Definition

Noun

  1. An old unseaworthy vessel.
  2. A transport.
  3. An old ship that doesn’t move but has been repurposed for some use.

Origin

12th century. From the Middle English, Anglo-Saxon, and Latin word. Also, back all the way to Greek, elkas, a type of ship.

Comments

(First definition) Hulks have usually been stripped of their useful gear, engines, rigging, etc. (Second definition) A contemporary of the carrack on the Mediterranean. Used often for carrying merchandise and could range up to 400 tons. (Third definition) Hulks could be repurposed as a floating storehouse or as temporary quarters for sailors awaiting draft to a naval ship. Other uses included as prisons, or for stepping or lifting masts in ships.

References

Kemp, P. (1994). The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. Oxford University Press.

Rogers, J.G. (1985). Origins of Sea Terms. Mystic Seaport.