Glossary: deck

16 terms in this category.

• Able Seaman
  Certified deck rating with a minimum of 18 months sea service, competent in watchkeeping, mooring, and cargo handling.
• Bosun
  Senior unlicensed deck rating responsible for the upkeep of deck equipment, mooring gear, and supervision of the deck crew.
• Capstan
  A vertical-axis powered drum on deck used to heave in mooring lines or warping lines.
• Draft
  The vertical distance between the keel and the waterline, determining the minimum water depth needed for safe navigation.
• Fender
  A cushioning device of rubber, foam, or rope placed between a vessel and a berth or another vessel to prevent damage.
• Freeboard
  The vertical distance from the waterline to the main deck edge, indicating reserve buoyancy and load line compliance.
• Gangway
  A portable access ladder or bridge rigged over the ship's side to allow persons to embark and disembark safely.
• Hawser
  A large rope or cable used for mooring or towing a vessel, typically greater than 25mm in diameter.
• List
  A permanent transverse inclination of a vessel caused by an uneven distribution of weights across the ship.
• Mooring
  Securing a vessel to a berth, buoy, or anchor using lines, chains, or anchors to keep it stationary.
• Ordinary Seaman
  Entry-level unlicensed deck rating assigned general duties under the supervision of ABs and the bosun.
• Pilot Ladder
  A rope side ladder rigged overside to enable a pilot to board or disembark from a ship at sea.
• Safe Working Load
  The maximum load that lifting gear, mooring lines, or deck equipment is certified to bear without risk of failure in normal use.
• Spring Line
  A mooring line leading forward or aft at a shallow angle to prevent the ship from moving ahead or astern.
• Trim
  The difference between forward and aft draft; a vessel trims by the head if forward draft exceeds aft draft.
• Windlass
  A powered deck machine used to heave in or pay out anchor chain and sometimes mooring lines.