BOAT is the general name for a small open vessel. Boats differ, however, greatly one from another. They may be slight or strong, sharp or flat-bottomed, decked or undecked, swift for dispatch or roomy for cargo, ornamental for pleasure or plain for hard service, deep or light of draught for deep or shallow water. The chief variety supplied to ships of war are the following—Long-D. : The largest B. of a ship, furnished with mast and sails; it is either armed and equipped, to render warlike service in certain situations, or it is employed to fetch water. wood, provisions, and heavy stores on board. Launch : longer and more flat-bottomed than the long-B.; being rowed with a greater number of oars, it makes more rapid progress up rivers. Barge : a long, narrow, light B., employed in carrying the principal officers to and from the ship; for &her kinds of boats or vessels under this name, see BARGE. Pinnace : a B. for the accommodation of the inferior officers; it has usually eight oars, whereas the barge has 10 or more. Cutter: broader, deeper, and shorter than the barge or pinnace; it is rowed with six oars, sometimes hoist ing a sail, and is chiefly employed in carrying light stores, provisions, and crew. Jolly-B. : a smaller cutter, rowed with four oars instead of six. Yazd: small in size and used for nearly the same purpose as cutters and jolly boats. Gig: a long narrow B., rowed with six or eight oars, and employed the .chief officer on expeditions, requiring speed.
Some of the above-named boats are diagonal-built for strength; the others arc clincher built, to be as light as possible. The largest ships of war carry boats of all these various kinds, varying in weight from 110 cwt. down to 10 cwt. ; the smaller ships carry fewer; while merchant-ships have seldom more than three—except passenger-ships, which are bound by law to carry boats enough to save all the passengers and crew in case of disaster. There are other kinds of boats which do not belong to ships. See BOATINO.
In reference to the legal regulation of boats in the merchant service, the following are the chief provisions: When a B. belongs to any ship or other vessel, the name of the vessel and of the place to which she belongs must be painted on the outside of the stern of the B., and the master's name within side the transom—the letters to be white or yellow on at black ground. Boats not belonging to ships or other vessels must be inscribed with the name of the owners and the port to which they belong. All boats having double sides or bottoms, or any secret places adapted for the concealment of goods, are liable to forfeiture.
The boats intended for the rescue of shipwrecked persons, or crews and passengers exposed to that danger, are described under LIFE-BOAT.