Essentially maybe Nando, but you went on to describe it I just searched for the
word origin. Yes, the first deck over the ballast which actually ties into our subject of the 'heads'.
This was where a sailor who found it too dangerous to risk being swept off the heads by a sea often retired to in severe weather and the effluence wound up in the bilge.
Imagine a three decker with a few hundred seaman. :eek:

As said, these things ougth to be considered within due timeline, different cultures ... and context. During the XVI century the greed for spices (pepper) induced for the building of ships of exponential dimensions. From the average 400 tonnes carracks to the incredible "Madre de Deus", displacing 1,600 tonnes (900 of which in cargo). Built in 1589, for the India route, it was 166 feet long and 48 feet wide. It had 7 decks and 32 cannons, among other weapons, employing a crew of 600 to 700 men *.
If we add a vast number of soldiers and passengers that traveled aboard to India (and back), all these decks were packed with people, hygiene was definitely not their middle name;
" because most people do not take the trouble to go above and beyond to satisfy their needs " (Pyrard de Laval 1610).
Not that big shots had lack of poop facilities for themselves; Vasco da Gama, already in 1498 in his trip to India, is known to have taken them on board; he has offered the King of Melinde (Kenia) three (chamber) pots.

*
She was captured when returning from her second trip to India by an English fleet of six ships off the Azores. The Madre de Deus was one of the greatest lootings in history.
Down under her (accurate ?) model kept in the Navy Museum.


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Thank you folks for explaining the odd terminologies in maritime use. I just think it's strange that 'orlop' originated from Dutch, yet it was used pretty much across the board for all ships at the time. Rick, I need to buy that nautical dictionary of yours for further reading! Now...why do some say 'starboard' and others 'larboard' but they mean the same thing!?

It's all there Captain ... and sounds reliable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_and_starboard

Bak to boarding pikes ...
 

Amazing that, over here, the term pike is only attributed to those rather long ones used by infantry (Pike men). These 'short' boarding ones we (Portuguese) call them chuços and the Spaniards, chuzos.
Just for the sake of comparison, i will show here three mid 19th century Spanish variations; the first one, four faceted, with a 9 1/2" head, a 8 foot total length and 1 1/2 pole diameter; the second one, with approx. the same length, a slightly thinner pole and a rather long head 15 1/2". And the third one, a kind of a bizarre variation, with twin short heads (less than 6") one in each end of the pole. The total length less than 5 foot, the pole diameter 1 1/4".
(Courtesy B. Barceló Rubi)

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Thank you for posting these, Fernando! I had heard of the rare, two-headed version, but only seen drawing of it and not the real deal! A very interesting type! I'd love to have one in my collection!

I shall see to it, Captain :D.

[QUOTE=M ELEY;263093! Now...why do some say 'starboard' and others 'larboard' but they mean the same thing!?[/QUOTE]

They don't, starboard went back to the days of a steering oar on one side, and larboard was the other side. Eventually to avoid confusion the terms Port and Starboard ware adopted.
Why an international (for the most part) vocabulary, because the crews were (For the most part)!

A two-bladed pike?! I wouldn't want to be in the second row...

Thanks for that clarification, David. I know many nautical terms came and went depending on the advancements of sailing. In my writings, I was told by one gent that the proper spelling of the front of the ship was 'bough', not bow. Yet, I haven't come across any documentation to support that unless, like our 'larboard', it is a colloquel spelling?

I'll hold you to it! Actually, this design would have to be used very carefully on a crowded deck. Otherwise, as Dmitri pointed out (pardon the pun!), you could easily stab the guy behind you!

Was the link in my post #45 a wrong source ?... :o

Possibly a more authoritative source.... https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/port-starboard.html

Not at all. Sometimes stuff just gets repeated.

Perhaps this was a weapon for resource, for when the guys on your back were also part of the enemy ;).

( The Oxford Universal Dictionary Illustrated, 1933)


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Ahh, well in that case, I need one of these at my work!;)

Thank you for clearing up the mystery of bough versus bow!