beams

The Sailor's Word-Book

Strong transverse pieces of timber stretching across the ship from one side to the other, to support the decks and retain the sides at their proper distance, with which they are firmly connected by means of strong knees, and sometimes of standards. They are sustained at each end by thick stringers on the ship's side, called shelf-pieces, upon which they rest. The main-beam is next abaft the main-mast, which is stepped between two beams with transverse supports termed partners; the foremost of these is generally termed the main-beam, or the after-beam of the main-hatchway. The greatest beam of all is called the midship-beam.

Related Words

  • break-beams

    Beams introduced at the break of a deck, or any sudden termination of planking. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • breast-beams

    Those beams at the fore-part of the quarter-deck, and the after-part of the forecastle, in those ves...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • deck-beams

    See beams. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • fork-beams

    Short or half beams to support the deck where there is no framing, as in the intervention of hatchwa...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • half-beams

    Short timbers, from the side to the hatchways, to support the deck where there is no framing. (See f...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • hold-beams

    The lowest range of beams in a merchantman. In a man-of-war they support the orlop-deck. (See orlop-...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • ice-beams

    Strengtheners for whalers. (See fortifying.) ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • bed-beams

    See bomb-beds, &c. ...

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  • orlop-beams

    , or hold-beams. Those which support the orlop-deck, but are chiefly intended to fortify the hold....

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • paddle-beams

    Two large beams projecting over the sides of a steamer, between which the paddle-wheels revolve. (Se...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • skid-beams

    Raised stanchions in men-of-war over the main-deck, parallel to the quarter-deck and forecastle beam...

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  • bomb-bed beams

    The beams which support the bomb-bed in bomb-vessels. ...

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  • lower-hold-beams

    The lowest range of beams in a merchantman. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • spurs of the beams

    Curved pieces of timber, serving as half-beams, to support the decks, where a whole one cannot be pl...

    The Sailor's Word-Book