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An anchor secured to the ship's side. The projecting beam the anchor hangs from when not secured is a cathead (left). The anchor has a stock (cross-piece, in this case wooden) below, and curved flukes above (end-on); the shank is the near-vertical metal bar running between them, lashed with the shank
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also fastens the anchor on. The purpose of the cathead is to provide both a heavy enough beam to support the massive weight of the anchor, and to hold the metal anchor away from the wooden side of the ship to prevent damage when the anchor is being raised from the water. The
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In common practice, the projecting end of the beam was carved to resemble the face of a lion or cat. Whether such carving was due to a play on the already existing name of the beam or whether the beam was so named because of the practice of such carving is unknown.
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260:(cat-head), and in this case it is a reference to the traditional way the top was notched and chamfered off so that in cross section, it resembled the ears of a cat.
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is a large wooden beam located on either side of the bow of a sailing ship, and angled forward at roughly 45 degrees. The beam is used to support the ship's
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The origin of the term "cathead" is obscure, but dates at least to the 17th century, as it was used by
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when raising it (weighing anchor) or lowering it (letting go), and for carrying the anchor on its
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is held fast to a ship's side when not in use. The process of securing the anchor is called
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in their dictionaries. The
Mainwaring dictionary was written in 1623.
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when suspended outside the ship's side. The cathead is furnished with
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A second "cat head" was associated with a ship's anchor-cable and
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Old Sea Wings, Ways and Words in the Days of Oak and Hemp
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at the outer end, and the inner end (which is called the
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116:Learn how and when to remove this message
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161:with cathead visible upper middle right
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16:Wooden beam supporting a ship's anchor
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240:Additional nautical use of the term
54:adding citations to reliable sources
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189:. The shank painter is a short
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141:Cathead on bow of the barque
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21:Cathead (disambiguation)
367:Apparent wind indicator
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663:Nautical terminology
50:improve this article
19:For other uses, see
658:Sailboat components
203:catting and fishing
185:) fits down on the
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284:. 2 October 2013.
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39:This article
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577:Ship's wheel
442:Companionway
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336:sailing ship
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48:Please help
43:verification
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562:Quarterdeck
452:Daggerboard
447:Crow's nest
427:Centreboard
397:Bow or prow
347:Aftercastle
334:Parts of a
207:cat stopper
144:James Craig
652:Categories
532:Orlop deck
467:Forecastle
462:Figurehead
392:Boom brake
382:Bilgeboard
264:References
258:Kattenkopf
223:Mainwaring
183:cat's-tail
76:newspapers
632:Whipstaff
602:Sternpost
592:Starboard
542:Poop deck
537:Outrigger
352:Afterdeck
175:stock-end
65:"Cathead"
612:Taffrail
552:Porthole
522:Leeboard
497:Jackline
402:Bowsprit
372:Beakhead
246:windlass
205:it. The
187:cat-beam
627:Transom
502:Jibboom
482:Gunwale
477:Gangway
437:Cockpit
417:Cathead
412:Capstan
254:seizing
250:catfall
227:Boteler
179:sheaves
167:cathead
133:painter
90:scholar
617:Tiller
607:Strake
572:Rudder
517:Kelson
432:Chains
357:Anchor
199:anchor
171:anchor
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637:Winch
472:Frame
407:Cable
387:Bitts
377:Bilge
195:chain
97:JSTOR
83:books
587:Stem
582:Skeg
547:Port
527:Mast
507:Keel
492:Hull
487:Head
457:Deck
225:and
191:rope
158:Vasa
69:news
622:Top
567:Rib
193:or
52:by
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