Bow (watercraft) facts for kids

The front of the USS Salem, showing its bow.

The bow is the very front part of a ship or boat. It's the part that usually leads the way when the vessel is moving through water. Think of it as the nose of the boat! The back end of a boat is called the stern. Sometimes, people use the word prow instead of bow. Prow can also mean the part of the bow that sticks out above the water.

How a Ship's Bow Works

HMS Dreadnought had an unusual inverted bow.

The strong bow of a Severn class lifeboat in Poole.

A large barge in France. Notice its wide bow and how low it sits in the water.

Flared bow of a cruise ship.

A ship's bow is designed to help the vessel move smoothly through the water. The shape of a bow changes depending on how fast the boat will go. It also depends on where the boat will travel, like calm rivers or rough oceans. The boat's main job also affects its bow shape.

For example, if a boat is likely to bounce up and down a lot in waves (this is called pitching), its bow needs to be special. It should have extra floatation to help it rise over waves. A "flared bow" is good for this. It helps stop too much water from washing over the front of the boat.

The bow should also help reduce resistance from the water. This means it helps the boat move easily. It also needs to be tall enough to stop waves from constantly splashing over the top. Big cargo barges on calm rivers don't face huge waves. So, their bows might sit very low in the water. But fast military ships in the ocean need strong bows to handle big storms.

For slower ships, like oil tankers, the bow is often wider. This helps the ship carry more cargo. Sometimes, a bow is made extra strong to break through ice. The very front tip of the bow is called the "stem." In older boats, the stem was a strong piece of wood or metal. Some boats, like Viking longships, have a curved prow instead of a straight stem.

Different Types of Bows

There are many different shapes and designs for a ship's bow. Each type is made for a specific purpose or kind of water.

Where the Word "Bow" Comes From

The word "bow" comes from old Dutch or Old Norse words. These words meant "shoulder." It's interesting because the English word "bough" (like a tree branch) has the same origin. However, the nautical term "bow" for a ship's front is a different word. It only started being used in English around the year 1600.

What is a Prow?

The word "prow" comes from French. It means the forward-most part of a ship's bow that is above the water. Often, people use "prow" and "bow" to mean the same thing. Both words describe the very front part of a ship.

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