Points to Ponder
1. The bosun’s locker is a storage space for the materials used by the deck crew. It is supervised the bosun and contains a wealth of stores ranging from rope to paint brushes. Shackles and blocks (see below) are also kept in the bosun’s store. Blocks make it easier to pull heavy weights by means of ropes or cables. How a block and tackle works. Pete is sitting in a ‘bosun’s chair’, supported by means of a block and tackle, as he paints the mast in the picture above right. Paint itself will be stowed (nautical term for placed securely) in the paint store. It is separated from the other items because it is highly flammable (can easily be set alight) and needs to be somewhere a fire can be safely put out without damaging anything else.
2. Connor is currently serving as a third officer on oil-product tankers in the Caribbean. His role is similar to that of a bosun. You can read his story on the Taymara website or find out more about careers in the Merchant Navy.
3. Knots are used at sea to join ropes together and to attach them to objects such as the cleats used for securing boats to the quayside. They are also needed to make eyes (loops) in the ends of ropes. A thorough knowledge of knots is an essential skill for deck crews. The Animated Knots website shows you exactly how to tie a wide range of knots used for boating. See if you can tie the bowline and the clove hitch, two of the knots most commonly used at sea.
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