ship hull
Boat's outer shell
The hull is the main body of a ship—the watertight shell that sits in the water and contains everything else.
Hull design determines how a vessel moves through water: a narrow hull cuts cleanly for speed, a wide hull provides stability.
Damage to the hull, especially below the waterline, can sink a ship: The iceberg tore through the hull.
- bowRespectful forward inclination
- sternStrict or ship's aft
- plankingWooden boards collectively
- ribsThoracic bone set
- bilgeShip's water-collecting depths
sea chest · waterline · below the waterline · barnacles · porthole · timber · steel · copper plating · rivets · seams · draft · ballast · bulkhead · watertight compartment · cargo · hold · caulking · welding