CRUISER’S DICTIONARY
(The Cruiser’s Dictionary is an on-going project and we welcome your feedback.)
Email me at bpsalvage@hotmail.com with your entries, additions and/or corrections to my impromptu definitions. (Keep it clean and at least semi-polite. Sarcasm will certainly be tolerated and even encouraged.)
The Ditch-any portion of the waterway system that was manmade by digging!
Blue Highways-All the Waterways
On the hard-on the Land
On the hook-at anchor
Mississippi Mustache or Boat Smile--the muddy looking “smile” or “mustache” you get on the bow of your boat from running through river water that has “tannin” content.
Weekend Waterford-Plastic dishes and stemware
Deadhead-submerged log (Could be detrimental to the overall health of your hull and has absolutely nothing to do with that hippie band.)
Parrot Head-Has everything to do with the music you listen to and refers to a Die-Hard Jimmy Buffett fan (of which we are two)!
Rent a Wreck – Rental Car term made so popular that it has been “trademarked”.
Courtesy Clunker-Courtesy Cars provided by marinas for use by transient boaters and much appreciated regardless of condition.
Mississippi Cadillac-a marinas’s rattle trap pick up truck that they use to work but will allow for transient use if begged (one step down from a Courtesy Clunker)
Go Fast Boat-Formula, Baha or the like boat model that breaks sound barriers on the water.
Blow Boats-Sail Boats
Damn Blow Boats-Sail Boats not under power and in your way (they have right of way)
(Contributed by "Jeast Us") Pole Boats- Sail Boats
Damn pole boat-sails up but under power
Redneck River Runners-Pontoon Boats
Bubba Boats- term used by Yankees for all Southern fisherman’s boats
Assholes Looking for Bassholes - Discourteous river fishermen who fish mid channel and won’t move
Me First Boats! The ones that will try to pass you in a lock!
Redneck Cooler-Walmart bag with ice and a couple of beers tied to a beltloop (leaves a trail of water)
Boat Unit=$1,000 increments used in reporting recent boat expenses.
"Blue Jobs" - chores done on the boat by the male crewmember
"Pink Jobs" - chores done on the boat by the female crewmember
LAM – Look At Me!!! As in LAM Lights (like underwater lights) or LAM Paint job (like on Go Fast boats, usually includes some type of flames) This term coined by/for Reb Beck LGYC 2009 Commodore
Successful Docking-Controlled Crash (nautical equivalent of old pilot’s adage “any landing you walk away from is a good landing”)
B O A T @ Repair time=B-reak O-ut A-nother T-housand
Weather Witch (local who predicts cruising weather windows amazingly accurately. Could be disguised as a waitress in the diner or a postman making his rounds).
Courtesy Dip – When you spot a boat too late to reduce your speed this gesture of dropping your bow for a short period before picking your speed back up is like saying “I’m sorry I swamped your boat with my wake.” We always like to be polite about things here in the South.
Boat Sex –When a situation on the boat has created some tension between the Captain and First Mate that results in a loud volume high pitched discussion that includes some terms that suggest intimacy.
“Raising the water level” -This term refers to relieving one’s self off the deck and into the water with the obvious effect being to add to the liquid volume below and hence raising the water level. (Contributed by Charles Sowell, the distinguished General Counsel of the Alabama Real Estate Commission)