Whether you enjoy tubing, waterskiing, sailing, or going for a sunset cruise, many of us will be finding ourselves on boats this summer. I thought it would be helpful to list some nautical etiquette and terms so that you can be the perfect guest.
Etiquette
1. Before boarding a boat please ask for permission to come aboard
2. Either remove your shoes or make sure you are wearing non-skiff shoes (such as Sperry’s)
3. Make sure that there are enough lifejackets for all people aboard (even if you are not wearing one)
4. Upon leaving the dock, make sure that all lines and fenders are in
5. Respect the captain’s requests
Terms
1. The front of the boat is referred to as the bow and the back of the boat is the stern (the front is also known as forward and the back as aft)
2. Right is known as starboard and is marked by the color green and left is known as port and is marked by the color red
3. When coming into the harbor the red channel markers should be on your right and the green channel markers should be on your left (when leaving the harbor the green markers should be on your right and red on your left)
4. When the boat is at the dock, it is “docked” not “parked”
5. Boaters use nautical charts, not “maps” to help them navigate
Hopefully you all know a little more about boating and have a wonderful time on the water this summer!
