Where is the quarter-deck of a ship?
The quarter-deck, as its name implies, is only part
of a deck. In a sailing vessel it is that portion of the upper deck between the
main-mast and the stern or back of the ship. The upper deck is the highest
complete deck having all openings fitted with permanent means for closure
against sea and weather.
In naval vessels the quarter-deck is that most
glamorous part of the ship, an area of the weather deck – highest continuous
deck exposed to the weather – reserved for the officers of the ship.
Ships’ decks serve the same purpose as floors and
roofs in a building. They provide living and working surfaces, add strength to
the structure of a ship and form a cover to keep bad weather out. Decks may be
given numbers or letters to distinguish them from each other, but those which
serve a definite purpose have their own distinctive names.
In the British Navy officers are allowed to drink
the loyal toast seated since in the old days the deck “ceilings” were so low.
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