The view of a sailing ship majestically cutting through the waves of the sea is a truly mesmerizing sight. Now you can see it with your own eyes, except perhaps at the parade of sailing ships in Amsterdam, which takes place every five years. Several centuries ago, watching a sailboat was a common thing among coastal residents. The more massive the ship, the more sails are needed for its fast and smooth running. The sailboat has a complex structure, and each mast on it has its own purpose. You can consider the structure of a sailing ship from its most advanced detail.
Beam at the forefront of the sailboat
In the literal translation from the Dutch language, a bowsprit is an "inclined pole". The design is a bow beam of a sailing ship that is carried forward. In other words, a bowsprit is a spar, which is a continuation of the bow of the ship and protrudes beyond the stem. It plays the role of a front mast and is installed obliquely at an angle of 30-36 degrees. Initially, it consisted of one section. Subsequently, on large ships, he becamecomposite: as its continuation, a jib was installed, followed by a bom-jib. Like any mast, the rear base of the bowsprit is called a spur. The front end is called a nok, like a boom, hafel or yardarm.
Design Purpose
The main purpose of the bowsprit is to carry forward the front oblique triangular sails - jibs. Due to this design, the sailing area of the ship is increased, which contributes to better handling and higher maneuverability. In addition, the bowsprit is partly used to secure the foremast. Its functions do not end there, because. it is also necessary for securing and raising the bow anchor. Thus, the bowsprit of a ship is a multifunctional mast of a water craft.
Front Mast Dimensions
For ships of different profiles, the length of the bowsprit was different. As a rule, on merchant ships, the length of the forward mast was equal to three-fifths of the length of the mainmast. On ships intended for naval combat, its length was equal to eight-ninths of the length of the foremast. In diameter, the bow beam was comparable to the diameters of the fore and main masts of medium size. At the same time, the thickness of the bowsprit decreased from the base to the toe by almost two times.
Latest figure
Sometimes the bow of the ship was decorated with a latrine (or bow) figure, which was usually located above the bowsprit and depicted, most often, a mermaid, an attractive girl or a lion's head. It is noteworthy that on the other side, on the same overhang, there were restrooms for the crew.
