centerboard

Thân thiện

A small sailboat has its centerboard lowered in the bay.

Definition

Noun: A centerboard is a movable, often retractable, fin or plate that extends vertically through the hull of a sailboat. Its primary function is to counteract the sideways force of the wind (leeway) and prevent the boat from drifting downwind (to leeward), thereby improving its ability to sail upwind.

Usage

The term "centerboard" is used specifically in the context of sailing and boat design. It refers to the physical structure itself and its function. * It is a standard feature on many small sailboats and some larger vessels designed for shallow waters. * The word is typically used as a countable noun (e.g., a centerboard, the centerboard).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The sailor lowered the centerboard to improve the boat's stability against the strong wind.
  • For sailing in deep water, you need to have the centerboard fully down.
  • This dinghy has a centerboard made of fiberglass and weighted with lead.

Advanced Usage

• "To raise/lower/drop the centerboard": These are the standard verbs used to describe operating the centerboard.
  • Remember to raise the centerboard before you beach the boat.
• "Centerboard trunk/case": This refers to the housing or slot in the hull through which the centerboard is raised and lowered.
  • Water was leaking into the boat through a crack in the centerboard trunk.

Variants and Related Words

• Daggerboard (noun): A similar retractable keel, but one that is raised and lowered vertically (like a dagger) rather than pivoting. It is often used interchangeably with "centerboard," though there is a technical distinction in their mechanisms.
• Leeboard (noun): A pair of wooden or metal boards mounted on the side(s) of a boat's hull to serve the same anti-leeway function as a centerboard. Common on traditional flat-bottomed boats.
• Keel (noun): A fixed, permanent structural fin along the centerline of a boat's hull, usually ballasted with weight. It serves a similar purpose to a centerboard but is not retractable.

Synonyms

• Retractable keel
• Sliding keel (less common)

Antonyms

• Fixed keel

Notes on Different Meanings

The word "centerboard" has a single, specific meaning in nautical terminology related to sailboat design and function. It does not have other common definitions.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a retractable fin keel used on sailboats to prevent drifting to leeward

Từ đồng nghĩa

• centreboard
• drop keel
• sliding keel