Waterline

The line on the hull where it meets the water surface at the design load.

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Related W-terms

Windward

Toward the source of the wind.

Weather side

See windward side — the side of the boat the wind strikes first.

Whisker pole

A light spar temporarily set between the mast and the clew of a poled-out jib to hold it s…

Waypoint

A position — latitude and longitude — stored in a GPS or chartplotter and used as a step i…

Watermaker

A reverse-osmosis desalinator that forces seawater through a semi-permeable membrane at hi…

Wing-and-wing

A downwind configuration in which the mainsail is set on one side and the headsail (often …

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