The Nautical Encyclopedia

Patterson’s Illustrated Nautical Encyclopedia — Howard Patterson, 1891

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Home ⚓ Letter C ⚓ Copper-bottomed

Copper-bottomed

Sea Terms

Said of a vessel when her hull is sheathed with copper.

← Copper All “C” entries Copper-fastened →

2026 Editor's Note: Coppering a hull against shipworm was such a mark of quality that 'copper-bottomed' still means utterly sound — an idiom minted by the Royal Navy's 1780s refits. See copper sheathing. (Ed: BR 2026-06-24)

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The Nautical Encyclopedia (1891) is in the public domain; this digital edition © 2026 PhotoOpAI.