It is a tradition to say that on a boat there is only one rope: the bell rope. On a boat every rope has its name. Thus we speak of a mooring line, a sheet, a halyard, a downhaul, a topping lift... All these precise names are used to clarify a manoeuvre to avoid any ambiguity.
The ship's bell is a strong symbol linked to the maritime world. On board ships, the bell was traditionally used to ring the change of watch and especially to warn other ships in foggy weather.
The bell is always compulsory on ships over 20 m, an obligation present in the RIPAM (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea). In foggy weather, the sound carries well and the bell is used to signal.
On our pleasure boats, the bell is mainly used as a decorative element, and often the ringing of the bell means a call for an aperitif!
Variations on the edge rope alone :
- On a boat there is only one string: the bell string, and only one string: the sausage string
- There are only two ropes on a boat: the bell rope and its replacement.
