Avast me harties, ahoy there shippers! We’ve had some comments from non-sailing landlubber (hat making) friends who have found our blog somewhat unintelligible, so just for you Susan (and anyone else without a babel fish to hand), here are some translations that might help:

Introductions

Ahoy: Why, hello.

Shippers: Short form of Shipmate, as in close dear friend as in, Ahoy shippers.

Avast me hearties: Should be self-explanatory, don’t tell me you’ve never been a pirate.

Bits of the boat

Bow: The pointy bit up front

Genoa: Triangular sail at the front of the boat, bigger than a jib. Specifically, the clew of the sail extends further aft of the mast, otherwise it would be a jib. Dang it, I’ve confused everything again, haven’t I?

Jib: Small triangular sail at the front of the boat, before the main mast

Port:

Starboard: The right-hand side of the boat as you’re looking forward towards the pointy bit (bow). Supposedly derived from the old English steorbord or steer-board, i.e. the side of the ship from which the ship was steered by oar (with most people being right-handed) in the days before rudders (the thing under the water that turns the boat)

Stern: Not just how the Captain looks after the Skipper’s latest stupid idea, also a term for the back of the boat.

What are we doing

Going about: Not just aimlessly wandering, but actually changing direction such that the wind is on the other side of the sails.

Going Astern: Not just the Skipper starting to annoy the Captain, but also moving the boat backwards.

Where are we going

Heading downwind: Travelling in the same direction as the wind

Heading upwind: Traveling against the wind

Leeward: Pronounced lew-ward, going away from the wind.

Windward: In the direction of the wind.

Nautical insults

Doesn’t know the spanker from the spirit-stay: A favourite we’ve robbed from Hornblower as in, generally doesn’t know anything, or specifically doesn’t know the spanker (fore and aft rigged sail on a old-style square-rigged ship) from the spirit-stay (the piece of rigging underneath the bowsprit which stops it being lifted upwards).

Landlubber: Non-sailing person, a lover of the land.