BOATsmart! Canada
Knowledge Base

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Transom:

The cross-section that forms the stern of the boat.

Stern:

The back section of a boat.

Bow:

The forward or front part of a boat.

Port:

The left side of the boat when seated and looking forward.

Starboard:

The right side of the boat when seated and looking forward.

Beam:

The width of a boat at its widest point.

Length:

The distance, in a straight line, from the tip of the bow to the farthest point on the stern, excluding the swim platform.

Waterline:

The line created by the water level on the side of a boat’s hull, when the boat is safely loaded with passengers (guests) and equipment.

Freeboard:

The distance from the waterline to the upper edge of a boat’s deck, at it’s lowest point.

Draft:

The depth of water that a boat needs to float freely, measured as the distance from the waterline to the lowest point on the boat.

Propeller:

Also known as the ‘prop’, this piece of equipment rotates and powers a boat forward or backward.

Memory Tip

Can’t remember which side of your boat is ‘port’ or ‘starboard’? You’ll like this rule of thumb: Just remember that  the word ‘port’ has 4 letters and so does the word ‘left’!