A painter is a
rope that is attached to the
bow of a
dinghy, or other small boat, and used for
tying up or towing.[1] Ideally, the painter should float.
If used on a boat with a
propeller, the length of the painter should be shorter than the distance to the propeller, to prevent fouling the engine.[2]
Canoeing
Canoes being used in moving water or
whitewater are rigged with a painter at both the bow and
stern.[3] In addition to the functions mentioned above, a canoe's painters can be used for
lining the boat down difficult sections,[4]self-rescue,[5] and boat recovery.[6]
See also
Look up painter in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.