Tabernacle, Tachometer, Tack, Tacking, Tackle, Tactician, Taffrail, Tail,
Tailer, Take-In, Take-Up, Tall Buoy, Tang, Taut, Telltale, Tender, Tenon,
Tension, Terrestial Navigation, Thimble, Three-Anchor-Mooring,
Three-Quarter Rig, Throat, Throat Halyard, Through Hull, Through-The-Water,
Thwart, Thwartships, Tidal Atlas, Tidal Current, Tidal Current Movement,
Tidal Cycle, Tidal Estuary, Tidal Range, Tidal Wave, Tide, Tide Tables,
Tiller, Tiller Extension, Time-On-The-Water, Time Zone, Toe-Rail,
Tonnage, Topmark, Topping-Lift, Topping-Lift/Downhaul, Topside,
Touch Bottom, Towing Eye, Towing Light, Track, Trades, Trade Wind,
Traditional Anchor, Trailing Edge, Transducer, Tranferred-Position-Line,
Transit, Transit Marks,
Transom, Trapeze, Traveler, Triatic Stay,
Tri-color Light, Trim, Trim Tab, Trimaran, Trimmer, Trip-Line,
Tripping Anchor, Trough, Truck, True Course, True Direction, True North,
True Wind, Trunk, Trunk Cabin, Tsunami, Tune, Turnbuckle, Turning Block,
Turning Circle, Turtled, Twist, Typhoon.

TABERNACLE
The housing on a Sailboat Deck that supports the Mast Heel, with a
hinged Fitting so that the Mast can pivot Fore and Aft in order
to be lowered when passing under bridges and high tension wires.

TACHOMETER
An instrument gauge used on some boats to indicate the inboard
engine's revolutions per minute.

TACK
1. The forward corner at the Foot of the Sail.
2. A Sailboat Heading.
3. To turn the boat through the Eye-Of-The-Wind.

TACKING
A series of zigzag maneuvers, Sailing Close-Hauled and repeatedly
turning the Bow through the Eye-Of-The-Wind.
(Also, see BEATING)

TACKLE
(See BLOCK-AND-TACKLE)

TACTICIAN
A member of the racing Crew responsible for Plotting the Course
of the race and advising the Helm as to the position of other
boats, windshifts, Waves, etc.

TAFFRAIL
The Rail at the Stern of larger Sailing Vessels.
(Also, see PUSHPIT and STERN PULPIT RAIL)

TAIL
The part of the Line that remains after being Wrapped around a Winch.
(Also, see FALL)

TAILER
A Crew member who assists the Grinder by Tensioning the Tail of
the Line being Winched.
(Also, see SELF-TAILER)

TAKE IN
1. To remove a Sail.
2. To Reef a Sail.

TAKE UP
(See TENSION)

TALL BUOY
(Dan Buoy)
A Buoy with a flag at the top of a pole, used for Marking a position.

TANGS
(See MAST TANGS)

TAUT
Tightly drawn, with no Slack.
(Also, see TENSION)

TELLTALE
1. String or yarn attached to Stays and Sails to indicate
Apparent Wind. Telltales are helpful in maintaining Sail Trim.
2. The aperture on an outboard motor where water exits
from its cooling system.

TENDER
1. A general term indicating small Utility Boats (usually row boats),
including Dories, inflatables, prams, Skiffs, and Utility Outboards.
Used primarily for transporting people, gear, and supplies to
and from Shore or other Craft.
2. Term used to describe a Sailboat that Heels easily.
(Also, see STIFF)

TENON
A projection at the Mast Heel designed to be inserted into the
mortise of the Mast Step.

TENSION
(Take Up)
To make Taut.
(Also, see SNUB)

TERRESTIAL NAVIGATION
(See COASTAL NAVIGATION)

THIMBLE
1. A small sewing cap, usually of metal, worn over the fingertip to
facilitate pushing a needle through a fabric or Rope.
(Also, see SAILMAKER'S PALM)
2. A horsecollar-shaped metal ring with a concave groove that is
inserted into the eye at the end of a Line or Cable to reinforce
the Eye Splice.

THREE-ANCHOR-MOORING
(TAM)
A semi-permanent Mooring with three (Danforth) Anchors Deployed
at the Bottom, 120° apart, with the end of each Anchor Rode
bridled to a center ring attached to an Anchor Buoy.

THREE-QUARTER RIG
A Sloop Rig where the Forestay is attached three-quarters of the
way up the Mast.
(Also, see FRACTIONAL RIG and MASTHEAD RIG)

THROAT
The upper forward corner of a Quadrilateral Fore-And-Aft Sail,
to which the Throat Halyard is attached.

THROAT HALYARD
The Halyard used to Hoist a Quadrilateral Fore-And-Aft Sail.

THROUGH-HULL
A water-tight Fitting that runs from the interior to the exterior of
the Hull to facilitate instruments and drain fixtures. A Sea Cock is
attached directly to the Through Hull before any hoses are attached
so that water does not enter the boat if the hose should fail. In
any case, always have plugs available.
(Also, see STUFFING BOX)

THROUGH-THE-WATER
The distance a Vessel travels without correcting for Current or Leeway.
(Also, See DISTANCE-MADE-GOOD)

THWART
A seat or brace running laterally across the width of a boat.

THWARTSHIPS
(See ATHWARTSHIPS)

TIDAL ATLAS
A book of Charts showing the direction and flow of Tidal Currents.

TIDAL CURRENT
The Current caused by rising and falling Tides.
(Also, see TIDAL WAVE)

TIDAL CURRENT MOVEMENT
(Set)
The direction towards which the Tidal Current flows.

TIDAL CYCLE
(See DIURNAL and SEMIDIURNAL)

TIDAL ESTUARY
(See ESTUARY)

TIDAL RANGE
The difference between Tide levels at High and Low water.

TIDAL WAVE
A shallow-water Wave caused by the gravitational interactions between
the Sun, Moon, and Earth.
(Also, see TIDAL CURRENT)

TIDE
The periodic Rise and Fall of the Ocean caused by the gravitational
interactions between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. When the two High
Waters and two Low Waters of each Tidal Day are approximately equal
in height, the Tide is Semidiurnal; when there is only one High
Water and one Low Water in each Tidal Day, the Tide is Diurnal;
when there is a relatively large Diurnal Inequality in the High
or Low Waters or both, that is a Mixed Tide.

TIDE TABLES
Tables showing time and water levels of High and Low Tides.

TILLER
A bar or lever attached to the top of the Rudder for Steering a boat.

TILLER EXTENSION
(Hiking Stick)
An extension to the Tiller enabling one to Steer while Hiking Out.

TIME-ON-THE-WATER
A term indicating a Sailor's Logged time on a Vessel Making Way.

TIME ZONE
Regions of time differential approximately 15° Longitude apart.
Within each 15° increment of Longitude, the sun should be at
its Zenith at 12:00 Noon.

TOE-RAIL
The raised stainless steel, light alloy, or wooden strips around
the edge of the Weather Deck, from Bow to Stern, for the purpose
of providing a foothold on Deck.
(Also, see BULWARKS)

TONNAGE
The weight or displacement of a Vessel.

TOPMARK
A mark on the top of a Navigational Buoy or Daybeacon.

TOPPING-LIFT
Small gauged line led out of the Mast to adjust the vertical angle
of the Boom or Spinnaker Pole.

TOPPING-LIFT/DOWNHAUL
(See SPINNAKER POLE TOPPING-LIFT/DOWNHAUL)

TOPSIDE
1. On or above the Weather Deck as opposed to Below Deck.
2. The outer surface or side of the Hull above the Waterline.
(Also, see FREEBOARD)

TOUCH BOTTOM
To Run Aground.

TOWING EYE
(Stem Eye)
A metal ring attached to the Stem of a boat used for connecting a
Tow Rope, Buoy Line for Mooring, or Winch Line when Launching or
retrieving a boat on or off its trailer.

TOWING LIGHT
A yellow Stern light on a Vessel that is Towing another Vessel.

TRACK
1. A guide in the Mast or other Spar that accepts Sail Lugs.
2. A rail to which a sliding Car is attached for adjusting
the position of Blocks and Lines.
3. The path a Vessel makes as on a Chart from one position
to another, either through the water (Water Track) or over
the ground (Ground Track).
(Also, see DISTANCE-MADE-GOOD)

TRADES
(See TRADE WIND)

TRADE WIND
(Trades)
Any of the easterly Winds that blow continually in the same
direction, mainly from the north-east in the Northern Hemisphere,
and from the south-east in the Southern Hemisphere.

TRADITIONAL ANCHOR
(Fisherman Anchor)
The old-time anchor with two traditional plow-like Flukes on
the ends of the arms Set at right angles to the Stock.
(Also, see KEDGE ANCHOR)

TRAILING EDGE
(Leech)
The Aft edge of the Sail.

TRANSDUCER
An electronic device, usually attached to a Through-Hull, using
sound waves to collect data such as water depth and Vessel speed.

TRANSFERRED-POSITION-LINE
(See ADVANCED-POSITION-LINE )

TRANSIT
1. When Transit Marks are observed to be in alignment.
2. When a Heavenly Body, such as the Moon, passes
the Zenith of an observer's Meridian.

TRANSIT MARKS
A pair of fixed Aid-To-Navigation (ATON) Marks placed at specific
intervals in a Waterway such as the Mouth of a Harbor or
Channel, separated a measured distance apart. The distant
Mark is mounted higher than the near Mark, so that when
the Marks are aligned, the Vessel is in Transit (Range)
and a Bearing is indicated for the Vessel to safely
enter the Harbor or Maneuver through the Channel.
(Also, see LEADING LIGHTS)

TRANSOM
The flat vertical termination of the Stern above the Waterline.

TRAPEZE
A belt and seat device connected to a cable that is attached either
to the Mast or Standing Rigging of a high-performance, Planing Hull
Sailboat. The Trapeze is used by Crew to Hike their entire body
outside the boat when it Heels.

TRAVELER
A device with Blocks through which the Main Sheet is Rove, connected
to a Track Fitted Athwartships in or near the Cockpit, used to
control the transverse motion of the Boom to affect Sail Trim.

TRIATIC STAY
A Stay leading from the Masthead of the Fore Mast of a two-masted
Fore-And-Aft Rigged Sailboat, running horizontally to the
Masthead of the Mizzen Mast Aft.

TRI-COLOR LIGHT
(Combination Light)
A single fixture containing three Navigation Lights (green, red, and
white Running Lights), usually mounted on the Masthead.
(Also, see BI-COLOR LIGHT)

TRIM
(See SAIL TRIM)

TRIM TAB
An adjustable section of the Rudder that allows the Rudder to be
corrected for Lee or Weather Helm.

TRIMARAN
A boat with a center Hull and two outer Hulls.

TRIMMER
A Crew member who adjusts the Sheets of the Sail.

TRIP LINE
A Line attached to the Crown of a Deployed Anchor. A Trip Line
is used to free an Anchor that is Fouled at the Bottom.

TRIPPING ANCHOR
Pulling or unsetting a Fouled Anchor backwards, using a Trip Line.
(Also, see WEIGH ANCHOR)

TROUGH
[Pronounced: "Trof"]
The depression or hollow between Wave Crests, which is the lowest
point in a Wave.
(Also, see LOW WATER and TIDAL WAVE)

TRUCK
A cap for the top of the Mast.

TRUE COURSE
The Course of a boat after correction for Magnetic Deviation
and Magnetic Variation.

TRUE DIRECTION
(True North)
The direction of the North Pole.
(Also, see COMPASS DIRECTION and MAGNETIC DIRECTION)

TRUE NORTH
(See TRUE DIRECTION)

TRUE WIND
The actual speed and direction of the Wind.
(Also, see APPARENT WIND and RELATIVE WIND)

TRUNK
(See CABIN TRUNK, CENTERBOARD TRUNK and RUDDER TRUNK)

TRUNK CABIN
(Cabin Trunk)
The exterior top and sides of a Sailboat Cabin raised above Deck,
usually with a low profile.
(Also, see DOGHOUSE)

TSUNAMI
A large Progressive Wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcano.
[Not to be confused with Tidal Wave.]

TUNE
To Calibrate Standing Rigging to affect efficient Mast Bend.

TURNBUCKLE
A metal Fitting with eyes and internal screw threads at both ends,
used to adjust the Tension of Standing Rigging.

TURNING BLOCK
(Foot Block)
A Block fastened to the Deck or other stationary surface,
used to alter the direction of a Working Line.
(Also, see FAIRLEAD)

TURNING CIRCLE
The distance required for a boat to turn in a complete circle.

TURTLED
(Turn Turtle)
A Capsized Vessel with the Mast pointing toward the Bottom.

TWIST
The tortional effect of the wind along the Leech of the Sail.
(Also, see ANGLE OF ATTACK)

TYPHOON
A tropical Cyclone of force 12 or higher, indigenous to the western
Pacific Ocean and the China Sea.

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