> Dave Seng [correctly] wrote: > > Correct spelling is gunwale, pronounced gunnel. Then it was incorrectly stated: > This area is alternately called the sheer. (I've sometimes seen it > spelled shear, but I'm not sure that is correct). > > On boats with an angled sheer, it could be called a gunwale. With a > deck that smoothly curves into the hull, there really is no gunwale, so > sheer would probably be most appropriate. On canoes, the upper edge of > the hull (usually banded with wood or bent or extruded metal) is always > a gunwale. I believe the two things are really distinct. Technically, the gunwale was (is) a particular piece of wood on a wooden sailing vessel -- it was (is -- I hesitate to use past tense because there are some fine builders still building the traditional way) the upper most plank. The term has come to be used also for an upper piece on a composite or plywood boat, as well -- a piece that runs *along the sheer.* The sheer is not really a "part" of the boat, but an aspect of its design. Specifically, its the line of the boat *at* the gunwale, or where the gunwale might be on boats that don't have a gunwale (most kayaks, I would think). Some boats are said to have "reverse sheer," meaning the curve rises in the center, rather than at the ends. . . . . Sorry. These things actually are important to me, in my rather boring existence. . . Mark L *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun May 14 2000 - 14:41:38 PDT
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