News Origins of common nautical terms 21/03/2022 FacebookTwitterEmail A Viking boat. 'Stern' comes from the Viking word, ‘styra’, which means to steer. By James Harris, Volunteer Marine Rescue Gladstone One of the hardest things for new boat owners to learn is the specific and sometimes confusing nautical terms that […] Subscribe or Login to see the rest of the content. Username or E-mail Password Remember Me Forgot Password