Launch (boat): Difference between revisions

Launches were preferred as having greater carrying capacity, though they could be considered less seaworthy. AnOne of two important roleroles was the carrying of drinking water. For example, a {{cvt|33|ft|m}} launch of 1804 could carry 14 large "leaguers" (barrels containing {{convert|150|impgal|L}} each), making a load of just over nine and half tonnes of water. A warship's launch would also be fitted with a windlass that allowed a ship's anchor to be carried or to be weighed (raised). AThis second essential role, generally for a ship's boat and specifically for the launch, was the laying out of anchors or weighing them after use. Before steam tugs were available, a ship's boat would often be used to [[kedge]] a ship out of a harbour or away from a hazard such as a [[lee shore]], beforeset steama tugsnew wereanchor availableor toinspect movethe sailingcable if moored for a long time, among a range of "anchor work" vesselstasks.<ref name="May 1999">{{cite book |last1=May |first1=W E |last2=Stephens |first2=Simon |title=The Boats of Men of War |date=1999 |publisher=Chatham Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84067-4318 |edition=2003 publ Caxton Editions}}</ref>{{rp|41-43, 44-45, 70}}<ref name="Harland 2015">{{cite book |last=Harland |first=John |title=Seamanship in the age of sail : an account of shiphandling of the sailing man-o-war, 1600-1860 |year=2015 |publisher=[[Conway Publishing]] |location=London |isbn=978-1-8448-6309-9 }}</ref>{{rp|203, 254, 277-278}}

Launches had double-banked oars{{efn|A double-banked boat has two oarsmen seated on each thwart, each operating their own oar on their side of the boat. This contrasts with a single-banked boat, with just one oarsman on each thwart operating a single oar, with the side on which the oars are worked alternating along the length of the boat.<ref name="McKee 1983">{{cncite book |last1=McKee |first1=Eric |title=Working Boats of Britain, Their Shape and Purpose |date=September1983 2023|publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |isbn=0-85177-277-3 |edition=1997}}</ref>{{rp|135}} }} The usual sailing rig for much of the 19th century was a two-masted ketch rig. A schooner rig was in use from 1878 and the de Horsey sloop rig was adopted from 1884.{{r|May 1999|pp=91–97}}

{{main|Motor Launchlaunch (naval)}}