What is a ship's sweeps?

Answer 1

Ah, darling, a ship's sweeps are simply long oars used for rowing when the wind refuses to cooperate. Think of them as the ship's backup dancers, ready to step in and save the day when the sails just can't cut it. So, next time you're out at sea and the wind dies down, just grab those sweeps and start rowing like your life depends on it!

Answer 2

Oh, dude, a ship's sweeps are basically like giant oars used back in the day to row a ship when there was no wind. It's like the original arm workout, but with a whole crew involved. So, yeah, sweeps are like the OG way of getting a ship moving before engines were a thing.

Answer 3

A ship's sweeps are long oars used for propulsion when there is little or no wind to power the sails. They are typically used on smaller vessels or in emergency situations on larger ships. The sweeps are manually operated by rowers and are essential for maneuvering and navigating the ship in calm conditions.

Answer 4

This term comes from the old days when ships relied on sail power. Some ships had an alternate source of propulsion in case there was no wind. These were very long oars called "sweeps". These would be stuck out the sides of the ship, often through gun ports, and the ship would just row across the water.