| A | B |
| aft | toward the back of the boat |
| beam | the width of the boat |
| berths | sleeping areas on a boat |
| capsize | to overturn |
| companionway | the boat's stairway from one deck to another |
| deck | the surface on top of the boat, on which people stand; the floor of the boat |
| galley | the kitchen area of the boat |
| hull | the main body or shell of a boat |
| nonnegotiable wave | a wave that exceeds a boat's ability to withstand it |
| pitch-pole | to flip end over end |
| prop | short for propeller |
| rogue wave | extremely steep freak wave |
| rudder | flat device attached behind or beneath the rear of the boat; used to ocntrol the direction in which the boat is traveling |
| trough | the low point between waves |
| upsea | into the wind (not an official term) |
| wheelhouse | the uppermost cabin of a boat, which houses the steering wheel and navigation equipment |