launches
- Scope note
- Refers to the largest of a ships' boats during the 19th and 20th centuries, typically heavily built, beamy, and carvel-planked, originally used for carrying cargo and men and usually 16 feet to 34 feet in length, with a beam about one-third the length, and with a relatively straight stem and square stern; has come to be used for motorized small boats of the same general size and shape. When referring to the largest ships' boats of the 18th century and earlier, use "longboats."
- Date of creation: 10-Feb-2025
Accepted term: 10-Feb-2025