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Ships Construction (See Glossary Below)

Join the hundreds of members who have successfully prepared for their Coast Guard License exam with SeaSources.net. From the pull down menu in the online study, select category "All Deck Examination Questions", then under subject, "Ships Construction".

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The subject of Ships Construction consists of 180 questions and 2 illustrations which are presented as 9 / 20 question quizzes. If you are studying for your United States Coast Guard Deck License exam you should continue working through all 9 of these quizzes until you are scoring 80% or better on all of them.
As you work through the quizzes you will find some questions that are very similar in content but may vary slightly in either the wording or in the order in which the answers appear. Work through them anyway. These are not randomly generated quizzes. The questions used in our quizzes are from the National Maritime Centers latest database of questions that are used by United States Coast Guard, USCG, Regional Exam Centers for administering tests and are categorized into their specific subject for targeted study. The online quizzes are presented in an interactive, easy to use, point and click, multiple choice format. After two or three times through a quiz you will see your scores rapidly improve. Move on to the next quiz and repeat the process. Check your score history frequently to see where you may need to review.

The question selection in our new Database will be presented as the following subjects for Ships Construction:

Construction

Stern/Prop/Rudder

Keels

Floors/Double Bottoms

Frames/Framing Systems

Shell Plating/Bilge Keels

Beams, Pillars, Girders

Stem/Bow

Decks/Deck Plating

Superstructure/Dk. Hse./Fittings

Miscellaneous

Welding

Bulkheads

Vessel Design

Lines

Plans

Dimensions/Tonnages

Stresses/Vessel Motion

Last edited on 25-Feb-2010 09:27:39 -0600
Or, if you prefer.

Glossary under construction
Ship Construction and Nomenclature

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Abaft: Toward the stern of a ship; back; behind; back of; further aft than.

Aboard: On or in a ship.

Abreast: Side by side.

Accommodation Ladder: Stairs slung at the gangway, leading down, the vessel's side to a point near the water, for ship access from small boats.

Aft: Near the stern; toward the stern.

After Body: That portion of a ship's body aft of the midship section.

After Frames: Frames aft of amidships, or frames near the stern of the ship.

After Peak: The aftermost tank or compartment forward of the stern post.

After Perpendicular: A line perpendicular to the base line intersecting the after-edge of the stern post at the designed water line. On submarines or ships having a similar stern, it is a vertical line passing through the point where the designed water line intersects the stern of the ship.

Air Port: An opening in the side or deck house of a vessel, usually round in shape and fitted with a hinged frame in which a thick glass is secured.

Aloft: In the upper rigging; above the decks.

Amidships: In the vicinity of the middle portion of a vessel as distinguished from her ends. The term is used to convey the idea of general locality but not that of definite extent.

Anchor: A heavy iron or steel implement attached to a vessel by means of a rope or chain cable for holding it at rest in the water. When an anchor is lowered to the bottom, the drag on the cable causes one or more of the prongs, called flukes, to sink into the ground which provides holding power.

Anchor, Bower: The large anchors carried in the bow of a vessel. Three are usually carried, two (the main bowers) in the hawsepipes, or on bill boards, and a third (spare) lashed on deck or elsewhere about the vessel for use ,in the event either of the main bowers is lost. The weight varies with the size and service of the ship.

Anchor, Kedge: A small anchor used for warping or kedging. It is usually planted from a small boat, the vessel being hauled up toward it. The weight varies, being usually from 900 to 1,200 pounds.

Anchor, Sea: This is not a true anchor as it does not sink to the bottom. It is a conical shaped canvas bag required by the Bureau of Marine Inspection to be carried in each lifeboat. When placed overboard it serves a double purpose in keeping the boat head on into the sea and in spreading a vegetable or animal oil from a container placed inside the bag. It is sometimes called an oil spreader.

Anchor, Stream: An anchor weighing from about one-fourth to one-third the weight of the main bowers and used when mooring in a narrow channel or harbor to prevent the vessel's stern from swinging with the current or the tide.

Angle: Same as angle bar.

Angle Bar: A bar of angle-shaped section used as a stiffener and for attachment of one plate or shape to another.

Angle Bulb: A structural shape having a bulb on one flange of the, angle, used as a frame, beam, or stiffener.

Angle Collar: A collar or band made of one or more pieces of angle bar and fitted tightly around a pipe, trunk, frame, longitudinal, or stiffener intersecting or projecting through a bulkhead or deck for the purposes of making a watertight or oiltight joint. See Stapling.

Appendages: Relatively small portions of a vessel extending beyond its main outline as shown by transverse and water plane sections, including such items as shafting, struts, bossings, docking and bilge keels, propellers, rudder, and any, other feature, extraneous to the hull and generally immersed.

Area of Sections: The area of any cross section of the immersed portion of a vessel, the cross section being taken at right angles to the fore and aft centerline of the vessel.

Astern: Signifying position, in the rear of or abaft the stern; as regards motion, the opposite of going ahead; backwards.

Athwart: Across, from side to side, transverse, across the line of a vessel's course.

Athwartship: Reaching across a vessel, from side to side.

Auxiliaries: Various winches, pumps, motors, engines, etc., required on a ship, as distinguished from main propulsive machinery (boilers and engines on a steam installation).

Awning: A roof like canopy of canvas suspended above a vessel's decks, bridges, etc., for protection against sun and weather.

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Back Stay: Stays which extend from all mast levels, except the lower, to the ship's side at some distance abaft the mast. They serve as additional supports to prevent the masts going forward. And also contribute to the lateral support, thereby assisting the shrouds.

Balanced Rudder: A rudder with its axis between the forward and after edge.

Ballast: Any weight carried solely for the purpose of making the vessel more seaworthy. Ballast may be either portable or fixed, depending upon the condition of the ship. Fixed or permanent ballast in the form of sand, concrete, lead, scrap, or pig iron is usually fitted to overcome an inherent defect in stability or trim due to faulty design or changed character of service. Portable ballast, usually in the form of water pumped into or out of the bottom, peak, or wing ballast tanks, is utilized to overcome a temporary defect in stability or trim due to faulty loading, damage, etc., and to submerge submarines.

Ballast Tanks: Tanks provided in various parts of a ship for introduction of water ballast when necessary to add weight to produce a change in trim or in stability of the ship, and for submerging submarines.

Ballast Water: Sea water, confined to double bottom tanks, peak tanks, and other designated compartments, for use in obtaining satisfactory draft, trim, or stability.

Ballasted Condition: A condition of loading in which it becomes necessary to fill all or part of the ballast tanks in order to secure proper immersion, stability, and steering qualities brought about by consumption of fuel, stores, and water or lack of part or all of the designed cargo.

Barge: A craft of full body and heavy construction designed for the carriage of cargo but having no machinery for self-propulsion.

Batten: Long, thin, strips of wood, steel, or plastic, usually of uniform rectangular section used in the drafting room and mold loft to lay down the lines of a vessel, but sometimes thinned down in the middle or at the ends to take sharp curves. A strip of wood or steel used in securing tarpaulins in place. To secure by means of battens, as to "batten down a hatch."

Battens, Cargo: A term applied to the wood planks or steel shapes that are fitted to the inside of the frames in a hold to keep the cargo away from the shell plating; the strips of wood or steel used to prevent shifting of cargo.

Beam: The extreme width of a ship. Also an Athwartship or longitudinal member of the ship's structure supporting the deck.

Beam Knee: A bracket between a frame or stiffener and the end of a beam; a beam arm.

Beam Line: A line showing the points of intersection between the top edge of the beam and the molded frame line, also called it molded deck line.”

Beam, Transom: A strong deck beam situated in the after end of the vessel connected at each end to the transom frame. The cant beams which support the deck plating in the overhang of the stern are attached to and radiate from it.

Bearer: A term applied to foundations, particularly those having vertical web plates as principal members. The vertical web plates of foundations are also called bearers.

Bearing: A block on or in which a journal rotates; a bearing block.

Bell Mouthed: A term used to signify the open end of a pipe when it expands or spreads out with an increasing diameter.

Below: Underneath the surface of the water. Underneath a deck or decks.

Bending Rolls: A large machine used to give curvature to plates by passage in contact with three rolls.

Bending Slab: Heavy cast-iron blocks with square or round holes for “dogging down” arranged to form a large solid floor on which frames and structural members are bent and formed.

Berth: A term applied to a bed or a place to sleep. Berths, as a rule, are, permanently built into the structure of the staterooms or compartments. They are constructed singly and one above the other. Also, a place for a ship.

Between Decks: The space between any two, not necessarily adjacent decks. Frequently expressed as “'tween decks”.

Bevel: A term for a plane having any other angle than 90 degrees to a given reference plane.

Bevel, Closed: A term applied where one flange of a bar is bent to form an acute angle with the other flange.

Bevel, Open: A term applied where one flange of a bar is bent to form an obtuse angle with the other flange. Frame bars in the bow and the stern of a vessel are given an open bevel to permit access for riveting to shell and to keep the standing flange parallel to the deck beams.

Bight: A loop or bend in a rope; strictly, any part between the two ends may be termed the bight.

Bilge: The rounded portion of a vessel's shell which connects the bottom with side. To open a vessel's lower body to the sea.

Bilge Plates: The curved shell plates that fit the bilge.

Bilges: The lowest portion of a ship inside the hull, considering the inner bottom where fitted as the bottom hull limit.

Bill Board: An inclined platform, fitted at the intersection of the forward weather deck and the shell, for stowing an anchor. It may be fitted with a tripping device for dropping the anchor overboard. Seldom fitted since the stockless anchor has come into general use.

Bitter End: The inboard end of a vessel's anchor chain which is made fast in the chain locker.

Bitts: A term applied to short metal or wood columns extending up from a base plate secured to a deck or bulwark rail or placed on a pier and to timbers extended up through and a short distance above a deck for the purpose of securing and belaying ropes, hawsers, cables', etc. Also called bollards.

Bitumastic: A black tarlike' composition largely of bitumen or asphalt and containing such other ingredients as rosin, Portland cement, slaked lime, petroleum, etc. It is used as a protective coating in ballast and trimming tanks, chain lockers, shaft alleys, etc.

Bleeder: A small cock, valve, or plug to drain off small quantities of fluids from a container or system.

Blind Pulley: A circular block of hard wood with rounded edges perforated by several holes having grooves running from them to one side of the block. One of these blocks is secured to an end of a part of the standing rigging, as a shroud, and another to the chain plate or to some part of the ship and the two are connected to one another by a lashing passing through the holes. Commonly called "dead eyes."

Block: The name given to a pulley or sheave, or a system of pulleys or sheaves, mounted in a frame or shell and used for moving objects by means of ropes run over the pulleys or sheaves. The prefixes single, double, triple, etc., indicate the number of pulleys or sheaves in the block. The five principal parts of a block are (a) the shell, or outside frame, (b) the sheave, on which the rope runs, (c) the pin, on which the sheave turns, (d) the strap, by which the hook is held in position and which provides bearing for the pin, and (e) the hook, which may be open, sister, or shackle and fixed or swivel. The opening between the top of the sheave and the shell is called the swallow, that between the bottom of the sheave and the shell is called the breech, and, the device attached to the bottom of the block opposite the hook for securing the standing part of the fall to the block is called the Becket.

Block, Cheek: A half shell block with a single sheave bolted to a mast or other object which serves as the other half shell or cheek. Usually used in connection with halyards.

Block, Fiddle: A block having two sheaves of different diameters, placed in the same plane one above the other.

Block, Snatch: A single sheave block having one side of the frame hinged so that it can be opened to allow the bight of a rope to be placed on the sheave; thus avoiding the necessity of threading the end of the rope through the swallow of the block. Usually employed as a fair lead around obstructions.

Blower: A mechanical device used to supply air under low pressure for artificial ventilation and forced draft, usually of the centrifugal type.

Boarding: The act of going on board a ship.

Bobstays: The chains or ropes attached underneath the outer end of the bowsprit and led aft to the sten to prevent the bowsprit from jumping up. Where two are fitted they are called the inner and the cap bobstays; when three are fitted they are called the inner, the middle, and the cap bobstays.

Body Plan: A plan consisting of two half transverse elevations or end views of a ship, both having a common vertical center line, so that the right-hand side represents the ship as seen from ahead, and the left-hand side as seen from astern. On the body plan appear the forms of the various cross sections, the curvature of the deck lines at the side, and the projections, as straight lines of the water lines, the bow and buttock lines, and the diagonal lines.

Boiler: Any vessel, container, or receptacle that is capable of generating steam by the internal or external application of heat. The two general classes are fire tube and water tube.

Boiler Casing: Walls fanning a trunk leading from the boiler room to the boiler hatch, which protect the different deck spaces from the heat of the boiler room, etc.

Boiler Room: A compartment in the hold, in the middle or after section of a vessel where the boilers are placed.

BoIIards: See "bitts."

Bolster Plate: A piece of plate adjoining the hawse hole, to prevent the chafing of the hawser against the cheek of a ship's bow. A plate for support like a pillow or cushion.

Bolt: A metal rod used as a fastening. With few exceptions, such as drift bolts, a head or shoulder is made on one end and a screw thread to carry a nut is cut on, the other.

Bolting Up: Securing by means of bolts and nuts parts of a structure in proper position for permanent attachment by riveting or welding. A workman employed on this work is called a "bolter up."

Bonjean Curves: Curves of areas of transverse sections of a ship. The curves of the moments of these areas above the base line are sometimes included.

Booby Hatch: An access hatch from a weather deck protected by a hood from sea and weather. The hood is often fitted with a sliding cover to facilitate access.

Boom: A term applied to a spar used in handling cargo, or to which the lower edge of, a fore-and -aft sail is attached.

Boom Table: A structure built up around a mast from the deck to support the heel bearings of booms and to provide proper working clearances when a number of booms are installed on or around one mast.

Boot topping: An outside area on a vessel's hull from bow to stern between certain waterlines to which special air, water, and grease-resisting paint is applied; also the paint applied to such areas.

Bosom: The inside of an angle bar.

Bosom Bar: An angle fitted inside another.

Bosom Plate: A plate bar or angle fitted in the bosoms of two angle bars to connect the ends of the two angles as if by a butt strap.

Boss: The curved, swelling portion of the ship's underwater hull around the propeller shaft .

Boss Plate: The plate that covers the boss.

Bottom: That portion of a vessel's shell between the keel and the lower turn of the bilge.

Bottom, Outer: A term applied to the bottom shell plating in a double bottom ship.

Bottom Plating: That part of the shell plating which is below the water line. More specifically, the immersed shell plating from bilge to bilge.

Bow: The forward end of the ship. The sides of the vessel at and for some distance abaft the stem, designated as the right-hand or starboard bow and the left-hand, or port-bow.

Bow Lines: Curves representing vertical sections parallel to the central longitudinal vertical plane of the bow end of a ship. Similar curves in the aft part of a hull are called buttock lines. Also, a rope leading from the vessel's bow to another vessel or to a wharf for the purpose of hauling her ahead or for securing her.

Bowsprit: A spar projecting forward over the bow for the purpose of holding the lower ends of the head sails.

Brace: A rope attached to the yard arm, used to alter the position of the yard arm in a horizontal plane. The operation is known as trimming the sail.

Bracket: A steel plate, commonly of triangular shape with a reinforcing flange, on its free edge, used to connect two parts such as deck beam to frame, frame to ,margin plate, 'etc.; also used to stiffen or tie beam angles to bulkheads, frames to longitudinals, etc.

Breadth, Extreme: The maximum breadth measured over plating or planking, including beading or fenders.

Breadth, Molded: The greatest breadth of the vessel measured from heel of frame on one side to heel of frame on other side.

Breadth, Registered: Measured at amidships at its greatest breadth to outside of plating.

Break of Forecastle or Poop: The point at which the partial decks known as the forecastle and poop are discontinued.

Breakwater: A term applied to plates or timbers fitted on a forward weather deck to form a V -shaped shield against water that is shipped over the bow.

Breast Hook: A triangular-shaped plate fitted parallel to and between decks or side stringers in the bow for the purpose of rigidly fastening together the peak frames, stem, and outside plating; also used, in conjunction with the above duties, to fasten the ends of side stringers firmly together.

Bridge: A high transverse platform, often fanning the top of a bridge house, extending from side to side of the ship, and from which a good view of the weather deck may be had. An enclosed space called the pilot house is erected on the bridge in which are installed the navigating instruments, such as the compass and binnacle, the control for the steering apparatus, and the signals to the engine room. While the pilot house is generally extended to include a chartroom and sometimes staterooms, a clear passageway should be left around it. As the operation of the ship is directed from the bridge or flying bridge above it, there should also be a clear, open passage from one side of the vessel to the other. The term is also applied to the narrow walkways, called connecting bridges, which connect the bridge deck with the poop and forecastle decks. This type of bridge is usually found on tankers and is desirable whenever bulwarks are not fitted.

Bridge House: A term applied to an erection or superstructure fitted about amidships on the upper deck of a ship.

Bridge, Navigating, or Flying: The uppermost platform erected at the level of the top of the pilot house. I t generally consists of a narrow walkway supported by stanchions, running from one side of the ship to the other and the space over the top of the pilot house. A duplicate set of navigating instruments and controls for the steering gear and engine room signals are installed on the flying bridge so that the ship may be navigated in good weather from this platform. Awnings erected on stanchions and weather cloths fitted to the railing give protection against sun and wind.

Broken Backed: Said of a vessel when, owing to insufficient longitudinal strength, grounding, or other accident, her sheer is reduced or lost, thereby producing a drooping effect at both ends.

Brow: A gangplank usually fitted with rollers at the end resting on the wharf to allow for the movement of the vessel with the tide. See watershed.

Buckle: A distortion, such as a bulge; to become distorted; to bend out of its own plane.

Buckler: Generally, but not exclusively, applied to various devices used to prevent water from entering hawse and chain pipes, etc.

Buckling: The departure of a plate, shape, or stanchion from its designed plane or axis when subjected to load.

Building Slip: An inclined launching berth where the ship is built.

Bulkhead: A term applied to anyone of the partition walls which subdivide the interior of a ship into compartments or rooms. The various types of bulkheads are distinguished by the addition of a word or words, explaining the location, use, kind of material or method of fabrication, such as fore peak, longitudinal, transverse, watertight, wire mesh, etc. Bulkheads which contribute to the strength and seaworthiness of a vessel are called strength bulkheads, those which are essential to the watertight subdivision are watertight or oiltight bulkheads.

Bulkhead, After Peak: A term applied to the first transverse bulkhead forward of the stern post. This bulkhead forms the forward boundary of the afterpeak tank and should be made watertight.

Bulkhead, Collision: The foremost transverse watertight bulkhead in a ship which extends from the bottom of the hold to the freeboard deck. It is designed to keep water out of the forward hold in case of collision damage. Usually, this is the fore peak bulkhead at the after end of the fore peak tank.

Bulkhead, Joiner: Wood or light metal bulkheads serving to bound staterooms, offices, etc., and not contributing to the ship's strength.

Bulkhead Stiffener: Members attached to the plating of a bulkhead for the purpose of holding it in a plane when pressure is applied to one side. The stiffener is generally vertical, but horizontal stiffeners are used and both are found on same bulkheads. The most efficient stiffener is a T section; flat bars, angles, channels, zees, H and I sections are commonly used.

Bulkhead, Swash: A strongly built, nontight bulkhead placed in oil or water tanks to slow down the motion of the fluid set up by the motion of the ship.

Bulkhead, Wire Mesh: A partition or enclosure bulkhead, used largely in store rooms, shops, etc., made of wire mesh panels.

Bulldozer - A machine, usually hydraulic or electric, for bending bars, shapes or plates while cold.

Bulwark: A term applied to the strake of shell plating or the side planking above a weather deck. It helps to keep the deck dry and also serves as a guard against losing deck cargo or men overboard. Where bulwarks are fitted, it is customary to provide openings in them which are called freeing ports, to allow the water that breaks over to clear itself.

Bulwark Stay: A brace extending from the deck to a point near the top of the bulwark, to keep it rigid.

Bumped: A term applied to a plate which has been pressed or otherwise formed to a concave or convex shape. Used for heads of tanks, boilers, etc.

Bunk: A built-in berth or bed.

Bunker: A compartment used for the stowage of coal or oil fuel.

Buoyancy: Ability to float; the supporting effort exerted by a liquid (usually water) upon the surface of body, wholly or partially immersed in it.

Buoyancy, Reserve: The floating or buoyant power of the un submerged portion of the hull of a vessel. Usually referred to a specific condition of loading.

Butt: That end or edge of a plate or timber where it comes squarely against another piece; or, the joint thus formed.

Buttock: The rounded-in overhanging part on each side of the stern in front of the rudder, merging underneath in the run.

Buttock Lines: The curves shown by taking vertical longitudinal sections of the after part of a ship's hull parallel to the ship's keel. Similar curves in forward part of hull are "bow lines."

Butt Strap: A term applied to a strip of plate serving as a connecting strap between the butted ends of the plating. The strap connections at the edges are called seam straps.

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Cabin: The interior of a deck house, usually the space set aside for the use of officers and passengers.

Caisson: A watertight structure used for raising sunken vessels by means of compressed air. Also the floating gate to close the entrance to a dry dock.

Calking: The operation of jamming material into the contact area to make a joint watertight or oiltight.

Camber, Round of Beam: The weather decks of ships are rounded up or arched in an Athwartship direction for the purpose of draining any water that may fall on them to the sides of the ship where it can be led overboard through scuppers. The arching or rounding up is called the camber or round of the beam and is expressed in inches in connection with the greatest molded breadth of the ship in feet, thus, "the main deck has a camber of 10 inches in 40 feet." In is measured at the center line of the ship at the greatest molded breadth and is the distance from the chord to the top of the arch.

Cant: A term signifying an inclination of an object from a perpendicular; to turn anything so that it does not stand perpendicularly or square to a given object.

Cant Frame: A frame the plane of which is not square to the keel.

Capstan, Steam: A vertical drum or barrel operated by a steam engine and used for handling heavy anchor chains, heavy hawsers, etc. The engine is usually non-reversing and transmits its power to the capstan shaft through a worm wheel. The drum is fitted with pawls to prevent overhauling under the strain of the hawser or chain when the power is shut off. The engine may be disconnected and the capstan operated by hand through the medium of capstan bars.

Cargo: Merchandise or goods accepted for transportation by ship.

Cargo Boom: A heavy boom used in loading cargo. See "boom."

Cargo Hatch: A large opening in the deck to permit loading of cargo.

Cargo Mat: A mat, usually square and made of manila rope, used to protect the deck covering while taking stores, etc., on board.

Cargo Net: A square net, made in various sizes of manila rope or chain, and used in connection with the ship's hoisting appliances to load cargo, etc., aboard the vessel.

Cargo Port: An opening, provided with a watertight cover or door, in the side of a vessel of two or more decks, through which cargo is received and discharged.

Carlings: Short beams forming a portion of the framing above deck openings. Also called headers when they support the ends of interrupted deck beams.

Casings, Engine and Boiler Rooms: The walls or partitions forming trunks above the engine and boiler spaces, providing air and ventilation and enclosing the uptakes. They extend somewhat above the weather deck, or superstructure deck if fitted, and are of sufficient size to permit installation and removal of engines and boilers. / Doors are fitted at the several deck levels to permit access to the gratings and ladders.

Cavil: A heavy timber fastened to the forward or after bitts about midway between the base and top to form a cleat. The bitt so built.

Ceiling: A term applied to the planking with which the inside of a vessel is sheathed. Also applied to the sheet metal or wood sheathing in quarters and storerooms.

Ceiling, Floor: Planking fitted on top of the floors or double bottom in the cargo holds.

Ceiling, Hold: Thick strakes of planking fastened to the inside flanges or edges of the framing in the cargo holds.

Centerline: The middle line of the ship from stem to stern as shown in any waterline view.

Center of Buoyancy: The geometric center of gravity of the immersed volume of the displacement or of the displaced water, determined solely by the shape of the underwater body of the ship. It is calculated for both the longitudinal location, forward or aft of the middle perpendicular, and the vertical location above the base line or below the designed waterline.

Center of Flotation: The geometric center of gravity of the water plane at which the vessel floats, forward or aft of the middle perpendicular. It is that point about which a vessel rotates longitudinally when actuated by an external force without change in displacement.

Center of Gravity: The point at which the combined height of all the individual items going to make up the total weight of the vessel may be considered as concentrated; generally located longitudinally forward or aft of the middle perpendicular and vertically above bottom of keel or below a stated waterline.

Center of Lateral Resistance: The point through which a single force could act and produce an effort equal to the lateral resistance of the vessel. It is ordinarily assumed to be coincident with the center of gravity of the immersed central longitudinal plane.

Center of Pressure: The point in a sail or an immersed plane surface at which the resultant of the combined pressure forces acts.

Central Lateral Plane: The immersed longitudinal vertical middle plane of a vessel.

Chafing Plate: A plate fitted to take the wear due to dragging moving gear or to protect ropes from wearing where they rub on sharp edges. Also fitted on decks under anchor chains.

Chain Locker: Compartment in forward lower portion of ship in which anchor chain is stowed.

Chain Locker Pipe: Chain Pipe: The iron-bound opening or section of pipe leading from the chain locker to the deck, through which the chain cable passes.

Chain Plate: A bar or plate secured to the shell of a vessel to which the standing rigging is attached ..

Chains: Usually refers to heavy chains attached to the anchor. Also applied to the lower parts of standing rigging which are attached to the chain plates.

Chain Stopper: A device used to secure the chain cable when riding at anchor, thereby relieving the strain on the windlass, and also for securing the anchor in the housing position in the hawsepipe.

Chamfer: A bevel surface formed by cutting away the angle of two intersecting faces of a piece of material.

Chart House: A small room adjacent to the bridge for charts and navigating instruments.

Chine: The line formed by the intersection of side and bottom in ships having straight or slightly curved frames.

Chock: A term applied to oval-shaped castings, either open or closed on top, and fitted with or without rollers, through which hawsers and lines are passed. Also applied to blocks of wood used as connecting or reinforcing pieces, filling pieces, and supports for life boats. Also applied to the brackets fitted to boiler saddles to prevent fore and aft motion and to small brackets on the webs of frames, beams and stiffeners to prevent tipping of the member.

Clamp: A metal fitting used to grip and hold wire ropes. Two or more may be used to connect two ropes in lieu of a short splice or in turning in an eye. Also a device generally operated by hand, for holding two or more pieces of material together, usually called a “C“clamp.

Cleats: Pieces of wood or metal, of various shapes according to their uses, usually having two projecting arms or horns upon which to belay ropes. The term Cavil is sometimes applied to a cleat of extra size and strength.

CIinometer: An instrument used for indicating the angle of roll or pitch of a vessel.

Cup: A four- to six-inch angle bar welded temporarily to floors, plates, webs, etc. It is used as a hold-fast which, with the aid of a bolt, pulls objects up close in fitting. Also, short lengths of bar, generally angle, used to attach and connect the various members of the ship structure.

Close Butt: A riveted joint in which the ends of the connected members are brought into metal-to-metal contact by grinding and pulling tight by clips or other means before the rivets are driven.

Club-Foot: A fore foot in which displacement or volume is placed near the keel and close to the forward perpendicular, resulting in full water lines below water and fine lines at and near the designed waterline, the transverse sections being bulbshaped. Also called a bulb or bulbous bow.

Coaming, Bulkhead: A term applied to the top and bottom strakes of bulkheads, which are usually made thicker than the remainder of the plating and which act as girder web plates in helping to support the adjacent structure.

Coaming, Hatch: A frame bounding a hatch for the purpose of stiffening the edges of the opening and forming the support for the covers. In a steel ship it generally consists of a strake of strong vertical plating completely bounding the edges of a deck opening.

Cofferdams: Empty spaces separating two or more compartments for the purpose of insulation, or to prevent the liquid contents of one compartment from entering another in the event of the failure of the walls of one to retain their tightness.

Collar: A piece of plate or a shape fitted around an opening for the passage of a continuous member through a deck, bulkhead, or other structure to secure tightness against oil, water, air, dust, etc.

Collier: A vessel designed for the carrying of coal, which may or may not be fitted with special appliances for coal handling.

Companion: The cover over a companionway.

Companionway: A hatchway or opening in a deck provided with a set of steps or ladders leading from one deck level to another for the use of personnel.

Compartment: A subdivision of space or room in a ship.

Composite Vessel: A vessel with a metal frame and a wooden shell and decks.

Cordage: A comprehensive term for all ropes of whatever size or kind on board a ship.

Counter: That part of a ship's stern which overhangs the stern post, usually that part above the water line.

Countersink: A term applied to the operation of cutting the sides of a drilled or punched hole into the shape of the frustum of a cone. Also applied to the tool by which countersinking is done.

Countersunk Hole: A hole tapered or beveled around its edge to allow a rivet or bolt head or a rivet point to seat flush with or below the surface of the riveted or bolted object.

Countersunk Rivet: A rivet driven flush on one or both sides.

Coupling: A device for securing together the adjoining ends of piping, shafting, etc., in such a manner as will permit disassembly whenever necessary. Flanges connected by bolts and pipe unions are probably the most common forms of couplings.

Cradle: A support of wood or metal shaped to fit the object which is stowed upon it.

Cradle, Boat: The heavy wood or metal supports for a ship's boat, cut to fit the shape of the hull of the boat and usually faced with leather, In which the boat is stowed.

Cradle, Launching: The structure of wood, or wood and steel, which is built up from the sliding ways, closely fitting the shell plating, which supports the weight of the ship and distributes it to the sliding ways when a ship is being launched. The extent of the cradle and the number of sections into which it may be divided depends on the weight and length of the ship.

Cradle, Marine Railway: The carriage on which the ship rests when being docked on a marine rail way.

Crane: A machine used for hoisting and moving pieces of material or portions of structures or machines that are either too heavy to be handled by hand or cannot be handled economically by hand. Bridge, gantry, jib, locomotive, and special purpose cranes are used in shipyards.

Cribbing: Foundations of heavy blocks and timbers for supporting a vessel during the period of construction.

Cross Trees: A term applied to athwart ship pieces fitted over the trees on a mast. They serve as a foundation for a platform at the top of a mast or as a support for outriggers.

Crown: Term sometimes used denoting the round-up or camber of a deck. The crown of an anchor is located where the arms join the shank.

Crow's Nest: A lookout station attached to or near the head of a mast.

Crutch: A term applied to a support for a boom. Also applied to the jaw of a boom or gaff.

Cutwater: The forward edge of the stem at or near the water line is called the cutwater.

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Davit: A device used to lower and raise ship's boats and sometimes for other purposes. The rotary, or most common type, consists of a vertical pillar, generally circular in section, with the upper portion bent in a fair curve and having sufficient outreach to clear the side of the ship plus a clearance. Each ship's boat has two davits, one near its bow and one near its stern; they both rotate; lifting the boat, by means of blocks and falls suspended from the overhanging end, from its stowage position on deck and swinging it clear of the ship's side. This type of davit is usually stepped in a socket attached to the side of the vessel or on the deck next below the boat deck near the side and held in place at the boat deck by a keeper or bearing.

Dead Eye: See Blind Pulley

Dead Flat: The Midship portion of a vessel throughout the length of which a constant shape of cross section is maintained. ,

Deadlight: A term applied to a port lid or cover; a metal shutter fitted to protect the glass in a fixed or port light. Often incorrectly applied to a fixed light in a deck, bulkhead or shell.

Dead Rise: The amount which the straight portion of the bottom of the floor, of the midship section rises above the base line in the half-beam of the vessel. Usually expressed in inches.

Deadweight: The difference between the light displacement and the full load displacement of a vessel; the total weight of cargo, fuel, water, stores, passengers, and crew and their effects that a ship can carry when at her maximum allowable draft.

Deadweight, Cargo: The number of tons remaining after deducting from the deadweight the weight of fuel, water, stores, dunnage, and crew and their effects necessary for use on a voyage. Also called" useful" or "paying" deadweight.

Deadwood: The vertical surfaces at the extreme after body of a ship.

Deck: A deck in a ship corresponds to a floor in a building. It is the plating, planking, or covering of any tier of beams above the inner bottom forming a floor, either in the hull or superstructure of a ship. Decks are designated by their location as upper deck, main deck, etc., and forward lower deck, after superstructure deck, etc. The after portion of a weather deck was formerly known as the quarter deck and on warships is allotted to the use of the officers.

Deck Bolt: A special type of bolt used to secure the planks of a wood deck to the beams or deck plating.

Deck, Bulkhead: The uppermost continuous deck to which all main transverse bulkheads are carried. This deck should be watertight to prevent flooding adjacent compartments if a compartment is bilged.

Deck, Freeboard: The deck to which the classification societies require the vessel's freeboard to be measured. Usually the upper strength deck.

Deck Heights: The vertical distance between the molded lines of two adjacent decks.

Deck House: A term applied to a partial superstructure that does not extend from side to side of a vessel as do the bridge, poop, and forecastle.

Deck Machinery: A term applied to capstans, windlasses, winches, and miscellaneous machinery located on the decks of ship.

Deck Planks or Planking: A term applied to the wood sheathing or covering on a deck. Oregon pine, yellow pine, and teak are most commonly used. The seams between the planks should be thoroughly calked.

Deck Plating: A term applied to the steel plating of a deck.

Deck Stringer: The strip of deck plating that runs along the outer edge of a deck.

Deep Floors: A term applied to the floors at the ends of a ship which are deeper than the standard depth of floor at amidships.

Deep Tanks: Tanks extending from the bottom or inner bottom of a vessel up to or higher than the lowest deck. They are fitted with hatches so that they also may be used for cargo.

Deep Waterline: The waterline at which the vessel floats when carrying the maximum allowable load.

Depth Molded: The vertical distance from the molded base line to the top of the uppermost strength deck beam at side, measured at midlength of the vessel.

Derrick: A device consisting of a kingpost, boom with topping lift, and necessary rigging for hoisting heavy weights, cargo, etc.

Diagonal Line: A line cutting the body plan diagonally from the centerline, representing a plane introduced for line fairing purposes.

Dished Plates: Plates, generally of circular shape, which have been furnaced or pressed into a concave form.

Displacement: The weight of fluid displaced by a freely floating and unrestrained vessel, the weight of which exactly equals the weight of the vessel and everything on board at the time the displacement is recorded. Displacement is expressed in tons.

Displacement Curves: Curves drawn to give the displacement of the vessel at varying drafts. Usually these curves are drawn to show the displacement in either salt or fresh water, or in both.

Displacement, Designed: The displacement of a vessel when floating at her designed draft.

Displacement, Full Load: The displacement of a vessel when floating at her greatest allowable draft as established by the classification societies.

Displacement, Light: The displacement of the vessel complete with all items of outfit, equipment, and machinery on board but excluding all cargo, fuel, water, stores, passengers, dunnage, and the crew and their effects.

Dock: A basin for the reception of vessels. Wet docks are utilized for the loading and unloading of ships. Dry docks are utilized for the construction or repair of ships.

Dockyard: A shipyard or plant where ships are constructed or repaired.

Dog: A short metal rod or bar fashioned to form a clamp or clip ,and used for holding watertight doors, manholes, or pieces of work in place.

Dog Shores: Diagonal braces placed to prevent the sliding ways from moving when the shores and keel blocks are removed before launching. Dog shores are the last timbers to be knocked away at a launching.

Dolly Bar: A heavy steel bar used to hold against the heads of rivets while the points are being clinched when the space is not sufficient to permit the use of a regular holding-on tool.

Dolphin: A term applied to several piles that are bound together, situated either at the corner of a pier or out in the stream and used for docking and warping vessels. Also applied to single piles and bollards on piers that are used in docking and warping.

Donkey Engine: A small gas, steam, or electric auxiliary engine set on deck and used for lifting, etc.

Door, Airtight: A door so constructed that when dosed it will prevent the passage of air under a small pressure. Used on air locks to boiler rooms under forced draft and in similar locations.

Door Frame: The frame surrounding a door opening on which the door seats.

Door, Joiner: A light door fitted to staterooms and quarters where air and watertightness is not required. Made of wood, light metal, and metal-covered wood. Metal joiner doors with pressed panels are extensively used.

Door, Watertight: A door so constructed that, when dosed, it will prevent water under pressure from passing through. A common type consists of a steel plate, around the edges of which a frame of angle bar is fitted, having a strip of rubber attached to the reverse side of the flange that is fastened to the door plate. The strip of rubber is compressed against the toe of the flange of an angle iron door frame by dogs or clamps.

Door, Weathertight: A term applied to outside doors on the upper decks which are designed to keep out the rain and spray.

Double Bottom: A term applied to the space between the inner and outer skins of a vessel called respectively the "inner bottom" and "shell," usually extending from bilge to bilge and for nearly the whole length of the vessel fore and aft, and subdivided into water or oil tight compartments.

Doubling Plate: An extra plate secured to the original plating for additional strength or to compensate for an opening in the structure.

Dowel: A pin of wood or metal inserted in the edge or face of two boards or pieces to secure them together.

Draft, Draught: The depth of the vessel below the waterline measured vertically to the lowest part of the hull, propellers, or other reference point. When measured to the lowest projecting portion of the vessel, it is called the "draft, extreme"; when measured at the bow, it is called "draft, forward"; and when measured at the stern, the "draft, aft" ; the average of the draft, forward, and the draft, aft, is the "draft, mean," and the mean draft when in full load condition is the "draft, load."

Draft Marks: The numbers which are placed on each side of a vessel near the bow and stern, and often also amidships, to indicate the distance from the number to the bottom of the keel or a fixed reference point. These numbers are six inches high, are spaced twelve inches bottom to bottom vertically, and are located as close to the bow and stern as possible.

Drag: The designed excess of draft, aft, over that forward, measured from the designer's waterline. The drag is constant and should not be confused with trim.

Drift: When erecting the structure of a ship and rivet holes in the pieces to be connected are not concentric; the distance that they are out of line is called the drift. This should be corrected by reaming the holes, but common practice, which is prohibited, is to drive tapered pins, called "drift pins," into the unfair holes to force them into line.

Drift Pin: A conical-shaped pin gradually tapered from a blunt point to a diameter a little larger than the rivet holes in which it is to be used. The point is inserted in rivet holes that are not fair, and the other end is hammered until the holes are forced into line.

Dry Dock, Floating: A hollow floating structure of L- or U-shaped cross section, so designed that it may be submerged to permit floating a vessel into it, and that it may then raise the vessel and itself so that the deck of the dock and consequently the bottom of the vessel is above the level of the water. The bottom of a floating dry dock consists of one or more pontoons or rectangular shaped vessels with high wing structure erected on one or both sides according to whether the section is to be L- or U-shaped. The deck of the pontoon is fitted with stationary keel blocks and movable bilge blocks which can be pulled under a vessel from the top of the wing structure. Pumps are fitted in the wings by which the dock can be quickly submerged or raised. Floating dry docks are used for repairing and painting the underwater portions of vessels and for docking a damaged vessel.

Dry Dock, Graving: A basin excavated at a waterway and connected thereto by gates or a caisson which may be opened to let a vessel in or out and then closed and the water pumped out. The dock is fitted with stationary keel blocks and movable bilge blocks, which usually are fitted on rack tracks, allowing them to be pulled under a vessel before the water is pumped out. Graving docks are common in navy yards, and although more expensive to construct than floating dry docks, they are practicality permanent and supply a more rigid foundation for supporting a ship. The gate of a graving dry dock is usually a caisson which is a complete vessel in itself, having a strong rectangular shaped keel and end I posts which bear against the bottom sill and side, ledges at the entrance of the dry dock. The caisson is designed so that its draft may be adjusted by water ballast until it bears against the sill and ledges and is equipped with flood valves and power pumps to make this adjustment. When a ship is to be docked, sluice valves in the caisson or in the dock structure are opened until the water in the dock reaches the same level as the water outside. The caisson is then floated to one side, allowing a vessel to enter the dock. The caisson is then floated back to close the entrance, completely separating the basin from the waterway, and after the vessel is lined up over the keel blocks the water is pumped out of the dry dock.

Dry Dock, Railway: A railway dock consists of tracks built on an incline on a strong foundation and extending from a distance in-shore sufficient to allow docking a vessel of the maximum size for which the dock is built, to a distance under water sufficient to allow the same vessel to enter the cradle. The cradle running on the tracks may be of wood or steel fitted with keel and bilge blocks and sufficiently weighted to keep it on the track when in the water. A hoisting engine with a winding drum or wildcat is fitted at the in-shore end of the railway which operates the cradle by a cable or chain. This type of dry dock is used for docking small ships. It is commonly called a "marine railway."

Dunnage: Any material, such as blocks, boards, paper, burlap, etc., necessary for the safe stowage of stores and cargo.

Dutchman: A piece of wood or steel fitted into an opening to cover up poor joints or crevices caused by poor workmanship.

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Edge, Sight: That edge of a strake of plating which laps outside another strake and is, therefore, in plain sight.

Entrance: The forward underwater portion of a vessel at or near the bow. The angle formed between the center line of the ship and the tangent to the designed waterline is called the angle of entrance.

Equilibrium, Neutral: The state of equilibrium in which a vessel inclined from its original, position of rest by an external force tends to maintain the inclined position assumed after that force has ceased to act.

Evaporator: An auxiliary for supplying fresh water, consisting of a salt water chamber heated by coils or nests of tubing through which live steam is circulated, converting the water into steam which is passed to a condenser or distiller to make up loss of boiler feed water or for other purposes requiring fresh water.

Even Keel: When a boat rides on an even keel, its plane of flotation is either coincident with or parallel to the designed waterline.

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Fathom: A nautical unit of length used in measuring cordage, chains, depths, etc. The length varies in different countries, being six feet in the United States and in Great Britain.

Fender: The term applied to various devices fastened to or hung over the sides of a vessel to prevent rubbing or chafing against other vessels or piers. On small craft, as tug boats fenders of timber faced with hardwood or flat steel plate, or of steel structure run fore and aft on the outside of the vessel above the waterline and are firmly secured to the hull. Wood spars, bundles of rope, woven cane, or rope covered cork are hung over the sides by lines when permanent fenders are not fitted.

Fid: A wood or metal bar used to support the weight of a topmast or a top gallant mast when in position, being passed through a hole or mortise at its heel and resting on the trestle trees or other support. Also a hardwood tapering pin or tool, used by sail makers and riggers to open the strands of a rope, eye, grommet, etc. A "hand fid" is rounded at the end; a "standing or cringle fid" is larger than a hand fid and has a flat base.

Fidley: Framework built around a weather deck hatch through which the smoke pipe passes.

Fidley Dee: A partially raised deck over the engine and boiler rooms, usually around the smokestack.

Fidley Hatch: Hatch around smokestack and uptake.

Frame: A term generally used to designate one of the transverse ribs that make up the skeleton of a ship. The frames act as stiffeners, holding the outside plating in shape and maintaining the transverse form of the ship.

Freeboard: The vertical distance from the waterline to the top of the weather deck at side.

Freeing Ports: Holes in the lower portion of a bulwark, which allow deck wash to drain off into the sea. Some freeing ports have swinging gates which allow water to drain off but which are automatically closed by sea-water pressure.

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Garboard: The strakes of outside plating next to the keel. These strakes act in conjunction with the keel and are usually thicker than the other bottom strakes.

Girders: On ships this term 'is used to define a structural member which provides support for more closely spaced members, such as beams, frames, stiffeners, etc., which are at right angles to it and which either rest upon it or are attached to its web. It may be longitudinal or transverse, continuous, or intercoastal, and is usually supported by bulkheads and stanchions. The term is also used to designate the longitudinal members in the double bottom.

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Hatch Rests: A term applied to the shelf fitted inside and just below the top of the coaming for the purpose of supporting the hatch covers.

Hatchway Trunk: A term applied to the space between a lower deck hatchway and the hatchway or hatchways immediately above it when enclosed by a casing. A trunk may be either watertight or non-watertight.

Hawse: The hawse hole; also the part of a ship's bow in which the hawse holes for the anchor chains are located.

Hawse Bag: A conical-shaped canvas bag, stuffed with sawdust, oakum, or similar material, and fitted with a lanyard at apex and base, used for closing the hawse pipes around the chain to prevent shipping water through the pipes; also called a "jackass," " hawse plug," or " hawse block."

Hawse Bolster: A timber or metal bossing at the ends of a hawse pipe to ease the cable over the edges and to take the wear.

Hawse Hole: A hole in the bow through which a cable or chain passes.

Hawse Pipes: Hawsepipe, Tubes leading the anchor chain from the deck on which the windlass is located down and forward through the vessel's bow plating.

Hawser: A large rope or a cable used in warping, towing, and mooing.

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Inboard: Toward the center.

Inboard Profile: A plan representing a longitudinal section through the center of the ship, showing deck heights, transverse bulkheads, assignment of space, machinery, etc., located on the center plane or between the center and the shell on the far side.

Initial Stability: The stability of a vessel in the upright position or at small angles of inclination. It is measured by the metacentric height.

Inner Bottom: A term applied to the inner skin or tank top plating. The plating over the double bottom.

Intercostal: Occurring between ribs, frames, etc. The term is broadly applied, where two members of a ship intersect, to the one that is cut.

Isherwood System: A system of building ships which employs close spaced, relatively light, longitudinal main framing supported on widespread transverse members of comparatively great strength instead of transverse main framing.

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Jack Ladder: A ladder with wooden steps and side ropes.

Jack rod - A term applied to a pipe or rod to which the edges of awnings or weather cloths are secured.

Jack staff: Flagpole at the bow of a ship.

Jacob's Ladder: A ladder having either fiber or wire rope or chain sides with wood or metal rungs attached at regular intervals. One end is usually fitted with sister hooks or shackles for hooking on.

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Keel, Bilge: A fin fitted on the bottom of a ship at the turn of the bilge to reduce rolling. It commonly consists of a plate running fore and aft and attached to the shell plating by angle bars. It materially helps in steadying a ship and does not add much to the resistance to propulsion when properly located.

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Ladder: A framework consisting of two parallel sides connected by bars or steps which are spaced at intervals suitable for ascending or descending. On shipboard the term ladder is also applied to staircases and to other contrivances used in ascending or descending to or from a higher or lower level.

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