The quarterdeck is that part of a warship

Warship

A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...

 designated by the commanding officer

Commanding officer

The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...

 for official and ceremonial functions. In port, the quarterdeck is the most important place on the ship, and is the central control point for all its major activities. Underway, its importance diminishes as control of the ship is transferred to the bridge. The quarterdeck is normally on the main deck, but may be elsewhere in some types of ship. It is usually marked off by special lines, deck markings, decorative cartridge cases, or fancy knotwork.

The term quarterdeck is also frequently applied to the ceremonial and reception areas of shore-based naval facilities. Many such facilities have areas decorated like shipboard quarterdecks.

Protocol

Special attention is paid to the quarterdeck's cleanliness and physical appearance. Those standing watch

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...

 on the quarterdeck must be in the uniform of the day

Uniform of the day

The Uniform of the Day, when referred to in a military sense, is the designated uniform all military personnel are required to wear on that particular day. It is often designated by the senior officer on the base....

 and present a smart appearance at all times. Personnel not in the uniform of the day generally avoid crossing the quarterdeck unless their work requires it. On ships with a well-defined quarterdeck area, uniformed personnel should salute

Salute

A salute is a gesture or other action used to display respect. Salutes are primarily associated with armed forces, but other organizations and civil people also use salutes.-Military salutes:...

 when they enter it. Smoking and recreational activities are prohibited on the quarterdeck unless specially authorized by the commanding officer.

The starboard gangway to the quarterdeck is normally used by officers

Officer (armed forces)

An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...

 and their visitors; the port gangway is used by everyone else. In bad weather, all personnel use the lee gangway

Windward and leeward

Windward is the direction upwind from the point of reference. Leeward is the direction downwind from the point of reference. The side of a ship that is towards the leeward is its lee side. If the vessel is heeling under the pressure of the wind, this will be the "lower side"...

. On smaller ships with only one gangway, it may be rigged to either side and is used by everyone. Flagship

Flagship

A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...

s sometimes have an additional starboard gangway for the flag officer

Flag Officer

A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...

 and officers of his staff.

History

In 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 quarterdeck was that part of the main deck abaft the mainmast. The captain or master commanded the ship from the quarterdeck, as there was no bridge to serve this purpose. The quarterdeck was traditionally the place where the captain walked when on deck, usually on the windward side. The navigator

Navigator

A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...

 also used it when taking his sights when fixing the vessel's position. On most ships, it was customary that only officers could use the quarterdeck, others being allowed there only when assigned for specific duties.

As powered ships came into use, the term was applied to the same approximate area of the ship. Today, quarterdeck refers not to a specific deck, but to a ceremonial area designated as such by the captain. As in the days of sail, it is a place where the captain has special control and prerogatives.

There are ancient traditions of offering special deference to the quarterdeck. Greek, Roman, and Carthaginian warships all carried pagan shrines which were given special respect. This continued into Christian times, and in medieval British warships, the religious shrine was set up on the quarterdeck. All hands were required to salute it by taking off their hats or caps. This led to the habit of saluting whenever one entered the quarterdeck.