Coaming is any vertical surface on a

ship A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...

designed to deflect or prevent entry of water. It usually consists of a raised section of deck plating around an opening, such as a

cargo hatch 120px, View of the hold of a container ship A ship's hold or cargo hold is a space for carrying cargo in the ship's compartment. Description Cargo in holds may be either packaged in crates, bales, etc., or unpackaged (bulk cargo). Access to ho ...

. Coamings also provide a frame onto which to fit a hatch cover. The protective metal sheeting or plating protecting against water entry into

ventilation shaft In subterranean civil engineering, ventilation shafts, also known as airshafts or vent shafts, are vertical passages used in mines and tunnels to move fresh air underground, and to remove stale air. In architecture, an airshaft is a small, ...

s in large ships is called a coaming as it suits this purpose. The term was borrowed by the

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air ...

industry to refer to a low rim around the opening for an unenclosed cockpit. The origin of the term is unknown. ''Coaming'' also refers to the raised structure around the cockpit of a

kayak A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' (). The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...

References

External links

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 46
Watercraft components {{navy-stub