Bowsprit
The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a spar extending forward from the vessel's prow. It provides an anchor point for the forestay(s), allowing the fore-mast to be stepped farther forward on the hull.
Origin
The word bowsprit is thought to originate from the Middle Low German word bōchsprēt - bōch meaning bow and sprēt meaning pole. Early ocean-going vessels tended to tilt the bowsprit, also known in centuries past as a boltsprit, at a high angle, and hung one or two square spritsails from yards. In the 17th century and early 18th century a vertical sprit topmast was added near the end of the bowsprit and another square sail added to it; this was not a particularly successful design however, the mast tending to carry away in heavy weather. Fore-and-aft sails known as jibs hung from the stays proved more useful for speed and manoeuvring, and the basic bowsprit was lengthened with a jibboom and then even further with a flying jibboom, resulting in bowsprits of tremendous length, up to 30 metres total.
Podcasts:
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by Gogol Bordello
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by XV
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by Heavy Heavy Low Low
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by Elvis Hitler
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by Mikey Bo
Passport
by: Gogol BordelloI got a passport officer
This time you ain't getting what you want
This time you're doing only what you must
This time you're doing only what you must
Where is your friend now officer
That sharp good-looking lieutenant
Border patrol good-looking lieutenant
That got vacation cause he shot my friend
Where is your friend now officer?
That sharp good-looking lieutenant
His wife got acne and his children cry
His children cry, "Assassin"