Backing and Filling
Handling the sails to the the wind catches them and fills them from one side and then from the other side.

Ballast
Anything used in the hull to weigh down the ship and keep it settled in the water. Ballast can be trade goods, rocks, or even salt water (bilge).

Barge
A flat bottom boat usually used on rivers and on canals. It can also be a large stable state or pleasure boat used for dignitaries.

Barnacle
A small sea shell-fish that attaches itself to the bottom of boats and needs to be scraped off. When too many barnacles encrust the hull of a boat it weighs heavier and they create a rough surface, both of which slow a ship down.

Barometer
An instrument for recording the pressure of the atmosphere. Before satellites and the science of meteorology the only way to predict the weather was to look at the barometric pressure. Since the weather controls the wind direction and rough seas, sailors have always been very interested in predicting the weather.

Batten the Hatches
Closing and securing the deck hatches so that water can't get in to the hold during rough weather.

Battle of Lowestoft
During the Second Dutch War and occured on 13 June, 1665. The Dutch were desperate to break a blockade the English were conducting against Holland during a trade war and sent a fleet of 100 ships to attack an equally large fleet led by the Duke of York. After a furious battle th English side won but failed to take advantage of their win and let the remainder of the Dutch escape, where over time they rebuilt their fleet and eventually returning to fight during the Third Dutch War. More can be found here.

Beaching a Ship
Dragging a ship on to the beach or shore, or having a ship wash up on shore during a storm.

Beam
The width of a ship or a boat.

Bear
Moving in the direction of, as in "bear to the left".

Belay
A rope that is wrapped around a belaying pin to stop it from moving. In spoken language to say "belay that!" means to stop or cancel.

Belaying Pin
A shaped piece of wood that goes into a hole on the deck that you can wrap a rope around.

Belfry
The frame that a ship's bell is hung on.

Bend
To knot a rope.

Berth
A place for mooring a ship at a quay, wharf or dock. Or a room on the ship for a sailor or passenger to rest.

Bilge
The broadest part of the ship's bottom, often sloshing with very foul-smelling sea water.

Blue Peter
A blue flag with a white square in the centre that when flown means the ship is ready to sail.

Board
To get on a boat or ship.

Boat
A small vessel, usually without a deck and propelled by oars or sails. Remember, you can put a boat on a ship, but you can't put a ship on a boat. Fishing boats and passenger steamers can be rather large and have a deck, but they are still smaller than ships.

Boom
A long spar used to extend the foot of the sail.

Bow
The forward part of a ship. This is pronouced to rhyme with "now" and comes from an Icelandic word meaning "shoulder".

Brig
A two-masted, square-rigged (square sails) vessel.

Bum Boat
A small boat the goes out to ships at anchor to sell them provisions and items that the sailors might want, like tobacco or clothes.

Buoy
A floating marker anchored to assist in safe navigation.

Burgee
A small triangular flag flown on the mast head, often by yachts to identify the ships and to aid as a wind-vane.

Buss
A small, strong vessel much used in the fishing industry.

By and Large
Sailing fairly close to the wind.

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