A sideboy is a member of an even-numbered group of seamen posted in two rows at the

quarterdeck The quarterdeck is a raised deck behind the main mast of a sailing ship. Traditionally it was where the captain commanded his vessel and where the ship's colours were kept. This led to its use as the main ceremonial and reception area on b ...

when a visiting dignitary boards or leaves the

ship A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguishe ...

, historically to help (or even hoist) him aboard, in a ceremony known as ''tending the Side''. Presently, Sideboys are used only for ceremonial purposes and not always aboard ships. For example, they may be used for Change of Command and Retirement ceremonies. Sideboys are instructed by the

piping Within industry, piping is a system of pipes used to convey fluids (liquids and gases) from one location to another. The engineering discipline of piping design studies the efficient transport of fluid. Industrial process piping (and accomp ...

of the

Boatswain A boatswain ( , ), bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun, also known as a deck boss, or a qualified member of the deck department, is the most senior rate of the deck department and is responsible for the components of a ship's hull. The boatswain supervises ...

's Mate. The sideboy function may be performed by either male or female members of the ship's complement. Since 1843,

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

regulations have stipulated the number of sideboys according to the importance of the guests, which are similarly entitled to other honors; viz., the number of

ruffles and flourishes Ruffles and flourishes are preceding fanfare for honors music, ceremonial music for distinguished people. By country Israel In the Israeli Defence Forces, ruffles and flourishes are sounded as a guard of honor presents arms to signify the honor ...

and the number of cannon fired as a

salute A salute is usually a formal hand gesture or other action used to display respect in military situations. Salutes are primarily associated with the military and law enforcement, but many civilian organizations, such as Girl Guides, Boy Sco ...

. It is traditional to post sideboys to honor superior officers. Anywhere from two to eight sideboys can be placed; this depends on the officer's rank or paygrade. The President rates the maximum number of sideboys (8), as does the Vice President and the Chief of Naval Operations. Specific requirements for other dignitaries and military Officers can be found in OPNAVINST 1710.7A, the Social Usage and Protocol Handbook.OPNAVINST 1710.7A Social Usage and Protocol Handbook, Annex J - Table 4, Table 5, and Table 6

References

Military life Water transport {{Navy-stub