The bow (/baʊ/) is the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat,[1] the point that is usually most forward when the vessel is underway. The aft end of the boat is the stern.[2]
A ship's bow should be designed to enable the hull to pass efficiently through the water. Bow shapes vary according to the speed of the boat, the seas or waterways being navigated, and the vessel's function. Where sea conditions are likely to promote pitching, it is useful if the bow provides reserve buoyancy; a flared bow (a raked stem with flared topsides) is ideal to reduce the amount of water shipped over the bow.[3]
Ideally, the bow should reduce the resistance and should be tall enough to prevent water from regularly washing over the top of it. Large commercial barges on inland waterways rarely meet big waves and may have remarkably little freeboard at the bow, whereas fast military vessels operating offshore must be able to cope with heavy seas. On slower ships like tankers and barges, a fuller bow shape is used to maximise the volume of the ship for a given length. The bow may be reinforced to serve as an ice-breaker.[4]
The forward part of the bow is called the "stem" or "forestem". Traditionally, the stem was a timber (or metal) post into which side planks (or plates) were joined. Some boats such as the Dutch barge"aak" or the clinker-builtVikinglongships have no straight stem, having instead a curved prow.
From Middle Dutchboech or Old Norsebógr (shoulder). Thus it has the same origin as the English "bough" (from the Old Englishbóg, or bóh, (shoulder, the bough of a tree) but the nautical term is unrelated, being unknown in this sense in English before 1600.[5]
ProwEdit
The "prow" (French : proue) is the forward-most part of a ship's bow above the waterline. The terms prow and "bow" are often used interchangeably to describe the most forward part of a ship and its surrounding parts.
^Note: Aside from making the deck slippery, salt water may corrode metal decks. In very temperatures, water can also freeze on the deck, rails, turrets, and other exposed surfaces, increasing the topside weight and rendering the vessel unstable.
^In a 1973 collision, the ice-breaker container-ship Sea Witch's reinforced bow caused significant damage to another ship.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bows (ship part).
Look up bow in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Sleight, Steve; The New Complete Sailing Manual, Dorling Kindersley Co., (2005) ISBN0-7566-0944-5
Steward, Robert; Boatbuilding Manual, 3rd ed. International Marine Publishing Company. Camden, Maine (1987), p2-3. ISBN0-87742-236-2
September 28, 2023
watercraft, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, watercraft, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, jan. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Bow watercraft news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message The bow b aʊ is the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat 1 the point that is usually most forward when the vessel is underway The aft end of the boat is the stern 2 The prow of USS SalemProw may be used as a synonym for bow or it may mean the forward most part of the bow above the waterline Contents 1 Function 2 Types 3 Etymology 3 1 Prow 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingFunction Edit nbsp HMS Dreadnought with an inverted bow nbsp The seaworthy bow of a Severn class lifeboat in Poole nbsp A heavily laden barge in France Note the bluff bow and the limited freeboard nbsp Flared bow of a cruise shipA ship s bow should be designed to enable the hull to pass efficiently through the water Bow shapes vary according to the speed of the boat the seas or waterways being navigated and the vessel s function Where sea conditions are likely to promote pitching it is useful if the bow provides reserve buoyancy a flared bow a raked stem with flared topsides is ideal to reduce the amount of water shipped over the bow 3 Ideally the bow should reduce the resistance and should be tall enough to prevent water from regularly washing over the top of it Large commercial barges on inland waterways rarely meet big waves and may have remarkably little freeboard at the bow whereas fast military vessels operating offshore must be able to cope with heavy seas On slower ships like tankers and barges a fuller bow shape is used to maximise the volume of the ship for a given length The bow may be reinforced to serve as an ice breaker 4 The forward part of the bow is called the stem or forestem Traditionally the stem was a timber or metal post into which side planks or plates were joined Some boats such as the Dutch barge aak or the clinker built Viking longships have no straight stem having instead a curved prow Types EditMany types of bows exist These include notable bow types nbsp Straight stem bow nbsp plumb bow nbsp raked bow nbsp flared bow nbsp clipper bow or Aberdeen bow nbsp Bulbous bow nbsp Inverted bow nbsp Ram bow nbsp High chin spoon bow nbsp Low chin spoon bowEtymology EditFrom Middle Dutch boech or Old Norse bogr shoulder Thus it has the same origin as the English bough from the Old English bog or boh shoulder the bough of a tree but the nautical term is unrelated being unknown in this sense in English before 1600 5 Prow Edit The prow French proue is the forward most part of a ship s bow above the waterline The terms prow and bow are often used interchangeably to describe the most forward part of a ship and its surrounding parts See also EditBoat building Bow rowing Deck Figurehead Glossary of nautical terms Naval architecture Port Shipbuilding Starboard Stem ship SuperstructureReferences Edit Jha Bhuvan November 12 2019 Different Parts Of A Ship Explained Marine Insight Retrieved January 11 2020 Seaman s Pocketbook HMSO 1943 amp Conway 2006 Note Aside from making the deck slippery salt water may corrode metal decks In very temperatures water can also freeze on the deck rails turrets and other exposed surfaces increasing the topside weight and rendering the vessel unstable In a 1973 collision the ice breaker container ship Sea Witch s reinforced bow caused significant damage to another ship Bow noun n3 at OEDFurther reading Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bows ship part nbsp Look up bow in Wiktionary the free dictionary Sleight Steve The New Complete Sailing Manual Dorling Kindersley Co 2005 ISBN 0 7566 0944 5 Steward Robert Boatbuilding Manual 3rd ed International Marine Publishing Company Camden Maine 1987 p2 3 ISBN 0 87742 236 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bow watercraft amp oldid 1161145913, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
