Newbie question: What is this part of the boat called?

[Art]

No shame if you didnt know. But means you wouldnt have been able to tell the girls where to find you.

"The term upriver (or upstream) refers to the direction towards the source of the river, i.e. against the direction of flow. Likewise, the term downriver (or downstream) describes the direction towards the mouth of the river, in which the current flows. The term left bank refers to the left bank in the direction of flow, right bank to the right.".

"Lefty loosie" [bank on left side while traveling in direction of water leaving river]

"Righty tightie" [bank on left side while traveling against direction of water leaving river]

Somewhat applicable saying is for right handed [common] thread bolts:

When nut is traveling in a direction on thread of the nut entering onto the bolt - turn to right if looking up the bolt - turn to left if looking down the bolt.

When nut is traveling in a direction on thread of the nut leaving off the bolt - turn to left if looking up the bolt - turn to right if looking down the bolt.

For river water: IMO... saying up stream and down stream works best for most peoples' understanding.

For bolts: IMO... saying tighten and loosen works best for most peoples' understanding.

Just felt like rambling this eve!

 

[CaptTom]

I think the left/right bank is a Western Rivers thing. I never heard it along the East Coast. I've seen it written as "Left (or Right) Descending Bank" which I think is about as descriptive as you're gonna get. Anyway, that's how I remember it.

I also never heard the "lefty loosie righty tightie" thing until later in life. I just assumed everyone grew up knowing which way was tighten, and which was loosen.

 

[Art]

I think the left/right bank is a Western Rivers thing. I never heard it along the East Coast. I've seen it written as "Left (or Right) Descending Bank" which I think is about as descriptive as you're gonna get. Anyway, that's how I remember it.

I also never heard the "lefty loosie righty tightie" thing until later in life. I just assumed everyone grew up knowing which way was tighten, and which was loosen.

Dyslexia tends to reverse directional thinking. With the many people I've had work with/for me over the years: I found the fun to say, easy to remember "leftie loosie / rightie tightie" saying works well when needed to get their minds back in line of screw-direction reality.

After a person has used the saying a few times, simply saying either "leftie loosie" or "rightie tightie" is all they need to turn things in correct direction to accomplish the endeavor at hand.

There are more items than imaginable in the construction trades where correct "screwing" directions/maneuvers are required to loosen or tighten things.

Repeating "leftie loosie" or "rightie tightie" solves most screwing-direction concerns/problems that some workers may experience.

 

[JWellington]

Attn: people in England: If I asked you if its true that your parlement buildings(the palace of Westminter), are on the left bank of the Thames river, would you agree? Or would you says it depends? Or say you dont know that system?

 

[psneeld]

Rather.......the norm....everywhere.

Not in much of the East Coast USA.

 

[Bob Cofer]

Another amazing TF topic drift!

 

[psneeld]

Another amazing TF topic drift!

Probably because the original question has no right or wrong answer and lots of people see it differently. So it petered out.

Like most TF topics that last more than 10 posts.

 

[JWellington]

Probably because the original question has no right or wrong answer and lots of people see it differently. So it petered out.

Like most TF topics that last more than 10 posts.

Im still waiting for an Englishman to verify that their parlement buildings are on the left bank of the Thames. Or if theyll say it depends.

 

[kthoennes]

Contrary to those who apparently think it's universal, I think the left/right bank thing is definitely not common everywhere. I always thought of Parliament in London on the north bank (although I know, that particular stretch of the Thames runs north and south so it's maybe the west bank, but I still think north generally). And then of course there's the "West Bank" of the Jordan River in perpetual controversy. Nobody ever calls it the "Left Bank" (or would that be right bank? Jordan flows N to S, so left?). On this part of the Missouri River we never say left/right or compass directions either because it meanders like crazy. It's the "South Dakota side" or "Nebraska side" because it forms state borders (well, until it veers north). But that's not just here, I know boaters are in the same habit for Nebraska/Iowa, Nebraska/Missouri, and Kansas/Missouri. When I was sailing on the lower Connecticut River we always used either the east/west sides, or even the towns. Saybrook side, Old Lyme side. Heck, we even called it the Chester side or the (Gillette) Castle or Haddam side. I worked on some shore facilities on the Hudson for a while, we always called with east or west side.

 

[FWT]

Call it anything you like so long as everyone you communicate with understands the communication. Call it Alice if you like.

My wife calls the lazarette under the saloon "the basement". We both know where she means, and it works fine.

The French might have another word for it, which is fine if you are French. I'm not, but neither am I expecting to chat with someone French. No matter.

Flybridge. Skybridge. You say potato, etc.

 

[FWT]

Definition of trunk cabin
: a cabin on a boat (as a yacht) with the upper portion projecting above the deck

Maybe "cabin trunk deck" or just "trunk deck"

 

[rgano]

Some folks, quite probably the OP included, want to know the proper nomenclature for any endeavor upon which embarked, and I think it a laudable attitude. The English language is rife with words and phrases derived from our rich nautical heritage, and most lubbers don't even know that. While I am no stickler, I insist on a couple of proper terms from people who know better, especially the use of directions of things from the boat because left and right are sooo easily confused while port or stbd or bow or aft get my head swiveling in the proper direction. Lubbers aboard are given wide terminology latitude and allowed to simply point cuz we want them to come back!

 

[FWT]

Some folks, quite probably the OP included, want to know the proper nomenclature for any endeavor upon which embarked, and I think it a laudable attitude. The English language is rife with words and phrases derived from our rich nautical heritage, and most lubbers don't even know that. While I am no stickler, I insist on a couple of proper terms from people who know better, especially the use of directions of things from the boat because left and right are sooo easily confused while port or stbd or bow or aft get my head swiveling in the proper direction. Lubbers aboard are given wide terminology latitude and allowed to simply point cuz we want them to come back!

Laudable to be sure!

Not every part of every design will have a historically accurate and widely understood name for it. Hence this discussion.

That's not at all the same as needing port and starboard for communication broadly with strangers, often involving safety. Or similar.

 

[Art]

Hard to port can be understood [or misunderstood - lol] as:

1. Turn wheel hard to port
2. Turn rudder hard to port
3. Turn boat hard to port

Hard to starboard can be understood [or misunderstood - lol] as:

1. Turn wheel hard to starboard
2. Turn rudder hard to starboard
3. Turn boat hard to starboard

Getting there one way or another!

 

[JWellington]

Contrary to those who apparently think it's universal, I think the left/right bank thing is definitely not common everywhere. I always thought of Parliament in London on the north bank (although I know, that particular stretch of the Thames runs north and south so it's maybe the west bank, but I still think north generally). And then of course there's the "West Bank" of the Jordan River in perpetual controversy. Nobody ever calls it the "Left Bank" (or would that be right bank? Jordan flows N to S, so left?). On this part of the Missouri River we never say left/right or compass directions either because it meanders like crazy. It's the "South Dakota side" or "Nebraska side" because it forms state borders (well, until it veers north). But that's not just here, I know boaters are in the same habit for Nebraska/Iowa, Nebraska/Missouri, and Kansas/Missouri. When I was sailing on the lower Connecticut River we always used either the east/west sides, or even the towns. Saybrook side, Old Lyme side. Heck, we even called it the Chester side or the (Gillette) Castle or Haddam side. I worked on some shore facilities on the Hudson for a while, we always called with east or west side.

Thats the funny thing about rivers, they might run north, south , east or west, but whichever direction, they all only have one left and one right bank. And the parliment buildings are on the left bank. I looked it up too, and they didnt say it depends, or north or south.

 

[OldDan1943]

Pointy end
Port side
Starboard
Other end often called the blunt end.

 

[JWellington]

Hard to port can be understood [or misunderstood - lol] as:

1. Turn wheel hard to port
2. Turn rudder hard to port
3. Turn boat hard to port

Hard to starboard can be understood [or misunderstood - lol] as:

1. Turn wheel hard to starboard
2. Turn rudder hard to starboard
3. Turn boat hard to starboard

Getting there one way or another!

You mean if somebody is told to turn the boat to port, he'll think the guy meant to starboard instead? Such a helmsman should be reveaved of duty..

 

[guy with a boat]

Thats the funny thing about rivers, they might run north, south , east or west, but whichever direction, they all only have one left and one right bank. And the parliment buildings are on the left bank. I looked it up too, and they didnt say it depends, or north or south.

You might be on your own on this one.

Run your tour boat up river and announce to the passengers that there is wildlife on the left river bank. Which way do they look? Exactly.

Apparently left and right isn’t so perfect. If only there were nautical terms that removed the uncertainty…

 

[JWellington]

You might be on your own on this one.

Run your tour boat up river and announce to the passengers that there is wildlife on the left river bank. Which way do they look? Exactly.

Apparently left and right isn’t so perfect. If only there were nautical terms that removed the uncertainty…

OK, maybe I better write in to Britannica , who wrote, "It is located on the left bank of the River Thames in the borough of Westminster, London.". Ill mention that even though they ,and I know of that convention, many tourists and boaters apparently dont.

 

[OldDan1943]

"Come port 10 degrees"

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
I remember when it was "politically correct?" to sing along with the Flintstones' theme song. Never had an inkling that "gay old time" would come to mean anything but good clean fun.

Edit: OK go ahead and back up.

 

[rgano]

Hard to port can be understood [or misunderstood - lol] as:

1. Turn wheel hard to port
2. Turn rudder hard to port
3. Turn boat hard to port

Hard to starboard can be understood [or misunderstood - lol] as:

1. Turn wheel hard to starboard
2. Turn rudder hard to starboard
3. Turn boat hard to starboard

Getting there one way or another!

Rudder commands in the US Navy and the merchant vessels I sailed in are all left and right. None of this port your helm BS.

 

[rgano]

Laudable to be sure!

Not every part of every design will have a historically accurate and widely understood name for it. Hence this discussion.

That's not at all the same as needing port and starboard for communication broadly with strangers, often involving safety. Or similar.

As "cockpit" which started this conversation is a prime example.

 

[OldDan1943]

Rudder commands in the US Navy and the merchant vessels I sailed in are all left and right. None of this port your helm BS.

Hmmm, I guess on subs things are different.

 

[Art]

Rudder commands in the US Navy and the merchant vessels I sailed in are all left and right. None of this port your helm BS.

I've heard that before...!!

 

[kthoennes]

You might be on your own on this one.

Run your tour boat up river and announce to the passengers that there is wildlife on the left river bank. Which way do they look? Exactly.

Apparently left and right isn’t so perfect. If only there were nautical terms that removed the uncertainty…

There you go, good example. And then here's another one -- the lower Connecticut River and the Hudson River all the way up to the Erie Canal are tidal and flow in both directions -- so then you can't even use flow to the ocean to determine left and right, has to be strictly geography. So when your boat is moving either way on the river, good luck trying to keep left and right banks clear in your head as you're moving *up* to Essex or Troy from the ocean.

 

[bvaldyke]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockpit
"The word cockpit seems to have been used as a nautical term in the 17th century... It referred to an area in the rear of a ship where the cockswain's station was located, the cockswain being the pilot of a smaller "boat" that could be dispatched from the ship to board another ship or to bring people ashore. The word "cockswain" in turn derives from the old English terms for "boat-servant" (coque is the French word for "shell"; and swain was old English for boy or servant).[3] The midshipmen and master's mates were later berthed in the cockpit, and it served as the action station for the ship's surgeon and his mates during battle. Thus by the 18th century, "cockpit" had come to designate an area in the rear lower deck of a warship where the wounded were taken. The same term later came to designate the place from which a sailing vessel is steered, because it is also located in the rear, and is often in a well or "pit"..."

 

[Bryant]

Aft deck

I want to call it an 'aft deck', but then what do I call the deck above the aft cabin?

The very top is the Bridge Deck. Then it’s aft deck or boat deck followed by cockpit, according to the terminology I use.

 

[Wattsup]

Poop deck.

 

[amapola]

We call ours the aft cockpit and often refer to it as the back porch. We call the upper deck the dinghy deck.