What is Stern?
{{dablink|For other meanings, see [[Stern (disambiguation)]].}} [[Image:Poupe-soleil-royal-berain.jpg|thumb|The transom of the ''[[French ship Soleil-Royal (1670)|Soleil Royal]]'', by [[Jean Bérain the Elder]].]] The '''stern''' is the rear part of a [[ship]] or [[boat]]. The stern area has always been the place near the steering apparatus ([[rudder]], [[tiller]], [[Steering wheel (ship)|ship's wheel]], etc.), and by extension became the domain of the ship's [[captain]] and other officers. In particular, the stern was the location of the officers' quarters, and during the [[age of sail]] became the most luxurious part of the ship, with rows of windows, [[balcony|galleries]], [[walkway]]s, and fine decorations. That meant that this part was rather vulnerable, and the goal of much maneuvering in battle was to achieve the [[Raking fire|stern rake]], in which a ship would pour its entire [[broadside]] into the stern. Other features of the stern included [[lantern]]s and the [[ensign]]. == Gallery == <gallery> Image:lifeboat.stern.17-31.arp.jpg|Stern of a [[Severn class lifeboat]] (UK) Image:US Navy 040617-N-7188W-006 Sailors aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), man the rails as the ship heads for the Coronado Bridge.jpg|Stern of a [[Ticonderoga class cruiser|''Ticonderoga''-class]] [[guided missile cruiser]] [[USS Mobile Bay (CG-53)|''Mobile Bay'']] </gallery> ==Related pages== *[[Bow (ship)|Bow]] {{Transport-stub}} [[Category:Ship building]]