Stem (ship)

A model of the French ship Soleil-Royal held at the Musée National de la Marine de Paris. The most forward and lowest curved part of the ship is the stem (not normally the extended part beyond the hull).

The bow of the oil/chemical tanker Bro Elizabeth in dry dock in Brest, France. This ship does not have a stem.

The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. The stem is the curved edge stretching from the keel below, up to the gunwale of the boat. The stem is not often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively. The stem is part of the physical structure of a wooden boat or ship that gives it strength at the critical section of the structure, bringing together the port and starboard side planks of the hull.

Styles

There are two styles of stems: plumb and raked. When the stem comes up from the water, if it is perpendicular to the waterline it is "plumb." If it is inclined at an angle to the waterline it is "raked." (E.g., "The hull is single decked and characterized by a plumb stem, full bows, straight keel, moderate deadrise, and an easy turn of bilge.")

Stemhead

Because the stem is very sturdy, the top end of it may have something attached, either ornamental or functional in nature. On smaller vessels, this might be a simple wood carving (ornamental) or cleat (functional). On large wooden ships, figureheads can be attached to the upper end of the stem.

See also

• Beakhead
• Bow
• Deadwood
• Prow
• V-hull (boat)

Further reading

• Steward, Robert; Boatbuilding Manual, 3rd ed. International Marine Publishing Company. Camden, Maine (1987). ISBN 0-87742-236-2