Dinghy: A small boat, often towed behind a larger vessel for use as a ship-to-ship or ship-to-shore boat.
Dorsal: The upper side of an animal that swims in a horizontal position. The dorsal region refers to that general area on the animal. Dorsal fin refers to one or more fins that protrude from that region, i.e. a shark’s distinctive, curved fin.
Draft (or Draught): The measurement from a vessel’s waterline to the bottom of its hull. Draft determines the minimum water depth a ship or boat requires in order to navigate safely.
Economic Exclusive Zone: An EEZ is a sea zone over which a country has specific rights relating to the exploration and exploitation of its natural resources. It stretches from the end of said country’s territorial waters (the 12 mile limit) an additional 200 nautical miles.
Ensign: Naval rank, equivalent to a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Flats Boat: A small draft boat designed to safely run and operate in extremely shallow bodies of water, such as the Florida Keys.
Flying Gaff: A specialized gaff designed to land very large fish. The hook portion of the gaff detaches when embedded in a fish and remains secured to the boat by a strong cable or rope.
Fore: The front or bow of a ship or boat.
Foredeck: The bow portion of a ship’s deck.
Forecastle: The foremost portion of a ship’s upper deck. In medieval ships it served as a defensive stronghold where archers could rain fire down upon opposing vessels.
Galley: The kitchen or a ship or boat.
Gangplank: A moveable construct, often formed of strong planks, which bridges the distance between a ship and its mooring station. It enables the loading and offloading of goods and personnel.
Gimbal: The receiving point (socket) of a big-game fishing fighting belt or chair. The butt of the fishing rod inserts into this point and can swivel up and down to exert pressure on fish.
Gin Pole: A strong, vertical pole or tower, equipped with an extending arm and pulley system. Gin poles are used on fishing vessels to hoist very large fish onboard.
Gunnels/Gunwhales: The uppermost/top edges of a ship or boat’s hull.
Harbormaster: The official that enforces the regulations of a particular port or harbor.
Helm: A ship’s wheel or other steering mechanism (tiller, steering wheel, etc.).
Helmsman: The individual that steers a ship or boat.
Hydrophone: An underwater microphone.
Hydrostatic Pressure: The pressure exerted by water due to the effects of gravity.
Idling: When a boat sits idle with its engine running (in neutral). Idle boats tend to drift as a result of wind and tide.
Knot: A nautical unit of speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour, or about 1.151 mph.
Kraken: A mythological marine monster said to feed on whales and drag ships to their destruction. The Kraken is believed to be based on early sailors’ encounters with the giant squid.
Landing: A designated docking location for vessels at a marina.
Lanyard: A length or cord used to carry something and worn around the neck or wrist. Safety lanyards on boats and Jet Skis function as kill switches and shut down the vessel’s engine in the event the pilot falls overboard.
LRIT: Long Range Intelligence and Tracking. An international system of tracking ships using shipborne satellite communication equipment.
Manifest: A document listing the passengers, crew, and cargo of a vessel for official purposes.
Marguerite Formation: A defensive formation utilized by sperm whales and other cetaceans to defend their young. The adults encircle the vulnerable calves, typically with either their flukes or jaws pointed outward, in an attempt to ward off attackers.
Mollusk: A large phylum of invertebrate animals, including gastropods (snails and slugs) and cephalopods (octopus and squid).
Mooring: A permanent structure where a boat or ship may be moored (attached) such as a dock or jetty.
Mooring Line: Line of rope used to tie off or affix a boat or ship.
Mooring Station: An assigned location for a boat or ship to be attached or tied off.
Outboard: A non-integral and removable propulsion system for boats. Outboard motors attach directly to the transom. Multiple motors can be used for larger boats, with horsepower typically ranging from single digits all the way to three hundred or more.
Pectoral Fin(s): Paired fins in fish that provide dynamic lifting force, enabling some fish to maintain depth.
Phototropic Zone: The upper portion of a body of water where sunlight is the primary stimulus for growth and nourishment.
Plankton: Tiny organisms that live in the water column. Plankton are incapable of swimming against either tide or current. They are an important food source for many marine organisms.
Pod: A group of whales. Unlike a school of fish, pod members are often related individuals.
Port: Direction-wise, turning a boat or ship to the left. Portside = the left side of a boat or ship.
Porthole: A round window on a boat or ship.
Prop: A boat or ship’s propeller.
Prow: The foremost portion of a ship’s bow. The prow cuts through the water and is the portion of the bow above the waterline.
Runabout: A small boat, often used in the service of a larger vessel.
Schooner: A sailing vessel characterized by fore and aft sails on two or more masts.
Shoal: A group of fish that stay together for social reasons.
Slip: A reserved docking space for a boat, similar to a rented parking spot.
Sloop: A sailboat with a fore and aft rig and a single mast.
Sound: Also known as a seaway, a sound is a large inlet between two bodies of land.
Starboard: Direction-wise, turning a boar or ship to the right. Also, a term for the right side of a boat or ship.
Stern: The rear portion of a boat or ship.
Sub-Aqueous: Beneath the surface of the water.
Swells: Ocean surface waves moving in long-wave formation.
Thermocline: A distinctive layer in a body of water where temperature changes more rapidly than in the layers above and below it. Thermoclines can be either permanent or transitory, depending on prevailing climate conditions. They separate surface water from the calmer, often colder, deep water below.
Transom: The flat, back panel that comprised the stern of a boat or ship. Outboard motors are affixed directly to the transom.
Watch Commander: Nautical term for a shift supervisor on a marine vessel.
Water Column: A theoretical column of water, ranging from the ocean’s surface, all the way to the seafloor. The water column consists of thermal or chemically stratified layers, the mixing of which is brought on by wind and current.
Waterfront: A group of manmade structures designed to handle boats and ships.
Whale Killer: Also known as a Whale Catcher, a high-speed surface ship designed to hunt and kill whales, then hand the carcasses over to a larger Factory Ship for processing. Whale killers typically use grenade-tipped harpoon cannons to disable and kill their prey.
Wharf: A structure built along the shore of a harbor where boats and ships may dock while loading or unloading passengers or cargo.
Zodiac: A rubber inflatable boat, equipped with an outboard motor. Used as a dinghy or runabout.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Max Hawthorne grew up in Philadelphia, graduating with a BA from Central High School and a BFA from the University of the Arts. He is a world record-holding angler whose writing has appeared in a multitude of outdoor magazines and periodicals. He is an avid sportsman and conservationist. His hobbies include hunting, fishing and the collection of fossils and antiquities. He lives with his family in the Greater Northeast.
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KRONOS RISING: After 65 million years, the world's greatest predator is back. Page 63
