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A boomkin, bumkin, or bumpkin is a short spar 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
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
Drascombe Lugger yawl
{{Sail Types Nautical terminology Sailboat components Sailing rigs and rigging
sailing ship
A sailing ship is a sea-going vessel that uses sails mounted on Mast (sailing), masts to harness the power of wind and propel the vessel. There is a variety of sail plans that propel sailing ships, employing Square rig, square-rigged or Fore-an ...
holding a block
Block or blocked may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Block programming, the result of a programming strategy in broadcasting
* W242BX, a radio station licensed to Greenville, South Carolina, United States known as ''96.3 ...
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
The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. O ...
to provide either an attachment point for a 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 ...
or the sheet of sail flown from a mizzen mast.
* 1967: Drascombe Lugger yawls designed with boomkins as an attachment point for sail flown from the mizzen.
References
External links
Drascombe Lugger yawl
{{Sail Types Nautical terminology Sailboat components Sailing rigs and rigging