Boat lingo
Air draft The height of the boat above the waterline – worth knowing when approaching low bridges.
Anode Also known as sacrificial anodes. In freshwater, these are a large piece of magnesium welded to the narrowboat’s steel hull beneath the waterline. They protect the hull from corrosion caused by electrolysis.
Beam The width of a boat at its widest point.
Berth A bed on a boat.
Bilge The section at the bottom of the boat, usually under the floor, where water can collect.
Bilge pump A pump for removing water that has collected in the bilges.
Blacking A protective coat of specialist bitumen-based paint which is applied to steel hulls to prevent rusting. Other protective coatings are sometimes used.
Blacking A protective coat of specialist bitumen-based paint which is applied to steel hulls to prevent rusting. Other protective coatings are sometimes used.
Boat Safety Certificate The equivalent of an MOT for canal boats. They are valid for four years.
Boat Safety Certificate The equivalent of an MOT for canal boats. They are valid for four years.
Bow The front of the boat.
Bow thruster A small propeller located in the bow which is used to help steer the boat.
Bulkhead An upright wall inside the boat.
Bulkhead An upright wall inside the boat.
Butty An unpowered narrowboat, often towed behind a motorised narrowboat.
Calorifier A water tank, usually heated by the running engine.
Cassette toilet A toilet with a removable sewage-storage cassette.
Cratch cover A canvas cover fitted over the forward well deck.
Cruiser stern A boat with a back deck of between between 4–8ft in length, providing lots of space for several people.
Dinette An arrangement of a dining table and seating which can be converted to become a bed.
Draft The amount of the hull that is below the waterline – another useful measurement to know.
Elsan point A sewage disposal facility where boaters can empty the contents of a cassette toilet.
Fiddle A raised lip or rail around the edge of a shelf to prevent items from sliding off.
Galley The kitchen area of a boat.
Galvanic Isolator An electrical device which prevents hull corrosion.
Gunwale The top edge of the hull were it joins the cabin side – pronounced ‘gunnel’ similar to tunnel.
Hull The main part of the boat that sits in the water and gives a boat its buoyancy.
Inverter Electronic device which converts 12V DC battery power into 230V AC for appliances with three-pin
Inverter Electronic device which converts 12V DC battery power into 230V AC for appliances with three-pin plugs.
Mushroom vent A mushroom-shaped vent in the roof which provides airflow.
Mushroom vent A mushroom-shaped vent in the roof which provides airflow.
Overplate To weld new steel onto the corroded hull.
Pump-out toilet A type of toilet where sewage is stored in a large holding tank, which can be later pumped out at a pump-out facility.
Semi-traditional A style of narrowboat or wide beam with a large back deck surrounded by cabin sides, but no roof. These are a compromise, boasting the looks of a trad but with the space of a cruiser.
Saloon The living area on a boat.
Shoreline An electrical cable which connects the boat to a 230V electricity supply on the shore.
Skin tank A steel tank welded to the interior of the hull which provides engine cooling.
Stern The back of the boat.
Stern gland The threshold which separates the inside of the boat from the water outside, and where the propeller shaft passes through the hull. It is usually a tightly-packed combination of dense rope and grease.
Stretching When a boat is cut in two and a new section is welded in place to make the boat longer.
Traditional style A style of narrowboat or wide beam with a short back deck of usually 2–3ft
Tumblehome The angle of the inward slope on cabin sides.
Weed hatch A hatch with a watertight lid through which boaters can access the propeller.
Windlass A handle used for opening and closing lock paddles.