What is the pole on the bow of a ship called?

mast. noun. a tall pole that the sails hang from on a ship.

What is the stick on front of ships called?

The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a spar extending forward from the vessel's prow. The bowsprit is typically held down by a bobstay that counteracts the forces from the forestays. The word bowsprit is thought to originate from the Middle Low German word bōchsprēt – bōch meaning "bow" and sprēt meaning "pole".

What is the flagpole on a boat called?

A jack staff (also spelled as jackstaff) is a small vertical spar (pole) on the bow of a ship or smaller vessel on which a particular type of flag, known as a jack, is flown.

What is the figure on the bow of a ship called?

What is a figurehead? Figureheads are the carved wooden sculptures that decorate the prows of sailing ships. In the perilous life of an ocean-going ship, figureheads embodied the spirit of the vessel, offering the crew protection from harsh seas and safeguarding their homeward journeys.

What are the side rails of a boat called?

In naval architecture, a taffrail is the handrail around the open deck area toward the stern of a ship or boat.

What is the BULBOUS BOW for?

What is the edge of a ship called?

Hull : Body of a boat. Gunwale : Upper edge of boat's side (generally pronounced gunnel)

What's a ship's rail?

Definition of ship railway

1 : an inclined railway running into the water with a car on which a ship may be drawn out on land for repairs or storage. 2 : a railway on which to transport ships overland between bodies of water.

Why is the front of a ship called the bow?

Certainly an easy way to remember the Bow is the front of the boat. Bow, as in bow and arrow, means to curve. The sides of the ship begin to bow as we get towards the forward part of a ship. The sides curve to meet at the most forward point of the ship.

Why is there a woman at the bow of a ship?

The majority of figureheads over the centuries were created by unknown craftsmen. Such figures, baring one or both breasts, had been popular in both merchant and naval ships. Sailors' superstitions viewed women on board ship as unlucky, but a semi-naked sculpted female form was believed to calm storms at sea.

What is the big flag on a ship called?

The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be different from the civil ensign (merchant ships) or the yacht ensign (recreational boats).

What are nautical flags called?

A maritime flag is a flag designated for use on ships, boats, and other watercraft.

What is a vessel flag?

The ship's flag displays the nationality of the ship, under whose laws the ship is plying in the international waters. Related Read: Understanding Nautical Flag Etiquettes. However, it is to note that not all vessels are registered to their ship owners' country of origin.

What is a bow pulpit?

A raised desk, lectern, or platform for an orator or public speaker. (nautical) The railing at the bow of a boat, which sometimes extends past the deck. It is sometimes referred to as bow pulpit. The railing at the stern of the boat is sometimes referred to as a stern pulpit; other texts use the term pushpit.

What is the bulb on the front of ships?

A bulbous bow is a protruding bulb at the bow (or front) of a ship just below the waterline. The bulb modifies the way the water flows around the hull, reducing drag and thus increasing speed, range, fuel efficiency, and stability.

Why do ships have mermaids?

These half-human, half-fish creatures were irresistible to sailors, even though they were often associated with bad luck — legends say that mermaids would lure sailors off course with their wiles, sometimes to their deaths.

Why do ships have sirens?

A foghorn or fog signal is a device that uses sound to warn vehicles of navigational hazards such as rocky coastlines, or boats of the presence of other vessels, in foggy conditions. The term is most often used in relation to marine transport.

What are the 4 sides of a ship called?

When looking forward, toward the bow of a ship, port and starboard refer to the left and right sides, respectively. In the early days of boating, before ships had rudders on their centerlines, boats were controlled using a steering oar.

What is the opposite of aft?

Fore or forward: at or toward the front of a ship or further ahead of a location (opposite of "aft")

Whats a transom on a boat?

What is a Boat Transom? The vertical section at the rear of the boat is known as the transom. In most modern saltwater fiberglass boats, the transom can house single or multiple outboard motors.

What is a boat gunnel?

Gunwale – Also known as gunnel, this is the outermost top edge of a boat hull, usually where the deck and hull come together.

What is a taffrail on a ship?

taffrail (plural taffrails) (nautical) The curved wooden top of the stern of a sailing man-of-war or East Indiaman, usually carved or decorated. (nautical) The rail around the stern of a ship.

Why is it called a Quarterdeck?

By extension, on flush-decked ships the after part of the main deck, where the officers took their station, was also known as the quarterdeck. As powered ships came into use, the term was applied to the same approximate area of the ship (although the officers stations were moved to the bridge).

Why is it called gunwale?

"Gunwale" is defined in the dictionary as the uppermost edge of a ship's side. That word originated in the late 15th century, when a "wale" was the name for a plank on a boat.

What does a gunwale do?

Nearly all boats have a gunwale, from the reinforced strip around the edge of a canoe to a narrow canal boat's wider gunwale that allows people to walk around the center cabin. Originally, this edge was called a "gun ridge," a band strong enough to support the weapons that were used on a war ship.

Why is gunwale pronounced gunnel?

A gunwale is the upper side of a ship or boat or the uppermost planks of a wooden vessel. Originally, the gunwale of a ship was the part of the deck where the guns were mounted and the term was spelled gonne wale, meaning gun plank. Gunwale is pronounced GUNnull.