USUALLY FOUND ON OLD SAILING SHIPS
2006-08-05 00:48:37 · 8 answers · asked by Mandy R 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Boats & Boating
The figurehead is there to ward off evil spirits and lead to a successful voyage. It makes King Neptune favor your ship.
2006-08-05 01:33:44 · answer #1 · answered by science teacher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mounted on the bowspirit, the figurehead was wsupposed to guide the ship thru dangerous waters and keep the crew safe.
Female figures were popular as it gave the men using the head something to stare at while doing the business.
The best collection of original figure heads is found at Greenwich, London, England in the Cutty Sark Museum
2006-08-05 04:34:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, It is a figurehead to help guide the ship through it's journeys and it had other very important uses.
Interesting bit of trivia. Back in the day, when a crewman would need to relieve himself, he would go to the bow of the boat, climb half overboard and while holding on to the figurehead as to not fall in, do his business. Hence, the name "head" is still used as the term for a marine toilet and is still usually in the forward areas of vessels.
2006-08-07 01:20:22 · answer #3 · answered by john b 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the figurehead, and its location on the bow was deliberate--gazing out over the water in which the ship was to pass as a sentinel against evil spirits, rocks, sandbars and underwater obstructions of all sorts.
2006-08-05 02:58:54 · answer #4 · answered by anonymourati 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
figureheads — the colorful life-size figures attached to ships' bows —
Hope that helps!
2006-08-05 00:59:36 · answer #5 · answered by love2travel 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The figurehead
2006-08-05 00:53:39 · answer #6 · answered by Empea 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's my wife, she always wants me to put her first.
2006-08-05 09:15:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
tricky factor. lookup at bing and yahoo. that will can help!
2015-04-26 16:52:49 · answer #8 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋