K. Smith wrote:
otnmbrd wrote:



Gary Warner wrote:

Ok, in another thread a question I always have
came up. Someone was helpful and corrected me
from "gunnel" to "gunwhale".

So, what IS a gunwhale?

Here is a definition I found googeling:
The name (pronounced GUN'L) given to the uppermost line of planking of a
boat's sides. In the old ships the upper tier of guns used to fire
over the
top planking which was therefore specially strengthened by "whales".

So, lets say on my boat. Which of the following is the gunwhale
and what is the other one called??

A) It's a lapstrake hull. So each next higher "plank" overlaps the
one below it. At the top of the side of the hull the last plank is
basically
perpendicular to the floor / water.



This would be the Sheer strake


B) Then, at a 90 degree angle to that last "plank" there is another
part of
the
boat. That part is about 8" wide. It' where one could step with one
foot
while boarding the boat.



G I'd just call that a deck


Are these both part of the gunwhale?



In a way, yes. The gunwale would be the "line" where the two meet.
Possibly a better way to visualize it would be to look at a rowboat or
canoe ... that upper line of the hull from bow to stern would be the
gun'l.

otn


What's a proper or descriptive term for B? I've been calling it
the "upper side deck" (as opposed to the decking on the bow or
the decking on the stern).


I know it seems like a silly question but....

Thanks,
Gary




A waling is a horizontal structural member, lots of structures refer
to the horizontals as walings, mostly marine but some landbased & most
horizontals below the decking on wharves are still referred to as walings.

In olden ships the gun decks (where the cannon lived) had "walings"
(usually with ports to shoot through or oops:-) & they were mostly
towards the upper freeboard, hence it was actually the gun wales.

Now pretty much gun'l

K


From the OED:

f. gun n. + wale, the gunwale having formerly served to support the guns
(cf. quot. 1697 in b). The usual spelling is still gunwale, though the
pronunciation ("gVnweIl) is, at least in Great Britain, never used by
persons acquainted with nautical or boating matters.]
The upper edge of a ship's side; in large vessels, the uppermost
planking, which covers the timber-heads and reaches from the
quarter-deck to the forecastle on either side; in small craft, a piece
of timber extending round the top side of the hull.
a 1466 Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 205 For tymbre for colers of the
maste, and gonne walles, xx. d. 1626 Capt. Smith Accid. Yng. Sea-men 11
The wayst-boords, the gunwayle, stations for the nettings. 1627 I
Seaman's Gram. ii. 6 The sides and Deckes are wrought till you come at
the Gunwaile, which is the vpmost waile. 1727 A. Hamilton New Acc. E.
Ind. II. xlv. 147 The Assailants+when they got as high as the Gun-wall
or Gunnel, were at a Loss how to get over the Netting. 1800 Capt. Milne
in Naval Chron. IV. 421 Brass swivels on the gunwhale. 1833 Marryat P.
Simple (1863) 325 She+proved to be a brigantine laden up to her gunwale,
which was not above a foot out of the water. 1865 Livingstone Zambesi
xvi. 329 Our canoes were not a foot above the water at the gunwales.
1868 C. M. Yonge Cameos (1877) I. vi. 41 Horses were led into the ships,
the shields hung round the gunwale, and the warriors crowded in. 1875
Bedford Sailor's Pocket Bk. vi. (ed. 2) 226 Cutters and pinnaces should
have from 6 to 8 inches added to their gunwale forward. 1880 Dixon
Windsor III. iii. 25 More than once her gunwale had been under water.
1773 Cook 1st Voy. ii. x. (1842) I. 194 The gun~wale boards
were+frequently carved in a grotesque taste. 1697 W. Dampier Voy.
(1729) I. 400 A very pretty neat Vessel+had about 40 men all armed+and
some guns, that went with a Swivel upon their Gunnal. 1699 Ibid. III.
14 The first [ropes] going athwart from Gunnal to Gunnal. 1719 De Foe
Crusoe i. xvi. (1840) 287 Friday+set him down softly upon the side or
gunnel of the Canoe. 1757 Robertson in Phil. Trans. L. 34 As he was
stepping on the gunnel, he fell over-board. 1833 Marryat P. Simple
(1863) 103 The wind had caught the sails; and the ship+careened over to
her gunnel with its force. 1834 Medwin Angler in Wales II. 23, I was
never tired (when I leaned over the gunnel of the boat) in watching the
fish. 1878 N. Amer. Rev. CXXVII. 384 Mitrailleuses and field-pieces
were mounted on the gunnels. 1693 R. Lyde Retaking ‘Friend's Adv.’ 22,
I kept up the Topsail, till at last the Wind in the Showers did put the
Gunhil of the Ship in the Water. 1711 in A. Duncan Mariner's Chron.
(1805) III. 292 Cutting away the vessel's gunhill.

b. Phrases. gunwale to (rarely †in): with the gunwale on a level
with the water; also transf. gunwale under: with the gunwale submerged.
[1717 tr. Frezier's Voy. S. Sea 34 With such dreadful+Gusts, that
they brought the Gunwale to, under two Courses reef'd.] 1748 Anson's
Voy. i. viii. 77 The ship rolling incessantly gunwale to. 1751 Smollett
Per. Pic. (1779) IV. civ. 339 He rolled himself almost gunwale to, at
every motion of his horse. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1780) Ddd4,
Gunnel-in, or gunnel-to. 1830 Marryat King's Own liii, She rolled
gunwale under. 1833 M. Scott Tom Cringle (1862) 260 We continued to
roll gunwale under, dipping the main yardarm into the water every now
and then. 1873 G. C. Davies Mount. & Mere xvi. 141 She shot across
gunwale under.

c. transf. The top plank of a hoarding.
1865 Kingsley Herew. II. ix. 150 At last one scaling ladder was
planted upon the bodies of the dead, and hooked firmly on the gunwale of
the hoarding.