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.

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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.

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Other features of the stern included lanterns and the ensign.

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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.

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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.

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Ship: :For the online phenomenon of "shipping," see Shipping (fandom)....

Boat: A boat is a watercraft, usually smaller than most ships. Some boats are commonly carried by a ship or on land using trailers....

Sternpost: A sternpost is the upright structural member or post at the stern of a (generally wooden) ship or a boat, to which is attached the transoms and the rearmost part of the keel....

Stern related Images and Photos (experimental)

Howard Stern Print	Howard Stern Rolling Stone no. 756 March 1997	The Stern of a British Warship Showing the British Coat of Arms	Network of Metal Rods Woven Together Inside Stern at Great Northern Concrete Shipbuilding Co
Controversial Radio Disc Jockey and Talk Show Host Howard Stern and Sidekick Robin Quivers