Bluff, or Bluff-headed.
The Boate belonging to a Ship, is either called the Ships-boate, or the Long-boate, and this is ever intended to be able to carry-forth and waigh her sheate Anchor; other small Boats, which they carry for lightnesse, to hoyse in and out quickly, are called Skiffes and Shallops, according to their forme. A good long boate will live in any growne sea, if the water be sometimes freed, unlesse the sea breake very much: The Roape by which it is towed at the Ships sterne, is called the Boate roape, to which, to keepe the boate from sheering, we adde an other, which we call a Gest-roape: we doe also to save the Bowes of the boate, which would be torne out with the twitches which the Ship under sayle would give, use to swite her, that is, make fast a Roape round by the gun-wale, and to that, make fast the Boate roape.