Parts of a Sailboat

A sloop from the side, cut away below the waterline, with every part numbered.

Parts of a Sailboat

Name Date

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
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Write the name of each numbered part.Answer key

  1. Hull
  2. Bow
  3. Stern
  4. Keel
  5. Rudder
  6. Tiller
  7. Cockpit
  8. Mast
  9. Spreader
  10. Forestay
  11. Backstay
  12. Shrouds
  13. Halyard
  14. Mainsail
  15. Jib
  16. Boom
  17. Boom vang
  18. Mainsheet

Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-26. Licence: own work.

Each numbered ring is a button. Use the arrow keys to move between them and Enter to choose. Names are read out in Study, and once a part is answered.

Next step Next: the parts of any boat

All 18 parts on the diagram

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Start here: 10 main parts 9

  1. Hull The body of the boat. It carries the crew and supports the rigging.
  2. Bow The front of the boat.
  3. Stern The back of the boat.
  4. Keel A fin under the hull that stops the boat sliding sideways. It also keeps the boat upright.
  5. Rudder The underwater blade that steers the boat.
  6. Mast The upright spar that holds up the sails.
  7. Mainsail The main sail, set behind the mast along the boom.
  8. Jib A triangular headsail set in front of the mast, on the forestay.
  9. Boom The spar along the foot of the mainsail.

Hull and steering: 7 2

  1. Tiller A lever on the rudder. Push it one way and the bow turns the other.
  2. Cockpit The well near the stern where the crew sits and steers.

Mast, sails and rigging: 11 7

  1. Spreader A strut that holds the shrouds out from the mast. They then brace it better.
  2. Forestay A wire from the masthead to the bow. It holds the mast forward. The jib is set on it.
  3. Backstay A wire from the masthead to the stern. It holds the mast back.
  4. Shrouds Wires from the mast to each side of the boat. They hold the mast upright.
  5. Halyard The line that pulls a sail up the mast. It also lets it down.
  6. Boom vang Pulls the boom down to keep the mainsail's shape.
  7. Mainsheet The line that pulls the boom in or lets it out. That sets the mainsail's angle to the wind.

How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-26. (1) A sailing school's parts glossary, https://lakestclairsailingschool.com/sailing-resources/sailboat-parts-and-sailing-terms/ : bow, stern, hull, cockpit, keel, rudder, tiller, mast, boom, mainsail, jib, forestay (headstay), backstay, shrouds, spreaders, halyard, sheet, mainsheet, boom vang; standing and running rigging. (2) Boat Ed, Parts of a Sailboat (state boater-education course), https://www.boat-ed.com/nevada/studyGuide/Parts-of-a-Sailboat/10103402_39376/ : hull; rigging with sheets, halyards, mainsail, jib, boom and mast; keel or centerboard; rudder turned by a tiller or wheel. (3) Wikipedia, Standing rigging https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_rigging (forestay, backstay, shrouds, spreaders), Running rigging https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_rigging (halyards, sheets), Boom vang https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boom_vang, Sailboat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailboat (sloop: one mast, mainsail and jib). Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-26. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

These are the parts of a sailboat on a sloop, the most common rig: one mast, a mainsail and a jib. Start with the 10 main parts, then the rigging that holds the mast up and trims the sails.

Read the full guide

Standing rigging holds the mast

The forestay runs from the top of the mast to the bow, the backstay to the stern, and the shrouds to each side, pushed out by the spreaders. These wires stay fixed while you sail.

Running rigging works the sails

The halyard pulls a sail up the mast. The mainsheet pulls the boom in or lets it out to set the mainsail's angle to the wind, and the boom vang holds the boom down.

Below the water

The keel stops the boat sliding sideways and keeps it upright. The rudder steers, turned by the tiller in the cockpit.

  • The jib has its own pair of sheets, one on each side, trimmed from either side of the cockpit.

Questions and answers

What is the difference between a sheet and a halyard?

Both are lines. A halyard raises and lowers a sail; a sheet sets its angle to the wind. The mainsheet works the mainsail through the boom, and a pair of jib sheets works the jib.

What is the front of a sailboat called?

The bow. The back is the stern, and facing the bow, the left side is port and the right side starboard.

How does a tiller steer a sailboat?

The tiller is a lever on top of the rudder. Push it to one side and the rudder turns so that the bow swings the other way.

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