C1 · 38 words

Sailing

Tacks, gybes and reefs — the words called out across a deck, and the names of the lines they are about.

Much of this list is meant to be shouted — Klar zur Wende!, Ree!, Leinen los! — but its grammatical surprise waits at the end of the trip, when the boat comes alongside. Die Pier was borrowed from English « pier », and in general German it is masculine: a town guide will send you zum Pier and talk about der alte Pier. Among sailors the same word is feminine. A skipper, a harbour master or a pilot book says an der Pier festmachen and die Pier ist voll. Neither article is wrong, and neither changes what the thing is; the article tells you which register the speaker is using, and on board the feminine is the one you will hear. That is why the list gives die Pier. The plural causes no trouble, because die Piers is correct in both.

The words

Verb (10)

anluvento luff up, to head upVerbC1

Kommt eine Bö, luvt der Steuermann kurz an, damit das Boot nicht zu stark krängt.When a gust hits, the helmsman luffs up briefly so that the boat does not heel too far.

Separable: luvt an, hat angeluvt. The opposite is abfallen.

abfallento bear awayVerbC1

Wir fallen ab, bis der Wind von achtern kommt, und setzen dann den Spinnaker.We bear away until the wind is coming from astern, and then set the spinnaker.

Separable and irregular: fällt ab, fiel ab, ist abgefallen. Ashore it means to fall off or to slope away.

halsento gybeVerbC1

Bei sechs Beaufort halsen wir nicht mehr, sondern gehen mit einer Kuhwende herum.In a force six we no longer gybe; we go round the long way, through the wind.

beidrehento heave toVerbC1

Bei Sturm drehen sie bei und warten, bis das Schlimmste vorbei ist.In a gale they heave to and wait for the worst to pass.

Separable: dreht bei, hat beigedreht.

reffento reefVerbC1

Wir reffen, sobald der Wind über fünf Beaufort geht, und nicht erst, wenn es sein muss.We reef as soon as the wind goes above force five, not when we are forced to.

dichtholento sheet in, to harden inVerbC1

Hol die Fockschot dicht, bis das Segel nicht mehr killt!Sheet the jib in until it stops flapping!

Separable: holt dicht, hat dichtgeholt. On board the imperative is short: Hol dicht!

fierento ease (out), to pay outVerbC1

Fier die Großschot etwas, sonst luvt das Boot in der Bö an.Ease the mainsheet a little, or the boat will round up in the gust.

Regular: fierte, hat gefiert. Also used for lowering a load or a boat on a line.

killento flap, to shiver (of a sail)VerbC2

Das Vorliek killt, also ist die Schot zu weit gefiert.The luff is flapping, so the sheet has been eased too far.

Said of a sail. The slang verb killen, to kill, is a different word.

schralento head (of the wind: to shift forward)VerbC2

Wenn der Wind schralt, müssen wir abfallen, damit die Segel voll bleiben.When the wind heads us, we have to bear away to keep the sails full.

Only of the wind. The opposite is raumen.

raumento free (of the wind: to shift aft)VerbC2

Gegen Abend raumte der Wind, und wir konnten die Schoten fieren.Towards evening the wind freed, and we could ease the sheets.

Only of the wind. The opposite is schralen.

Adverb (1)

raumschotson a broad reachAdverbC2

Raumschots läuft das Boot schnell und ruhig, der Wind kommt schräg von achtern.On a broad reach the boat runs fast and easy, with the wind on the quarter.

This list belongs to Free time and what people do in it — 20 lists and 689 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 38 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.