Cast off. To untie; to free.

Casting. To pay a vessel off on the desired tack.

Cat’s paw. A light puff or current of wind seen on the surface of the water. A kind of knot or bend.

Chock a block. See Block and Block. Also used to denote fully laden.

Cleat. A metal or wooden object to which ropes are fastened.

Clew. The after corner of a fore-and-aft sail. The two lower corners of a square sail.

Close hauled. Sailing as nearly as possible into the wind.

Cockpit. The open after part of a boat.

Course. The direction in which a boat is to proceed. The lower sails on square-rigged vessels.

Crank or cranky. Not stable. Unable to carry sail well. To tip easily. Unsteady.