Bow - The front of the boat.

Buoy - A floating marker.

Course - The route which the boats must sail to complete the race.

Downwind - Boats sailing downwind have the wind behind them. If a boat has a spinnaker it will be used while sailing downwind.

Fleet Racing - Competition format were entries race against each other around a course, this format is used by all of the Paralmpic events.

Genoa/Headsail/Jib - The smaller sail set infront of the mast.

Jury - The group of Rules experts who decide the outcome of protests.

Keelboat - e.g. 2.4mR, SKUD18 and Sonar - A boat with a "keel" - the fin attached to the bottom that prevents it from capsizing and stops it moving sideways through the water.

Knot - A measure of wind speed 1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour, 1.15 mph and 1.85 km/h.

Leeward - The side furthest away from the wind.

Mainsail - The sail behind the mast.

Mast - The vertical spar or pole to which the sail(s) are attached.

Port - The left hand side of a boat when looking forward. A boat is on "port tack" when the wind is coming from the left.

Protest - A claim that another boat has broken the Rules.

Race Officials - The Officials responsible for running the race and enforcing the Rules. This group includes the Measurers who ensure that each sailor's equipment is equal and within the rules, the Race Officers who run the races and the Judges and Umpires who are rules experts and make decisions about whether rules have been broken.

Rudder - Attached to the tiller the rudder is used to stear the boat.

Sheet - A rope used to control a sail.

Starboard - The right hand side of a boat when looking forward. A boat is on "starboard tack" when the wind is blowing from the right.

Stern - The back of a boat

Tiller - The handle attached to the rudder used to steer a boat

Upwind - Sailing upwind means to sail towards the direction the wind is coming from. A boat cannot sail directly into the wind so will sail a zig zag course to reach the upwind (windward) mark.

Windward - The side closest to the wind.