noun
- Plural of hawsepipe; metal tubes or pipes that pass through the bow of a ship to allow anchor cables to run through while keeping water out of the hull.
Usage: nautical; technical
Examples
- The ship's hawsepipes were reinforced to withstand the stress of heavy anchoring.
- Water was leaking around the hawsepipes, so the crew inspected the seals.
- Modern vessels use rubber-lined hawsepipes to reduce noise and vibration.
- The anchor chain ran smoothly through the hawsepipes as the ship dropped anchor.