Sunday, April 15, 2012

Pigs on a Boat


Pigs on a boat

On a large sailing ship of old they did transport livestock either for cargo or meat. A pigsty rail or a pigsty bulwark was a high rail or bulwark with open planking that gave good drainage. These pigsty rails are still seen on fishing vessels. These rails allow wave action to keep the decks well washed down where livestock was penned.

Many of the sailing vessels that needed ballast would carry cast metal lead or iron blocks called pigs. Pigs were poured and cast in a form called a sow. The vessels would be said to have pigs in their hold. The lead could be used to make shot and other things since the lead could easily be melted and cast.
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A piggin was also found on board many boats. It is a small bucket shaped hand bailer and it is a term that comes from the Gaelic.

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