More Sailing Terms Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tide whose range is minimal

Neap tides occur just after the 1st and 3rd quarters of the lunar cycle. These tides occur when there is least difference between high & low water, though sailors usually call the few days each side of neap tide "Neaps". At "neaps", you are less likely to run aground as sea level at low water doesn't go down so much. Conversely, there will be less depth over obstructions at high water than would be the case at higher, i.e. spring tides.

Answer: Yellow

The yellow flag is the international signal flag for, "my vessel is healthy". It is known as the "Q" flag, and in effect invites Customs Officers to inspect your vessel. Once inspected, or after a specified period awaiting inspection, the Q flag can be lowered, and need not be raised again while inside the territorial waters of that country.

Answer: False

"Save our souls" may sound correct, and is believed so by many sailors, but it isn't. If you think about it, 'Save our souls" would have different letters in other languages so is clearly wrong. The letter sequence "S.O.S." was actually selected because of the easily recognised morse code pattern for these letters, which consists of 3 dots, 3 dashes, 3 dots.

Answer: Yawl

A spanker is a fore & aft sail set from the rear mast on a square rigged vessel. A mizzen is the aft sail on a ketch or yawl. A course is the bottom sail on any mast of a square rigger; e.g. the bottom sail on the main mast would be the "main course". A yawl is a two masted sailing vessel.

Answer: Cone shaped

They are cone shaped, which appear triangular from side view. North cardinal buoys have two cones pointing up. South have 2 cones pointing down. East have two cones pointing away from each other, and West have 2 cones pointing towards each other. If you aren't a sailor, have a look next time you're on a ferry entering a port or harbour.

Answer: False

Absolutely untrue, though it is a commonly held misconception. In fact, there are few cases when power must give way to sail. Examples where the vessel proceeding under power has right of way are - vessel engaged in fishing, vessel towing, vessel constrained by draught, i.e., it must stay in a narrow channel of deep water, vessel in a ship separation lane - such as the English Channel, etc. Also, if the sailing vessel is the overtaking vessel it must keep clear of the motor vessel.

Answer: False

It actually comes from the French phrase "M'aidez", which means "help me". Mayday should only be used when a vessel or person on board is in grave and imminent danger. Otherwise a lower priority signal such as "Pan-pan" must be used. Incorrect use of "Mayday", could draw severe criticism from authorities.

Answer: Sheets

Sheets let sails in or out, and pull them from one side to the other during a change of direction. The expression "three sheets to the wind", meaning "drunk & disorderly"., comes from the way an old sailing ship would stagger like a drunk if three of it's sheets snapped or were inadvertently let go, thus causing three of it's sails to be completely out of control. Yards are horizontal booms from which square sails are set. Shrouds are the fixed rigging which support the masts sideways. Stays are the fixed rigging which support the masts fore and aft.

Answer: The loom

The loom can usually be seen well before the light itself is visible. As soon as the light appears it is then possible to accurately calculate its distance away. This is because both the height of your eye and the height of the light above sea level are known.

The time period and sequence of the loom can also be measured, which then positively identifies the lighthouse from the boats' almanac.

Answer: Force 8

The "Beaufort Scale" for measurement of wind strength and speed was devised by Rear Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort in 1805, when he held the rank of Commander. Admiral Beaufort was born in Ireland in 1774 and had a distinguished Naval career. Force 7 is classed as "Near Gale". Force 10 is "Storm". Force 12 is "Hurricane", and you really wouldn't like to be out in this sort of weather.

Answer: Vang

On some modern yachts, the vang is a hydraulic ram which is pumped in or out as required. The tack is the lower front corner of a triangular sail. Stays are fixed rigging (ropes) which support the masts. A kedge is a small auxilliary anchor, which is often deployed after running aground in order to prevent the incoming tide forcing the vessel further inshore.

Answer: Lateen

A Danforth anchor is one having wide, flat flukes which fold up for stowage and deploy when in use. A Bruce anchor is a heavy anchor with fixed wide flukes. A CQR anchor (meaning "secure") is also known as a plough anchor, and has a single wide, curved, folding fluke. A Lateen is an ancient type of sail which is still in everyday use from the Middle East to India on dhows and feluccas.

Answer: Switzerland

The America's Cup is world famous, and fortunes are spent on producing the best yachts and crews. Traditionally, the winning Nation hosts the next challenge, which will be in 2007. Switzerland is landlocked, in fact the first landlocked Country to win the cup, so Spain will host the 2007 race from the city of Valencia.

Answer: Tying up a vessel to a jetty or harbour

Warps are used to keep the vessel close to the shore. Springs are used to prevent it moving backwards or forwards.

Answer: Square lashing

A square lashing is a type of pioneering knot used to lash two poles together at right angles. A carrick bend, also known as a "sailor's knot", is used to join two heavy ropes. A sheet bend is used to tie together two ropes of different thickness. A bowline is probably the most important sailing knot, used to tie halyards and sheets to the sails, and to tie up the boat to the shore.