What's the difference between gunwale and oarlock?

Gunwale


Definition:

  • (n.) The upper edge of a vessel's or boat's side; the uppermost wale of a ship (not including the bulwarks); or that piece of timber which reaches on either side from the quarter-deck to the forecastle, being the uppermost bend, which finishes the upper works of the hull.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Fog creeping into the cabooses of collier-brigs; fog lying out on the yards and hovering in the rigging of great ships; fog drooping on the gunwales of barges and small boats.
  • (2) Put to bed images of retirees shuffling about in deck shoes though: these boats were stuffed to the gunwales with 21 to 35-year-olds, drinking, partying and the aforementioned kamikaze plunging off the top deck.

Oarlock


Definition:

  • (n.) The notch, fork, or other device on the gunwale of a boat, in which the oar rests in rowing. See Rowlock.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Power (WO) was calculated from the force applied to the oarlock pin (FC) and its angular displacement (theta H).

Words possibly related to "oarlock"