What is the name of the piece that was attached to the front of ships, often shaped like a naked lady with her back arched and her arms flung out?
I thought it was called the maidenhead, but I was wrong, apparently.
Also, it is more than just the bowsprit - it is the statue on the end of the bowsprit.
Any information GREATLY appreciated. I very much need this bit of pirate knowledge.
Argh!
Sneeze
The word you’re looking for is figurehead (obviously now more familiar in its figurative sense than its original meaning). One wonders how urgent this can be, though–is someone about to make you walk the plank if you can’t come up with the right nautical terminology?
Sigh. Argh.
Ok, two minutes later I have thought of the answer myself. In case anyone was having the exact same lapse of brain function, the statue thing is called a figurehead.
Argh!
Sneeze
Actually, it was the bowsprit. The figurehead was often carved on it.
Nope, the bowsprit is the spar or mast that points forward from the bow of the ship. The “extension” of the bowsprit is the jibboom and the sail carried below the bowsprit is the spritsail. Figurehead is the correct name for the figurehead and there’s no way it would be carved on the bowsprit.
… and the word “maidenhead”, of course, refers to the hymen.
(I’m just being a completist).
Hurray pirate knowledge!
Thank you MEBuckner, RealityChuck, sailor, and SomeGuy.
MEBuckner, it really was very urgent to figure out the word, because I needed to look up how it was attached so I could draw one - at my work we are having a Pirate (!!!) Theme Week, and the figurehead is one of the pieces of decoration we needed. I needed to find out the logistics of how it looked so I could set about putting one together (or a lame representation of one), and I needed to finish it before a decent hour. And, Captian Beardo was ready to kick me to death with his peg leg because my pirate terminology wasnt up to snuff, but -
I digress.
Personally, I think that maidenhead makes more sense. It is a really nice double entendre - the figure is carved out to look like a maiden, and the maiden is sitting on the end of a long, hard, pointy rod that sticks out the front of the ship - get it? Maybe pirates didn’t appreciate wordplay like that, though.
Argh!
Captain Sneezebeard
The Cutty Sark hosts a collection of figureheads and her own figurehead is probably one of the most famous. In this first page you can see the term “bowsprit” used incorrectly. The bowsprit is seen above the figurehead.
http://members.aol.com/bstetzer/cuttysark.html
http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/lower.html
http://www.planetware.com/photos/GB/GBLN018.HTM
http://www.greenwichletting.co.uk/cuttysark.html
http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/maritime/cutty_sark.htm
Others: http://www.hmswarrior.org/
http://www.s-t.com/daily/07-99/07-05-99/a06sr030.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/6423/Ships/galleon12.jpg
And the figurehead and the bowsprit together are called the prow. 'Cause, see, it’s prowing the maidenhead … Nevermind.
They Call Me Sneeze, stop making the association between figureheads and pirate ships. MOST large European sailing vessels of a certain historical period had figureheads; they were not unique to pirate ships.
In fact, pirate ships were just captured merchantmen or warships; pirates didn’t custom-build their ships for themselves. So if they had figureheads at all, it was only because the country or company they captured the ships from included them in their designs.
sailor - thank you! That is the kind of stuff I need. The second from the last one (with the guy standing with one leg perched on a stumpy thing) is exactly what I had in mind. Unfortunately, my figurehead is a bee, and so it doesnt have legs - but I think I’m making another one. I’ll raise my glass of delicious, ice-cold grog in your name.
argh…
My main idea is that my “ship” should have everything that a pirate ship/big, giant vessel with lots of sails had.
Portholes - check.
Jolly Roger - check.
Water - check.
Pirates - check.
Treasure chest - check
(technically not a ship thing)
Booty - check
Mast - well, that one is a little out of our range
Figurehead - check.
But I am sorry if I somehow insulted your sailing sensibilities. Thank you for clearing me up on the issue - I want no mistakes where pirates are concerned.
Argh!
Captain Sneezebeard
The woman on the front of the ship wasn’t naked, but I think it was called Kate Winslett.
I’ve heard that supposedly, the less clad the figurehead was, the better luck for the ship. Interestingly, the figurehead on the Bounty was a representation of Capt. Blythe’s wife, and therefore, had to be carved as fully-attired, for propriety’s sake. Draw your own conclusions, here.
Ah, you don’t want one, anyway – they’re a bitch to move around (I speak from experience). 
Portholes - more properly called scuttles
Jolly Roger - this is more fantasy than anything else. It was never standard pirate issue
Water - rum might be better
Pirates - well, yes, you need a crew
Booty - Oh, yeah! Mucho booty! 
Masts, spars, standing rigging, running rigging. It also helps if you have a hull to go with it.
Figurehead - Yeah, someone with no real power just for show while the captain attends to the real business
Note that ships very rarely had figureheads. Some that did dismounted them at sea to avoid damage.
More links: SHIP'S FIGUREHEADS
http://seagifts.com/seagifts/morinabshipf1.html
http://www.seacoastnh.com/tji/jenny.html
http://www.interknowledge.com/bahamas/bspira01.htm
http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1629_3532752
http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1626_6031865
http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1629_423188
http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1629_868601
Or a town in Berkshire, England (See?)
What’s a Pirate’s favorite letter?
R
(you have to say it in a “Long John Silver”-esque voice for it to work and even then, the majority of the population look at you as if you have something green and wiggly stuck to your upper lip - :sigh:, why do I think these things are funny?)
I think we’re all missing the main point here, folks!
Sneeze, I need you to send me an application, a reference, and a full description of my new job! Where in the world do you work?!?
I thought it was funny.
Another question matey: Did pirates really make people ‘walk the plank’???
