Larboard.—The left side of the yacht, facing forward, now almost obsolete, port having almost wholly taken its place; larboard having been found in practice to be too near in sound to its opposite starboard.
Lay Aft.—The command to come aft. "Lay aloft," to go up the rigging. "Lay out," to go out, on the bowsprit, for instance. "Lay in," to come in.
Leach.—The perpendicular border of a fore-and-aft sail.
Lee-Lurch.—When the yacht rolls heavily and suddenly to leeward.
Lee-Shore.—The coast-line to leeward of the yacht, on which the wind is blowing.
Leeward.—The direction towards which the wind is blowing.
Long Leg.—A term used when the wind is not dead ahead, but so as to cause the yacht to make a long tack and a short one. Hence, to make "a long leg," and a short leg.
Log.—The record of the yacht's performance each day of twenty-four hours, as concerns weather, courses, &c., kept in a log-book. "Heaving the log," to ascertain the speed by means of a log-line.
Looming.—The appearance of a distant object, such as another vessel, or the land, especially in foggy or misty weather, when it is said to loom, i.e., look larger, and appear nearer, than it really is.
Lubber.—A person who is not a sailor,—a greenhorn.