- Abaft
- At or toward the rear of the ship.
- Aft
- Toward the rear of the ship.
- Ballast
- Large tanks located in the bottom of the ship which when filled with water stabilize and right the ship.
- Beam
- The breadth of a ship at its widest part.
- Bilge
- The rounded, lower part of a ship's hull.
- Bow
- The front part of a ship.
- Bulkhead
- An upright partition separating compartments to resist pressure or to shut off water.
- Draft, draught
- The depth to which a ship is immersed.
- Fender strake
- A single line of metal plating extending along the hull of the ship.
- Fore
- Toward the front of a ship.
- Funnel
- The smokestack, for the escape of smoke or for ventilation.
- Gangway
- The passageway or opening in a ship for loading and unloading passengers and freight.
- Hull
- The frame or main body of a ship on which it floats when in the water.
- Keel
- The chief, structural member of a ship extending along the entire length of the bottom of a ship.
- Knots
- Unit by which a ship's speed is measured. A knot is one nautical mile (6,067.1 feet) per hour.
- List
- When a ship tilts to one side.
- Mast
- A long pole rising from the deck of a ship for supporting the rigging.
- Metacenter
- The point at which a vertical line drawn through the center of buoyancy of an upright ship intersects a vertical line drawn through the center of buoyancy of a ship when tipped.
- Metacentric height
- The measure of the stability of a ship in water. The metacentric height is calculated by subtracting the center of gravity from the metacenter. A ship with a negative metacentric height is very unstable and is likely to capsize.
- Modoc whistle
- A steam whistle made from a long piece of steel pipe with a flutter reed inside, the purpose of which was to create a distinctive warning signal. The sound created by this type of whistle was said to be similar to the warhoop of the Modoc Indian.
- Moored
- To secure a ship to something.
- Pontoon
- A flat-bottomed boat.
- Port
- The left-hand side of a ship as one faces forward.
- Promenade
- The deck of a ship that allows walking around the outside of the deck.
- Rigging
- Lines and chains used aboard a ship, especially in working sail and supporting masts and spars.
- Rudder
- A broad, flat structure hinged vertically to a ship's stern which is used for steering.
- Scupper
- An opening in a ship's side to allow water to run off of the deck.
- Spar
- A stout, rounded piece of steel or wood used to support rigging.
- Starboard
- The right-hand side of a ship as one faces forward.
Please direct questions and comments to the Eastland Disaster Historical Society at info@eastlanddisaster.org.
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