{"id":847,"date":"2015-04-14T10:30:35","date_gmt":"2015-04-14T14:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/?post_type=article&#038;p=564"},"modified":"2020-05-06T15:33:05","modified_gmt":"2020-05-06T15:33:05","slug":"the-basic-parts-of-a-boat","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/article\/the-basic-parts-of-a-boat\/","title":{"rendered":"The Basic Parts of a Boat and Personal Watercraft"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/embed\/iframe\/wrqx9us88d?dnt=1&#038;popover=true\" class=\"wistia-popover[height=393,playerColor=7b796a,width=699]\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-original=\"https:\/\/embed-ssl.wistia.com\/deliveries\/21fef207b4125f2d2dfcdf1b65da9de320ee1c4e.jpg?image_play_button=true&#038;image_play_button_color=7b796ae0&#038;image_crop_resized=600x338\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><script charset=\"ISO-8859-1\" src=\"\/\/fast.wistia.com\/assets\/external\/popover-v1.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>Definitions: Parts of a Boat<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Bow<\/strong>: The forward or front part of your vessel is called the \u2018bow\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Port:<\/strong> The left side of your boat when you\u2019re seated and looking forward.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Starboard:<\/strong> The right side of your boat when you\u2019re seated and looking forward.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stern<\/strong>: The rear section of your boat is called the \u2018stern\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Transom:<\/strong> The \u2018transom\u2019 is the stern cross-section of your boat.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/DefinitionsPartsOfABoat-011.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-566\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/DefinitionsPartsOfABoat-011-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Basic parts of a boat\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Waterline:<\/strong> This is the line (on the <a href=\"\/article\/boat-hull-types\/\">hull<\/a>) at which the vessel sits in the water when it\u2019s properly loaded with passengers and equipment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Draft:<\/strong> \u2018Draft\u2019 is the depth of water that your craft needs in order to float freely. The draft is measured as the distance from the waterline to the lowest point of the boat.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Freeboard:<\/strong> \u2018Freeboard\u2019 is the distance from the waterline to the lowest point on your boat\u2019s deck.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/DefinitionsPT2-01.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-567\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/DefinitionsPT2-01-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Diagram of a boats freeboard and draft\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Propeller<\/strong>: Also known as the prop, <a href=\"\/article\/propeller-strike-awareness\/\">the \u2018propeller\u2019 rotates underwater to power your motorized boat forward or backward<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cleat:<\/strong> This is a metal fitting to which a rope or line can be secured.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gunwale:<\/strong> The top edges of the sides of your boat.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"knowledge-base\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/Definitions3-01.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-565\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/Definitions3-01-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Diagram of a boat beam and length\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Length:<\/strong> A boat\u2019s length is the distance from the tip of the bow to the farthest point on the stern (front to back, measured in a straight line). The length of your boat excludes a swim platform.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Beam:<\/strong> The width of your boat at it\u2019s widest point.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Memory Tip:\u00a0<\/strong>Can\u2019t remember which side of your boat is \u2018port\u2019 or \u2018starboard\u2019? Use this rule of thumb: The word \u2018port\u2019 has four letters. So does the word \u2018left\u2019. This trick should help you to remember that port is always the left side of the boat when you\u2019re seated and looking forward! <strong>(LEFT\/PORT)<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Definitions: Parts of a PWC<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/embed\/iframe\/o5pcknhkjl?dnt=1&#038;popover=true\" class=\"wistia-popover[height=393,playerColor=7b796a,width=699]\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/embed-ssl.wistia.com\/deliveries\/c3c0fab3dde6b01c59da3669898b5c15689a46e7.jpg?image_play_button=true&#038;image_play_button_color=7b796ae0&#038;image_crop_resized=600x338\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><script charset=\"ISO-8859-1\" src=\"\/\/fast.wistia.com\/assets\/external\/popover-v1.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>Handlebars and throttle: <\/strong>The operator steers the <a href=\"\/article\/operating-a-personal-watercraft\/\">Personal Watercraft (PWC)<\/a> by turning the handlebars and applying throttle.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Safety lanyard (kill switch):<\/strong> This is a rope or cord that attaches the kill switch to the operator. If you fall off the PWC, the lanyard will release and shut down the engine.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Seat:<\/strong> This is the area where the operator and passengers sit.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jet intake:<\/strong> The \u2018jet intake\u2019 area sucks in water and then passes the water through a high-speed impeller. Avoid being anywhere near the jet intake area\u2014loose items such as clothing and long hair can be sucked into the jet intake by the force of the water and the rotating impeller.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jet thrust nozzle:<\/strong> High-powered water travels through the jet thrust nozzle to propel the PWC forward. Remember, never start the engine or operate the PWC if a passenger is positioned behind the jet thrust nozzle.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/DefinitionsPartsOfAPwc-01.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-561\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/DefinitionsPartsOfAPwc-01-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"PWC Parts\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","article-category":[6],"article-tag":[88,112],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v14.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Parts of a Boat and Personal Watercraft | BOATsmart!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Get to know the basic parts of a boat, personal watercraft, and boating terminology with these simple descriptions, diagrams and handy memory tips.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"googlebot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"bingbot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/article\/the-basic-parts-of-a-boat\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Parts of a Boat and Personal Watercraft | BOATsmart!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Get to know the basic parts of a boat, personal watercraft, and boating terminology with these simple descriptions, diagrams and handy memory tips.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/article\/the-basic-parts-of-a-boat\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BOATsmart! 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