Nautical Notions: The Basic of Ships
By Guest Columnist Captain Wieda Ashcroft-Kiden
Hello dear readers and welcome to what I hope will be the first of a series of articles pertaining to ship, ship safety and all things nautical. Being the first article, let us start with the basics.
The most common ship we see in the Alliance is a two masted merchantman with a short third mast up on the forecastle. Not a proper three master mind you, since that would require all three masts to be on the main deck.
What is the main deck you ask? The main deck is where the primary mast is fastened, usually the deck that pulls level with the docks and from which everything else is built up from. On our standard ships, aft or to the rear of the main deck is the quarter deck, raised up enough to allow someone to walk under it without stooping. This is usually part of the crew quarters and mess hall. Cargo is often secured to the quarter deck as well.
Aft of that is the poop deck, where the ship’s wheel is located. Elevated again fully, it gives the best view of the sea ahead of the ship. Forward of the main deck is the forecastle, another deck for securing cargo, under which is usually more berths or possibly passenger cabins.
Below decks is the main cargo hold, usually amid ships with quarters sitting for and aft of it. Below that, at least on our example, is the bilge, or bottom of the ship. Waste, water and rats reside here and no crewman wants to be sent to work there.
The main mast holds the main sail and the top sail, both of which are used to catch the wind to move the ship forward. Forward of the main mast sits the foresail, which aids in harnessing the wind. Ahead of that are the jibs, sails that hang low over the front of the ship, usually attached to a long beam sticking out in front of the ship called a bowsprit. These sails also help catch the wind and when all the sails are unfurled and full, even a fully loaded cargo ship can cover some ocean in a short time.
Attached to the quarter deck (but running all the way through to the main deck) is the mizzen mast, which holds, you guessed it, the mizzen sail. Running aft of this is the driver, a sail attached to a swinging boom that can help turn the ship but most often is angled to better catch a cross wind. I’m sure the number of sails seems redundant, but remember, a ship doesn’t always travel in the direction the wind blows. Sails are trimmed, or adjusted and angled, to catch what ever winds are favorable and move the ship in the direction the helmsman wants it to go.
The rear most cabin on almost every ship is the captain’s quarters. Set at the rear, this is often the quietest room on the ship, also the most spacious of any crewmembers. But it serves as quarters, office and often times important cargo storage. Sometimes even special guests are berthed here.
Below the waterline lays the hull (that bit that keeps the water out), the keel and the rudder or tiller. The wheel is attached to the rudder and turns to the left or right as the wheel is turned. The keel is a long beam running down the center of the ship, acting as the spine of the vessel. It also helps the ship cut straight through the water.
A couple last terms. When standing and looking towards the front of the ship, port is to your left and starboard to your right. Starboard refers to very early vessels where the steering oar was placed on the right hand side of the ship and was initially called the steering side. Starboard came from combining the old Gilnean words for steer and side of the boat. Likewise, the side of the ship usually pulled alongside the docks was called the loading side or larboard. But because this was easily confused with starboard, the word port was used, referring to the side of the ship closest to the port. These two terms never change regardless of where a sailor was standing, so there is not confusing as to who’s left or right someone is referring to. Forward is the bow (or sometimes called the prow, though this more often refers to the actual leading edge of the ship) and aft is the rear, or stern of the ship.
That wraps things for now. Hopefully this was helpful, entertaining, something to line the parrot cage with. Till next time!
@wiedaashcroft
