Glossary of Terms
If you’re not quite sure what a term or phrase means, check out the following descriptions of common terms and phrases below.
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z
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A -
- A -mid -ships - To, near to, or in the middle of a ship
- Abaft - Towards the stern
- Aft - The rear of a boat
- The rear of a boat, sometimes also called the stern.
- Answer Pins - Detachable hooks which fix to steel eyes protruding from the boat's name panel on a butty.
- Apron - Part of the lock bottom where the sills are fixed
- Arm - A cul-de-sac canal of short length serving either a town , factory or quarry.
B -
- Boater - A person living or working on a canal boat
- Bore - A tidal wave, as seen on the River Severn. The Severn Bore.
- .
- Bow -haul - To pull a boat by hand
- Butty - A unpowered boat being pulled by a powered boat.
C -
- Carvel Built - Designating a boat or ship built with the hull planks lying flush or edge to edge, rather than overlapping.
- Clinker built - A boat built with overlapping planks or boards.
F -
G -
- Gongoozeler - A casual observer to be found near you on the canal bank/bridge/lock especially as you mess up an otherwise standard manoevure.
- Gunwale - The narrow deck along the motor's cabin and top edge of the boat's side.
I -
- Inclined plane - Where there is a large change in levels, rails are laid at a steep gradient and tanks are run up and down the slope with boats floating in them
- Inside - On the same side as the towpath.
L -
- Lock - Used to raise or lower boats
- A mechanical construction used to raise or lower boats between different water levels on rivers or canals using controlled changes of water levels to float the boat to its new level.
O -
P -
S -
T -
- To wind - Pronounced as in wind and rain. To turn a boat around.
- Tug - A boat designed for towing as opposed to carrying
W -
- Winding Hole - An especially created widening of the canal to allow narrow boats to turn.
- Windlass - An "L" shaped handle for winding lock paddles
