1. Radar
   Borealis
2. Generator
   Motherboard

This is the radar system of the ship. It’s much-needed equipment for collision avoidance, especially in the dark, or conditions such as fog or storms.

1. Switchboard
   Gauge board
2. Anchor
   Feed pump

The anchor is probably the most recognized maritime equipment of all time, necessary for securing the boat and holding it in position. Some brand products even use it as a logo.

1. Air ejector
   Circulating pump
2. Blower
   Propeller

The propeller converts the engine's power into thrust for the vessel. Ships and some airplanes both have this equipment.

1. Boiler
   Nautical flags
2. Bell mouth
   Deck flange

Nautical flags are used for sending visual signals to other ships or to people on land. There are 26 flags corresponding to letters and 10 flags for digits. Also, under the International Code of Signals (ICS), most single flags have their own meanings, such as "diver down," "danger" and "assistance required."

1. Rudder
   Stanchion
2. Stuttermouth
   Frogger

The rudder is the flat, vertical piece of equipment needed to make the ship turn, so it’s important to check if it functions well. By deflecting the flow of water around it, it causes a differential of pressure on one side or the other. As the stern (rear) of the boat is turned, so goes the boat.

1. Bow chock
   Open rail davit
2. Crown
   Lifeboat

A lifeboat is also considered necessary equipment. It’s needed in case the people onboard need to abandon ship and ride away from it. After the Titanic disaster in 1912, U.S. and U.K. maritime laws were put in place that mandated a ship have enough lifeboat space for each passenger.

1. Navigation lights
   Shackle
2. Stockless
   Air pipe

All kinds of maritime vessels, even recreational boats, are required to have navigational lights as part of their equipment. A red light on the port side, a green light on the starboard and various white lights on the ship let other ships know your position in the water and avoid collisions.

1. Wire reel
   Speedometer
2. Chain cable
   Magnetic compass

A ship must have a magnetic compass. With a properly calibrated compass and a maritime chart, an experienced sailor can plot a course even in bad visibility.

1. Lower hold
   Bollard
2. Hold
   Monkey island

A bollard is the short, sturdy post that looks like a pawn of a chessboard. This is where rope is tied whenever a ship needs to dock. On land, bollards are installed to prevent car-ramming attacks and are sometimes retractable.

1. Kleine
   Mainmast
2. Engine room
   Loadline

This is the main mast of a ship — the tallest on the vessel and, on bigger ships, the second mast from the ship's bow (front). The frontmost mast is the foremast. Usually, the navigational lights system is attached to the mainmast.

1. Flag staff
   Undergull
2. Foredeck
   Afterdeck

There is usually a small staff for a flag somewhere in a ship. National, themed or distress flags can be flown from here.

1. Meteorology package
   Swinging boom
2. Derrick boom
   Draught

This tower-like thing is called the derrick boom. It’s a mechanism for lifting things such as heavy cargo.

1. Funnel
   Hull
2. Freeboard
   Stern

A ship’s funnel functions similarly to that of a car’s exhaust system, expelling boiler steam or engine exhaust well away from the vessel's decks. They are also known as stacks.

1. Telephone
   Bow
2. Neo-bulk
   Container

Inside the control rooms, a communication system to the outside world must be installed. Even though the technology is very mature, VHF radios are required before any other type of marine radio is installed; it is a critical part of the ship's safety gear.

1. SDME
   Crane
2. Heading
   Break bulk

A crane, either connected to the dock or to the boat itself, is used for loading and unloading cargo. Those installed on the ship can also be used for offshore construction.

1. Indicator
   EPA
2. Gyro repeater
   Voyage plan

More of a procedure than an obvious piece of equipment, a ship must have a voyage plan (or passage plan) nonetheless. This used to be done on paper, but there are computer programs and apps for this now.

1. Radar reflector
   Sound system
2. Daylight signaling lamp
   Cable board

A daylight signaling lamp is used for daytime visual communication, usually using Morse code. Particularly useful for making distress signals, the light is typically not dependent on the ship's main power in case of power failure.

1. Ship whistle
   Oil shift
2. Torque
   GNSS receiver

The loudspeaker, usually shaped like a horn, on a ship is called a ship whistle. It has a similar function as the horn on a car, alerting other ships to your presence or to danger. Short and long blasts are also used to convey certain messages (one short blast says you are about to pass on your port side, two short blasts for starboard, for instance).

1. Accommodation ladder
   Bearings
2. Jack staff
   Freeing port

The accommodation ladder is this movable ladder attached to the side of the ship. It’s used by people who need to go on and off of the ship when docked.

1. Lightning rod
   Bower
2. Maneuvering thruster
   Deck girder

The maneuvering thrusters — both on the bow and the stern — provide lateral (side-to-side) thrust and makes the vessel easier to handle, especially while docking.

1. King post
   Bedsheet
2. Range light
   Hatch cover

A hatch is usually an entryway or opening from belowdecks to the top of the ship. The covers — there are different types depending on their use — are watertight to keep water out of the cargo hold in rough weather.

1. Cowl head
   Foremast
2. Ventilator
   Lifting gear

The foremast is in front of the ship, and usually is the second-tallest mast on the ship, after the mainmast. Communication and lighting devices are often attached to it.

1. Propeller shaft
   Direction finder
2. Sight alignment
   Lifting gear

The propeller shaft is the mechanism that transmits power from the engine to the propellers, making the ship move. It's very similar to the driveshaft of a car.

1. Bulbous bow
   Semi-automatic
2. Skylight
   Fair-leader

The bulbous bow is the bulb structure in front of the ship. Since it’s usually below the water surface, we don’t immediately see it but it serves an important purpose. Usually found on larger ships, the bulb changes the way water flows around the hull, reducing drag and improving engine performance and stability.

1. Rubber ducky
   Bilge keel
2. Pelorus
   Super charge

A pelorus is a navigational instrument in a ship, allowing the sailors to observe the vessel's relative bearing and predates the compass. It is also the name of a yacht worth north of $300,000,000.

1. Cylinder head
   Basement deck
2. Forepeak tank
   Fly wheel

The ship’s forepeak tank is where liquid kinds of cargo are carried at the front of the vessel. It can also be filled with ballast water if there’s no such cargo onboard.

1. Nautical chart
   Winch
2. Hatch
   Ensign staff

A nautical chart is a map of the sea in a particular region, along with the adjacent coastal areas. The chart may display sea depth, features of the coastline and other information necessary for safe navigation.

1. GPS receiver
   Galley
2. Saloon
   WC

A GPS receiver in a ship links it to the Global Positioning System, allowing it to calculate the vessel's position. It functions much like that of the ordinary car GPS, but the maritime version is usually more robust and equipped with aquatic maps with detailed topography.

1. SWAT
   Pantry
2. Chart room
   Mooring gear

The mooring gear is the system with pullies, lines, buoys, cables and other devices that help the ship when docking. This equipment is designed to make mooring smooth and easy.

1. Rudder angle indicator
   Side ceiling
2. Hatch lock
   Wheel house

This is a rudder angle indicator, which tells the helmsman the present position of the rudder blade, aiding in navigation and calibration of the steering system of the vessel.

1. Hawsepipe
   Full throttle
2. Upright
   Tweendeck

The ship’s hawsepipe is the tube where the anchor’s chain passes through.

1. Rate of Turn Indicator
   Ballast tank
2. Deckhead
   Lower hold

The rate of turn indicator (ROTI) is like a scale that measures — via degrees per minute — the rate the vessel is turning, just as its name suggests. It's a vital piece of equipment when it comes to navigation.

1. Saddle tank
   Gas mask
2. Anchor chain
   Hoppers

The anchor chain is the one that passes through the hawse pipe. It securely holds the anchor on one end.

1. Turbine
   Cargo holds
2. Hatch stitching
   Automatic tracking aid

The turbine is part of the power plant of many ships. Steam turbines can be fueled by coal, fuel oil or nuclear power. On large vessels, they can be massive.

1. Voyage data recorder
   Radar scanner
2. Wheelhouse posters
   Pilot card

The voyage data recorder (VDR) that collects data about the ship's speed, communications, conditions and other information. Much like an aircraft's "black box," the VDR is usually colored orange for better visibility in recovery. While its primary function is for accident investigation, it can also be helpful to monitor the ship's condition and help for preventative maintenance.

1. Maneuvering Booklet
   Auto Pilot
2. Gyroscope
   Automatic Identification System

The main purpose of a gyroscope is to establish stability in the ship. The technology was first developed in the 19th and early 20th century.

1. Windlass
   Black ball shape
2. Speed and distance log device
   Forecastle bell

The windlass is the mechanism that serves as a pulley system on the ship. It usually comes in the form of a roll drum where the cables or chains are attached, and is used for pulling or letting down weights, including the anchor.

1. Clock
   Sound reception system
2. Hood ornament
   Antenna

An antenna is a much-needed piece of equipment on a vessel. Its main job is to transmit information via airwaves and is critical for the ship's VHF communication system.

1. Echo sounder
   Identification system
2. Long range tracker
   Navigational equipment maintenance record

The echo sounder is used to monitor water depths. A type of sonar, this uses sound waves to reflect off an underwater surface and determine its depth.

1. Information system
   Electronic chart display
2. Day shapes
   ARPA

Devices called day shapes are used to give obvious visual signals during the daytime and are hung like décor in the mast. They’re usually colored black, and different shapes — a ball, cylinder, cone or diamond — and positions of the display mean different things.