watermanship
Skill on water
Watermanship is skill in handling boats, swimming, or navigating waterways.
The term appears most often in contexts involving small craft—rowing, sailing, canoeing—where technique and judgment matter more than power: His watermanship got us through the rapids safely.
It can also describe general competence in aquatic environments, from lifeguarding to diving.
Pulling oars to move
- kayakingNavigating slim watercraft seated
- canoeingWatercraft propulsion by paddle
- paddlingStroking water with blades
- scullingDouble-oar rowing technique
oarsmanship · rafting · stroke · feathering · catch · recovery · blade · paddle
Without prescribed technique
- backstrokeSupine aquatic locomotion
- butterflyWinged insect from caterpillar
- breaststrokeArms circle, legs splay
- medleyVaried mixture or blend
stroke · treading · diving · lifesaving · rescue · buoyancy · endurance · pacing
rowing
Pulling oars to move
- kayakingNavigating slim watercraft seated
- canoeingWatercraft propulsion by paddle
- paddlingStroking water with blades
sculling · oarsmanship · rafting · stroke · feathering · catch · recovery · blade · paddle · oar
freestyle
Without prescribed technique
- backstrokeSupine aquatic locomotion
- butterflyWinged insect from caterpillar
- breaststrokeArms circle, legs splay
medley · stroke · treading · diving · lifesaving · rescue · buoyancy · endurance · pacing · sighting
helmsmanship
Skill in steering vessels
- navigationDetermining position and course
- pilotingControlling a vehicle's course
- anchoringFastening securely to position
docking · mooring · berthing · harbor · marina · buoy · channel · knots · rigging · deck
tacking
Angled sailing maneuver
windward · leeward · regatta · spinnaker · mainsail · halyard · sheet · boom · mast · skipper
watermanshipincompetence
Lack of required skill
ineptitude · clumsiness · amateurishness · inexperience · unskillfulness
water, marine, aquatic, maritime, boatman, seaman, mariner, seamanship, waterman