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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HANK, n.² Also (ha)ank; and erron. hag (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 44).

1. The place on each side of a boat where the side-boards come together at the stem or the stern, the quarter, gen. in pl. or compounded with fore or aft (eft(er)) (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., aft-hanks, 1908 Jak. (1928), (efter-), (fore-) hank(s); Ork. 1929 Marw., efter-, fore-; Sh. 1956); the stem or stern compartment of a boat (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); “the place in the stern of the boat where the steersman's feet rest” (Rs. (Avoch) 1911 per Mry.², (h)ank). Also used attrib.Sh. 1899 Shetland News (3 June):
He laid da peerie taft across da haanks o' da fower[er]een, an' set him [it] up.Ib. (4 Feb.):
I see da black lump o' da boat noo. Shü's juist baerin' apo' wir haank yonder.Sh. 1902 E.D.D.:
“Takkin' her up in hank,” pulling strongly on the leeside to lie nearer the line.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
Commonly in the plural hanks, because there is a hank on each side: “Eft hanks,” “Fore hanks.”Mry. 1914 Trans. Bnff. Field Club 24:
There were the hank baak, the pump baak or midship baak, the byock baak, and the head-steel.

2. A rower seated in the stern of an open boat immediately in front of the helmsman. Hence hank(oar)sman, id. (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. Add. 75, hank-oarsman; Mry.¹ c.1925, hanksman).Bnff. 1886 Folk-Lore Jnl. IV. 11:
Counting from the stem [read stern], the first man on the left is called “the aivran hank,” or “hanksman,” whilst his companion on the right is called “the farran hank,” or “hanksman.”Mry.¹ 1928:
The faran hanksman was the aftmost oar and had a turn on the main halyards. The faran midshipman rowed the mid oar and turned the ballast. The faran byocksman rowed the foremost oar and worked the sprit.