View source for Poop deck

{{Short description|Deck over a cabin at the rear of a ship}}
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[[Image:Soleil-Royal mp3h9369.jpg|thumb|325px|Poop deck of a model of the [[French ship Soleil Royal (1669)|''Soleil-Royal'']], as seen from the [[forecastle]]]]

In [[naval architecture]], a '''poop deck''' is a [[deck (ship)|deck]] that forms the [[roof]] of a cabin built in the rear, or  "[[aft]]", part of the [[superstructure]] of a [[ship]].<ref>{{cite book |last =Keegan |first =John |author-link =John Keegan |title =The Price of Admiralty |publisher =Viking |date =1989 |location =New York |page =[https://archive.org/details/priceofadmiralty00keeg/page/279 279] |isbn =0-670-81416-4 |url-access =registration |url =https://archive.org/details/priceofadmiralty00keeg/page/279 }}</ref>

The name originates from the [[French language|French]] word for [[stern]], {{wikt-lang|fr|poupe}}, from [[Latin]] {{wikt-lang|la|puppis}}. Thus the poop deck is technically a '''stern deck''', which in [[sailing ship]]s was usually elevated as the roof of the stern or "after" cabin, also known as the "poop cabin" (or simply '''the poop''').{{sfn|IMD|1961}} On sailing ships, the [[helmsman]] would steer the craft from the [[quarterdeck]], immediately in front of the poop deck.  At the stern, the poop deck provides an elevated position ideal for [[observation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hms-victory.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=105&Itemid=541|title=Poop Deck|work=HMS Victory|publisher=[[Portsmouth Historic Dockyard]]|access-date=27 April 2013|quote=Located at the stern, this short deck takes its name from the Latin word puppis – which means after deck or rear. Guns were rarely carried on this deck. It was mainly used as a viewpoint and signalling platform. The poop deck also gave protection to the men at the wheel and provided a roof for the captain's cabin. The ropes controlling the yards (spars) and sails of the main and mizzen masts were operated from the poop deck.|archive-date=6 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806090051/http://www.hms-victory.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=105&Itemid=541|url-status=dead}}</ref> While the main purpose of the poop is adding [[buoyancy]] to the aft, on a sailing ship the cabin was also used as an accommodation for the [[shipmaster]] and officers.{{sfn|IMD|1961}} On modern, motorized [[warship]]s, the ship functions which were once carried out on the poop deck have been moved to the [[Bridge (nautical)|bridge]], usually located in a superstructure.

==See also==
* [[Common names for decks]]
* [[Taffrail]], the handrail around the poop deck
* [[Quarter gallery]], a projecting area at the stern
* [[Puppis]], a constellation

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==
* {{cite encyclopedia |ref={{harvid|IMD|1961}} |first1=René de baron |last1=Kerchove |date=1961 |title=International Maritime Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Useful Maritime Terms and Phrases, Together with Equivalents in French and German |edition=2nd |publisher=Van Nostrand Reinhold |location=New York |page=598 |oclc=9324405}}

{{Sailing ship elements}}

[[Category:Sailing ship components]]
[[Category:Shipbuilding]]
[[Category:Nautical terminology]]

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