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Sailing Terms

A through Z

Sailing Terms (E)

ease the sheets

To loosen the lines that control the sails.

ease

To slowly loosen a line while maintaining control, such as when loosening the sails.

east wind, easterly wind

A wind coming from the east.

east

One of the 4 cardinal compass points. East is at 90° on a compass card.

ebb, ebb tide

The falling tide when the water moves out to the sea and the water level lowers.

echo sounder

An electrical fish finder or depth sounder that uses sound echoes to locate the depth of objects in water. It does so by timing the sound pulses.

eddy

Water or air currents flowing in circular patterns.

electronic navigation

The use of echo sounders, radio, and various electronic satellite and land based position finders to determine a boat's location.

emergancy tiller

A tiller that is designed to be used in the event that wheel steering fails.

ensign

The national flag of a boat's home nation.

EPIRB

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. An emergency device that uses a radio signal to alert satellites or passing airplanes to a vessel's position.

equator

An imaginary line around the center of the world at 0° of latitude.

estimated position

A position based on dead reckoning estimations of a boat's position using estimated speed, currents, and the last known position (fix) of the boat.

eye of the wind

The direction that the wind is blowing from.

eye splice

A splice causing a loop in the end of a line, by braiding the end into itself or similar methods. It may or may not be reinforced by a metal fitting known as a thimble.

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