Orlop

As orlop or orlop is defined as the lowest deck of a ship. In the modern sense, particularly for vessels that are equipped with at least three or more decks. The word formation is due to the late Middle Ages and is from the Dutch word for overloop (back ) via run or spread derived.

Term use

In the 13th century, large commercial sailors are assigned a document with a fixed deck. This deck was named averlop or overloop. During the 17th and 18th century, the height of the deck over the water line changed. Until then, it was not only the lowest deck in general but also the lowest gun deck. Among began the so-called space that could be divided by wooden partitions or even a lightweight, non kalfatertes (and waterproof ) Deck ( Kuhbrücke ) could have. The Overlop could be covered by a canopy. From the sources is not clear whether this deck was given its own name. With a roof deck is also well intentioned and usually can be found in Dutch sources only descriptive lists of the deck. In the German language of the 17th century is also a distinction between the decks with names not be determined. In Hamburg in 1685 all the decks were described with Overlop ( " Averlop ", " overflow "). In Rödings dictionary of 1798 Overlop is translated with overflow and generally as a cover. In contrast, in the same work, the English orlop is translated Kuhbrücke under the lowest deck. Even at the beginning of the 19th century the individual decks are not particularly distinguished, except the Kuhbrücke.

Use

The orlop was an ideal storage space and at the same time also a lounge for parts of the ship's crew. Since the deck during combat operations had not cleared or altered, placed cabins and rooms were thus permanently here and could even be closed. The purser so could his valuable or dangerous items ( handguns ), the surgeon put his medical stuff ( drugs, instruments) here, so that they were protected against unauthorized access. Since the deck was below the water line, it was during a battle one of the safest places on board. For this reason, then often the ship's doctor or surgeon had his workshop down there, because he could make unaffected by fighting his work here and the wounded were brought to him on the orlop.

Today

Even in today's parlance is the word orlop application and referred to ships of the present day, the lowest deck, where three or more decks are available on this ship.

Comments

Swell

• Walther Vogel: History of the German maritime, Volume I: From prehistoric times to the end of the XV. Century. Georg Reimer, Berlin, 1915.
• Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English, Berlin, Cornelsen & Oxford University Press, 1984, ISBN 3-8109-0048-6
• Cyclopaedia or Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, London, 1728

• Sailing ship
• Boats Element