We have now advanced so far in our boat-building that it becomes necessary that the beginner should learn more about boats and boating, and since this book is written for beginners, we will take it for granted that they know absolutely nothing about the subject and will give all the rudimentary knowledge for landlubbers in the next chapter.
CHAPTER VIII
THE LANDLUBBER'S CHAPTER
Common Nautical Terms and Expressions Defined—How to Sail a Boat—Boat Rigs—Rowing-clothes—How to Make a Bathing-suit—How to Avoid Sunburn
There are a few common terms with which all who venture on the water should be familiar, not only for convenience, but for prudential reasons.
Accidents are liable to happen to boats of all descriptions, and often the safety of property and life depend upon the passengers' ability to understand what is said to them by the officers or sailors in charge of the craft.
To those who are familiar with the water and shipping it may seem absurd to define the bow and stern of a boat, but there are people who will read this book who cannot tell the bow from the stern, so we will begin this chapter with the statement that
The bow is the front end of the boat, and
The stern is the rear end of the boat.