Bosun

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Rank Insignia for the Bosun of a ship

Originally, onboard a sailing ship such as a man-of-war or a galleon, the boatswain (colloquially, "bosun') was in charge of a ship's anchors, cordage, colors, deck crew and the ship's boats, and would also be in charge of the rigging while the ship was in dock; with steam and further mechanization, the technical tasks have been modernized. It remains the bosun's duty to summon the crew to work by a whistle known as boatswain's pipe.

In the Royal Navy, if the task didn't fall to the Master at arms or to the Marines corporal, the bosun would also administer physical punishments, both informally with the boatswain's cane on the boys or with a rope's end on the adult sailors, either on an officer's instructions or at his own accord, and formally on deck on captain's or court martial's orders, usually birching or wielding the cat o' nine tails; in a large crew the bosun could delegate this to one or more boatswain's mate(s), who might alternate after each dozen of lashes.

In the Colorado Rogues this is a Ship Officer rank.

Bosun Associations

Unless otherwise decided by the Captain, these ranks are always crew.

Sailmaker

The Sailmaker rank is a Standard Crew rank directly managed by the Bosun. Sewing, tailoring, net and tent construction are just some of the duties common to this rank.

Coxwain

The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority.

Rigger

This is someone who manages the rigging (masts, yards, sails, and cordage) of a ship.