Everyone who lives near the water or gets out on a boat is probably familiar with the plaintive chirp of the osprey and its gull-like profile soaring above lakes and rivers.

Recall the last time you passed a day beacon. If it was topped with a large pile of sticks, it was most likely occupied by a nesting pair of osprey (the birds are partial to the signal's red hue).

Osprey, also known as sea hawks, are fish-eating birds of prey, which can grow large enough to accommodate a 6-foot wingspan. They have adapted well to the changes imposed on them by the profusion of boats, marinas and houses that today crowd their erstwhile habitats. So well, in fact, that if you're not careful, you might find your boat or dock the unwitting springtime host to love-struck birds, as I recently found my Catalina 34, Ukiyo.

Let's face it: contracts are boring. There's no plot or any character development to keep you turning the pages, and more often than not it reads like a confused sea, with choppy sentences, strange words and a pension for repetition.

Attorneys get paid to beat their way through such prose, and you should never sign a contract without giving it a thorough reading. Still, even after diligent study, you can be left with a nagging feeling that you don't know what is and isn't important.

This is where spotting some of the following language might prove helpful. While this story isn't a legal primer, and you should always seek out and follow your own maritime attorney's advice, below are 10 phrases you might see in a contract that are worth your attention.