Nautical terminology - Name board

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Scott Carter, Nov 30, 2008.

  1. Scott Carter
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    Scott Carter Senior Member

    Hello All -
    Family feud here...does anyone know the proper (even if somewhat archaic and rarely used) term referring to the piece or pieces of (usually) wood onto which a vessel's name is inscribed or written, and then mounted to the vessel's transom or elsewhere?
    Thanks for filling in our blank and keeping us out of family court.
    Scott
     
  2. tom28571
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    tom28571 Senior Member

    Trailboards, although there may be other names as well.
     
  3. Scott Carter
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    Scott Carter Senior Member

    different?

    Tx for the response Tom. Our consensus, though, was that the term did not contain the word "name" or "board". But trail board is a good start. Anyone else?
    stc
     
  4. duluthboats
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    duluthboats Senior Dreamer

    The Shipcarvers Handbook by Jay S Hanna, refers to them as sternboards or transom nameboards.
    Trailboards are at the stemhead the name is confusing but many boat terms are.
     
  5. El Sea
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    El Sea Junior Member

    Just came from tpub.com, they call it a Name Board.


    El Sea
     
  6. DGreenwood
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    DGreenwood Senior Member

    On early fighting and merchant ships it was referred to as the "Arch Board" and sometimes, I think, just "Arch"? Is this what driving at?
     
  7. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Trailboards are on the bow, trailing aft. These often don't have a name so much as just some scroll work or fancy carving. Nameboards can appear in lots of places, capturing shrouds, tacked to the stern quarters and most commonly tacked to the transom.

    These are much like our wives, having several names, all correct in some applications.
     
  8. Earl Boebert
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    Earl Boebert Senior Member

    I reposted your question on the Yahoo scale model group, my go-to guys for nautical esoterica :) and this is what I got:

    Earl: This is a tough one. The only reference I can find in my 22
    nautical dictionaries and encyclopedias is in C.W.Layton's Dictionary of
    Nautical Words and terms: Name of Ship. That name appearing in her
    certificate of registry. Is cut or punched in her bow and stern.
    Mickey Martelle
    Wellsville, N.Y.
    Director, NRG [Nautical Research Group -- Earl]

    Sternboard -- across the stern/transom

    A ship's name is also sometimes worked into the trailboards at the
    bow, generally beneath the bowsprit

    SOURCE:
    The Shipcarver's Handbook How to Design and Execute Traditional
    Marine Carvings
    Jay S. Hanna
    Woodenboat Publications, 1988
    ISBN 0-937822-14-0
    Chapter 4 -- Sternboards pp. 25-31
    Chapter 9 -- Trailboards pp.58-71 see lower photo on p. 60

    Mike Graff

    Earl asked the name of the piece of (usually) wood upon which a vessel's
    name is inscribed. According to de Kerchove's Maritime Dictionary (c. 1961),
    the following definition applies: "Name Board. A painted or carved board
    where the ship's name is displayed. In sailing ships there was usually one
    placed on each quarter abaft the mizzen chains. In mechanically propelled
    vessels there is one on each side of the navigating bridge secured to the
    deck margin plank. On tugs and other harbor craft it is displayed on top of
    the wheelhouse." The dictionary signifies that the term is a U.S. one, but I
    believe that is used also in other English-speaking nations. The dictionary
    also provides the French and German translation. A cross-reference is given
    to "Ship's Name". This entry says that the name of every registered
    (merchant) vessel is marked upon each bow and upon the stern .. Roman
    letters of a light color on a dark ground or vice versa, secured in place ..
    According to U.S. and British rules . the height of the letters shall be not
    less than 4 in. For pleasure vessels, the name must be placed on some
    conspicuous portion of the hull.



    Brian Taylor (Newport Beach, California)

    Re: SSL: Nautical terminology - Name board

    Earl,

    >
    term referring to the piece or pieces of
    (usually) wood onto which a vessel's name is inscribed or written
    >

    Trail board.

    Jack Silvia
     

  9. Scott Carter
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    Scott Carter Senior Member

    Great info all around guys. I appreciate the digging on y'all's parts. I'll still awake some nights sweating that I've just missed that "just right" elusive term, but I'm that way with girlfriends too.
    Cheers,
    Scott
     
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