Nautical Term: Lubber line
Definition of Lubber line
A lubber line is a black line that runs parallel to a ship’s keel, which is marked on the inner surface of the compass bowl. The lubber line serves as a visual reference to help align the ship’s head with the compass direction.
For example, if a captain wanted to steer a course of 30 degrees true, they would align the ship’s head with the compass direction indicated by the red end of the compass needle. The captain would then check to make sure that the ship’s head is properly aligned with the compass direction by verifying that the ship’s stern is following the track marked by the ship’s wake. The captain can use the lubber line as a visual reference to help align the ship’s head with the compass direction while checking the ship’s stern to make sure that it is following the desired track.
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