The basis of the design of any ship is its hull. If you mentally draw an imaginary vertical cutting plane in the middle of the hull, the ship will be divided into two parts - fore and aft. Structural elements of the bow of the ship have their own functions and names.
Front of the ship
Looking at the ship in profile, you can evaluate its outline and hull lines. The vessel itself is a frame, called a set, and a skin. The body kit serves to stiffen the entire structure. It also forms the appearance of the ship, its contours. It can be seen that in its front (bow) part, the vessel has a special shape. The bow of the ship is specially made pointed so that when moving through the water column the ship experiences minimal resistance of the environment.
The forward end of the ship, in naval terminology, is called the bow. By its location, it is opposite to the stern. The bow of the ship most often has an elongated shape, narrowed from the sides. Its function is to cut the waves that impede the rapid movement of the vessel. Such a peculiar shape of the bow is best suited to the operating conditions of the ship.
Elements of the bow of the ship
The bow of the ship has a complex structure. It is designed in such a way as to minimize the resistance to water elements. At the very end of the bow of the sailboat there is a stem. This is a thick bar, which is a kind of continuation of the keel. In the place where the stem comes to the waterline, a metal plate is often placed, which is called "green" or "water cutter".
In ancient times, on the prow of sailing ships, ornaments were usually placed in the form of figures - rostra, which performed a decorative function. Such images allowed not only to make the vessel more attractive, but often gave a frightening look to warships. Roman warships, instead of decorative figures, often had massive battering rams in front, with which the nose ended.
Deck elements at the fore of the vessel also have their own names. The bow space of the upper deck of the ship is called "tank". On a sailing vessel, the tank starts at the foremast and ends at the foremost end of the vessel. Sometimes the ship has an elevation on the deck in the front part - a forecastle. This structural element can occupy up to half of the entire length of the vessel. Rigging and mooring equipment is installed on the front of the deck.
In the area of the bow, the ship's hull has a reinforced structure. The set is stronger and more frequent here, and the casing is of considerable thickness and strength. This is done so that the ship has the ability to confidently go against the wind and strong waves. A strong bow is also needed when touching the berth at the moment of mooring. In any swimming conditions, the nose takes on the main load of the external environment, therefore, the requirements for its design are always more stringent.
