Naut. Also 8–9 boomkin. [f. BOOM sb.2 + -KIN; possibly the Du. boomken may formerly have been used in this special sense. The spelling bumpkin is now more usual.] ‘A short boom … projecting from each bow of a ship, to extend the lower edge of the foresail to windward.’ Falconer, Dict. Marine, 1769. Also applied to similar booms for extending the mainsail and the mizen.
1632. Sherwood, Bumkin (in a ship), chicambault.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Bumkin, or Boomkin, a short boom.
1799. Naval Chron., I. 258. Carrying away her bumpkin.
1825. H. Gascoigne, Nav. Fame, 75. Dragg’d to the Bumpkin the Foretack is found.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xv. 41. Breaking off her larboard bumpkin.
attrib. 1794. Rigging & Seamanship, I. 231. Boomkin-Shrouds, to support the boomkins, have their after ends hooked to eye-bolts.
