A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. [1]
The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding smoothly" (said primarily of boats and turtles).
Contents |
Thames Launches
On the River Thames the term "launch" is used to mean any motorised pleasure boat. The usage arises from the legislation [2]governing the management of the Thames and laying down the categories of boats and the tolls for which they were liable. The term is still in current use and can be seen in the official notices at any Thames lock.
Military launches
Motor Launch was the designation for large (typically 60 to 115 feet (35 m) long) vessels used in the Second World War by the Royal Navy and some other navies. They were used for inshore work in defending the coast from submarines and carried relatively light armament: a few depth charges, a gun and a few machine guns.
References
- ^ AskOxford: Launch
- ^ Thames Conservancy Act 1932
See also
 |
This article about a type of ship or boat is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
