<p>I didn't intend to answer my own question, but after reading through the comments and doing some more digging, I think it is clear that this was intended to be a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawsehole" rel="nofollow noreferrer">hawsehole</a> (hole that the anchor rope passes through).</p>

<p>The 12 x 12 boat bow in question is a chronological descendant of the <a href="http://peeron.com/inv/parts/2557c01" rel="nofollow noreferrer">16 x 12 boat bow</a>:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Cedik.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>That larger part was created with the launch of the Pirates theme in 1989 and was used in the two flagships of that time: <a href="http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6274-1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Caribbean Clipper (6274)</a> and <a href="http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6285-1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Black Seas Barracuda (6285)</a>. Carribean Clipper clearly uses that hole for the anchor rope:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/fsdEp.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>The 12 x 12 bow didn't appear in a set until 1992, so my best guess is that this hole was included to match the earlier part, but set designers ended up not actually using it for that purpose.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-20T14:55:49.083Z
2013-06-20T14:55:49.083Z
jncraton
<p>I recently received Renegade Runner (6268), and I noticed that it has a somewhat awkward hole in the bow:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/BD1u2.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>The main bow piece has a hole for some reason, but I'm not sure what it is for. Here's <a href="http://peeron.com/inv/parts/6051c01" rel="noreferrer">the part</a>:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/783RZ.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>As far as I could tell, this is a list of all sets which use this part:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6268-1" rel="noreferrer">6268</a></li>
<li><a href="http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6250-1" rel="noreferrer">6250</a></li>
<li><a href="http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6493-1" rel="noreferrer">6493</a></li>
<li><a href="http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6280-1" rel="noreferrer">6280</a></li>
<li><a href="http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6291-1" rel="noreferrer">6291</a></li>
<li><a href="http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6271-1" rel="noreferrer">6271</a></li>
</ul>

<p>In each of these sets, the hole in the front is simply left open. Is there some reason for this?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-20T04:06:36.093Z
I would have thought it was simply supposed to mimic the anchor hole, but since 6280 has an anchor and it's not even attached through there, it's not a really good explanation
Joubarc
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-20T06:20:32.293Z
Looks like an anchor hole to me too. Now I really want a copy of 6493.
gev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-20T09:11:22.390Z
Well, it looks too small for canon. Perhaps the piece designer intended it as an anchor hole, but the set designers didn't use it that way? Perhaps it was modelled on a real ship's bow?
Kramii
<piece-information>
What is the purpose of the hole in the 12 x 12 boat bow (6051)?
jncraton
# What is the purpose of the hole in the 12 x 12 boat bow (6051)?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-06-19)

I recently received Renegade Runner (6268), and I noticed that it has a somewhat awkward hole in the bow:

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/BD1u2.png)

The main bow piece has a hole for some reason, but I'm not sure what it is for. Here's [the part](http://peeron.com/inv/parts/6051c01):

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/783RZ.png)

As far as I could tell, this is a list of all sets which use this part:

* [6268](http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6268-1)
* [6250](http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6250-1)
* [6493](http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6493-1)
* [6280](http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6280-1)
* [6291](http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6291-1)
* [6271](http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6271-1)

In each of these sets, the hole in the front is simply left open. Is there some reason for this?

**Tags:** piece-information

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I would have thought it was simply supposed to mimic the anchor hole, but since 6280 has an anchor and it's not even attached through there, it's not a really good explanation  
> **username_2**: Looks like an anchor hole to me too. Now I really want a copy of 6493.  
> **username_3**: Well, it looks too small for canon. Perhaps the piece designer intended it as an anchor hole, but the set designers didn't use it that way? Perhaps it was modelled on a real ship's bow?  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2013-06-20. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

I didn't intend to answer my own question, but after reading through the comments and doing some more digging, I think it is clear that this was intended to be a [hawsehole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawsehole) (hole that the anchor rope passes through).

The 12 x 12 boat bow in question is a chronological descendant of the [16 x 12 boat bow](http://peeron.com/inv/parts/2557c01):

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Cedik.png)

That larger part was created with the launch of the Pirates theme in 1989 and was used in the two flagships of that time: [Caribbean Clipper (6274)](http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6274-1) and [Black Seas Barracuda (6285)](http://peeron.com/inv/sets/6285-1). Carribean Clipper clearly uses that hole for the anchor rope:

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/fsdEp.jpg)

The 12 x 12 bow didn't appear in a set until 1992, so my best guess is that this hole was included to match the earlier part, but set designers ended up not actually using it for that purpose.


---

