A stout, vertical post made of cast iron or steel, firmly anchored to a pier, wharf, or a ship's deck. Bollards are used to secure the heavy hawsers and mooring lines that hold a vessel in place. They often feature a flared top or horizontal pins to prevent the lines from slipping off under tension as the ship moves with the tide.
Heard on the job
Get a heavy heaving line over and drop the bow spring over that second bollard.
Do not mix it up with
- Cleat: A cleat has two horizontal horns for securing smaller lines, while a bollard is a single, heavy vertical post for large hawsers.