Stem (ship)

The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow[1] and is an extension of the keel itself.

[1] (For example, "The hull is single decked and characterized by a plumb stem, full bows, straight keel, moderate deadrise, and an easy turn of bilge.

"[3]) Because the stem is very sturdy, the top end of it may have something attached, either ornamental or functional in nature.

On smaller vessels, this might be a simple wood carving (ornamental) or cleat (functional).

On large wooden ships, figureheads can be attached to the upper end of the stem.

A model of the French ship Soleil Royal held at the Musée National de la Marine de Paris . The most forward and lowest curved part of the ship is the stem (not normally the extended part beyond the hull).
The bow of the oil and chemical tanker Bro Elizabeth in dry dock in Brest, France . This ship does not have a stem.