Hey Ross

sailaway78

sailaway78

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May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
Ross, you are without a doubt the guru of obscure and oddball knowledge, which you seem able to keep up with better than most. So, here is one for you. Painting the boat, and in the process, began to wonder. Where did the names "boot stripe" and " cove stripe" originate.
I know this is basically useless information, but I am curious.
 
caguy

caguy

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Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
You too can be a bloody genius with Google

Could it be that Boot and strippe are German for Boat stripe?
 
Ctskip

Ctskip

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Sep 21, 2005
732
other 12 wet water
Re: You too can be a bloody genius with Google

I think the boot stripe has something to do with being able (with a quick glance) determine the proper weight distribution of the boat. Also to see whether it is sinking or properly floating (level).

Keep it up,
Ctskip
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Re: You too can be a bloody genius with Google

I have no idea but ihave just done a small search of glossaries and I find "boot top" which is a line painted at the design "waterline". So I presume that "boot stripe" is a contraction of "boot top" and a stripe painted at the design water line. I found no reference to "cove stripe". However I haven't spent but a few minutes at this. Given a little more time I am certain to come up with a better answer. ;D
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Re: You too can be a bloody genius with Google

I found one definition that said that it is a stripe that extends from the light waterline to the fully loaded water line. I think on modern ships that is replaced by a series of numbers painted on the bow and stern. On a modern tanker half of the ship would thus be painted as a bootstripe.
Also one source says that the covestripe is a decorative line on the sheer plank. I don't see many of those on modern fiberglass boats.
 
Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

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Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Engaging Brain

Boot strip: indicates the "normally" loaded condition on a boat. Which is totally useless to EVERYBODY as an indicator. The boat is loaded and you have to live with it. You are going to live with the boat "normally loaded" most of your life. Most folks want their boat to look nice and so ..... It keeps the wee-beasties from messing up your white hull. Choose an "earthy" color to reduce maintenance.

I though this was obvious after the first year and doing a hull paint job!!!!
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Re: Engaging Brain

I think that the terms have been borrowed from the shipping business and applied to the recreational boating business. From light to loaded I doubt that I add more than 2 inches to the draft of my boat. But ships can add 20 feet.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Some speculation now. Let's suppose that I have been thinking big to small (which I have) but the evolution was from small to big boats. The term that I find most commonly is boot top. If you were loading a small boat from the beach and kept it just touching bottom as you loaded it and pushed it out a little with each added piece until the water came up to your boot tops, you would still be able to board without getting you feet wet. So you mark this line on the boat and when you are loading from a ship and landing cargo on shore you could avoid over loading your boat and getting your feet wet.
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
9,972
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Outstanding answers all !! Check out "Plimsoll Line" also .. History is interesting.. Max stable load line ..
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Whilst we are checking out lines , how about the "Sumner Line", and the Rock Island line and the Seaboard Line. ;D
 
Mike B

Mike B

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Apr 15, 2007
1,013
Beneteau 43 Baltimore, MD
Ross, don't forget the Reading Line either. Rode it for years. Even met my wife on it.
Choo, choo!
Mike
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Let's not forget the rhumb line, the shore line and the sight line. So far my theory about the origins of the boot stripe/boot top are holding. Does anyone have a more plausible explaination? I hate to get the last word this easily!
 
Mike B

Mike B

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Apr 15, 2007
1,013
Beneteau 43 Baltimore, MD
Ross, I did a little searching and found Boot Stripe which marks the water line and Boot Top which marks the top of the water line. There are also some references to military uniforms of old having a stripe on their trousers to align with the tops of their boots. I suspect there may be a link between the two but can't find a definitive answer.
Mike
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Mike , the whole thing is rather arcane. Almost all terminolgy has identifiable roots but this seems to defy a search.
I started a "Clive Cussler" and must work tomorrow so this won't get my usual attention. Let's see what comes up over night.
 
sailaway78

sailaway78

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May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
Which Clive Cussler

Which one are you reading? Really enjoy his books, and think I have them all. Dirk Pitt is my kind of man.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Re: Which Clive Cussler

Plague ship. I believe I have read them all .
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Re: Which Clive Cussler

Seems like they didn't think this thread was sailable so they deep sixed us.
 
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