In general, a gudgeon is a circular fitting, often made of metal, which is fixed onto some surface. It allows for the pivoting of another fixture. It is generally used with a pintle, which is a male type of hinge pin which pivots in the hole in the gudgeon. As such, a gudgeon is a simple bearing. Used with light machine guns, the pintle is the mounting hardware that mates the machine gun to a tripod. ... A bearing is a component used to reduce friction in a machine. ...

In sailing, gudgeons nest in pintles and are either affixed to the transom of the boat or to the rudder. They are used to attach the rudder to the boat so that it can swing freely. The corresponding fitting on the rudder slides or clips into place. The rudder can then be turned with the tiller.Gudgeons usually swim in shoals. Sailing at sunset Wooden sailing boat Sailing is the skillful art of controlling the motion of a sailing ship or sailboat, across a body of water. ... Used with light machine guns, the pintle is the mounting hardware that mates the machine gun to a tripod. ... Transom (probably a corruption of Latin transtrum, a thwart, in a boat; equivalents are French traverse, croisillon, German Losholz) is the architectural term given to the horizontal lintel or beam which is framed across a window, dividing it into stages or heights. ... The worlds oldest depiction of a rudder. ... A tiller is a lever attached to a rudder post (american terminology) or rudder stock (english terminology) in order to provide the leverage for the helmsman to turn the rudder. ...