Appendix I
Boat Nomenclature

See also: Nomenclature of Naval Vessels

Accommodation ladders..--
Ladders placed at the gangway in port for convenience in coming on board.

Anchors:
 
      Bower.--
Anchors carried in the bow and used for all anchoring, except in unusual circumstances.
      Stream.--
An anchor of medium weight for miscellaneous use.
      Stern.--
Any anchor which is carried at the stern, regardless of weight or purpose.
      Kedges.--
Small anchors, usually of the Navy type, the heaviest of which does not weigh more than a ton.
      Boat.--
Small Navy type anchors for use in boats.

Apron.--
A timber fitted abaft the stem to reenforce the stem or forward portion of the keel.

Beams.--
Transverse supports running from side to side to support the deck.

Bilge.--
The part of the bottom on each side of the keel on which the boat would rest if aground.

Billboard.--
A sloping shelf or edge on the ship's side to support the old-fashioned type anchor.

Bitts.--
Vertical pieces of timber or metal securely fastened to the deck of the vessel and used to secure hawsers or for any purpose where heavy strains are to be taken.

Blade, oar.--
The broad flattened part of an oar as distinguished from the loom.

Boat falls.--
Blocks and tackle with which the boats are hoisted aboard at davits.

Boat hook.--
A pole with a blunt hook on the end to aid in landing operations or hauling alongside.

Boat plug.--
A screwed metal plug fitted in the bottom planking of the boat to drain the boat when it is out of the water.

Bottom boards.--
The fore and aft planks secured to the frames or to floor beams, forming the floor of the boat, frequently removable.

Bow.--
Forward end of the ship.

--177--

Bowsprit.--
A small metal or wood spar attached to the bow of a boat.

Braces, rudder, upper and lower.--
Strips of metal secured to the rudder, the forward ends of which fit over the rudder hanger on the sternpost, thus securing the rudder and forming a pivot upon which the rudder swings.

Breaker.--
A small cask for carrying potable water. (Also a wave that breaks on the shore.)

Breast hook.--
A wood or metal fixture behind the stem structure.

Bridge.--
The raised platform extending athwartships in the forward part of the ship, sometimes amidship or aft, from which the ship is steered and navigated.

Bulwarks.--
The planking or plating around the vessel above the upper deck.

Cabin.--
A compartment, usually for passengers.

Calking.--
Oakum driven between the plans of a deck.

Capstan.--
A barrel of wood or steel turning around vertically on a central spindle, used to hoist heavy weights or to weigh anchor.

Carling.--
A fore and aft beam at hatches.

Chains.--
Platforms projecting out from the ship's side where the lead man stands to take soundings.

Chain lockers.--
Compartments in the forward portion of the vessel under the chain pipes for carrying and storing cables.

Chain pipes.--
The pipes for the cable where it passes from one deck to another from the chain lockers.

Chock.--
A metal casting used as a guide or block.

Cleat.--
A horned casting for belaying lines.

Clew (of a sail).--
The lower after corner of a fore and aft sail.

Coaming.--
The raised boundary of hatchways or doors to keep water from going below or entering adjacent compartments.

Cockpit.--
A compartment, usually for passengers, in an open boat.

Counter.--
The portion of the stern from the water line to the overhand of the vessel.

Crutch.--
Special type of rowlock for steering oar.

Cutwater.--
The forward edge of the stem; the part that cuts the water when the ship is in motion.

--178--

Davits.--
Curved metal spars projecting over the ship's side used for hoisting heavy articles or weights; also at hatches for ammunition.

Deadlights.--
Pieces of heavy glass fixed in the deck or ship's side to admit light.

Decks:--
 
      Forecastle.--
A partial deck above the main deck at the bow.
      Half.--
A partial deck above the lowest complete deck and below the main deck.
      Main.--
The highest deck extending from stem to stern.
      Platform.--
A partial deck below the lowest complete deck.
      Poop.--
A partial deck above the main deck at the stern.
      Quarter.--
Extends from the mainmast to the poop or to the stern if there is no poop.
      Second.--
A complete deck immediately below the main deck; additional decks are called the second deck, third deck, fourth deck, etc.
      Superstructure.--
A partial deck above the main, upper, forecastle, or poop deck and not extending to the side of the ship.
      Upper.--
A partial deck above the main deck amidships.

Double bottom compartment.--
The space between the inner and the outer bottoms.

Draft.--
Determined by the figures. the bottom of each figure marks the exact number of feet from the bottom of the keel; the tops of the figures indicate the half feet.

Draft numbers.--
Place on the bow and on the stern to show the draft of the ship at any time.

Eyes.--
The extreme forward portion of the ship where the plating joins the stem.

Falls.--
The lines to which power is applied for hoisting.

Fenders.--
Portable wooden or rope bumpers hung over the side during landing to protect the hull.

Flat.--
A walking surface in the engine room or any special platform; for example, the coxswain's flat.

Floors.--
The transverse timbers which reenforce the frames and carry the strength athwartships across the keel.

Footings.--
Bottom boards or walking flats attached to the insides of the frames on boats without fitted floors.

--179--

Forecastle.--
That part of a vessels which extends form the foremast forward on the uppermost deck.

Foresheets.--
The portion of the b oat forward of the foremost thwart.

Frames.--
The ribs of the boat secured to the keel and extending upwards to the gunwale or deck.

Galley.--
Cooking compartments on board ship.

Garboard.--
The lowest strake of outside planing next to the keel.

Gooseneck.--
A hook-shaped fitting on the forward end of main boom used for securing the latter to the mainmast. Sometimes called a pacific iron.

Grapnel.--
A small multiple-fluked anchor used in dragging or grappling operations.

Gratings.--
Coverings of latticework for the hatchways, waterways, bridges, etc.

Gripes.--
The fitting used to secure a boat in its stowage position on board ship.

Grommets.--
Rings formed of rope/

Gudgeons.--
Small metal fittings, similar to eyebolts, secured to the sternpost of very small boats on which the rudder hangs. Used in place of the rudder hanger of larger boats.

Gunwale.--
The upper edge of the side of an open boat.

Halyards.--
Flag and signal hoists or ropes used to hoist and lower sails.

Hammock cloths.--
Pieces of canvas for covering the openings to the hammock nettings.

Hammock nettings.--
Spaces in which hammocks are stowed when not in use.

Hangar, rudder.--
A vertical strip of metal, secured to the sternpost, forming the traveller upon which the rudder braces are secured.

Hatchway.--
An opening in the decks forming a passageway from one deck to another and into the holds.

Hawse pipes.--
Pipes in the bow of a ship for anchor cables to pass through.

Hawse plugs.--
Plugs fitted in the hawse pipes to prevent the water from coming on board through them. When made of canvas, stuffed or filled with oakum, they are called jackasses.

--180--

Heel of mast.--
The lower end of the mast; the end of the mast which fits in the receptacle on the keel.

Hoisting pads.--
Metal fittings inside the boat often attached to the keep to take the hoisting slings or hoisting rods.

Hold.--
A general term to indicate the lower stowage compartments of a ship.

Keel.--
The principal members or timber of a boat extending from stem to stern at the bottom of the hull and supporting the whole frame; the first metal parts laid when building the ship.

Keelsons.--
Fore and aft structural timbers either above or outboard of the keel.

Leather.--
The portion of an oar which rests in the rowlock.

Loom.--
Rounded portion of an oar between the blade and handle.

Magazine.--
A compartment where powder or shell is stowed.

Manger.--
The part of the deck that is partitioned off forward on some vessels to prevent any water that may enter through the hawse holes from running aft over the decks.

Mast step.--
A metal receptacle on the keel in which the heel of the mast rests.

Midships.--
The middle part of the ship.

Norman pin.--
A metal pin fitted in a towing post or bitt for making secure the line.

Pacific iron.--
(See Gooseneck.)

Painter.--
A rope used in the bow for towing or for securing the boat.

Pintles.--
Small straight pieces of metal secured to the rudder and fitting in the gudgeons on the sternpost of very small boats to support the rudder.

Plank sheer.--
The outermost deck plank at the side.

Ports.--
Openings in the ship's side for various purposes such as air ports, gun ports, or cargo ports.

Port side.--
The left-hand side looking forward.

Rowlocks.--
Forked pieces of metal in which the leathers of oars rest while pulling.

Rudder.--
The apparatus used to steer a vessel.

Run.--
The narrowing of a hull aft between keel and counter.

Scuppers.--
Holes in the ship's side through which water is discharged through pipes from the waterways.

--181--

Scuttles.--
Round or square holes cut in the deck for the passage of coal, ammunition, etc.

Sea ladder.--
Steps secured to the ship's side for use in coming on board when the gangway is unshipped; used chiefly at sea.

Shell room.--
A magazine where shell are stowed.

Shrouds.--
Lines stretched form the masthead to a boat's rail to support the mast on each side.

Shroud whip.--
Lines used to haul the shrouds taut.

Sick bay.--
The hospital of the ship.

Side fender.--
A longitudinal timber projecting beyond the outside line of the hull planking to protect the hull.

Slings.--
Gear of wire rope and close-link chain for handling boats at booms or cranes.

Spars.--
Masts, booms, and gaffs upon which sails are spread.

Stanchions.--
Vertical members of wood or metal supporting a beam or some other portion of the ship.

Starboard side.--
The right-hand side looking forward.

Steering rowlock.--
A form of swivel rowlock, near the stern of a whaleboat or motor whaleboat, in which the steering oar is placed.

Stem.--
Upright timber in the forward part of a boat.

Stern.--
After end of the ship.

Stern fast.--
A stern line for use in securing the stern of a boat.

Stern hook.--
Same as breast hook for stern on a double-ended boat.

Sternpost.--
Principal vertical piece of timber at the after end of a boat, its lower end fastened to the keel or shaft log of the boat.

Stern sheets.--
The space in the boat abaft the thwarts.

Storerooms.--
Rooms for stowing the various stores and located in various parts of the ship.

Strakes.--
Continuous lines of fore and aft planing. Each line of planking is known as a strake.

Stretchers.--
Athwartship, movable pieces against which the oarsmen brace their feet in pulling.

Stringers, bilge.--
Longitudinal strengthening timbers inside the hull.

Taffrail.--
The rail around the vessel's stern.

Tarpaulin.--
A waterproof fabric cover to keep stores dry while being transported.

--182--

Tholepin.--
A pin fitted in the gunwale plank for use in place of a rowlock.

Thrum mats.--
Mats made of a small piece of canvas, with short strands of rope yarn sewed on, placed between the rowlocks and the oars to prevent noise in pulling.

Tiller.--
A bar or lever, fitted for and aft in the rudder head, by which the rudder is moved.

Towing bitts (or towing posts).--
A vertical timber securely fastened for use in towing or mooring.

Trailing lines.--
Lines secured to the boat and around the oars to prevent the latter from getting adrift when trailed from swivel rowlocks.

Transom.--
The planking across the stern in a transomed boat./dd>

Truck.--
A fitting, usually of metal, fitted at the upper end of a flagstaff or mast.

Waist.--
The portion of the upper deck on each side between the forecastle and the quarter-deck.

Wardroom.--
The quarters of all officers junior to the captain, except the junior officers and warrant officers, who occupy the junior officers' and warrant officers' quarters.

Water line.--
The line the water makes along the ship's side when afloat in still water.

Watertight compartment.--
Each separate compartment of the large number of rooms and passages that ships are divided into and so fitted as to be watertight. the compartments serve to keep the ship afloat by confining the water if her hull is pierced.

Waterways.--
Small gutters extending all around the edge of the weather decks form which water is carried away through scuppers.

Wheel.--
The handwheel used to move the tiller and rudder.

Wings.--
The portion of the hold nearest the side of the ship.
--183--

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