BOW:
Front of a vessel

BOW LINE:
A line (rope) used at the bow of a vessel

BUOY:
Anchored, floating device used as an aid to navigation

CABIN:
Enclosed living space

CAPSIZE:
To turn on the side or turn completely over

CAST OFF:
To undo all mooring lines (ropes) in preparation for departure

CHANNEL:
Portion of a waterway that is navigable and usually marked

CHART:
Map used for navigation

CHC
Canadian Helicopter Company

CIRS
Community Inshore Rescue Service

CLEAT:
Metal fitting on which a rope can be fastened

COURSE:
Direction that a vessel is steered through the water

COWL:
Hooded opening used for ventilation

CoC
Certificate of Competency

CU
Coastal Unit of the Irish Coast Guard

DAO
Coast Guard Voluntary Coastal Unit Deputy Area Officer

D CLASS
D Class Inflatable Rescue Boat

DECK:
Covering of the hull

DOWN CURRENT:
In the direction the current is flowing

DOWNWIND:
In the direction the wind is blowing

DRAFT:
Depth of water needed to float a vessel

DSC
Digital Selective Calling

EC
European Commission

EFQM
European Foundation for Quality Management

EMSA
European Maritime Safety Agency

EMBARK:
To go onboard

EPIRB
Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon

ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival

ETD
Estimated Time of Departure

ETV
Emergency Towing Vessel

EU
European Union

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FAIRWAY:
Navigable channel

FLIR
Forward looking Infared

FORWARD:
Toward the bow

FREEBOARD:
Distance from water to lowest point of the boat where water could come onboard

FURL:
To roll up tightly and make secure

FSA
Formal Safety Assessment (MCA)

FV
Fishing Vessel

GIVE-WAY BOAT:
The vessel that is required to take early and substantial action to keep well away from other vessels by stopping, slowing down or changing course

GMDSS
Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

GUNWALE:
Upper edge of vessels side (generally pronounced gunnel)

HALYARDS:
Lines (ropes) used to raise and lower sails

HATCH:
Closable opening in the deck

HLS
Helicopter Landing Site

HSC
High Speed Craft

HULL:
Body of a vessel; basic structure or shell

IAA
Irish Aviation Authority

IACS
International Association of Classification Societies

ICS
Incident Command System

ICCS
Integrated Coast Guard Communication System

ILO
International Labour Organization

IM
Incident Manager

IMO
International Maritime Organization

IMS
Incident Management System

IMPRZ
Irish Marine Pollution Responsibility Zone

ISRR
Irish Search & Rescue Region

IMSARC
Irish Marine Search and Rescue Committee

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KEEL:
Main centreline (backbone) of a vessel or the extension of hull that increases stability in the water

LANYARD:
Short cord used for fastening something or securing rigging; on a PWC it attaches the ignition safety switch to the operators wrist or personal flotation device (life jacket)

LEEWARD:
Direction toward which the wind is blowing, or downwind. Leeward boat refers to the vessel that is downwind of the other.

LKP
Last Known Position

MARINA:
A facility providing vessel moorage space, fuel, or commercial services

MARPOL
Marine Pollution Convention of the IMO

MAST:
Vertical spar on which sails are set

MASTHEAD LIGHT:
White light that shines forward and to both sides

MED
Marine Equipment Directive

MER
Marine Emergency Room at MRCC

MEPC
Marine Environment Protection Committee

MIIB
Marine Incident Investigation Board

MMSI
Marine Mobile Service Identity

MOOR:
To keep a vessel in place by setting anchor or tying the vessel to a fixed object or buoy

MoU
Memorandum of Understanding

MSC
Maritime Safety Committee

MRCC
Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre

MRSC
Maritime Rescue Sub Centre

MRT
Mountain rescue Team

MSD
Maritime Safety Directorate of Department of Transport

NAVIGATION LIGHTS:
Lights shown by a vessel that indicate course, position, and type of vessel

NCCMCR
National Co-Ordination Committee for Mountain and Cave Rescue

NCP
National Contingency Plan

OPRC
International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990

OSC
On-Scene Co-Coordinator

OSR
Oil Spill Response.

OVERBOARD
Over the side or out of the vessel

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PFD
Personal Flotation Device. A buoyant vest, coat, or suit designed to be worn or a buoyant ring or cushion designed to be grasped

PIER
Structure extending into the water from shoreline to allow vessels to dock

PolRep
Pollution Report

PORT:
Left side of a vessel

POWERBOAT:
A vessel whose means of propulsion is an engine

POWER-DRIVEN VESSEL:
Any vessel propelled by an engine, including sailboats under engine power

PROPELLER:
Rotating wheel that turns and powers a vessel forward or backwards

PSC
Port State Control

PWC
Personal Water Craft. A small vessel that uses an inboard jetdrive as its primary source of propulsion, and is designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel rather than inside the vessel

RNLI
Royal National Lifeboat Institution

RIB
Rigid Inflatable Boat

RUDDER:
Steering device, usually a vertical blade attached to a post at, or near, the stern ofthe vessel

SAR
Search and Rescue

SAFETY LANYARD:
Short cord for attaching the ignition safety switch to your wrist or personal flotation device (life jacket)

SAILBOAT:
A vessel propelled by the effect of wind on a sail(s); may also have an engine for auxiliary propulsion

SARDA
Search and Rescue Dog Association

SAR Ops
Search and Rescue Operations Division

SHEETS:
Lines (ropes) used to control the angle of the sails to the wind

SOLAS
Safety of Life at Sea Convention

SIDELIGHTS
Red and green navigation lights visible to another vessel approaching from the side or head-on (also called combination lights); red indicates a vessels port side; green indicates a vessels starboard side

STAND-ON VESSEL:
The vessel that must maintain its course and speed unless it becomes apparent that the give-way boat is not taking appropriate action; if you must take action, do not turn toward the give-way boat or cross in front of it.

STARBOARD:
Right side of a vessel

STCW
Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention of the IMO

STERN:
Back of a vessel

STERNLIGHT:
White light seen only from behind or nearly behind the vessel

STERN LINE:
A line (rope) used at the stern of a vessel

SWAMP:
To fill with water

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TIDE:
The vertical rise and fall of ocean water resulting from the moon and sun exerting a pull on the earth

TILLER:
Bar or handle for turning a vessels rudder or outboard motor

TRANSOM:
Vertical surface at the back of the hull

TRIM:
Term that refers to the running position of the engine drive unit

UNDERWAY:
Making progress through the water; not at anchor, aground, or made fast to the shore

UNPOWERED VESSEL:
Any sailboat under sail power alone and vessels that are paddled, poled or rowed

UPSTREAM:
In the direction that is against the current

UPWIND:
In the direction that is against the wind

VESSEL:
Every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation of persons and property on the water

Vol
Volunteer Member of an Irish Coast Guard Coastal Unit.

VS&T
Voluntary Services and Training Division

VTMD
Vessel Traffic Monitoring Directive

VTS
Vessel Traffic System

WAKE:
Waves that a vessel makes as it moves through the water

WINDWARD:
Direction from which the wind is blowing, or upwind. Windward boat refers to the vessel that is upwind of the other.

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