Nautical Terminology

Could some kind person please name the piece of wood that is used under the anchor chain, between the winch and the bow roller.
It is often a sacrificial piece of wood as the chain in some cases actually rubs onto it.

I am pretty good in my knowledge of terms of boats, but this is one part of a boat that I have never been able to put a name to.

Incidentially, it is also the ONLY part of a boat that no one has ever named to my knowledge.

Good luck.....

 

Simple Lubber - It's called 'The sacrificial piece of wood placed under the anchor chain, between the winch and the bow roller in case the chain actually rubs onto it....'

Though I've heard it referred to as the 'Buffer' or 'Pillow'...

 

I've heard that any piece of timber that is used as a sacrificial piece is called a "Scotsman"

 

And as far as the 'English' generals were concerned - not just the timber. You'll recall 'The Thin Red Line' in the Crimea; the Bridge at Njimagen (the Lovat Scouts) and so forth through 'English' military campaigns (send in the Jocks)...but there I go, getting 'political'.

 

I don't know the name of the piece of wood, but the wood chips that come off of it are called "grendulates". Of that, I am positive. In fact, I even know the name for the shadows cast by grendulates when they fly off. They are called "Suzy Tuckers". Strange name, but that's what the old timers called them. They would whistle and cock one eyebrow and say, "Them Suzy Tuckers is a-flyin' fast now! Man them brooms, boys!"
Then they would attempt to sweep up the shadows of the grendulates, but of course, they'd be gone, and just the grendulates would get swept up. We'd all laugh at the old-timers for being so foolish.

Alan

 

Not just sacrificial wood either, but hell those Scotsmen love it!! Gies them something to whinge about, and boy do they love whinging (Frosty are you sure you ain't got Scottish blood in you - Yer I know Bergalia but theres always a chance he COULD be somebody elses, and you have to exploit it!)

 

No chance Rus. If Frosty was a Scot - no doubt we would have shoved him under the anchor chain, between the winch and the bow roller long ago...

 

The general nautical term for a sacrificial rubbing piece in spanish is "luchadero", so probably it could be "luchadero de la cadena de fondeo", or the like, in spanish. But I haven't been able to find an english translation for the term...

(In my boat both winch and the bow roller are on the wooden bowsprit, but definitely it's not sacrificial! ).

 

I believe, Guillermo, that - "luchadero de la cadena de fondeo" can be roughly translated as: 'The piece of wood that is used under the anchor chain, between the winch and the bow roller, and is often a sacrificial piece of wood as the chain in some cases actually rubs onto it."

But of course, I could be wrong....

 

OOoh! ARrrr! your soooo clever Bergalia - so your claiming Frosty for your own? Pity I thought we could of got rid of him there, still being an English man does have its good points, we do know why everybody hates him (mind you there are a FEW other reasons which we won't go into!)

 

"Luchadero" is used in Mexico both for describing fans of Lucha Libre (masked wrestling, much like American "professional" wrestling, and also for the sport itself. Perhaps there is a connection? (I can imagine a connection between "sacrificial" and the fake "losses" in lucha libre, but it's pretty tenuous...)

Dave

 

Hi, Dave!
Nope, the mexican term 'luchadero' coming from Lucha Libre, has nothing to see with the nautical term. At least to my knowledge.
Cheers!

 

Thanks guys, big bloody help, looks like "'The piece of wood that is used under the anchor chain, between the winch and the bow roller, and is often a sacrificial piece of wood as the chain in some cases actually rubs onto it.", is just going to have to stay in my mind forever, sad really as every part of a boat has a name, unfortunately a forgotten art today in many cases (obviously not on this site), but the Yanks of course now have a right and left side of a boat, I guess it was simply too hard for them to work out port and starboard, and yes there is Scottish blood in my body, my Grandfather was born in Scotland, so Berg, be kind to me from now on, you are hurting one of your own kind.
As for Frosty, well I kind of like 'The piece of wood that is used under the anchor chain, between the winch and the bow roller, and is often a sacrificial piece of wood as the chain in some cases actually rubs onto it' possibly being called a "Frosty", as my teenage daughter would put it, "Hey Dad that is cool"

 

It's been a long wait, Lubber, but we just knew that one day some-one would find a use for 'Frosty'....

 

The Frosty

The Frosty, would, I expect have to be laid face down, so as not to cause wear on the galvanising of the chain as it ran over his nose.