Mensa Trivia

By B.G. Isham for Neil Krentzin

Answer with the proper nautical term:

l. What is a measure of length, containing six feet, used chiefly in measuring cordage, cable and depth of water?

2. What is three nautical miles, up, down or horizontally?

3. A nautical mile is 6080 feet, which is how many statute miles?

4. What is the ceiling of any room on board a ship called?

5. What do the initials M.V. mean?

6. What is any wall aboard a ship called?

7. What is a knot?

8. What is the nautical term for the distance between the water surface and the keel?

9. What part of the ship is the bow?

10. In or toward the middle of the ship is called?

11. The instrument used to determine the course of a ship is called?

12. Is a nautical mile longer or shorter than a statute mile?

13. Where is "ahead" situated?

14. What do the initials R.M.S. mean?

15. What is the term used when a ship's anchor is up, the lines are let go and she's ready to move?

16. What is the instrument used for recording changes in weather by measuring the weight or pressure of the atmosphere called?

17. Where is all the pertinent information regarding the sailing of the ship, position, speed, arrivals, departures, and a host of other important data stored?

18. What is the "scale" called for recording wind force at sea?

19. If you are facing aft and are on the left side of the ship are you port or starboard?

20. What is the wheel called that controls the rudder?

l) fathom; 2) League; 3) 1.15; 4) Deckhead; 5) motor vessel; 6) Bulkhead; 7) one nautical mile per hour; 8) Draft; 9) Front; 10) (a)midships; 11) Compass; 12) Longer; 13) in front of the bow; 14) Royal Mail Ship; 15) Underway; 16) Barometer; 17) ship's log; 18) Beaufort scale; 19) Port; 20) helm