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As in English, the French have many words and phrases for boating.
A
l'amarage : mooring
l'amarre : morring rope
amarrer : to moor
amont : upstream
l'ancre : the anchor
l'anneau : the ring (as in mooring ring)
l'arrière : the stern
aval: downstream
l'avant : the bow
B
le bâbord : the starboard side
la barre : the helm
le bolard : the bollard
le bief : the reach (stretch of water)
le bief de partage : the summit of a canal
la bitte d'amarrage : the bollard
C
la cale : the hold
la cale-sèche : the dry-dock
le canal : the canal, les canaux : the canals
le cap : the heading
le capitaine : the captaine
le chenal : the channel
le cloison étanche : watertight bulkheads
le coque : the hull
la corde : the rope
le courante : the current
la crue : the highest level of a river
D
la dérive : the drift
la digue : the dyke, breakwater
E
la (l')eau : water
l'eau douce : water (non salted as in rivers and lakes)
l'eau de mer : sea water
la (l')écluse: a lock, on the canal or river
l'estuaire : the estuary
F
la fleuve : the large river (for example the Rhône and Rhine)
le fond : the bottom
G
le gouvernail : the rudder
le groupe : (slang for generator)
H
l'hélice : the propellor
l'huile : oil
I
J
K
L
M
le mal de mer : sea sickness
la manivelle : the handle, as those used on locks to wind the sluice
gates
la marée : the tide, marée bas= low tide, marée
haute=high tide
le matelot : the deckhand
la mer : the sea
le moulin : (slang for the main engine)
N
le naufrage : the ship wreck
le nœud : knot, as in reef-knot, also used for the knot as in speed
O
P
la péniche: the barge (pen - ish)
le plat-board : the gunwales
le pont: the bridge, also used to describe the bridge on the boat
le poupe : the poop
le poste de pilotage : the wheel house
la proue : the stem
Q
la quille : the keel
R
le remorqueur : the tug boat
la rivière : the small river (for example the Saone)
S
la salle de machine : the engine room
sas
T
le timonerie : the wheel house
le timonier : the helmsman
le treuil : the winch
le tribord : the port side
U
V
le voilier : sailing yacht
la voilure : the sails
la voutte : the tunnel, the summit
W
X
Y
Z
If you notice words which are not included, please let us know.
Other useful information about boats and barges
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