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 ...

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.

Free the Boate, that is, fling out the water: Man the Boate, that is, some men goe to rowe the Boate: The Boates Ging, that is, those that use to rowe in the boate, which are the Cockson and his Ging, to whom the charge of the boate belongs: Fend the boat, that is, save her from bea∣ting against the Ship-sides: Wind the Boate, that is, bring her head the other way. A bolde Boat, that is one that will indure a rough Sea well. A ships Boate, is the very Modell of a Ship, and is built in parts in all things answerable to those which a Ship requires, both for sayling and bearing a sayle, and they beare the same names, as doe all the parts of a Ship under water, as, Rake, Run, Stem, Sterne, Bowe, Bildge, &c.