Definitions

Following are a few terms that I've picked up along the way. I'll continually update this post as I learn new words.

Aft - towards the rear (stern).

Athwartship - across the boat. If you are on the port side, the starboard side is athwartship. If you are at the stern, the bow is athwartship.

Beam - the width of the boat, generally the widest part of the boat.

Bow - the front end of the boat.

Chine – the line that is the junction of the bottom panels and the side panels.

Fillet - A fillet is a mixture of epoxy and filler that is used to join the plywood panels on the inside of the boat. The mixture has a putty consistency, and is applied over the stitches that pull the panels together.

Hull - the outer, watertight body of the boat.

Keel – the centre line on the bottom of the boat that is the junction of the two bottom panels.

Knee - a reinforcement that joins two panels, typically joining the transom to the bottom.

Port - the left side of the boat. (To remember the difference between port and starboard, just remember that the word "left" is shorter than "right", just as "port" is shorter than "starboard").

Starboard - the right side of the boat.

Stern - the rear of the boat.

Transom - the back panel of the boat. The outboard motor is attached to the transom.