boot topping

noun

1. the part of a ship's hull that is between the load line and the water line when the ship is not loaded
2. a coating applied to this part of a ship to remove marine growth

Example Sentences

It is nowhere directly stated whether the Endeavour was sheathed with copper or not; but as Cook in the account of his second voyage expresses himself as adverse to this method of protecting ships' bottoms, and the operation is recorded of heeling and boot topping, which was cleaning and greasing the part of the ship just below waterline, it may be concluded that her sheathing was wood.

From Project Gutenberg

Set up the Forge to repair the Iron Work; the People employed in Heeling and Boot Topping the Larboard side, Blacking the Yards, etc.

From Project Gutenberg