Boat
A boat is a human construction able to float on the Eau and to move there, in a voluntary way or not. He meets a need for Maritime transport or river and allows various activities such as the carriage of people or goods, the Guerre on sea, the fishing, the pleasure, or other services such as the safety of the other boats.
The boats accompanied the Homme in his evolution. Essential at the time of large the War S and of the Conquest S, but also for the subsistence by fishing, they were transformed and make now integral part of the commercial and military systems modern: several million vessels fishing is used by a few tens of million fishermen in the world; the modern wars call upon ships highly sophisticated to transport and support the forces with ground; 32 000 tradind ships transported more than 6 billion ton S goods in 2004 (see detail of these figures low)
But the boats were also used with large the Exploration S, the scientific discoveries and the propagation of large the Culture S: the navigators Chinese as Zheng He made it possible to share inventions like the Boussole or the Poudre, while forwardings in America diffused the European culture on this continent. If the boats were used for the Colonisation S and the triangular Commerce, they served also and are used always with the scientific research and the cultural radiation as the countries.
As showed it Thor Heyerdahl with the Kon-Tiki , it is possible to make large things with simple a Radeau of logs. Boat Monoxyle of the Mesolithic to powerful the modern Aircraft carrier nuclear, the boats tells the Man quite simply.
Terminology
The word “boat” comes from the Anglo-Norman beats , which would come from Germanic the *baito -, increased diminutive - ĕllus (“water”), the form “batel” being still used until the 15th century and persistent like root of words such as shipping . The term can cover any floating structure but of other names are preferred in certain cases: one speaks about Embarkation for a boat of small size (about a few meters length), of Navire for a decked maritime boat of strong tonnage, vessel for the same old ships with veil and of building for a Warship or trade.
The distinction between ship and boat is not clear, and it is difficult to find sources in agreement on this point. Employment is almost without ambiguity in certain devoted expressions: one speaks for example about a “Navire cargo liner” and about a “Bateau-feu”, not of the reverse; but of other expressions the two terms admit (“fishing vessel” or “fishing vessel”). The Royal Institution off Naval Architects proposes to fix a limit at 100 m of Overall length between ships ( ships ) and boats ( boats ), limit quickly contradicted by the use of the term small ships (“small ships”) to fill the lacks of this definition. In the same way, the crew of a Superpétrolier will be able to call “his boat” what would be enough large to be called ship.
In addition, the definition of “floating” machine does not make it possible to include the Sous-marin S: if those can float, they can also move in three dimensions, and the use of the term “boat” or “ship” can be disputed. The crews of the submarines frequently speak however about their building like “theirs boat”
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This article thus treats indifferently ships and boats, by employing each term according to its context.
History
See also: History of the boats
Note: the history of the boats merges with that of the sea Transport; one can consult the article Histoire of navigation on this subject.
Beginnings: Prehistory and Antiquity
The Histoire of the boats is parallel to the human adventure. The invention of the boat goes up with the Neolithic , there is approximately 10 000 years. These first boats have a simple function, which is to be able to move on water, primarily for hunting and fishing. The oldest dugouts Monoxyle S discovered at the time of archaeological research are cut most of the time in resinous trees, using simple stone tools.
Approximately 5000 years ago, of the manufacturers living at the edge of the river Åmose with the Denmark invent the bordering bent, which gradually makes it possible to increase the size of the boats. Dugout monoxyle, it remains soon only the skittle boats, which perdure still today in timber constructions.
In parallel, the first navigators note that by deploying a skin of animal or a braided vegetable fabric, tended at the end of a more or less vertical pole fixed at the bottom of the boat, they can use the force of propulsion of the Vent: the veil was born. Thus the Peuplement from Oceania begins 3000 years ago on dugouts being able to embark to about fifty passengers.
The Egyptians have a perfect control of the construction of the sailing ships, which one found a remarkable specimen, celebrates it solar Barque, in front of the pyramid of Gizeh. According to Hérodote, the Egyptians carry out towards 600 before our era the first circumnavigation around Africa. The Phéniciens and the Greek S gradually complete to at sea control navigation on board the Trière S, explore then colonize all the the Mediterranean on board their ships. Towards 340 before J.C., Pythéas reached Thulé which it cannot exceed, blocked by the ice-barrier.
Before the introduction of the Compass, navigation at sea is made mainly by the célestielle navigation. The use of the magnetized needle is mentioned in China as of second century BC and it enters of use to China for navigation between 4th and the 6th century. It is transmitted to the Arabs who, a few centuries later, reveal it with Europeans of the Middle Ages.
Developments: antiquity with the Rebirth
Until the Rebirth, the technology of navigation remains primitive, based on the technical assets of Mediterranean civilizations of the Antiquité. The absence of important technological advance does not prevent certain civilizations from thriving thanks to their control of navigation, like the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice, or the Byzantine Marine. The Viking S use their Knörr S to explore the North America, to trade in the the Baltic and to invade or plunder many coastal regions of Western Europe.
Towards the end of the 14th century, ships as the cogue S start to be systematically equipped with towers installed on the bridge, with the prow and the poop. These turns make the ship unstable, and at the 15th century, the Caraque S and the caravels, supplant them. The turns are gradually replaced by castles installed with the prow and the poop, as on the Santa Maria of Christophe Colomb. The invention of bordering with freeboard allows another innovation much more decisive, that of the Sabord, and the Artillerie which is associated there.
At the 16th century, the use of the Freeboard and ports spread on the Galion S, as well as the multiple bridges, which make it possible to increase the number of ports and thus the firepower. The English modify their ships consequently, and are the proof of the effectiveness of their doctrines, by overcoming in 1588 the Invincible Armada.
The maritime technique in the Asian part of the sphere develops in a way rather similar to that of Europe, in term of effectiveness and complexity of the boats. One can note references of Japanese naval actions in the reports/ratios of the Mongolian invasion of Japan by the marine of Kubilai Khan in 1281. It is probable that the Mongols allow the bond between European and Asian technological knowledge at that time.
In China, 50 years before Christophe Colomb, Zheng He traverses the world with the head of a gigantic armada for the time, of which largest Jonque S counts 9 masts, are 130 meters long and 55 meters broad. The armada of Zheng He carries 30 000 men on board 70 vessels, the objective of forwardings being limited to praise the glory of the Chinese emperor.
With the Japan, during the time Sengoku (15th at the 17th century), the large feudal ones which fights for supremacy make build large coastal fleets several hundreds of boats, like the Atakebune.
Specialization and modernization
Parallel to military specialization, one notes between antiquity and the Rebirth an increasingly clear differentiation between marine of fishing and commercial Marine. Fishing remains, and will remain until the end of the 19th century, a primarily coastal activity, of coastal traffic, practiced by individuals having in addition few financial means, therefore using boats of small size. The maritime trade, makes progressive great strides to him which push with the use of large ships, such as the Gabare S, chartered by maritime companies with financial means important. This activity of trade remains also associated, in Europe at least, with the exploratory activity, which is financed by the commercial repercussions of exploration.
At the time of first half of the 18th century, the French navy develops a new type of ship, bearing sixty fourteen guns. This type of ship becomes the framework of all the European fleets of combat. These 56 meters length vessels require each one 2800 Chêne S centenaries for their construction, like 40 km of rope. They carry a crew of almost 800 sailors and soldiers.
The differentiation of the functions of the ships evolves/moves little until the end of the 19th century. The Industrial revolution and the arrival of new methods of propulsion (mechanical) and construction (metal) start an explosion of differentiations on the other hand. The need to have increasingly effective boats for the missions which are entrusted to them, the end of the systematic conflicts for maritime supremacy, the increase in financial capacities of the industrial powers, generate a proliferation of boats of more and more specialized use, as much in the fields of fishing and the trade that in the military field. One also sees appearing ships very specialized in new functions, like the lifeboats, the scientific ships, the boats firemen.
It is included/understood since a classification boats by type or by function is difficult. Either one limits oneself to the four historical functions: fish, trade, soldier, exploration, classification is very general practitioner, and already on this level one has difficulties in classify the majority of the old ships; either one classifies according to the types of contemporary specialized ships, and one does not know then really more how to classify the old ships. The difficulty is increased by the fact that the designation of many types of boats, like sloop, frigate,… is used as much to indicate old ships than modern boats not having sometimes great a deal to see with their predecessors.
To distinguish the old boats from the modern boats is also difficult, numerous being those being able to raise the two periods.
Current location
Currently, the boats and ships remain essential tools for the Commerce international and local, the safety of the States or the cultural radiation.
The merchant fleet included/understood 32 264 ships of more than 1 000 tons of Gross tonnage in 2005, adding up 895,8 million tons of Port into heavy; they transported 6,76 billion tons of goods in 2004, a sum which grows from 4 to 5% each year; the merchant fleet grows at the same rate/rhythm. In terms of tonnage, 37,5% of these ships are tankers, 35,8% of the bulk carriers, 10,9% of the container ships and 10,3% of the general-purpose cargo liners.
In 2002, one counted 1 240 warships in activity in the world, without the small ships like the corvettes and patrol craft. The the United States had 3 million tons of material, the Russia 1,35 million, the the United Kingdom 504 660 T and the China 402 830 T. If the 20th century saw doing without many naval engagements at the time of the two world wars, it was also marked by the Cold war and the rise to power of the naval forces of the two blocks. Currently, the great powers make use of their marine for the projection of power (to carry out a war far from its territory, like the United Kingdom with the Falklands or the United States in Iraq) or for the defense of their territory.
It is more difficult to estimate the number of fishing vessels: largest are counted like tradind ships, smallest are innumerable: one can find some in the majority of the villages of seaside in the world, ensuring the subsistence of his inhabitants. In 1997, FAO counted 983 743 nondecked boats and 1 301 903 decked boats or ships, is 2,285 million fishing vessels in the world. It is estimated that 132,2 million tons of fish and shells was produced in 2003. In 1990,29 million fishermen were in activity in the world.
The fleet of pleasure is even more difficult to estimate, since it gather a great number of boats, additional boats, etc Only in France, 837 182 pleasure boats were registered in 2003, including 75% with engine.
Anatomy
Whatever its size, a boat includes/understands always various components. One finds a float, solid closed ensuring the sealing, made up mainly of the hull and possibly of a bridge recovering it. It has a propelling system, often of a directional system. According to the use of the boat, one finds then various buildings, spaces, machines and equipment allowing him to provide his function.
Float
The float (the hull ) must have for first characteristic to be lighter than the water weight corresponding to its volume, so that the Poussée of Archimedes enables him to float. The hull can take several forms, of simple wood logs assembled together to make a Radeau, with the composite hulls of the sailing ships of competition. There can be only one hull (Monocoque), two (Catamaran), three (Trimaran) but seldom more, although certain experiments are tried with Pentamaran S like future tradind ships. The hulls parallel the ones with the others, and are in general connected by arms.
The hull is divided into several elements: the stem is the part more with front, the brion is the front part under the floating; the skittle or the line of skittle prolongs it over its length; the back is made of a stern post and of a Tableau postpones. The hull often comprises appendices being used for the propulsion (Hélice), with the gyration (Gouvernail), with stability (skittles of rolling), with the hydrodynamism (Bluff bow) or with the functions of the ship (tackle of fishing, dome sonar). The floating separates the works sharp below and the dead works above.
The hull supports finally the various constraints: hydrostatic constraints since it must support the weight of the boat, often unequally distributed; hydrodynamic constraints coming from the Vague shock of the S; it must also prevent the Naufrage in the event of collision or of failure. It is thus often doubled on the largest ships cargo liners. The hull is built in Bois for the old ships and certain pleasure boats, in Acier for the majority of the tradind ships, in Aluminum for the fast ships, in plastic for many pleasure boats and in composite for the fast sailing ships.
Propelling system
See also: maritime Propulsion
If the propelling system can be made up of simple a Pagaie, one also finds largest diesel engine in the world on the large cargo liners. The propulsion falls into three categories: human propulsion, velic propulsion and mechanical propulsion. The human propulsion includes/understands the pole (still used in the zones of marsh), the Aviron (used in competition but historically on the galères with large scales), the Pagaie, the Godille and the Pédalo. Currently these systems are reserved for the small boats or like auxiliary propulsion on the small sailing ships.
The velic propulsion is carried out by means of veils drawn up on a mast (S), supported by Espar S and controlled by ropes. Historically the system more employed until the 19th century, it is now reserved for the pleasure, the Régate S and the sailing ships. However, of the experimental systems are tested in order to realize fuel savings on the large ships, such as the Turbovoile or the kite of traction.
The mechanical propulsion includes/understands a mechanical engine and an engine. The engine initially developed with the Steam engine, now replaced in the majority of the uses by the Diesel engine two-stroke or four-stroke, by an engine Hors-bord with gasoline on the small units, by a Gas turbine on the fast ships (NGV, frigates…), or by a Diesel-electric combination for advanced applications. Advanced applications combine two systems, like the CODAG for Combined Diesel and Gas (diesel engine and gas turbine combined, on the warships). Electrical motors were sometimes used, for example on steamers. Lastly, the nuclear energy is employed on warships and the Brise-glaces.
The engine more the current is the Hélice and its various alternatives: propellers twin, contrarotating, with variable step, in conduit… a small boat often includes/understands only one propeller but a Porte-avions uses some up to four, supplemented by propellent of stem or poop. The power is transmitted to the propellers by a Propeller shaft possibly connected to a reducing . The propellers can be gone up on external mediums ( Z-drive , pods) or replaced by a similar system (Propulseur Voith-Schneider, Hydrojet S). There exist finally experimental systems (magnetohydrodynamic propulsion, with reaction) of which the use is reserved for the military applications or the speed records.
Gyratory system
See also: Rudder, Safran (boat)
On a boat with human propulsion, a system to control the direction can not be necessary. It becomes it in the event of mechanical or velic propulsion. The most current form is a Gouvernail consisted of one or more saffron (S), plan mean with the back of the hull deviating the water on the desired side and making swivel the boat consequently. The saffron itself is connected by its wick to the bars, actuated manually or by a Autopilot. The rudder can be replaced by a system where the engine is directional: outboard motor, pods or Z-drive.
In supplement, the propellent of stem make it possible to make avoid (to turn) the boat at low speed, for example in the ports or for the dynamic positioning of a FPSO. The veils located at the ends of a sailing ship also have a role more directional than propelling.
Holds, buildings and superstructures
See also: Hold (ship), Superstructure (boat)
As soon as it reaches a certain size (about 8 m length), a boat often has one or more bridge (S) closing the hull and dividing space horizontally. On a sailing ship of pleasure, it will be used to delimit a Cabine for the dwelling; on a larger boat (trade or fishing vessel), one will find one or more fixes S sheltering the goods, a Engine room for the propelling apparatus, various buildings allowing work, and of the cabins for the crew. Tanks make it possible to store the Carburant, the Huile of engine and the Fresh water. Lastly, of the ballasts are arranged in order to balance the ship.
Above the principal bridge, one finds various superstructures whose function can be esthetic or functional. They are in general very low on a sailing ship, entirely with the back on a ship cargo liner, extending over the entire length for a passenger ship or divided into several elements on the sailing ships.
Equipment
If each type of boat has its own equipment (to refer to each article for the details), certain equipment is common to many types:
- One or more anchors (S) to before allows the Mouillage and the immobilization of the not very deep water boat. It is connected to a chain passing through a pipe until the Puits with the chains.
- a Mât makes it possible to carry the antennas, lights navigation, houses, Radar, foghorn, etc in accordance with the legislation. On a sailing ship, the masts also carry the veils; they are maintained by standing rigging, while the veils are controlled by current operations. The whole of the mast forms the Gréement.
- Various tackles such as capstans, Guindeau X, Winch S or Winch S are used to operate the ropes for the mooring, the veils or the cranes.
- Of the cranes or the cargo booms is used to charge and discharge from the goods through openings practiced in the bridge (hatchway S covered with panels of hold) or in the hull (Portelone S). A Coupée makes it possible to the people to reach the boat since the ground.
- the Accastillage includes/understands finally the various parts of equipment necessary for the operations.
Operation
Hydrostatic
See also: Balance of the ship
The lift of a boat can be assured various ways:
- for a boat “archimédien” or “with displacement”, the weight of the hull is compensated by the Poussée of Archimedes corresponding to the weight of the moved volume of water (from where the term of displacement). It is the case of all the large ships and the majority of the “traditional” boats.
- for a boat with “planing” hull, of type Hydrofoil, lift is hydrodynamic: the boat floats with the stop but the hull is raised at full speed thanks to the action of water on the airfoils, reducing of as much the resistance of water.
- for the ships for purpose of surface and the Hovercraft S, lift is ensured in an aerostatic way either by an air cushion, or by the creation of an air pocket by effect of surface.
The balance and the stability of a boat are thus studied on the one hand in a static way (distribution of the weights) and dynamics (action of the waves and wind). The means to compensate for an excessive list are the displacement of the crew on the small sailing ships, the adjustment of the veils according to the pace, a Lest fixes (placed in bottom of the skittle) or directional, or of the ballasts being able to be filled of water. The plate is compensated in the same way.
Hydrodynamics
The projection of a boat is opposed by the resistance of water. This resistance can be broken up into several components whose principal ones are the friction of water on the hull and the creation of waves. To reduce resistance and thus to increase speed for a given power, it is necessary to reduce immersed surface and to use the shapes of hull producing of the waves of less amplitude. For that, the fast boats are often finer, with appendices of more reduced size; the friction of water is also reduced by a regular maintenance of the hull on which animals and algae settle, by coating it with a Antifouling. The resistance of vagueness can be reduced by the addition of a Bluff bow and by regular and fine forms.
However, resistance to advance grows very quickly for a ship with displacement when the Nombre of Froude reaches 0,4; to exceed this speed, it is necessary either to reduce and refine the hull or to use an additional dynamic bearing pressure allowing the hull “déjauger” and to reduce resistance:
- “planing” hulls. It is the case of Dériveur S of race like the 49er S, of the " out-bords" , of the high-speed motorboats and certain fast passenger ships,
- catamarans with immersed wings (foils), hydrofoils,
- aerostatic bearing pressure (air cushion).
The boat also undergoes movements due to its displacement in water: these movements can be testing for the passengers and the material and must be controlled if possible. The Roulis can be limited by a Quille of rolling, by stabilizing ailerons or a system of weight; the Tangage is more difficult to limit and can become dangerous if before boat types in the waves, phenomenon called Tossage. It is in general at the stage of the design that the shape of hull is optimized for that; during navigation, it is the centering of the weights, the Matossage, and the change of road (or of pace) which makes it possible to limit the movements.
Structure
The structure absorbs the distribution of the masses, the shock of the waves, the efforts due to advanced in water and the blast pressure, and the various constraints of navigation or the port. The structure makes up of two parts: the primary or principal frame which support the structure, and the denser secondary frame which are associated with the Bordé to stiffen it. This distinction is clear for massive metal or timber construction, but disappears on constructions with covering joint or in sandwich, where the structure is integrated into bordered. The frame is supplemented by a system of transverse stiffeners (of the stiffeners are added transversely, like the Membrure S and the deck-beams) or longitudinal (longitudinal stiffeners like the smooth ). Reinforcements are added to the places undergoing of strong constraints: fuselage, bases engine, support of the propeller shaft, épontille S, foot of mast and Cadène S, etc
The structure has also the role to absorb the Bruit and the Vibration S which are a source of discomfort and risk for the structure itself. The structure also integrates watertight bulkheads in order to subdivide the boat in tight zones making it possible to keep a sufficient stability after damage (for example, the boat must be able to remain with flood if a compartment or two is invaded), as well as fire-resistant partitions to delay the progression of a fire.
Life of a boat
The life of a boat passes by several stages: first of all, its acquisition which revêt various forms according to the final utility (of the order to a building site of series production, to the contract between Ship-owner, Shipper and building site); then the phase of design carried out by a naval Architect. Construction is then carried out in a Shipyard, after which the boat is launched and can be used. The end-of-life revêt also various forms.
Design
See also: Naval architecture
The design of a boat passes by various phases: starting from a program or of a schedule of conditions, the naval Architecte follows a spiral of project consisting to create a first diagram, to evaluate dimensions, spaces and the displacement. From there, a preliminary draft can be carried out including the form of the careens, the general profile and a first estimate of the propelling power. Once these fixed data, the project as such can be defined.
A project dossier includes/understands typically a Plan overall, a general specification describing the characteristics of the boat and including an estimate of masses, the Outline drawing , various plans of structure and construction which the building site will use, whose one Coupe with the Master presenting the sampling S. According to the size of the boat and the needs, one can still find a plan of aerofoil, capacities, electric, ventilation systems…
The architect is also subjected to the various regulations; a report/ratio of Freeboard and a diagram of gauge watch the respect of these payments, just as of the diagrams of evacuation in the event of shipwreck for a boat with passengers or a diagram of fire-resistant bulk-heading.
Construction
See also: Naval construction
Construction takes place in a Shipyard; it can last of a few months for a unit produced in series, at several years for the rebuilding of a boat out of wooden like the frigate Hermione , even more than 10 years for a Porte-avions. The method of construction is dictated mainly by material of the hull and the size of the boat. The hull of a sailing ship of series out of plastic is built starting from a mould; the hull of a steel cargo liner is carried out in several welded blocks the ones with the others as they are built.
In a general way, construction starts with the hull (and the installation of the skittle as soon as the boat exceeds about thirty meters), in a Cale dries or with ground. Once this one assembled and possibly painted, it is launched by the side or the back, or immersion if it is in an easily flooded hold; a small boat will be simply launched by a trailer or a crane. The superstructure is posed and work of completion makes it possible to install the emménagements and equipment.
Once finished, the boat is delivered to the customer. Launching and the delivery often give place to a ceremony for a boat of certain importance: the ceremony of baptism is the occasion to give a name to the boat. The typical price of a boat is of a few tens of euros for a small boat, 1000 euros for an outboard motor boat of small size, several tens of thousands of euros for a small sailing ship of competition and more than 2 million euros for a sailing ship of the Vendée Globe. A Chalutier of 25 m can cost 2,5 million euros, and a fast ferry for 1000 passengers more than 50 million euros. The price of a cargo liner depends on its complexity: a small general-purpose cargo liner costs 20 million dollars, a bulk carrier Panamax 35 million dollars, a superpétrolier 105 million dollars and large a Méthanier nearly 200 million dollars. It is however among the military ships that one finds most expensive, in particular because of embarked electronics: 2 billion dollars for a submarine of Class Seawolf, and 3,5 billion dollars for a giant Aircraft carrier.
Repair and conversion
At the time of its active service, the boat knows periods of Navigation, latencies/loading/unloading with the ports, and periods of Hivernage between the seasons of navigation. However, the boat tires: a visit in Cale dries is necessary to regular intervals (every year for a Paquebot, every two years and half for a Navire cargo liner) in order to remove the hull from the animals encrusted like the Pouce-pied S, to remake painting and to renew the zincs, reactive anodes being used to avoid the Corrosion propeller, hull and piping sea water. With other intervals, a longer visit in a building site can be necessary to change certain parts, in particular apparatus propelling and directional which tire quickly. It is the occasion to test the resistance of the structure, electric wiring, to level the installations according to the regulations, etc
If the boat underwent a damage and that he is not declared “loss total” (in which case he is generally put at breakage), he enters in building site for repairs, which can sometimes be done with flood. Lastly, the reconversions have several goals, like adapting a nonprofitable ship to another goal (a tanker in FPSO for example) or saving what can the being after a large damage (conversion into barge of a ship cargo liner).
End-of-life
See also: End-of-life of a boat
A ship cargo liner has one lifespan ranging between 20 and 30 years; a plywood sailing ship can last between 30 and 40 years, about like a plastic boat. The sawn timber ships can last much longer but require a very followed maintenance, the most durable sailing ships are those with steel hull (riveted or welded) which often exceed the hundred years if they are regularly maintained to avoid corrosion: the only sailing ships of the beginning of last century which still sail like the Belem, are out of steel. With ageing, the solidity of the hull is compromised by the rust, the Osmose or rotting, it becomes too dangerous to make sail the boat. This one can be scuttled at sea, given up like stray or put at breakage for demolition. It can also be re-used to form a Digue close to a port or like Ship-museum.
A premature destiny can await it in the form of a Sea risk: fire, Collision, failure or Chavirage can involve a total loss of the boat or require important repairs in the dry hold. On another side, it can be preserved in particular if it has a strong value: it is often the case of the sailing ships; these ships represent their country or area of origin at the time of nautical demonstrations by serving “ambassadors”.
Lastly, of many destroyed or lost boats “survive” all the same for the people who were attached there thanks to Maquette S or relics: certain symbolic systems objects are preserved, as an anchor, a plate of identification, a part of upperworks or the bell of the edge.
Uses and classification
See also: List of the types of ships
The classification of the boats is a difficult exercise and one finds almost as many classifications as authors; the primary reason is the quantity of parameters being able to be used, which include:
- the number of hull (monocoque, catamaran), their form (center-board, quillard, stem “ice-breakers”), their construction material;
- the type of propulsion: human, mechanical, or with veils. In this last case, the type of Gréement gives place to many variations, standards and sub-types, according to the number, of the respective size and the position of the masts, as well as the shape of the veils.
- the time and the geographic origin: certain boats are typical of an area (the such Norway pines of the basin of Arcachon, the Gondole S of Venice or the Jonque S Chinese) or of their time (Trière S of the ancient Greece, Man' o' war S of the 18th century).
- the manufacturer, the series or the gauge determine “classes” of boats in the military field, or the competition like the Classe J of the years 1930. The “leg” of a naval architect can be also recognized, in particular for the sailing ships.
The principal modern use of the river navigation remains the transport of the goods and the river Tourisme, which recovers primarily the activities of walk and cruising (“transport of passengers”) and the activities of pleasure.
Among the notable shipwrecks, one can still quote the Lancastria in 1940 with nearly 3000 died, the White-Nave in 1120 which transported the heir to the throne of England, the Méduse whose raft inspired a famous table, the Vasa which ran with its launching in 1628 because it was overloaded in his part out of water. Other shipwrecks did not necessarily cause a human catastrophe of great width but involved deep changes in the maritime regulations: in addition to the Titanic which involved the code Solas, one off finds the Herald Free Enterprise (tight doors on the carrier S), the Amoco Cadiz (salvage bond), the MV Derbyshire (structure of the bulk carriers) or the Exxon Valdez (double hull on the Pétrolier S).
The oil slicks caused by the shipwreck of a tanker can involve serious ecological damage. The black spring tide coming from a ship is that of the Atlantic Empress in 1979 with 287 000 tons of oil. However, the worst catastrophes are those which take place close to the coasts, as for the Amoco Cadiz or the Erika in France, the Exxon Valdez in the United States, the Prestige in Spain or the Torrey Canyon in England. The Chimiquier S represent also a great risk for the environment as with the Ievoli Sun in 2004. Lastly, the Sous-marin S with nuclear propulsion pose risks of contamination, like the Koursk K-141 or the Komsomolets .
The means of rescue employed can also be impressive and employ dedicated means: the lifeboats often attract each other the admiration of the public, as well as the Remorqueur S of open sea or rescue, the such Abeille Bourbon or the Abeille Flanders in France or the semi-submersible Navire Blue Marlin .
Features
See also: List of the largest ships
The longest ship at the same time and heaviest is the superpétrolier Knock Nevis of 458 m Overall length and a displacement of 647 955 tons; since it does not sail any more, the longest ship in activity is the container ships Emma Mærsk . The largest tanker with double hull is the Hellespont Fairfax 380 m length and 441 585 Tpl . Largest Vraquier is the Berge Stahl 343 m length and 364 768 tpl. Longest Paquebot is the Queen Mary 2 of 345 m while largest is the Freedom off the Seas of 158 000 tons for 4000 passengers. The longest warship is the American Porte-avions US Enterprise (342 m) while heaviest are those of the class Nimitz like the US Carl Vinson (104 000 tons). The largest motorized yacht is that of the sheik de Dubaï, the Golden Sun of 160 Mr. the longest sailing ship ever built is the France II , while Royal Clipper is largest sailing still. The Statsraad Lehmkuhl is oldest and largest square Trois-mâts.
Other boats are notable for their technical projections: thus, the Pyroscaphe is the first steamer in 1783; the Nautilus of Robert Fulton is the first submarine in 1800; the Great Eastern of 1858 is the first giant steamer; the Dreadnought of 1908 is the modern first Cuirassé and the first to use a steam turbine; another US Nautilus is the first ship with nuclear propulsion in 1951. Lift by Hydrofoil S is brought by the Hydroptère; propulsion by turbovoiles by the Alcyone .
Human exploits and exploration
See also: scientific Voyage of exploration
The boats of exploration are distinguished because their crew arrives to his goal sometimes under dantesques conditions with means which seem now ridiculous. Christophe Colomb reaches America in 1492 on board the Caraque Santa Maria , helped by the caravels Niña and Pinta . The Victoria is the first ship to achieve a round the world tour during the forwarding of Magellan. Roald Amundsen went to the Antarctic with the Belgica then the Fram ; Bougainville used the Sulky person , Dumont d' Urville sailed on the Astrolabe , Baudin left in forwarding on the Géographe , Darwin travelled on the HMS Beagle and Charcot used the series of the Pourquoi-Pas? .
In the American history, the Mayflower brought the first colonists of England in North America, while the Hermione brought the Marquis of Fayette to Americas at the time of the war of independence. One can also note the exploits of some single-handed sailors, in particular Joshua Slocum which achieves the first round the world tour as a recluse aboard yacht Spray , Marcel Bardiaux, or the sailing ship Joshua of Bernard Moitessier which remains a reference as regards deep-sea sailing ship.
Imaginary or historical boats
Some imaginary boats marked the literature: they were already in the religious and mythological accounts like the Arche of Noah in the Bible or Argo in Greek mythology, they continued to work our imaginary with the Dutch stealing in the accounts of pirates, the Pequod in the novel Moby Dick, Vingilótë in the work of Tolkien, or the Nautilus in Twenty thousand miles under the seas of Jules Verne.
Other boats took a historical importance: the Bounty is known for its mutiny, the Grand Saint Antoine to have brought the plague to Marseilles, the Rainbow Warrior of Greenpeace for its sabotage, the Fox for the exploits of its captain, Robert Surcouf. Many steamers marked the maritime history because of their size or their elegance, the such Normandy , the Norway (ex- France ), the Queen Mary or the Queen Elizabeth 2 . Lastly, certain sailing ships marked the history of the race by their performances (such Dorade or Poulain ) or by their esthetics (such Endeavor , one of the Classe J), even both (like the series of the PEN Duick of Eric Tabarly).
Around the boats
If the Navigation is the most obvious activity, the boats are present other ways in the human activities:
Life at sea and attachment
The navigation developed with the projections technologies but also with the capacities of operation of the boats. If the modern ships added a certain comfort and if the instruments of navigation made the sea routes surer, the life at sea was associated a long time with omnipresent conditions Spartans and dangers, the sea recalling to the Men the superiority nature. As long as it does not reach a sufficient size, a boat remains an object subjected to the whims of the wind and waves: the life on board is then a constant fight against the moisture, the movements abrupt or the sea sickness. To the beginnings of the pleasure, the Breton fishermen said besides:
- Which goes at sea for its pleasure
- would go in hell to spend time.
A boat can thus be qualified according to its nautical aptitudes: its way “of holding the road”, to go back to the wind, “to spread out” a strong gale, or to answer the requests of its cox. Many sayings are associated with the behavior of the boats, such as “ large wheeler, large walker ”. One ends even up lending characters to the boats: one will be considered capricious, the other flexible one with the bar; the expressions associated with the human or animal behavior are also employed: such boat “vautre” in the waves, such other “file soft” with the wraps. Jeremy Guiton explains the fact that the boats are female in English by the resemblance to the presumedly unforeseeable character of the women… The life on board a boat finally bequeathed in many languages of the current expressions, which one often forgets the origin by employing them: one wishes “good wind… ”, so-and-so “put the veils”, such other “releases the mooring ropes”…
The crew of “a good” ship could legitimately be about it to trust and one frequently finds sailors attached sentimentally to their boat, finishing by him giving a nickname or refusing his demolition. Contrary, a series of events or certain superstitions can give a bad reputation to a boat, which will be supposed “cursed”. The attachment with the boats also finds in the nautical Modélisme aiming at or not building reduced, mobile models, existing ships. The boats out of bottle were traditionally carried out by the guards of headlights.
Symbolic system
The man a long time regarded water as the border towards the kingdom of his gods, and the boat is naturally the tool which makes it possible to go towards beyond. The Egyptians, civilization resolutely river where the Nile occupies the dominating place, join the kingdom of dead on board a river boat. The solar Barque is the most known example. One speaks thus about Bateau fall when it is used to bury a person: the Vikings honor their deaths by burying them with their boat in a Tumulus. The Bateau of Gokstad is one of the most famous examples, but also those of the royal tombs of Vestfold, at the edge of the gulf of Oslo, in Tune or Oseberg.
The names of boats are also in charge of direction: generally resulting from a decision of the owner, to change it is not inevitably good sign. One thus finds names glorious for warships (the Téméraire ), names of women in their honor, references to famous people, and very often of the fish names or marine birds. More recently, the world of the competition saw the names of the boats reflecting those of their Sponsor S. the commercial ships built in series sometimes also have names in series (as CMA-CGM which uses names of operas for its container ships). The baptism of a boat is done often right before its launching, in the presence of a godfather or a godmother.
The Superstition finally is not absent from universe of the boats. The animal with long ears, cousin of the hare, whose name should never be marked on board a ship is the most known example.
Marine archeology
Marine archeology consists to find and restore the remainders of boats which one can find hidden on the beaches or with the state of wrecks at the bottom of water (one then speaks about underwater Archéologie, the principal branch); the campaign of 2003 conducted on the site of the wrecks of Perugia on the island of Vanikoro made known with the general public this scientific discipline. A ship which sank, except if it were plundered by plunger clandestine and treasure hunters, delivers part of its structure, and often its intact Cargaison. Each stray is one moment of history failed the bottom of the seas. This archaeological activity, relatively recent, allows of much better including/understanding the last rich person of the history of the boats, than they are prehistoric dugouts or the large vessels of the 17th century. The wreck of an old boat is a microcosm of technology and culture of its time.
It is partly thanks to this activity for example that association Hermione it Fayette launched out in a formidable adventure, the rebuilding of the frigate Hermione , ship, which, in 1780, made it possible with Fayette to join the American insurrectionists fights about it for their independence. In addition, the wrecks are used also as sites privileged for the Plongée underwater and can also be used as shelter with the flora and fauna.
Arts & culture
The world of navigation inspired certain clean artistic kinds like the songs of marine sailors or the ; but the boats were also a source of inspiration in other kinds. One finds them in many disciplines: in pictorial arts, the Romantisme made the good share with the boats and in particular with the shipwrecks with Turner, then the Impressionnisme when Monet speaks about “its thing” made with the Havre: “ Of the sun in the mist and, with the foreground, some masts of pointing ship. ” more recently, the photography of sea and boats acquired its noble letters when photographers as Philip Plisson was named painters of the Navy in France.
The accounts of exploration, naval battles or piracy are also at the origin of a rich person literature, tonic with Homère and its Odyssée . The kinds are numerous:
- accounts of voyage like the Jacques of Jean de Léry or the Voyage around the world of Romance Bougainville
- of adventures like the island with the treasure , of Robert Louis Stevenson, Twenty thousand miles under the seas , Children of the captain Grant of Jules Verne, courageous Captains of Rudyard Kipling, the series of the Horatio Hornblower and the African Queen of C.S. Forester, Cyclone in Jamaica , of Richard Hughes, or adventures of the captain Aubrey Jack of Patrick O' Brian
- more poetic accounts like Moby Dick of Hermann Melville; The Old Man and the Sea of Ernest Hemingway; Typhoon , the Negro of the Narcisse , Joseph Conrad
- fables and tales like the Tale of the fisherman and the traveller of Beaumont.
More recently, the cartoons such as HMS or Tramp take again also to these topics, already approached in the Passengers of the wind of François Bourgeon, without forgetting Tintin and the Secrecy of the Unicorn of Hergé.
Certain marine songs ended up being known general public, as Santiano of Hugues Aufray which sings his “famous three-masted ship, end like a bird” or nostalgic the Maman the p' tits boats which go on water of our childhood; other ships of topicality inspired by the singers as the France during its disarmament which will inspire Michel Sardou. The opera takes as a starting point more mythical stories, like the Ghost ship of Wagner. Lastly, the Cinéma abundantly used the stories of large ships like Revolted of Bounty or Titanic , or of the imaginary boats the such Black Pearl inspired by the Marie-Celestial in the film Pirates of the Caribbean .
The poetry of the boats
the slim shapes of the ships, with gréement complicated, to which the swell prints harmonious oscillations, are used to maintain in the heart the taste the rate/rhythm and the beauty.
With the image of Baudelaire, the men are from time immemorial fascinated by water. Does there exist a poet who does not have at one time evoked the source of the terrestrial life, admiring and fearing all at the same time this magic element which refuses its presence to him? Without boat, not of escape on water!
Paul Verlaine dream this escape in boat:
Cependant the moon rises
And the wherry in its short race
File gaîment on the water which dreams.
To overcome the violence of the sea heroically, like describes it Victor Hugo in the Workers of the sea , remains the often unsatiated desire of the Man. Plato, quite front him, already is filled with wonder: There are the alive ones, there are deaths, and there are those which go on the sea .
Lastly, Arthur Rimbaud made express its drunk boat by making it sing between sky and ground, paradise and hell:
the storm blessed my maritime awakenings.
lighter than a stopper I danced on the floods
That one calls eternal wheelers of victims,
Ten nights, without regretting the eye denied hand lanterns!
softer than with the children flesh of sure apples,
green water penetrated my hull of fir tree
And of the blue wine spots and the vomits
washed Me, dispersant rudder and hook.
…
And consequently, I bathed in the Poem
Of the Sea, infused stars, and lactescent,
Devouring the green azure; where, pale floating
And delighted, one drowned pensive sometimes descends
…
I saw sidereal archipelagoes! and of the islands
Whose delirious skies are opened to the voguor:
- Is this in these nights bottomless which you sleep and exile you,
Million birds of gold, O future Strength?
But, truth, I cried too much! The Paddles are disturbing.
Any moon is atrocious and any bitter sun:
the bitter love inflated me torpors enivrantes.
O which my skittle bursts! O that I go to the sea!
Sources
General references
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See the sources of the detailed Articles of each section.
- Article “Transportation”, left “Ships”, Encyclopedia Britannica Macropedia , vol. 26, 15th edition, 1995
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