Let's face it: contracts are boring. There's no plot or any character development to keep you turning the pages, and more often than not it reads like a confused sea, with choppy sentences, strange words and a pension for repetition.

Attorneys get paid to beat their way through such prose, and you should never sign a contract without giving it a thorough reading. Still, even after diligent study, you can be left with a nagging feeling that you don't know what is and isn't important.

This is where spotting some of the following language might prove helpful. While this story isn't a legal primer, and you should always seek out and follow your own maritime attorney's advice, below are 10 phrases you might see in a contract that are worth your attention.