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sailboat 
Small monohull sailboat with a retractable centerboard; ballast is provided by the weight of the crew.
boom vang 
Short rope for lowering a sail.
jibsheet 
Cord that passes through the bottom corner of the jib to position it in relation to the wind direction.
cleat 
Anvil-shaped wood or metal part to which a rope can be tied.
wind indicator 
Instrument that indicates wind direction using a vane that rotates around a vertical axis.
telltale 
Narrow light ribbon that is attached aloft to indicate the direction of the wind along the side of a sail.
mast 
Long vertical pole that supports one or more sails; it is sometimes slightly inclined.
forestay 
Rope or steel cable stretched from the mast to the bow; it secures the mast in front.
jib 
Triangular sail that is rigged forward.
shroud 
Heavy taut rope between a mast and the side of the ship; it secures and supports the mast on the sides.
crosstree 
Horizontal part attached to the mast to separate the shrouds.
bow 
Forward part of the boat’s hull.
hull 
Part of the boat’s structure that forms a watertight vessel.
cockpit 
Hollow place aft of the deck where the crew stays.
centerboard 
Retractable skeg that keeps the sailboat on course.
traveler 
Metal bar running across the deck; a car travels back and forth on it to move the mainsheet.
rudder 
Submerged component that pivots on a vertical axle and is used to steer the boat.
mainsheet 
Cord that passes through the bottom corner of the mainsail to position it in relation to the wind direction.
tiller 
Unit for controlling the rudder; the coxswain is the person who holds a sailboat’s tiller.
boom 
Long piece of metal that articulates with the mast; it supports the lower edge of the mainsail.
sail panel 
The bands of canvas whose sides are sewn together to form a sail.
mainsail 
Boat’s principal sail; it is rigged to the mast and boom.
batten 
Rigid pole inserted into the sail’s batten pockets to maintain its shape.
batten pocket 
Slot into which a batten is slipped.