What is the forecastle in a ship?

What is the forecastle in a ship?

The fo’c’s’le or forecastle is the forward deck of the ship. It derives its name from sailing ship days when the raised forward deck was known as the forecastle. This was typically a raised, castle like structure where archers first could engage enemy ships.

What does the word forecastle mean?

1 : the forward part of the upper deck of a ship. 2 : the crew’s quarters usually in a ship’s bow.

What was a forecastle used for?

noun Nautical. a superstructure at or immediately aft of the bow of a vessel, used as a shelter for stores, machinery, etc., or as quarters for sailors. any sailors’ quarters located in the forward part of a vessel, as a deckhouse.

What is a forecastle deck?

: a partial deck above the main deck at the bow of a ship over a forecastle.

Why are Navy toilets called heads?

The head (pl. heads) is a ship’s toilet. The name derives from sailing ships in which the toilet area for the regular sailors was placed at the head or bow of the ship.

Why is forecastle pronounced Focsle?

forecastle > focastle (vocalization of r) > foc-uh-sl (reduction of the second vowel, since the first syllable is stressed) > focsle (deletion of the unstressed syllable).

What does BOS N mean?

also bo’s’n or bos’n or bo·sun (bō′sən) A warrant officer or petty officer in charge of a ship’s rigging, anchors, cables, and deck crew.

Why is it called a poop deck?

In naval architecture, a poop deck is a deck that forms the roof of a cabin built in the rear, or “aft”, part of the superstructure of a ship. The name originates from the French word for stern, la poupe, from Latin puppis.

What is the purpose of forecastle deck?

It served as a platform for archers to shoot down on enemy ships, or as a defensive stronghold if the ship were boarded. A similar but usually much larger structure, called the aftcastle, was at the aft end of the ship, often stretching all the way from the main mast to the stern.

How did pirates poop on ships?

They would climb down into the heads directly under the Bow Sprit and either poo through the gratings or nets. Larger ships had “seats of ease” – toilets in the same place.

Why do sailors say 2 6?

“Two, six, heave” is a phrase used to coordinate seamen’s pulling. As used by sailors, the person at the front of the team will typically call out the “two, six” part of the chant. At this moment, the team simultaneously lean back on the line, and use their leg muscles to exert a powerful pull upon it. …

Why is Boatswain pronounced bosun?

A warrant officer or petty officer in charge of a ship’s rigging, anchors, cables, and deck crew. Usage Note: The word boatswain is pronounced as a single word with two syllables (bōsən). People with sea legs have a long tradition of spelling the word as bosun, bo’s’n, and bos’n to reflect the salty pronunciation.

Is bosun the same as boatswain?

As nouns the difference between bosun and boatswain is that bosun is a warrant or petty officer on board a naval ship while boatswain is (nautical) the officer (or warrant officer) in charge of sails, rigging, anchors, cables etc and all work on deck of a sailing ship.

Is bosun higher than 1st mate?

“The biggest difference between the bosun and the first mate is the first mate is obviously higher up in the hierarchy,” Berry told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “And [the first mate] generally has twice as much experience as the bosun.

What is a poop sock?

To play an online game excessively, especially to the point of neglecting personal hygiene and other social concerns. (There’s no point it trying to get him to stop playing; he’s been poopsocking for months.) Thus the verb ‘poopsock’ was coined to describe those who play games obsessively.

What did they use instead of toilet paper?

And though sticks have been popular for cleaning the anus throughout history, ancient people wiped with many other materials, such as water, leaves, grass, stones, animal furs and seashells. In the Middle Ages, Morrison added, people also used moss, sedge, hay, straw and pieces of tapestry.

What did they use for toilet paper in ancient Rome?

tersorium
According to ancient sources, Romans used a sponge-topped stick called a tersorium (modern replica above). Archaeologists aren’t quite sure, however, whether it was used to clean the bathroom facilities or the user of those facilities.

How do sailors say good luck?

The use of the expression “fair winds” is used to wish a person a safe journey or good fortune.

Why are sailors called Pussers?

Rum not only gave them that, but also imparted some sense of taste amid the cold porridge and salted meat that came in daily. They called the drink Pusser’s rum because the ship’s purser (pusser is the slang for it) was responsible for issuing the rum. Pusser’s became the original rum of the British Navy.