Pardon my Croatian – Sailing edition
This is how not to get lost on the shores of the Adriatic
(though sometimes that’s not a bad thing)
These are not standard Croatian language terms: Most of these terms and are region specific, with roots in Italian language from their centuries long presence on the islands and the coast.
Equipment and general sailing terms
Akostati – to moor or dock the boat (ah-KO-shta-tee)
Cima – main boat rope, used for docking (TSEE-ma)
Prova – Bow (PRO-vah)
Krma – Stern (KRma: just squeeze the K and the lightly rolled R as close together as you can J)
Timun – rudder (T –moon)
Kolpomorto – off shore mooring (kol-po-MOR-to)
Surganje – anchoring (SOOR-gan-yeh)
Moštraventi – to tell tales (literally: show the wind direction) (MO-shtra-VEN-tee)
Pajet – bumper (PA-yet)
Muo – pier (MU-oh)
Winds
Bura – NE (Boo-rah)
Jugo – SE (YOU-go)
Šilok – SSE (SHE-lok)
Maestral – NW (ma-EH-stral)
Tramuntana – N (tra-moon-TA-nah)
Lebić – SW (LEH-bich)
Point of Sail
Privjetrina – windward (PREE-vjet-ree-na)
Zavjetrina – leeward ( ZA-vjet-ree-na)
Plovidba oštro u orcu – close hauling (sailing within a 45 degree angle to the wind) (PLO-vid-bah O-shtro u OR-tsu)
Plovidba u čistu krmu – sailing downwind, running (the wind is coming from behind, across the stern of the boat) PLO-vid-bah OO CHIST-oo KRmoo
Plovidba u mezzanave – reaching; beam reach (sailing with the wind from the side, or from 90° from the boat’s sailing direction) PLO-vid-bah oo meh-zah-nah-vey
Plovidba u pola krme – broad reaching (The wind is coming from behind the boat at an angle. This represents a range of wind angles between beam reach and running downwind)
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