Lazarette

A lazarette is usually a storage locker used for gear or equipment a sailor or boatswain would use around the decks on a sailing vessel.

The name derives from the Biblical story of Saint Lazarus, who in Christian belief was raised from the dead out of the tomb by Jesus.

The original purpose was to store the bodies of important passengers or crew who had died on the voyage (lesser seamen would be buried at sea).

[citation needed] In modern shipbuilding and for powerboats of most sizes, the lazarette is the location of the steering gear equipment for the vessel.

This area is particularly sensitive to flooding and damage, as the ability to steer during heavy weather is of the utmost importance to vessel safety.