# argh! urgent pirate ship question! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 20, 2001, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414 "2001-06-20T02:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/1 "2001-06-20T02:04:36Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/2 "2001-06-20T02:08:25Z")
The word you’re looking for is [figurehead](http://www.bartleby.com/61/57/F0115700.html) (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? ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/3 "2001-06-20T02:08:57Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/4 "2001-06-20T02:15:38Z")
Actually, it was the bowsprit. The figurehead was often carved on it. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/5 "2001-06-20T03:35:10Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/6 "2001-06-20T03:35:28Z")
… and the word “maidenhead”, of course, refers to the hymen. (I’m just being a completist). ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/7 "2001-06-20T03:47:54Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/8 "2001-06-20T04:31:23Z")
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://members.aol.com/bstetzer/cuttysark.html) [http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/lower.html](http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/lower.html) [http://www.planetware.com/photos/GB/GBLN018.HTM](http://www.planetware.com/photos/GB/GBLN018.HTM) [http://www.greenwichletting.co.uk/cuttysark.html](http://www.greenwichletting.co.uk/cuttysark.html) [http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/maritime/cutty\_sark.htm](http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/maritime/cutty_sark.htm) Others: [http://www.hmswarrior.org/](http://www.hmswarrior.org/) [http://www.s-t.com/daily/07-99/07-05-99/a06sr030.htm](http://www.s-t.com/daily/07-99/07-05-99/a06sr030.htm) [http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/6423/Ships/galleon12.jpg](http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/6423/Ships/galleon12.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![StephenG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@StephenG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StephenG)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/9 "2001-06-20T04:36:02Z")
And the figurehead and the bowsprit together are called the prow. 'Cause, see, it’s prowing the maidenhead … Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/10 "2001-06-20T04:38:55Z")
**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. ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/11 "2001-06-20T04:59:36Z")
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. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > \*\ ***They Call Me Sneeze** , stop making the association between figureheads and pirate ships. \*\* 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 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/12 "2001-06-20T05:35:14Z")
The woman on the front of the ship wasn’t naked, but I think it was called Kate Winslett. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/13 "2001-06-20T05:43:39Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/14 "2001-06-20T07:00:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by They Call Me Sneeze \* > \*\*Mast - well, that one is a little out of our range > \*\* Ah, you don’t want one, anyway – they’re a bitch to move around (I speak from experience). 😛 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/15 "2001-06-20T08:29:09Z")
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/shipfig.html) [http://seagifts.com/seagifts/morinabshipf1.html](http://seagifts.com/seagifts/morinabshipf1.html) [http://www.seacoastnh.com/tji/jenny.html](http://www.seacoastnh.com/tji/jenny.html) [http://www.interknowledge.com/bahamas/bspira01.htm](http://www.interknowledge.com/bahamas/bspira01.htm) ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/16 "2001-06-20T08:47:36Z")
[![](http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1626_27525073) ](http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1626_27525073) [http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts\_1629\_3532752](http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1629_3532752) [http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts\_1626\_6031865](http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1626_6031865) [http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts\_1629\_423188](http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1629_423188) [http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts\_1629\_868601](http://store1.yimg.com/I/seagifts_1629_868601) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/17 "2001-06-20T09:13:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Some Guy \* > **… and the word “maidenhead”, of course, refers to the hymen.** Or a town in Berkshire, England ([See?](http://www.maidenhead.net)) ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/18 "2001-06-20T12:19:37Z")
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?) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/19 "2001-06-20T13:58:41Z")
I think we’re all missing the main point here, folks! > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by They Call Me Sneeze \* > \*\*at my work we are having a Pirate (!!!) Theme Week, > \*\* 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?!? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414/20 "2001-06-20T14:09:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grimpixie \* > \*\*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_ thought it was funny. Another question matey: Did pirates really make people ‘walk the plank’??? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-urgent-pirate-ship-question/69414.md?page=2)