Yacht encyclopedia
This encyclopedia explains the terms buyers and surveyors use on Northern European sailing yachts. Each page gives a direct definition, a field anchor, FairHelm judgment, and clear limits. It is citeable language, not a thin keyword dump.
100 terms published (target 100)
Browse the list or filter by keyword. Open a term for survey language and related academy links. Pair definitions with a named surveyor on the boat you are buying.
Pages do not invent statistics or replace legal, tax, or survey advice. Condition of the specific yacht always rules. We grow toward a larger glossary in quality waves, not empty stubs.
Terms
אוסמוזה (גוף GRP)
ב-GRP מפוליאסטר עומק הלחות חשוב, לא המילה בועות. דרגות Schneider 1-3 והתיקון שנשאר, לא מספר התמונות.
AIS transceiver
AIS transceivers on sailing yachts: Class B send/receive role, antenna checks, survey limits, and clear separation from any FairHelm map product.
Aluminium mast
Aluminium masts on cruising yachts: corrosion and hardware checks, FairHelm survey flags, and limits on guessing spar life from paint.
Antifouling
Antifouling on sailing yachts: role, survey reading of paint history, and FairHelm caution on claiming remaining seasons from photos.
Autopilot
Yacht autopilots: tiller and below-deck types, survey checks, power draw, and FairHelm limits on trusting a dock demo alone.
Backstay
Backstay on sailing yachts: role in mast support, adjusters, survey checks, and FairHelm caution on guessing wire age from photos.
Baltic ice risk
Baltic ice risk for yacht owners: what ice can do to hulls and berths, FairHelm judgment on winter plans, and limits on guessing ice calendars.
Barrier coat cycle
The word barrier does not name one coat count. West System sheets and Gelshield 200 print different dry-film numbers, and this page does not collapse them.
Battery bank
Mixed chemistries under ABYC E-13, July 2022, are not one battery bank. Lithium beside a lead starter battery does not make those two a group on a boat.
Bilge pump
Bilge pumps on sailing yachts: electric and manual, float switches, and FairHelm survey checks without inventing flood rates.
Bill of sale
Bill of sale for yacht purchases: what the document does, FairHelm document checklist, and limits (not legal advice).
Blistering
Blistering on GRP yachts: how FairHelm reads gelcoat blisters, survey caution, and limits on equating every blister with catastrophic osmosis.
Boat dehumidifier
Boat dehumidifiers for winter layup: electric and desiccant options, survey clues, and FairHelm limits on treating a dry smell as proof of dry core.
Bonding system
Bonding systems on yachts: green-wire continuity between underwater metals, survey checks, and FairHelm caution on assuming anodes alone protect.
Boom vang
Boom vang on sailing yachts: what it controls, survey wear points, and FairHelm limits on guessing residual life from listing photos.
Bow thruster
Bow thrusters on cruising yachts: tunnel and pod types, survey focus, and FairHelm limits on treating thrusters as mandatory.
Bronze seacock
Bronze seacocks on yachts: why the alloy matters, seize and dezincification clues, and FairHelm survey checks below the waterline.
Carbon mast
Carbon masts on sailing yachts: weight and stiffness trade-offs, survey damage clues, and FairHelm caution on undocumented impacts.
Cathodic protection
Cathodic protection on yachts: sacrificial anodes versus active systems, survey reading, and FairHelm limits on claiming remaining life from photos.
CE design category
CE design categories for recreational craft: what A–D mean in practice, FairHelm reading, and limits versus claiming ocean capability from a letter alone.
Chainplate (standing-rigging attachment)
Chainplates on cruising sailboats: load path from shrouds into the hull, deck leaks, corrosion and survey checks for Nordic buyers.
Chartplotter
Chartplotters on sailing yachts: MFD role, chart currency, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on treating a bright screen as navigation proof.
Club mooring
Club moorings for yacht members: what membership berths mean, FairHelm buyer checks, and limits on assuming transfer to a new owner.
Cockpit tent
Cockpit tents on sailing yachts: weather and winter use, frame and canvas checks, survey limits, and FairHelm caution on valuing tired enclosures as new canvas.
Cutless bearing
Cutless bearings on shaft-drive yachts: wear signs, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on guessing remaining life afloat.
Deck core
Deck core on sandwich yacht decks: wet core signs, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on guessing repair cost from soft spots alone.
Depth sounder
Depth sounders on sailing yachts: transducer types, survey checks, offset errors, and FairHelm limits on trusting a single shallow reading.
Diesel heater
Diesel cabin heaters on cruising yachts: exhaust and fuel paths, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on claiming silent always-on comfort.
Dinghy davits
Dinghy davits on yachts: stern lifting gear, deck load survey points, and FairHelm limits on treating bolted arches as proof of sound laminate.
Engine antifreeze
Engine antifreeze on sailing yachts: closed and raw-water winter protection, survey questions, and FairHelm limits on guessing mix strength from a receipt photo.
EPIRB (distress beacon)
EPIRBs on yachts: 406 MHz distress beacons, registration and hydrostatic mounts, and FairHelm survey checks beyond a red plastic case in a photo.
Epoxy barrier coat
Epoxy barrier coats on GRP hulls: role after treatment, survey reading of claims, and FairHelm limits on guaranteeing dry laminate.
Fibreglass laminate
Fibreglass laminate on sailing yachts: layup role, survey reading of wet core and print-through, and FairHelm limits on guessing strength from photos.
Forestay
Forestay on sailing yachts: headsail support, furler load path, survey flags, and FairHelm limits on photo-only condition claims.
Freeboard
Freeboard on sailing yachts: definition, docking and motion trade-offs, and FairHelm survey reading without inventing "safe" heights.
Frost protection
Frost protection on yachts: systems that freeze, FairHelm winterisation checks, and limits on claiming one product covers every loop.
Galvanic isolator
Galvanic isolators on yachts: blocking DC shore-power paths, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on treating them as a cure-all for anode loss.
Gelcoat (GRP yacht finish)
Defined term — gelcoat on polyester GRP hulls: cosmetic layer, osmosis blisters, repair scope and survey language.
Genoa
Genoa headsails on sailing yachts: overlap vs jib, furling wear, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on photo-only cloth judgments.
Genoa furler
Genoa furlers on cruising yachts: forestay loads, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on treating furling as set-and-forget.
Gooseneck
Gooseneck fittings on sailing yachts: boom-to-mast hinge wear, survey play checks, and FairHelm limits on photo-only clearance claims.
Guest berth
Guest berths for visiting yachts: what you buy for a night, FairHelm practical checks, and limits on assuming length overall always fits.
Guest harbour
Guest harbours in Nordic cruising: what visitor facilities mean, FairHelm practical checks, and limits on assuming every quay takes guests.
Harbour dues
Harbour dues for yachts: what overnight fees usually cover, FairHelm buyer and cruiser checks, and limits on quoting fixed prices.
Harness and tether
Harness and tether for sailors: clipping on in rough water, survey of kit age, and FairHelm limits on treating unused gear in a locker as crew-ready.
Haul-out survey
Haul-out surveys for used yachts: what only shows out of water, FairHelm sequencing tips, and limits on skipping the hard look.
Holding tank
The IMO three-mile and twelve-mile figures are not the rule for an ordinary pleasure yacht. Not Annex IV. A holding tank follows a different text here.
Hull-deck joint
Hull-deck joints on production yachts: leak paths, survey checks, and FairHelm reading of rubbing strakes and fastener lines.
Inverter-charger
Inverter-chargers on yachts: AC from DC plus shore charging, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on sizing claims from brochure watts.
Iron keel
A bolt in a lead keel is cast in. On an iron keel it is drilled and tapped later. Fresh antifouling does not show which joint you are looking at here.
Jackstay
Jackstays on sailing yachts: deck safety webbing or wire for clipping on, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on treating frayed tape as offshore ready.
Keel types on cruising sailboats
Defined term — fin, long, bilge, and lifting keels: handling, grounding risk, and survey focus for buyers.
Keelbolts
Keelbolts on sailing yachts: survey access and corrosion clues, FairHelm judgment on torque claims, and limits on guessing life afloat.
Lazy jacks
Lazy jacks on sailing yachts: mainsail control when dropping, chafe risks, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on equating a stack pack with a new sail.
Lead keel
Lead keels on sailing yachts: ballast density, FairHelm survey checks for grounding damage, and limits on guessing bolt condition afloat.
Life raft
Life rafts on yachts: stowage, service dates, and FairHelm survey reading of containers, painters, and honest offshore readiness claims.
LOA and LWL
LOA versus LWL on sailing yachts: definitions, marina and performance uses, and FairHelm caution on mixing figures in ads.
Mainsail
Mainsails on sailing yachts: cut and reefing, survey wear points, and FairHelm limits on guessing remaining life from a flaked photo.
Marine plywood
Marine plywood on yachts: what the grade means, survey checks for delamination, and FairHelm limits on trusting labels alone.
Mast step
Mast step on sailing yachts: deck- vs keel-stepped loads, survey moisture risks, and FairHelm limits on guessing from cabin photos.
Moisture meter (hull survey)
Moisture meters on GRP yachts: what surveyors measure, how FairHelm reads maps, and limits of single spot readings.
Packing gland
Packing glands on shaft-drive yachts: packing rings and adjustment, FairHelm drip and heat checks, and how this differs from the full stuffing-box assembly story.
PLB (personal beacon)
PLBs for sailors: personal 406 MHz beacons, registration and carry practice, and FairHelm limits on treating a pocket beacon as a full vessel EPIRB.
Portlight
Portlights on sailing yachts: seals, frames, and FairHelm survey checks for leaks without inventing brand failure rates.
Propeller shaft
Propeller shafts on sailing yachts: shaft drive versus saildrive context, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on alignment claims from dock photos.
Radar reflector
Radar reflectors on sailing yachts: passive visibility, mount checks, survey limits, and FairHelm caution against treating a tube as a collision guarantee.
Rope clutch
Rope clutches on sailing yachts: holding lines under load, wear signs, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on assuming new clutches fix old rope.
Rudder bearing
Rudder bearings on sailing yachts: play, moisture paths, survey checks, and FairHelm limits versus claiming skeg boats never fail.
Rudder stock
A heavy helm does not give millimetres of play in a rudder stock. Crevice corrosion under the packing is a different finding from dockside wiggle here.
Running rigging
Running rigging on sailing yachts: sheets and halyards, wear signs, and FairHelm survey reading without inventing rope life years.
Sacrificial anode
Sacrificial anodes on sailing yachts: galvanic protection, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on guessing remaining life from photos.
Sail cover
Sail covers on sailing yachts: UV protection for the mainsail, fit checks, survey limits, and FairHelm caution on equating a new cover with a new sail.
Saildrive (sailboat propulsion)
Saildrive units on cruising sailboats: seal service intervals, corrosion, survey haul-out checks and Baltic ownership practice.
Seacocks (through-hull valves)
Seacocks and through-hull valves on cruising yachts: seizure risk, bonding, survey checks and Nordic winter haul-out practice.
Shore power
Shore power on yachts: AC inlet, isolation, and FairHelm survey checks for earthing faults and cable condition.
Shrink-wrap
Shrink-wrap for yacht winter storage: weather skin role, venting needs, survey limits, and FairHelm caution on equating wrap with full winterisation.
Skeg (rudder protection)
Skeg on sailing yachts: partial keel protecting the rudder, survey focus on bearings and grounding, and trade-offs versus spade rudders.
Soft patch
A high meter reading at a chainplate and flex underfoot are different findings. A heel on a soft patch does not produce a repair price. Not percent water.
Solar on a yacht
Solar on sailing yachts: panels, controllers, and FairHelm survey reading of mounts, shade, and honest amp-hour claims.
Spinnaker
Spinnakers on sailing yachts: symmetric and asymmetric use, packing checks, survey limits, and FairHelm caution on unused "included" sails.
Spreader
Six degrees of rise on a Seldén spreader is not thirty degrees of sweep. The same maker's B&R rig is a different angle, not a second name for six here.
Stainless 316
Stainless 316 on yachts: what the grade claims, crevice corrosion risk, and FairHelm caution on trusting magnet tests alone.
Standing rigging (sailboat)
Standing rigging on cruising sailboats: wire age, terminals, survey intervals and Nordic replacement cost context for buyers.
Storm jib
Storm jibs on sailing yachts: small heavy-weather headsails, deck fittings, and FairHelm limits on treating a furled genoa alone as a storm plan.
Stuffing box (packing gland)
A dry bilge and zero drips do not prove a stuffing box or a dripless seal is healthy. One drip rate on this page does not cover every brand of seal here.
Swedish VAT yacht
The word moms on an advert does not settle Swedish VAT on a yacht. Three months or one hundred hours is enough, and a broker stamp is not the proof here.
Teak deck (yacht decking)
Teak decks on cruising yachts: fastener corrosion, moisture under planks, survey scope and Nordic ownership cost for used-boat buyers.
Thru-hull (hull fitting)
Thru-hull fittings on yachts: what they are, how they relate to seacocks, and what FairHelm checks on used boats in Northern Europe.
Trysail
Trysails on sailing yachts: separate storm mainsails, track or lace-on setups, and FairHelm limits on treating deep mainsail reefs as a full trysail substitute.
VAT-paid status (used yacht EU)
VAT-paid status on used EU yachts: what the phrase means for buyers, paperwork risk, and Baltic brokerage practice — not tax advice.
VHF DSC
VHF DSC radios on sailing yachts: distress alerting, MMSI setup, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on treating a handset photo as proof of a working DSC path.
Watermaker
Watermakers on yachts: reverse-osmosis fresh water, power and maintenance survey points, and FairHelm limits on treating output claims as year-round fact.
Winch
Sheet and halyard winches on sailing yachts: self-tailers, service signs, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on brand-name buying logic.
Wind generator
Wind generators on yachts: charging in breeze, noise and mounting survey points, and FairHelm limits on claiming year-round amp-hours.
Wind instrument
Wind instruments on sailing yachts: masthead sensors, calibration, survey checks, and FairHelm limits on trusting stuck apparent-wind numbers.
Windlass
Six millimetres on sprocket 006 is not one chain. Two issues of the same Lewmar manual assign that sprocket to different chain standards. Not one standard.
Winter storage afloat
Winter storage afloat for yachts: ice and freeze risks, FairHelm ownership checks, and limits on treating a southern winter as Baltic reality.
Winter storage ashore
Winter storage ashore for yachts: cradle and yard checks, FairHelm ownership notes, and limits on assuming every yard blocks the same way.
Winterisation
Yacht winterisation in Northern Europe: systems drain and protect, survey questions, and FairHelm limits on assuming a yard sticker means full layup quality.
Yacht insurance
Yacht insurance for buyers and owners: what surveyors and insurers often ask, FairHelm document checks, and limits on advising cover levels.
FAQ
- Is this a full 100-term glossary yet?
- Yes. This hub lists 100 Dual-write DefinedTerm pages (target 100). Quality still rules: we do not pad with empty stubs.
- Do these pages replace a survey?
- No. They explain language and decision frames. A named surveyor still inspects the boat in front of you.
- Which languages are Dual-write?
- Encyclopedia term pages and this hub ship full Dual-write in English, German, and Russian.