Boat
Boat
Boat
distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats.
Small boats are typically found on inland waterways such as rivers and lakes, or in protected coastal
areas. However, some boats, such as the whaleboat, were intended for use in an offshore
environment. In modern naval terms, a boat is a vessel small enough to be carried aboard a ship.[1]
Boats vary in proportion and construction methods with their intended purpose, available materials,
or local traditions. Canoes have been used since prehistoric times and remain in use throughout the
world for transportation, fishing, and sport. Fishing boats vary widely in style partly to match local
conditions. Pleasure craft used in recreational boating include ski boats, pontoon boats,
and sailboats. House boats may be used for vacationing or long-term residence. Lighters are used to
move cargo to and from large ships unable to get close to shore. Lifeboats have rescue and safety
functions.
Boats can be propelled by manpower (e.g. rowboats and paddle boats), wind (e.g. sailboats),
and inboard/outboard motors (including gasoline, diesel, and electric).
Types
Boats with sails in Bangladesh
Main article: List of boat types
Boats can be categorized by their means of propulsion. These divide into:
Terminology
Further information: Glossary of nautical terms
The hull is the main, and in some cases only, structural component of a boat. It provides both
capacity and buoyancy. The keel is a boat's "backbone", a lengthwise structural member to which
the perpendicular frames are fixed. On some boats, a deck covers the hull, in part or whole. While
a ship often has several decks, a boat is unlikely to have more than one. Above the deck are
often lifelines connected to stanchions, bulwarks perhaps topped by gunnels, or some combination
of the two. A cabin may protrude above the deck forward, aft, along the centerline, or cover much of
the length of the boat. Vertical structures dividing the internal spaces are known as bulkheads.
The forward end of a boat is called the bow, the aft end the stern. Facing forward the right side is
referred to as starboard and the left side as port.
Building materials
See also: Boat building
Traditional Toba Batak boat (c. 1870), photograph by Kristen
Engine
o Inboard motor
o Stern drive (Inboard/outboard)
o Outboard motor
o Paddle wheel
o Water jet (jetboat, personal water craft)
o Fan (hovercraft, air boat)
Man (rowing, paddling, setting pole etc.)
Wind (sailing)
Buoyancy
Main article: Buoyancy
A boat displaces its weight in water, regardless whether it is made of wood, steel, fiberglass, or even
concrete. If weight is added to the boat, the volume of the hull drawn below the waterline will
increase to keep the balance above and below the surface equal. Boats have a natural or designed
level of buoyancy. Exceeding it will cause the boat first to ride lower in the water, second to take on
water more readily than when properly loaded, and ultimately, if overloaded by any combination of
structure, cargo, and water, sink.
As commercial vessels must be correctly loaded to be safe, and as the sea becomes less buoyant in
brackish areas such as the Baltic, the Plimsoll line was introduced to prevent overloading.