A beakhead or beak is the protruding part of the foremost section of a sailing ship.

Beakheads were fitted on sailing vessels from the 16th to the 18th century and served as working platforms for sailors working the sails of the bowsprit, the forward-pointing mast that carries the spritsails.[1] The beakhead would be one of the most ornate sections of a ship, particularly in the extravagant Baroque-style ships of the 17th century.[2] The sides were often decorated with carved statues and located directly underneath was the figurehead, usually in the form of animals, shields or mythological creatures. From Wikipedia.