BOAT

Thus they are occasionally slight or strong; sharp or flat-bottomed; open or decked plain or ornamented; as they may be designed for swiftness or burthen; for deep or shallow water; for sailing in a harbour or at sea; and for convenience, or pleasure.

The largest boat that usually accompanies a ship is the long-boat, chaloupe, which is generally furnished with a mast and sails: those which are fitted for ships of war, may be occasionally decked, armed, and equipped, for cruising sort distances against merchant-ships of the enemy, or smugglers, or for impressing seamen, &c.

The barges are next in order, which are longer, slighter, and narrower: they are employed to carry the principal sea-officers, as admirals, and captains of ships of war, and are very unfit for sea. See the article BARGE.

Pinnaces exactly resemble barges, only that they are somewhat smaller, and never row more than eight oars; whereas a barge properly never rows less than ten. These are for the accommodation of the lieutenants, &c.

Cutters of a ship, (bateaux, Fr.) are broader, deeper, and shorter than the barges and pinnaces; they are fitter for sailing, and are commonly employed in carrying stores, provisions, passengers, &c. to and from the ship. In the structure of this sort of boats, the lower edge of every plank in the side over-lays the upper-edge of the plank below, which is called by ship-wrights clinch-work.

Yawls, (canots, Fr.) are something less than cutters, nearly of the same form, and used for similar services, they are generally rowed with fix oars.

The above boats more particularly belong to ships of war; as merchant-ships seldom have more than two, viz. a long-boat and yawl: when they they have a third, it is generally calculated for the countries to which they trade, and varies in it's construction accordingly.

Reference Works