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If you’ve been with us this long, you’ve probably learned some interesting shipping terminology. In this instalment, we continue with terms beginning with J, K and L. Continue learning below!

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J

Jack – Could refer to both a sailor and a flag.

Jacklines, or jack stays – Made from steel wire with a plastic coating, these lines run from the bow to the stern on both the port and starboard sides. Crewmembers use them to walk safely along the deck by clipping a harness to them.

Jackstay – An iron rod which is bolted clear of the mainmast. The luff from the mainsail is laced to it.

Jetty – Usually man-made in open water, a jetty rises above the high tide and can be made of rubble and rocks. It creates a breakwater, or is used for shelter, erosion control, or as a channel.

Jetsam – Debris that has been left behind when a ship has sunk or washes ashore. See also, flotsam.

Jib – A staysail in a triangular shape, sits at the front of the ship.

Jibboom – A spar that extends the bowsprit.

Jolly boat – The boat used to ferry crew and stores from a barge when the barge is moored.

Jonah – A sailor or passenger thought to carry a jinx. One whose presence on the ship brings bad luck or endangers the passengers.

Jury rig - Rigging a temp. mast and sails as well as the name of the resulting structure.

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K

Kedge – Refers to the act of moving or turning a ship using a light anchor, known as a kedge.

Keel – The central structural base of the hull of the ship.

Killick – A small anchor. Also refers to a badge of a non-commissioned officer in the RN.

King plank – The middle plank of a laid deck. Its edges are nibbed to take on the ends of the other parallel curved deck planks.

Knee - Connecting two parts at right angles.

Knighthead – Two timbers that rise from the keel of a ship and support the inner end of the bowsprit.

Knot – A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour.

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L

Lace – Attaching a sail to a spar. It is done by passing a rope through holes and back around the spar or jackstay.

Ladder – All of the steps on ships are referred to as ladders, unless they are actual staircases on passenger ships.

Lagan – Any debris that has sunk and now lies on the seabed.

Laid up – Referring to something that has been placed in reserved or has been mothballed.

Land lubber – Someone who not familiar with being on the sea.

Landmark – An object that is visible from the sea but resides ashore.

Lanyard – A rope that is used to tie something off.

Lay day – An unexpected period of delay during a voyage. May be spent in a harbour or at anchor.

Leadline – An object that is used in navigation. It measures the water’s depth.

League – Equal to three nautical miles, it is a unit of length.

Leeway – The amount of open sailing space that is available to a ship to leeward before causing a hazard or encounter others. Also refers to the amount that a ship may be blown leeward.

Liberty – A period of time when sailors may go ashore for recreation.

Lightering – Refers to transferring cargo from one ship to another. May be used to free a vessel that has been grounded or to allow a ship to go into a port with limited depth.

Line – Refers to most of the ropes aboard a ship.

Lower deck – The deck that is just above the hold of the ship.

Luff – The front edge of a sail.

Luffing – Sailing a ship far enough into the wind so that the sail is not completely filled with wind.

Lying ahull – The act of waiting for a storm to pass and dousing the sails to let the boat drift.

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If you’ve enjoyed learning more about the language of the seas, why not contact us today to take your training to the next level?