the boat passes through the wind. This means that the sails, particularly the mainsail, can swing across with great force; gybing has to be approached with care

Halyard

Rope used to hoist a sail

Halyard lock

If a halyard is used to hold a sail up a mast as well as hoist it, which is the usual situation, the rope from which it is made has to carry an immense load all the time, not just the weight of the sail down the aft side of the mast, but also the tension applied to the halyard down the other – twice the load in fact. This compression load has to be carried by the mast, making it heavier than it need be. Cut the compression load, cut the mast weight. The way to do this is to lock the halyard at the top of the mast. Halyard locks are usually special top slides attached to the sail, which run up the track on the aft side of the mast and which have a pin or two which engage in the track to lock things off.

Harness

A webbing harness worn about the torso, generally over any clothing, with a detachable tether made from nylon with attachment hooks. Intended to prevent a crew member falling overboard and becoming detached from the boat.

Head

Top corner of a sail. Also the term for a boat’s toilet.

Headsail

One of the triangular sails set forward of the mast. Interchangeable with jib.

Headfoil

An extruded profile, usually in plastic, which is fitted over the forestay and is specially shaped to take the luff of a headsail. The smooth leading edge thus ensuring aerodynamic efficiency. The headfoil usually has two grooves to allow headsails to be changed by hoisting one over the next and then pulling the first down. This avoids a bare headed change.

Heave to

To stop the boat by easing the main sheet and backing the jib and, depending on the way the boat behaves, probably putting the rudder fully over too.

Heel

A boat heels when it leans over due to the sideways force of the wind.

Helm

Not the person who steers the boat, that is the helmsman or helmswoman, but the device with which they steer, either a tiller or a wheel.

Helmsman

The person steering the boat.

Instruments

Sailing instruments aboard a Volvo Open 70 which give a vast amount of information such as true and apparent wind speed and direction, VMG (velocity made good), CMG (course made good), boat speed, depth, water temperature, repeats from the GPS navigation system all shown on various displays. On the mast, large sized displays are easy to see from anywhere in the cockpit; close to the helmsman and down at the navigator’s desk, smaller displays are available. All can be switched to display a wide range of information.

Inversion

A capsize where the boat goes completely upside down (turns turtle).

Isobar

Lines on a weather map that join together points of equal barometric pressure. The resultant concentric figures are known as low pressure systems or depressions if the pressure decreases as you go towards the centre, as anticyclones or high pressure systems if the pressure increases towards the centre.

Jib

Triangular sail set in front of the mast.

Jib topsail

Sometimes jib top. Large headsail used with the boat not sailing close hauled, but is not sailing far enough downwind to set a spinnaker. Usually cut with a high clew and the foot angled upwards so as not to catch the bow wave of the boat at speed.

Jockey Pole

A small carbon pole about 1.5 m long used to keep the guy away from the boat.

Keel

Wing-shaped steel foil mounted under the middle of the boat enabling the boat to be sailed against the wind and preventing drift and capsize.

Kicking strap (kicker)

Attached between the base of the mast and the boom, helping to hold the boom down when sailing off the wind. See also Vang.

Knot

Measurement of speed, based on the time it takes to cover one minute of latitude, measured at the equator, 6,075ft, 1,852m. A knot is a nautical mile an hour, so do not use the term knots per hour.

Latitude

Imaginary lines running parallel round the globe east-west. They help you to measure position and distance on a chart when used in conjunction with lines of longitude

Leech

Back edge of the sail.

Leeward

Opposite side to where the wind is blowing.

Leeway

The amount of sideways drift caused by the wind.

Leverage

It means much the same as it does in financial markets. It’s a measure of risk. And risk in sailing terms is measured by the distance between you and your competitors across the race course, perpendicular (at right angles) to where you’re going.

The greater the leverage, then the greater the risk of gain or loss as the wind shifts or the strength of it increases unevenly. That old basketball cliché - stay between the man and the hoop - applies equally to sailing. It’s hard to get past someone who’s directly in front of you – although not impossible - but in general, staying on the direct course to the mark, with your competitors directly behind you, is about as safe a tactical situation as you can come up with in sailing.

Lie to

A way of stopping the boat temporarily by easing sheets on a close reach.

Lifejacket

Will keep a person fully afloat with their head clear of the water even if unconscious, unlike a buoyancy aid. Usually an inflatable device, sometimes with automatic gas inflation.

Lift

Spinnaker pole lift. Takes the weight of the spinnaker pole and helps locate the end of the pole in space. Controlled by the pitman in conjunction with the foreguy.

Longitude

Imaginary lines running round the globe north to south which divide the world like segments of an orange. Used with lines of latitude to measure position and distance.

Luff

Front edge of a sail. To luff, a racing tactic, to turn the boat towards the wind to prevent a boat passing to windward.

Mainsail

The big sail attached to the back of the mast

Mainsheet

The rope that controls the mainsail, see sheet.

Martin breaker

Strop used to release the spinnaker from the guy in heavy weather. As it is often too dangerous to go forward and to the end of the spinnaker pole to release a spinnaker when you want to drop it, the Martin breaker is attached between the snap shackle attaching the guy or brace to the spinnaker and the spinnaker pole. The Martin breaker goes over the snap shackle so that any load will trip the trigger and release the sail. When the guy is eased normally the pole will follow the sail and the Martin breaker won’t release the snap shackle. If the guy is eased suddenly, however, the action of the breaker trips the shackle.

Mast

Spar on which the sails are hoisted. On Volvo Open 70s, made from carbon.

Mastman

Crew member who is responsible for helping the bowman with things like the mast end of the spinnaker pole and with bumping halyards when hoisting sails. Generally also to be found on the grinder handles when trimming is happening.

Masthead sail

Sails that are hoisted to the top of the mast.

Meteorology

Study of weather forecasting - 'Met Office' is short for 'Meteorological Office'.

Monster

A large, heavy and ungainly sail.

Nautical mile

Distance unit at sea equivalent to 1852 metres.

Navigator

Crew member, who spends most of the time assessing all the factors which combine to direct the boat along the fastest course to the finish.

Neap Tide

Tides with the smallest tidal range

Painter

Rope at the bow of a small boat used to tie the boat to shore.

Pedestal

A structure in the cockpit that is linked to the winch system and carries two sets of double rotary handles at the correct height for crew members to apply their power to the handles when working the winches. The handles drive shafts below the cockpit floor through gearboxes that can be clutched to any of the main winch drums. Using the pedestals therefore, maximum

Peeling

Taking down the old sail after the new one is up.

Pitman

Crew member responsible for the halyards, sail shaping controls – apart from the sheets. Will often double as a grinder as he’s usually the closest, making him one of the hardest working crew members.

Polar diagram

A diagram showing boat speed at different wind speeds and wind angles.

Pole in

Tightening the guy bringing the spinnaker and pole windward.

Pontoon

Floating jetty to which to moor your boat.

Port

Left hand side of the boat (facing forwards).

Position report

A report on every boat’s position, sent by Volvo Ocean Race Headquarters.

Pulpit Rail

Configuration which sits on the bow.

Pushpit

Rail configuration which sits on each corner of the stern.

Quadrant

Circular or part-circular plate attached to the rudder stock and grooved around its periphery to take a steering line. The line is attached to the steering wheel. The diameter of the quadrant controls the mechanical advantage – big quadrant, light wheel but slow reaction, small quadrant big steering load, but fast reaction.

Radar

Electronic instrument that shows ice, ships, rain, or land near the boat. The radar sends out signals which registers if there is a returning echo.

Reach

Sailing with the wind on the side of the boat.

Reef

Making the sails smaller in strong winds.

Rib

Framework which stiffens the hull on the inside.

Rig

Catch-all term for the mast and boom, sails, standing and running rigging, the motor powerhouse of the boat.

Rigging

The rods, wires or composite stays used to support the mast (standing rigging) and the ropes used to control sails etc. as well as moveable stays holding up the mast, like the running backstays (running rigging).

Roaring forties

Between 40 and 50 degrees south.

Roach

The curve of the leech of a sail, particularly a mainsail. The Volvo Open 70s have particularly accentuated roaches, with a sudden curve – or sometimes a sharp angle – at the very top of the sail. If sail construction allows, roach gives additional sail area.

Rudder

Hydrodynamically shaped vertical foil sticking down into the water which can turn from side to side to steer the boat.

Run

Sailing with the wind behind you.

Running backstay

A Kevlar stay fastened in the mast, three meters from the top, pulled tight at the stern to jeep the mast stable and tighten the forestay.

Running rigging

All ropes and flexible likes in contact with the rig.

Safety line

Webbing strap about 1.5 m long with snap hooks. Fastened to the personal safety harness and the boat.

Sail loft

A place where sails are made and repaired.

Sea State

A part of the Beaufort scale which describes the height and danger of the wave formation caused by wind.

Separation

The distance between the boats measured 90 degrees on a line running from start to finish.

Screaming fifties

Between 50 and 60 degrees south.

Shackle

Metal fitting for attaching ropes to blocks, blocks to pad eyes etc.

Sheet

Rope that controls a sail.

Shroud

Wires, rods or a special construction attached to the side of the mast and usually lead over spreaders, helping to hold up the mast and to control its bend.

Skipper

The person in charge onboard.

Skin fitting

A fitting fastened each side of the hull skin. Can be opened in order to pass fluids in or out.

Snap shackle

Quick release shackle used to attach things like spinnaker sheets to spinnakers. Usually released by poking a spike through an aperture in the shackle which releases a trigger – which is why bowmen have spikes slung on their climbing harnesses.

Soundings

Numbers on a chart showing depth.

Southern Ocean

Ocean between Antarctica and around 40 degrees south.

Spar

A part of the rig used to support a sail, for instance, mast, boom, spinnaker pole, bowsprit.

Spinnaker

Big, lightweight sail for faster sailing off the wind. Divided into asymmetric and symmetrical spinnakers, Volvo Open 70s generally use only asymmetric spinnakers.

Spreader

A strut from the side of the mast used to give a wider angle to stays and therefore reduce compression on the mast.

Spring tide

Tides with the biggest range and strongest currents.

Starboard

Right hand side of the boat (facing forwards).

Stay

Part of the rigging (standing rigging) used to hold up the mast. A generic term for the individual parts of standing rigging like forestays, backstays, cap shrouds, intermediates and diagonals.

Staysail

A small headsail set back from the bow and between the jib and mainsail to effectively narrow the slot between the jib and the mainsail. Also used when sailing at certain wind angles with an asymmetrical spinnaker.

Standby watch

Someone who is dressed to go on deck even if he is off watch.

Standing rigging

Shrouds and stays which keep the mast in place.

Stanchions

Posts which hold life lines along the rail.

Starboard tack

The sails’ position when sailing with the wind from starboard.

StealthPlay

A new tactical initiative for the 2008-09 race, gives the crews one opportunity on each of the longer legs to have their location hidden from position reports and the public for 24 hours (increased from 12 hours from Leg 5 onwards).

In order to deploy a StealthPlay, a team must call Race Headquarters within 30 minutes of the position report being released. The play will last for the next 12 hours and the boat’s position will not be shown on the three scheduled reports normally released within that period. The boat will become visible again at the next position report after that period.

Race HQ will continue to monitor each boat’s progress every 15 minutes for safety reasons, but this information is not made public until the StealthPlay is over.

Position reporting times will be every three hours at 1000, 1300, 1600, 1900, 2200.

Stern

Back of the boat.

Rudder stock

The vertical shaft that comes from the rudders into the boat, supported by bearings; transfers the steering effort from the wheels, via the quadrant, to the rudder blades in the water. Stocks on Volvo Open 70s are usually made from carbon fibre.

Storm jib

A headsail fastened on the forestay used in winds over 60 knots.

Strobe

A small emergency light which gives of sharp blinks. Everyone carries one at night.

Squall

A cloud formation containing wind and rain.

Tack

A change of direction by turning the bow of the boat through the wind. Bottom forward corner of a sail.

Tack line

Line that attaches the tack of an asymmetric spinnaker to the bowsprit or spinnaker pole. The tack is adjustable to allow the set of the sail to be altered for different wind conditions and to make it easier to take down.

Tackle

A system of blocks arranged so as to multiply the power being applied to a rope or line. For instance a four to one tackle will increase the force applied by four, at the expense of having to move four times as much rope.

Tidal height

Depth of water above chart datum.

Tidal range

Difference between low and high water.

Tidal stream

Direction of the tide's flow.

Tiller

A horizontal rod, bar or similar device attached to the top of the rudder and used to steer the boat.

To leeward

The side of the boat the wind is blowing out from.

To windward

The side of the boat the wind is blowing onto.

Torsion

Forces that twist, for example on the keel.

Trade winds

The stable, strong wind which blows both sides of the equator.

Transit

Lining up two fixed objects to keep you on course, for example, if the tide is pushing you sideways.

Transom

The flat bit across the back – or stern – of the boat.

Traveller

A moving car, usually with ball bearings, that runs on specially made track to allow a sheet lead to be adjusted.

Trim

Keeping the boat level fore and aft.

Trimmer

Crew member with special responsibility for adjusting the sails to every nuance of wind speed or direction.

True wind

The direction and strength of the wind when the boat is dead in the water. When underway, instruments calculate the true wind by taking into account boat speed and relative wind.

Trysail

An emergency sail for very severe wind conditions. Made from heavyweight synthetic sail cloth, usually set without a boom and often tied round the mast so it can be used if there has been a major failure of the mainsail or mast.

Watch

One part of a crew that has been divided so that some may sleep while others race the boat. A watch is also the physical period of time that the crew spends in operating the boat. For instance, the first watch might look at their watches and decide that there are three hours left to go on their watch before they wake the second watch for their watch.

Watch leader

Crew member who is in charge of that particular watch, usually a very experienced crew who has sailed the race before. Deputises for the skipper when he is off watch and tends to lead the watch in boat handling when the skipper and/or navigator is occupied with tactical planning.

Water maker

A mechanism used to make fresh water from salt water. Called inverted osmosis

Whitbread 60

The class name of the boats participating in the 1993-94,1997-98 Whitbread Round the World Race and Volvo Ocean Race 2001-02.

Wheel

Used for steering the boat.

Winch

Mechanical device for tensioning lines, for instance a jib sheet. The drum of a winch is turned by gearing either by a handle inserted in the top, or via a grinder pedestal which can be connected to a number of different winches on the boat. For instance, two crew members can apply speed to a sheet while tacking and then as the load increases, change gears to apply final tension. Most winches on a Volvo Open 70 will have three gears.

Windward

Direction from which the wind is blowing.