OUT FOR A JOLLY - ORIGIN

OUT FOR A JOLLY - ORIGIN

A jolly boat was a light boat carried at the stern of large sailing ships. It is thought that the name is derived from the Danish Yawl or Dutch Jolle which means a small bark boat. They were generally between 16 and 18 feet long and had four or six oars. They were used to ferry the captain and ships officers ashore for some r and r. Hence the term ‘going for a jolly’ as in a night out on the town.

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