A boomkin, bumkin, or bumpkin is a short

spar SPAR, originally DESPAR, styled as DE SPAR, is a Dutch multinational that provides branding, supplies and support services for independently owned and operated food retail stores. It was founded in the Netherlands in 1932, by Adriaan van Well, ...

that may project either fore or aft on a sailing vessel, depending on its function. Traditionally, it was a strong, usually wooden spar extending forward over the bow of a Western

sailing ship A sailing ship is a sea-going vessel that uses sails mounted on masts to harness the power of wind and propel the vessel. There is a variety of sail plans that propel sailing ships, employing square-rigged or fore-and-aft sails. Some ships ...

holding a

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through which the tack of the foresail was passed; on some modern sailing yachts with long main booms it is a short spar extending aft from the stern anchoring a central

backstay A backstay is a piece of standing rigging on a sailing vessel that runs from the mast to either its transom or rear quarter, counteracting the forestay and jib. It is an important sail trim control and has a direct effect on the shape of the ma ...

. Historically, boomkins were employed in pairs, one on either side of the vessel, often canted downwards over the main head-rail. Originally butted at their inboard ends against a knighthead, bolting prevailed since the end of the 18th century. They are not to be confused with catheads, heavy wooden beams on either side of a traditional vessel's bow angled forward at roughly 45 degrees which support the ship's anchors when being raised or lowered.

History

Traditional boomkins found on English sailing vessels gradually evolved from 1710 until around 1850. * 1710–1730 CE: The first boomkins were generally to long, usually square in cross section, untapered, at one inch in width per foot of length. * 1730–1780 CE: The boomkin grew longer, with an octagonal inboard end and a circular outboard end tapering to 3/4 its initial diameter by its tip. * 1780–1805 CE: The boomkin often became circular in cross section from base to tip. * 1805 CE: The boomkin's inboard end was made half-round and generally bolted to rather than butted against the knighthead. An iron band with eyelets for (typically three) boomkin shrouds was also introduced. * 1825 CE: The boomkin reverted to being square-edged, usually one inch wider than it was high. It also gained an additional eyelet for securing a slip. * 1850 CE and beyond: The boomkin began to appear at a vessel's stern to provide either an attachment point for a

or the sheet of sail flown from a

mizzen The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall spar, or arrangement of spars, erected more or less vertically on the centre-line of a ship or boat. Its purposes include carrying sails, spars, and derricks, and giving necessary height to a navigation l ...

mast. * 1967: Drascombe Lugger yawls designed with boomkins as an attachment point for sail flown from the mizzen. Drascombe Lugger Onkahye boomkin

References

External links

Drascombe Lugger yawl
{{Sail Types Sailboat components Sailing rigs and rigging Nautical terminology