ˈboot-ˌtopping Naut.
a. (see quot.)
| 1767 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Boot-topping, the act of cleaning the upper part of a ship's bottom, and daubing it over with a coat or mixture of tallow, sulphur, resin, etc. Boot-topping is chiefly performed where there is no dock..or when..hurry..renders it inconvenient to have the whole bottom..cleansed. |
b. ‘Boot-topping..is now applied to sheathing a vessel with planking over felt.’ Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 1867.
c. (See quot. 1894.)
| 1788 Earl Dundonald Direct. for using Coal Tar Proofs, p. 22 The worm had not touched the bottom lower than the boot-topping. 1894 H. Paasch From Keel to Truck (ed. 2) 46/1 Boot-topping, is the term applied to that portion of the outside-plating or planking of a vessel between the light-water-line and the load-line. The coating (also the wood-sheathing of wooden vessels) on this part of a ship is likewise so named. 1927 Bradford Gloss. Sea Terms 18/2 Boot-topping, a band of paint at the water-line; usually red; the particular kind of paint used is called boot-topping. 1961 Times 2 Aug. 4/1 The paint of the boot-toppings gleamed in the fitful sun. |