Nautical English: key phrases, pilot books and forecasts in English

The lesson in plain words

1. The call
   • Address the port or marina by name and identify your vessel: ‘Rodney Bay Marina, this is sailing yacht Blue Heron.’ Give your berth request, dimensions, intended stay and ETA clearly.
   • Listen to the reply and confirm the berth and how to moor.
   • See Talking on the VHF for calling procedure and channel selection.
2. What to give
   A marina needs your length overall (LOA), beam (width) and draught (depth from the waterline to your boat’s deepest point), the number of nights and your ETA (estimated time of arrival).

   Example‘I request a berth for three nights. Length overall one-two metres, beam four metres, draught two decimal one metres. My ETA one-five-three-zero local time.’

3. What you may hear
   • A pontoon is a floating walkway; a berth is your assigned mooring place. ‘Pontoon Charlie, berth one-four, port side to’ means put your port side beside it. ‘Moor stern-to’ means berth with your stern towards the quay.
   • Fenders are protective cushions between your boat and the berth. If unsure, say ‘Say again’.
4. Formalities
   • Clear in means complete the required customs, immigration and health formalities.
   • The yellow Q flag means ‘My vessel is healthy and I request free pratique’: public-health clearance, distinct from customs, immigration and other entry permissions.
   • Ask where and when to report.
   • Check local arrival rules, including advance notice, when the Q flag is required and whether you must remain aboard.
5. False friends
   • Some words look like Spanish, French or Italian ones but mean something else. ‘Actual’ means real; ‘present’ explicitly means current.
   • For current draught, the SMCP wording is ‘my present draught’.
   • A boat has fenders, not defenses. ‘Eventually’ means in the end, not possibly. ‘Alongside’ means berthed beside a quay or another vessel.

Key data

Key points

• Call the station, then give your vessel's name, request, size and ETA in one message.
• Size for a marina: length overall, beam and draught, with units.
• Listen for the berth, the side to and how to moor; say ‘Say again’ if unsure.
• Check local clearance rules; the Q flag requests health clearance, not customs or immigration clearance.
• Actual means real; present means current; eventually means in the end. Use fenders, not defenses.

Check what you have read

True or false?

Practice case & exam keys

Exam keys

1. 1Give vessel name, request, LOA, beam, draught and ETA, with units.
2. 2Typical replies: proceed to pontoon …, berth …, port or starboard side to; moor stern-to.
3. 3Q flag requests free pratique (health clearance). Check local customs, immigration and arrival requirements.
4. 4False friends: actual = real; present = current; fenders; eventually = in the end.