Stern
The
stern is the rear or after part of a
ship or
boat, technically defined as the area built up over the
sternpost, extending upwards from the
counter to the
taffrail.
The stern area has always been the location of the steering apparatus (
rudder,
tiller,
ship's wheel, etc), and by extension became the domain of the ship's
captain and other officers. In particular, the stern was the location of the officers' quarters, and during the
age of sail became the most opulent part of the ship, with rows of windows,
galleries,
walkways, and elaborate decorations. This resulted in a certain amount of vulnerability, and the goal of much maneuvering in battle was to achieve the
stern rake, in which a ship would pour its entire
broadside into the stern.
Other features of the stern included
lanterns and the
ensign.
In the early part of the
19th century, the stern of larger ships became gradually more rounded, and with the advent of
screw-powered vessels, the stern became the location of the equipment, the officers moving elsewhere.
In modern
cruise ships, the stern is frequently the location of the
dining room, so as to provide uninterrupted views of the sea on three sides.
