The boating life comes with its own language, some terms simple and others obscure.

You probably know all about keels and knots, nautical miles and navigation rules, but there's always more to learn. Sailing, for instance, comes with its own terminology.

Plenty of Web sites offer up glossaries of boating terms. The Marine Institute has an exhaustive list. 

If you're looking for some terms you've never heard of, The Navy's traditions page gives a list of old–time nautical terms and what they mean.