Deck (ship) facts for kids

An illustration of the Quarterdeck of an 18th-century frigate.

Decks are the main flat parts that divide a ship into different levels. Think of them like the floors in a building, but for a boat or ship! The crew and passengers walk and stand on these decks. Smaller, open boats might only have floorboards instead of full decks.

What are the Different Types of Decks?

Ships can have many different decks, and they often have confusing names! Here's a list of common deck names and what they mean. Remember, there isn't one perfect system for naming all decks on every ship.

Decks Above the Main Level

• 01 Level: This is the name for the deck right above the main deck. The decks higher than that are called the 02 level, 03 level, and so on. Even though they are technically decks, they are called "levels" because they usually don't stretch across the entire ship from front to back or side to side.
• Boat Deck: This is the area on a ship where lifeboats or other small boats are stored.
• Bridge Deck: This deck includes the ship's steering wheel (helm) and the navigation area. This is where the officer in charge of the ship's watch will be. It can also be a small deck structure at the front of a sailboat's cockpit, designed to stop waves from coming in.
• Flight Deck: (Naval ships) This is a special deck on an aircraft carrier where aircraft take off and land.
• Forecastle Deck: This is a partial deck above the main deck, located at the front of the ship, from the front mast to the very front (bow). Sailors used to sleep here.
• Helicopter Deck (Helo Deck): This deck is usually at the back of the ship and is kept clear for helicopters to land safely.
• Hurricane Deck: (River steamers) This is the very top deck, often a lighter structure, named because it often felt windy up there!
• Lido Deck: This is an open area, usually at the back of a passenger ship. It often has the main outdoor swimming pool and a sunny area for relaxing.
• Poop Deck: This deck forms the roof of a cabin at the back of the ship, built on the upper deck and extending from the back mast (mizzenmast) towards the stern.
• Promenade Deck: This is like a "wrap-around porch" on passenger ships and riverboats. It goes around the main part of the ship and can be open or enclosed with glass.
• Quarterdeck: This is the part of the upper deck behind the main mast. It's usually reserved for ship's officers, guests, and passengers. On naval ships, it's also the main entry point for people boarding the vessel.
• Spar Deck: This can be the same as the upper deck, or sometimes a lighter deck built over the upper deck. On large cargo ships, it's the deck over the cargo holds.
• Sundeck: A deck specifically designed for people to relax and enjoy the sun.
• Topgallant Forecastle Deck: Any raised deck that is even higher than the forecastle deck.
• Upper Deck: This is the highest deck of the main hull of the ship, stretching from the front (stem) to the back (stern).
• Weather Deck: Any deck that is open to the outside weather, like rain, wind, and sun.

Decks Below the Main Level

• Afterdeck: This is simply the deck closest to the very back of the ship.
• Berth Deck: (Naval ships) This deck is usually just below the gun deck. This is where the crew's hammocks (beds) are hung.
• Boiler Deck: (River steamers) This is the passenger deck located above the ship's boilers (large machines that make steam).
• Foredeck: On a motorboat, this is the deck in front of the cockpit. On a sailboat, it's the deck in front of the mast.
• Flush Deck: This is a deck that runs completely unbroken from the front (stem) to the back (stern) of the ship.
• Gun Deck: (Naval ships) This deck is below the spar deck and was historically used to hold the ship's cannons. On many smaller ships, the upper deck, forecastle, and quarterdeck held the cannons, but the covered level below was still called the gun deck, even if it had no guns.
• Hangar Deck: (Naval ships) On an aircraft carrier, this deck is used to store and maintain aircraft.
• Half-deck: This is the part of the deck just below the spar deck, located between the main mast and the ship's cabin.
• Lower Deck: This can mean the deck directly above the ship's cargo hold. It was originally used for ships with only two decks. It can also be another name for the berth deck or a secondary gun deck.
• Main Deck: This is the most important deck of a ship. It can sometimes be called the Freeboard Deck. On some ships, it's the highest deck of the hull. On sailing warships, it was often a deck below the upper deck.
• Middle or Waist Deck: This is the upper deck in the middle of the ship, which is often the main working area.
• Orlop Deck: On naval ships, this is the deck or part of a deck where the ship's large ropes (cables) are stored. It's usually below the waterline. It's often the lowest deck in a ship, but it's not the very bottom of the ship's inner hull.
• Side-deck: This is the upper deck area outside of any structures like a coachroof.
• Sweep Deck: (Naval ships) This is the deck furthest back on a minesweeper ship. It's set low to the water to make it easy to launch and recover equipment.
• Tween Deck: This is a storage space located between the ship's main cargo hold and the main deck. It can often be moved or retracted.
• Vehicle Deck: (Naval ships) On amphibious assault ships, these decks are used to carry vehicles. On civilian ferries, they are used for cars and trucks.
• Well Deck: This is an open deck (weather deck) that is lower than the decks in front and behind it. It's often enclosed by walls (bulwarks) that can trap water.

What is a Freeboard Deck?

Ships that are longer than 24 meters and travel internationally must follow special rules called the International Convention on Load Lines. These ships have a specific deck called the Freeboard Deck. This deck runs from one end of the ship to the other and from side to side.

Sometimes, a deck that is below the weather deck can be chosen as the Freeboard Deck, which is common on most ferries. The distance from the surface of the sea to the Freeboard Deck is called the freeboard. All these ships must have a minimum freeboard. This means they can never be loaded so heavily that the freeboard becomes smaller than this minimum distance. Because of this, the Freeboard Deck is a very important reference point on the ship.

Some shipyards and shipping companies call the Freeboard Deck "Deck 1" or "1st Deck." The decks below it are then called "2nd Deck," "Deck 2," and so on. The decks above the Freeboard Deck are given letters, starting with "Deck A" for the first level above, then "Deck B," "Deck C," and so forth. This naming system helps everyone know exactly where a deck is located on the ship. It's also important because the Load Line Convention has special rules about doors, windows, and openings on Deck A and Deck B to ensure safety.

Images for kids

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  The deck of the RMS Olympic.

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  The upper deck of the Falls of Clyde ship. It has an iron surface with a wooden walkway in the middle. You can see several small deckhouses, typical for ships from the late 1800s.

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  Crew and passengers on the wraparound deck of the RMS Queen Mary 2, a large ocean liner.

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  A view of the weather deck of the Swedish 17th-century warship Vasa, looking towards the back of the ship.

See also

In Spanish: Cubierta (barco) para niños