A boat is a vehicle that moves on water.
A boat is a vehicle capable of floating on water and moving on it. The concept refers to the concave-shaped structure that usually has large dimensions and is used as a means of transportation .
Before entering fully into establishing the meaning of the term, it is important to analyze its etymological origin. In this case we can say that it is a word that derives from the Latin barca , which was used as a synonym for "boat" . This word, in turn, came from the Greek baris , which was used with the meaning of "canoe" .
What is a boat
At a general level, a boat can be a small boat for one passenger that moves with oars or a huge cruise ship with capacity for thousands of people and with swimming pools, restaurants, casinos and nightclubs. That is why the notion can be used to refer to different types of floating structures.
It can be said that a ship is a floating body that has some means of propulsion , has load capacity , has stability and resistance and can be directed . In ancient times, ships moved thanks to the force of the wind that impacted their sails. Later they incorporated mechanical propulsion with different types of engines.
Boats , corvettes , caravels , cruisers , galleons , frigates , yachts and launches are some of the existing ships. Each one offers different possibilities according to its size, its form of propulsion and its general characteristics.
Cruise ships are large ships.
The risks
Although sailing by boat is an activity that always carries certain risks, these boats are currently taking advantage of technology to be safer and more reliable.
Satellite communication systems allow sailors to precisely know the location of the ship and obtain numerous very useful geographical data. They also make it possible to issue alerts and request help very quickly.
famous ships
One of the most famous ships throughout history was the RMS Titanic , an ocean liner that sank on its maiden voyage in 1912 , while trying to reach New York after leaving Southampton . The accident caused more than 1,500 deaths.
However, history is full of ships that, for different reasons, have become key in various episodes:
- The caravels La Pinta , La Niña and La Santa María were the ones that Christopher Columbus used to undertake his most important voyage, the one that would lead him to undertake the "discovery" of America .
- The Victory , a British ship that participated in the famous Battle of Trafalgar and at the head of which was the famous admiral Horatio Nelson .
- The Flying Dutchman . This ship came from Amsterdam , which was first reported in the 18th century through travel journals. He was popularly known as “The Flying Dutchman” and generated a long list of legends. What's more, it has even inspired many authors and filmmakers to shape ships that appeared in their novels and films.
a television series
In the same way, we cannot ignore the existence of a Spanish series called “El Barco” .
It was broadcast between 2011 and 2013 and tells how the crew of a boat, Estrella Polar , will live an incredible adventure when they discover that the Earth as they know it has disappeared.