Boat Terminology: All the Different Parts of a Boat

August 10, 2021

Whether you are looking to buy your first boat or studying to get your Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Card online, learning about boat anatomy is fundamental to safe boating.

This list covers the main parts found on most pleasure craft used in North America, including both motorized and unmotorized boats. The specific components may vary depending on the type and size of the vessel, but if you can recognize the terms in this list, you can be confident that you know basic boating terminology and can quickly identify the common parts of a boat.

Hull and Structure

Anchor: A heavy device, typically made of metal, designed to secure a vessel to the seabed and prevent it from drifting due to wind or current.
Bilge: The lowest indoor space where water collects and is drained off.
Bimini: Canvas or composite top that provides shade and shelter for the cockpit or deck of a boat.
Bow: The front or forward part of a boat. Bows help boats stay above waves by taking the boat over the next wave instead of breaking the wave in half.
Bulkhead: A wall or partition dividing the hull into compartments.
Cleats: Metal fixtures used to attach a rope or cable from your boat to the dock.
Deck: A flat surface area on the boat for passengers or cargo.
Fenders: Protective devices made of rubber, foam, or inflatable vinyl designed to prevent damage to a boat’s hull during docking or mooring by acting as a cushion between the boat and docks, pilings, or other vessels.
Galley: Kitchen area on larger boats.
Gunwale: The upper edge of the side of a vessel where the deck meets the hull. It gives the hull additional rigidity.
Head: Toilet facilities on a boat.
Hull: The main body of the vessel from the deck down, the part of the boat that floats in and sits above the water. There are various types of hull.
Keel: A long, thick beam that runs from the bow to the stern in the midline of the bottom of a boat (primarily on sailboats).
Stern: The back or rear part of a boat. On most boats, the engines are located at the stern, while others use it for storage or seating.
Transom: The flat panel at the stern where an outboard motor is attached.
Waterline: The line that divides the submerged section of a boat from the above-water section.

Navigation and Control

Console: Area housing the boat’s controls and instruments.
Helm: Includes all aspects of steering a boat, such as engine controls, the joystick and wheel, located within the console. The type of boat will determine which elements make up the helm.
Rudder: Flat, vertical control surface located at the stern of a boat, used to steer the vessel by directing the flow of water as it moves through the water.
Port: The port refers to the left side of a watercraft looking forward. For navigation purposes, it is essential to understand and use this term, and to know how it applies to buoys and markers. Tip for remembering which side is port: port and left both have 4 letters.
Starboard: The starboard refers to the right side of a watercraft looking forward. For navigation purposes, it is essential to understand and use this term, and to know how it applies to buoys and markers.
Navigation lights: Found on most boats, the most common navigation lights are red and green sidelights, as well as all-around white lights, which are found on powerboats.

Propulsion and Anchoring

Boom: Horizontal spar extending from the mast (sailboats).
Centerboard: Removable center fin on sailboats.
Mooring Line: Used to secure a boat to a fixed point, such as a mooring buoy or dock. Mooring is generally more permanent or long-term compared to anchoring.
Outboard motor: A motor that is mounted externally on the transom of a boat.
Propeller: Device with blades and a rotating hub used to move a boat forward or backward through water.
Rode: The combination of the anchor line (which can be rope, chain, or a combination of both) and the anchor itself.
Sail (for sailboats): A triangular or rectangular piece of material attached to a boat’s mast and used to catch the wind.
Spar: Pole made of wood, metal, or lightweight materials like carbon fiber, used in the rigging of a sailing vessel to carry or support the sail.

Boat Measurements

Beam: The width of the vessel at its widest point. Larger beams make boats more stable.
Deadrise: The angle of a powerboat hull’s “V” shape, measured in degrees at the transom.
Displacement: The weight of water displaced by the boat’s hull.
Draft: The distance from the waterline to the keel of a boat.
Dry weight: The weight of the boat without fuel or water on board.
Freeboard: The distance from the waterline to the gunwale of a boat.
Scope: The ratio between the length of anchor rode and the vertical distance from the bow of the boat to the sea floor.

Learn more about boating terminology from Drive A Boat Canada

Knowing the right terminology for the parts of a boat will help you understand how your boat functions and how to boat safely. Don’t forget to learn about boating safety equipment as well!

You can learn everything you need to know to take to the water legally by preparing for the Drive A Boat Canada online boating exam. Work through the boater safety course at your own pace, take the test (unlimited free retries!), and get your Canadian boating license!