OutdoorNebraska

Chapter 1: Know Your Boat 2 The Many Parts of a Boat Boats come in many styles and shapes, but the names of the different parts remain consistent. Every boat operator should know the following terms and definitions. Types of Boat Hulls There are two basic types of boat hulls—displacement and planing. ◆ Displacement Hulls: Boats with displacement hulls move through the water by pushing the water aside and are designed to cut through the water with very little propulsion. • If you lower a boat into the water, some of the water moves out of the way to adjust for the boat. If you could weigh that displaced water, you would find it equals the weight of the boat. That weight is the boat's displacement. • Boats with displacement hulls are limited to slower speeds. • A round-bottomed hull shape acts as a displacement hull. Most large cruisers and most sailboats have displacement hulls, allowing them to travel more smoothly through the water. ◆ Planing Hulls: Boats with planing hulls are designed to rise up and glide on top of the water when enough power is supplied. These boats may operate like displacement hulls when at rest or at slow speeds but climb towards the surface of the water as they move faster. • Boats with planing hulls can skim along at high speed, riding almost on top of the water rather than pushing it aside. • Flat-bottomed and vee-bottomed hull shapes act as planing hulls. Most small power-driven vessels, including personal watercraft (PWCs) and some small sailboats, have planing hulls, allowing them to travel more rapidly across the water. How Planing Hulls Operate Displacement Mode A planing hull, when operated at very slow speeds, will cut through the water like a displacement hull. Planing Mode Your boat is in planing mode when enough power is applied so that the hull glides on top of the water. Different boats reach planing mode at different speeds. Plowing Mode As speed increases, a planing hull will have a raised bow, reducing the operator's vision and throwing a very large wake. Avoid maintaining a speed that puts your boat in plowing mode. propeller: Rotates and powers a boat forward or backward stern: Rear of a vessel bow: Front of a vessel red and green sidelights gunwale: Upper edge of vessel's side cleat: Metal fitting on which a rope can be fastened all-round white light port: Left side of a vessel starboard: Right side of a vessel hull: Body of a vessel keel draft freeboard beam Copyright © 2014 Boat Ed, www.boat-ed.com

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