At Sea Glossary - G
gaff
A spar or pole extending diagonally upward from the after side of a mast and supporting a fore-and-aft sail.
gale
A storm with a wind speed between 34 and 40 knots.
gale force winds
Wind speeds strong enough to qualify the storm as a gale.
galley
The kitchen area on a boat.
gallows
A frame used to support the boom.
genoa
A large jib that overlaps the mast.
Global Positioning System
GPS for short. A system of satellites that allows one's position to be calculated with great accuracy by the use of an electronic receiver.
GMT
Time measured in Greenwich Mean Time. Coordinated universal time is the new term. A time standard that is not affected by time zones or seasons.
GPS
Global Positioning System. A system of satellites that allows one's position to be calculated with great accuracy by the use of an electronic receiver.
great circle
A circle drawn around the Earth such that the center of the circle is at the center of the Earth. Following such a circle plots the shortest distance between any two points on the surface of the Earth.
green water
A solid mass of water coming aboard instead of just spray.
Greenwich Mean Time
GMT for short. Coordinated universal time is the new term. A time standard that is not affected by time zones or seasons.
grommet
A ring or eyelet normally used to attach a line, such as on a sail.
ground swells
Swells that become shorter and steeper as they approach theshore due to shallow water.
ground tackle
The anchor and its rode or chain and any other gear used to hold a boat securely in place.
gudgeon
A socket the pintle (pin or bolt used as a pivot) of the rudder sits in.
gunnel, gunwale
Pronounced "gun-nel." The rail around the edge of a boat. Smaller versions are called toe rails.
gybe
Same as jibe.
gypsy
A windlass or capstan drum.
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