The sea-mans dictionary, or, An exposition and demonstration of all the parts and things belonging to a shippe together with an explanation of all the termes and phrases used in the practique of navigation / composed by Henry Manwaring ...

Rake.

The Rake of a Ship, is so much of her Hull, as doth over∣hang both ends of the Keele: So that let-fall a-perpendiculer upon the end of the Keele upon the setting on of the Stem, so much as is without that foreward-on is her Rake foreward-on. And so in the like manner at the setting in of her Sterne-post, and that is her Rake aftward-on. Commonly the Rake foreward-on, is more then a third; but lesse then an halfe of the length of her Keele, there is not any more rule observed amongst all Nations; for some give long great Rakes, as generally all French built, the Flemmnigs not so much: And for the Rake aft∣ward-on (it being of no use for the Ship, but only for to make her Ship shapen, as they call it, they give as little as may be) which commonly is about a fourth or fifth part of her Rake fore-ward-on: (A great Rake fore-ward-on, gives a Ship good way, and makes her keep a good wind, but if she have not a good full Bowe, it will make her litch migh∣tily

into the head-sea, besides it doth mightily charge the ship, because it doth over-hang the naile; And if a ship have but a small Rake, she will commonly be too bluffe, and so meet the sea too suddenly upon her bowe, which will hinder her going through much: The longer a ships Rake is, the fuller must be the bowe: The best conditioned ships have neither too much, nor too little.