Beating—Tacking. Sailing towards the source of the wind by making a series of tacks.
Becalmed—Being without enough wind to propel the boat.
Beehole—A hole bored in a spar for a rope to pass through and move freely.
Belay—To make a rope fast to cleat or pin.
Bend—To bend is to fasten, as to bend a sail, i. e., lace it to the spars. Bend the cable, meaning to fasten it to the anchor.
Bight—The slack or loop of a rope.
Bilge—The inside of the lower part of the bottom of a boat, where the water she leaks in stands.
Binnacle—A box for the steering compass which can be lighted at night.
Blocks—The instrument through which ropes are rove so as to facilitate the hoisting and trimming of the sails, called by landsmen pulleys.
Board—A tack.