I Get Teased About Nautical Terms

[smith8273]

I get teased and mocked by lubbers when I explain nautical names for things lubbers have always know by different names.

Ropes and lines is a good example, but I can think of examples where the land terms are similar to our nautical ones: clothesline is one; telephone line, fishing line (?). Are there others?

[SailRN]

Pick-up lines?

[valhalla360]

Did they ask for an explanation or are you offering what was not asked for?

I still call "fenders"..."bumpers" because I got sick of a pedantic jerk doing a sailing class and I knew it pissed him off, so I made a point of using the "wrong" term.

There's a time and a place to worry about proper terminology. The fact you are referring to them as "lubbers" suggests to me that they probably weren't asking for a nautical lesson.

Reminds me of someone:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Clavin

[SeanPatrick]

When I clicked this thread, I thought for sure I was going to read something about seacocks or a monkey's fist.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by smith8273

I get teased and mocked by lubbers when I explain nautical names for things lubbers have always know by different names.

I would suggest that you cultivate a mindset that sailing knowledge is something you only share with people who have a genuine desire to learn from you. Meanwhile, use more words to communicate. With inexperienced crew I say things like:


"Ease the topping lift -- that's the white rope with the red flecks [said while pointing], just pull it straight up out of the cam cleat and let it out a little and then pull it back and down"

Ropes and lines is a good example, but I can think of examples where the land terms are similar to our nautical ones: clothesline is one; telephone line, fishing line (?). Are there others?

Any toddler can tell you it's called a boom because you go boom when it hits you in the head during a crash gybe.

[TooCoys]

Originally Posted by smith8273

I get teased and mocked by lubbers when I explain nautical names for things lubbers have always know by different names.

If you think that's bad, try telling another boater your boat has gas engines! Talk about being mocked....

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Jammer

...
Any toddler can tell you it's called a boom because you go boom when it hits you in the head during a crash gybe.

Which is, unfortunatly, wrong.




Origin of boom21635–45; <Dutch: tree, pole, beam

[deblen]

Pointy end & square end work well. /L


cables,chains and broken backs.... https://books.google.ca/books?id=_TB...k%20on&f=false

[GILow]

Originally Posted by deblen

Pointy end & square end work well. /L

Not for me, I sail a canoe stern boat.

[ChrisJHC]

I sail with a Naval officer and still get a laugh out of calling them “sea maps” rather than charts.

Watching him try not to explode is worth minutes of entertainment!

[rwidman]

I don't try to explain nautical terms to others, I use the terms I am familiar with and let them use the terms they are familiar with.

I have boating friends who call fenders "buoys". I figure if I use the correct terms enough they will pick up on them but I don't push the point.

[Kd9truck]

I have labeled all the things that have non-land names on my boat and everything else that can be labeled for that matter, so that when I give direction to another they will have a point of reference if they are unsure of there newly assigned task, Including direction arrows on the wenches. Everybody so far has thanked me, none are true lubbers, I do not take out people who do not actually want to sail, if there is no interest in “doing” they are not invited back out again.
A un engaged human, friend or relative is a liability on a vessel, to every body else and to the vessel. Nomenclature Chop busting can always be countered with reciprocal jocularity
If you know there interests or occupation.

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "Any toddler can tell you it's called a boom because you go boom when it hits you in the head during a crash gybe."

Just so :-)! And the clew (corner of a sail) is the one "you haven't got"!

Quote: "Ease the topping lift -- that's the white rope with the red flecks [said while pointing], just pull it straight up out of the cam cleat and let it out a little and then pull it back and down"

Excellent example of teaching in action. Teaching is easy - all you have to do is connect the UNKNOWN to the known.

TP

[RaymondR]

Obviously your presentation needs work.

I have known people who can sprout almost nothing but nonsense and have it taken as established fact of great import because it was delivered in such a grave and portentous manner that the speaker was obviously an extremely learned person.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

...Just so :-)! And the clew (corner of a sail) is the one "you haven't got"!...
TP

I initially remembered clew as...

• Head. Obviously the top.
• Tack. The corner that is "tacked down." In fact, this is believed to be the origin of the identification.
• Clew. The other one. The word origin is unclear, but seems to be related to "clewing-up" a sail.

I knew a fellow who's boat was named Knot a Clew, but he thought the joke was that they couldn't spell. Nice guy... but clueless.