Boatswain
Encyclopedia
A boatswain bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun is an unlicensed member
of the deck department
of a merchant ship. The boatswain supervises the other unlicensed members of the ship's deck department, and typically is not a watchstander
, except on vessels with small crews. Other duties vary depending on the type of ship, her crewing, and other factors.
batswegen, from bat (boat) concatenated with Old Norse sveinn (swain
), meaning a young man, a follower, retainer
or servant. The phonetic spelling bosun has been observed since 1868. Interestingly, this spelling was used in Shakespeare's The Tempest
written in 1611, and as Bos'n in later editions.
The rank of boatswain was until recently the oldest rank in the Royal Navy
, and its origins can be traced back to the year 1040. The Royal Navy's last official boatswain, Commander E W Andrew OBE, retired in 1990.
In 1040 when five English ports
began furnishing warships to King Edward the Confessor in exchange for certain privileges, they also furnished crews whose officers were the master
, boatswain, carpenter
and cook
. Later these officers were "warranted" by the British Admiralty. They maintained and sailed the ships and were the standing officers of the navy.
as the foreman of the unlicensed deck crew. Sometimes, the boatswain is also a third
or fourth mate
. A bosun must be highly skilled in all matters of marlinespike seamanship required for working on deck of a seagoing vessel. The bosun is distinguished from other able seamen by the supervisory roles: planning, scheduling, and assigning work.
As deck crew foremen, the boatswain plans the day's work and assigns tasks to the deck crew. As work is completed, the boatswain checks on completed work for compliance with approved operating procedures.
Outside the supervisory role, the boatswain regularly inspects the vessel and performs a variety of routine, skilled, and semi-skilled duties to maintain all areas of the ship not maintained by the engineering department. These duties can include cleaning, painting, and maintaining the vessel's hull, superstructure and deck equipment as well as executing a formal preventive maintenance program.
A boatswain's skills may include cargo rigging, winch operations, deck maintenance, working aloft, and other duties required during deck operations. The boatswain is well versed in the care and handling of lines, and has knowledge of knot
s, hitches, bends, whipping, and splices as needed to perform tasks such as mooring a vessel. The boatswain typically operates the ship's windlass
es when letting go and heaving up anchors. Moreover, a boatswain may be called upon to lead firefighting efforts or other emergency procedures encountered in the inherently dangerous environment of a ship. Effective boatswains are able to integrate their seafarer skills into supervising and communicating with members of deck crew with often diverse backgrounds.
Originally, on board sailing ship
s the boatswain was in charge of a ship's anchor
s, cordage, colours
, deck crew
and the ship's boats. The boatswain would also be in charge of the rigging
while the ship was in dock
. The boatswain's technical tasks have been modernised with the advent of steam engines and subsequent mechanisation.
At sea, a watchstanding boatswain will usually stand watch for 4 hours and is off for 8 hours, 7 days a week.
People at sea work in all weather conditions. Although merchant mariners try to avoid
severe storms while at sea, working in damp and cold conditions often is inevitable. While it is uncommon nowadays for vessels to suffer disasters such as fire, explosion, or a sinking, workers face the possibility that they may have to abandon their craft on short notice if it collides with other vessels or runs aground. They also risk injury or death from falling overboard and hazards associated with working with machinery, heavy loads, and dangerous cargo. However, modern safety management procedures, advanced emergency communications, and effective international rescue systems place modern mariners in a much safer position.
Most newer vessels are air conditioned, soundproofed from noisy machinery, and equipped with comfortable living quarters. For some mariners, these amenities have helped ease the sometimes difficult circumstances of long periods away from home. Also, modern communications, especially email, link modern mariners to their families. Nevertheless, some mariners dislike the long periods away from home and the confinement aboard ship and consequently leave the occupation.
In the United States, the rate of unionization for these workers is about 36 percent, much higher than the average for all occupations. Consequently, merchant marine officers and seamen, both veterans and beginners, are hired for voyages through union hiring halls or directly by shipping companies. Hiring halls rank the candidates by the length of time the person has been out of work and fill open slots accordingly. Hiring halls typically are found in major seaports.
Boatswains employed on Great Lakes ships work 60 days and have 30 days off, but do not work in the winter when the lakes are frozen. Workers on rivers, on canals, and in harbors are more likely to have year-round work. Some work 8-hour or 12-hour shifts and go home every day. Others work steadily for a week or a month and then have an extended period off. When working, they usually are on duty for 6 or 12 hours and off for 6 or 12 hours. Those on smaller vessels are normally assigned to one vessel and have steady employment.
and William Wiley
are famous for their heroism in the Barbary Wars
and namesakes of the ships USS Reuben James (FFG-57)
and USS Wiley (DD-597)
. Medal of Honor
recipients Francis P. Hammerberg
and George Robert Cholister
were U.S. Navy boatswain's mates, as was Navy Cross
recipient Stephen Bass. Victoria Cross
recipients John Sheppard (VC)
, John Sullivan (VC)
, Henry Curtis
, and John Harrison (VC 1857)
were Royal Navy boatswain's mates.
There are also a handful of boatswains and boatswain's mates in literature. The boatswain in William Shakespere's The Tempest
is a central character in several scenes. Also, the character Bill Bobstay in Gilbert and Sullivan
's musical comedy H.M.S. Pinafore
is alternatively referred to as a "bos'un" and a "boatswain's mate." Another boatswain from literature is Smee from Peter Pan
. Lord Byron had a Newfoundland dog named Boatswain. Byron wrote the famous poem Epitaph to a Dog
and had a monument made for him at Newstead Abbey
.
patrol (Bak), in Flanders it is the assistant patrol leader of a Sea Scout patrol (Kwartier).
Licensed mariner
A licensed mariner is a person who holds a license issued by one or more countries to hold senior positions aboard ships, boats, and similar vessels. The United States Coast Guard grants licenses to members of the United States Merchant Marine in five categories: deck officers, engineers, staff...
of the deck department
Deck department
The Deck Department is an organizational unit aboard naval and merchant ships. A Deck Officer is an officer serving in the deck department.-Merchant shipping:...
of a merchant ship. The boatswain supervises the other unlicensed members of the ship's deck department, and typically is not a watchstander
Watchstanding
Watchstanding, or watchkeeping, in nautical terms concerns the division of qualified personnel to operate a ship continuously around the clock. On a typical sea going vessel, be it naval or merchant, personnel keep watch on the bridge and over the running machinery...
, except on vessels with small crews. Other duties vary depending on the type of ship, her crewing, and other factors.
History
The word boatswain has been in the English language since approximately 1450. It is derived from late Old EnglishOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
batswegen, from bat (boat) concatenated with Old Norse sveinn (swain
Swain
Swain may refer to:In people:* Swain In places:* Swain County, North Carolina, USA* Swain's Island , Canada* Swains Island, an atoll in the Tokelau chain, the most northwesterly island administered by American Samoa...
), meaning a young man, a follower, retainer
Retinue
A retinue is a body of persons "retained" in the service of a noble or royal personage, a suite of "retainers".-Etymology:...
or servant. The phonetic spelling bosun has been observed since 1868. Interestingly, this spelling was used in Shakespeare's The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
written in 1611, and as Bos'n in later editions.
The rank of boatswain was until recently the oldest rank in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and its origins can be traced back to the year 1040. The Royal Navy's last official boatswain, Commander E W Andrew OBE, retired in 1990.
In 1040 when five English ports
Cinque Ports
The Confederation of Cinque Ports is a historic series of coastal towns in Kent and Sussex. It was originally formed for military and trade purposes, but is now entirely ceremonial. It lies at the eastern end of the English Channel, where the crossing to the continent is narrowest...
began furnishing warships to King Edward the Confessor in exchange for certain privileges, they also furnished crews whose officers were the master
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
, boatswain, carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
and cook
Chief Cook
A chief cook is a senior unlicensed crewmember working in the steward's department of a merchant ship.The chief cook directs and participates in the preparation and serving of meals; determines timing and sequence of operations required to meet serving times; inspects galley and equipment for...
. Later these officers were "warranted" by the British Admiralty. They maintained and sailed the ships and were the standing officers of the navy.
Job description
The boatswain works in a ship's deck departmentDeck department
The Deck Department is an organizational unit aboard naval and merchant ships. A Deck Officer is an officer serving in the deck department.-Merchant shipping:...
as the foreman of the unlicensed deck crew. Sometimes, the boatswain is also a third
Third Mate
A Third Mate or Third Officer is a licensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The third mate is a watchstander and customarily the ship's safety officer and fourth-in-command...
or fourth mate
Third Mate
A Third Mate or Third Officer is a licensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The third mate is a watchstander and customarily the ship's safety officer and fourth-in-command...
. A bosun must be highly skilled in all matters of marlinespike seamanship required for working on deck of a seagoing vessel. The bosun is distinguished from other able seamen by the supervisory roles: planning, scheduling, and assigning work.
As deck crew foremen, the boatswain plans the day's work and assigns tasks to the deck crew. As work is completed, the boatswain checks on completed work for compliance with approved operating procedures.
Outside the supervisory role, the boatswain regularly inspects the vessel and performs a variety of routine, skilled, and semi-skilled duties to maintain all areas of the ship not maintained by the engineering department. These duties can include cleaning, painting, and maintaining the vessel's hull, superstructure and deck equipment as well as executing a formal preventive maintenance program.
A boatswain's skills may include cargo rigging, winch operations, deck maintenance, working aloft, and other duties required during deck operations. The boatswain is well versed in the care and handling of lines, and has knowledge of knot
Knot
A knot is a method of fastening or securing linear material such as rope by tying or interweaving. It may consist of a length of one or several segments of rope, string, webbing, twine, strap, or even chain interwoven such that the line can bind to itself or to some other object—the "load"...
s, hitches, bends, whipping, and splices as needed to perform tasks such as mooring a vessel. The boatswain typically operates the ship's windlass
Windlass
The windlass is an apparatus for moving heavy weights. Typically, a windlass consists of a horizontal cylinder , which is rotated by the turn of a crank or belt...
es when letting go and heaving up anchors. Moreover, a boatswain may be called upon to lead firefighting efforts or other emergency procedures encountered in the inherently dangerous environment of a ship. Effective boatswains are able to integrate their seafarer skills into supervising and communicating with members of deck crew with often diverse backgrounds.
Originally, on board sailing ship
Sailing ship
The term sailing ship is now used to refer to any large wind-powered vessel. In technical terms, a ship was a sailing vessel with a specific rig of at least three masts, square rigged on all of them, making the sailing adjective redundant. In popular usage "ship" became associated with all large...
s the boatswain was in charge of a ship's anchor
Anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
s, cordage, colours
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
, deck crew
Crew
A crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard...
and the ship's boats. The boatswain would also be in charge of the rigging
Rigging
Rigging is the apparatus through which the force of the wind is used to propel sailboats and sailing ships forward. This includes masts, yards, sails, and cordage.-Terms and classifications:...
while the ship was in dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
. The boatswain's technical tasks have been modernised with the advent of steam engines and subsequent mechanisation.
Working conditions
Merchant mariners spend extended periods at sea. Most deep-sea mariners are hired for one or more voyages that last for several months; there is no job security after that. The length of time between voyages varies depending on job availability and personal preference.At sea, a watchstanding boatswain will usually stand watch for 4 hours and is off for 8 hours, 7 days a week.
People at sea work in all weather conditions. Although merchant mariners try to avoid
severe storms while at sea, working in damp and cold conditions often is inevitable. While it is uncommon nowadays for vessels to suffer disasters such as fire, explosion, or a sinking, workers face the possibility that they may have to abandon their craft on short notice if it collides with other vessels or runs aground. They also risk injury or death from falling overboard and hazards associated with working with machinery, heavy loads, and dangerous cargo. However, modern safety management procedures, advanced emergency communications, and effective international rescue systems place modern mariners in a much safer position.
Most newer vessels are air conditioned, soundproofed from noisy machinery, and equipped with comfortable living quarters. For some mariners, these amenities have helped ease the sometimes difficult circumstances of long periods away from home. Also, modern communications, especially email, link modern mariners to their families. Nevertheless, some mariners dislike the long periods away from home and the confinement aboard ship and consequently leave the occupation.
In the United States, the rate of unionization for these workers is about 36 percent, much higher than the average for all occupations. Consequently, merchant marine officers and seamen, both veterans and beginners, are hired for voyages through union hiring halls or directly by shipping companies. Hiring halls rank the candidates by the length of time the person has been out of work and fill open slots accordingly. Hiring halls typically are found in major seaports.
Boatswains employed on Great Lakes ships work 60 days and have 30 days off, but do not work in the winter when the lakes are frozen. Workers on rivers, on canals, and in harbors are more likely to have year-round work. Some work 8-hour or 12-hour shifts and go home every day. Others work steadily for a week or a month and then have an extended period off. When working, they usually are on duty for 6 or 12 hours and off for 6 or 12 hours. Those on smaller vessels are normally assigned to one vessel and have steady employment.
Notable boatswains
A number of boatswains and naval boatswains mates have achieved fame. Reuben JamesReuben James
Reuben James was a Boatswain's Mate of the United States Navy, famous for his heroism in the Barbary Wars.-Career:...
and William Wiley
William Wiley
William Wiley was a sailor of the United States Navy in the 19th century who served in the First Barbary War.Besides a few details of his service in the Navy, little is known of the life of William Wiley. He entered the Navy on 2 April 1803 and was assigned to the schooner Enterprise in the...
are famous for their heroism in the Barbary Wars
Barbary Wars
The Barbary Wars were a series of wars between the United States of America and the Barbary States of North Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At issue was the Barbary pirates' demand of tribute from American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. If ships failed to pay, pirates...
and namesakes of the ships USS Reuben James (FFG-57)
USS Reuben James (FFG-57)
USS Reuben James , an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate, is the third ship of the U.S. Navy named for Reuben James, a boatswain's mate who distinguished himself fighting the Barbary pirates...
and USS Wiley (DD-597)
USS Wiley (DD-597)
USS Wiley , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for William Wiley, a sailor of the Navy in the 19th century who served in the First Barbary War...
. Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipients Francis P. Hammerberg
Francis P. Hammerberg
Owen Francis Patrick Hammerberg was a United States Navy diver who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for rescuing two fellow divers.-Biography:...
and George Robert Cholister
George Robert Cholister
George Robert Cholister was a United States Navy sailor awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for his actions on October 20, 1924. His medal was awarded by a special act of the United States Congress. Ensign Henry Clay Drexler was awarded a Medal of Honor and Navy Cross for the same heroism...
were U.S. Navy boatswain's mates, as was Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
recipient Stephen Bass. Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
recipients John Sheppard (VC)
John Sheppard (VC)
John Sheppard VC, CGM was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, John Sullivan (VC)
John Sullivan (VC)
John Sullivan VC CGM was born in Bantry, County Cork and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:He was 25 years old, and a Boatswain's Mate in the...
, Henry Curtis
Henry Curtis
Henry Curtis VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, and John Harrison (VC 1857)
John Harrison (VC 1857)
John Harrison VC was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early life:...
were Royal Navy boatswain's mates.
There are also a handful of boatswains and boatswain's mates in literature. The boatswain in William Shakespere's The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
is a central character in several scenes. Also, the character Bill Bobstay in Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
's musical comedy H.M.S. Pinafore
HMS Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, England, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which was the second-longest run of any musical...
is alternatively referred to as a "bos'un" and a "boatswain's mate." Another boatswain from literature is Smee from Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
. Lord Byron had a Newfoundland dog named Boatswain. Byron wrote the famous poem Epitaph to a Dog
Epitaph to a Dog
Epitaph to a Dog is a poem by the English poet Lord Byron. It was written in 1808 in honour of his Newfoundland dog, Boatswain, who had just died of rabies. When Boatswain contracted the disease, Byron reportedly nursed him without any fear of becoming bitten and infected...
and had a monument made for him at Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey, in Nottinghamshire, England, originally an Augustinian priory, is now best known as the ancestral home of Lord Byron.-Monastic foundation:The priory of St...
.
Scouting
Quartermaster is the highest petty officer in the Sea Scouts, BSA, an older youth (13-21) co-ed program. A Boatswain (Bootsman) is in the Netherlands the patrol leader of a Sea ScoutSea Scout
Sea Scouts are members of the international Scouting movement, with a particular emphasis on water-based activities, such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and rowing. Depending on the country and the available water these activities are on lakes, rivers or sea in small or large ships. Sea Scouting...
patrol (Bak), in Flanders it is the assistant patrol leader of a Sea Scout patrol (Kwartier).
See also
- Merchant Navy
- Ship transportShip transportShip transport is watercraft carrying people or goods . Sea transport has been the largest carrier of freight throughout recorded history. Although the importance of sea travel for passengers has decreased due to aviation, it is effective for short trips and pleasure cruises...
- United States Merchant MarineUnited States Merchant MarineThe United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
- Boatswain's Mate (US Navy)Boatswain's Mate (US Navy)The United States Navy occupational rating of boatswain's mate is a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel to enlisted members who are rated or "striking" for the rating as a deck seaman. The colloquial form of address for a boatswain's mate is 'Boats'...
- Boatswain's Mate (US Coast Guard)Boatswain's Mate (US Coast Guard)The most versatile member of the Coast Guard's operational team is the boatswain's mate . Boatswain's mates are masters of seamanship. BMs are capable of performing almost any task in connection with deck maintenance, small boat operations, navigation, and supervising all personnel assigned to a...
- BootsmannBootsmannBootsmann was a highest-ranking Petty Officer position in German naval forces. A lower-ranking Bootsmann was called Bootsmannsmaat. These names were adopted for the Russian Navy as боцман and боцманмат by Peter the Great, among many other Prussian and Holland military ranks; they were initially...
- Deck departmentDeck departmentThe Deck Department is an organizational unit aboard naval and merchant ships. A Deck Officer is an officer serving in the deck department.-Merchant shipping:...
- Seafarer's professions and ranksSeafarer's professions and ranksSeafarers hold a variety of professions and ranks, and each of these roles carries unique responsibilities which are integral to the successful operation of a seafaring vessel...
- Serang (disambiguation)Serang (disambiguation)Serang is a city in Indonesia.Serang may also refer to:*Serang Regency, the regency of which Serang is the capital*Seram, an Indonesian island*Serang River, a river on Java*The boatswain of a lascar ship's crew...
- Buffer (navy)Buffer (navy)Buffer is the colloquial title for the senior seaman sailor in a Commonwealth of Nations Navy ship. The formal title is Chief Boatswain's Mate....