This scene from the Salem Marine Society's membership certificate depicts a large vessel, probably a brig, careened on shore for breaming. There were few dry docks in the eighteenth century. If work needed to be done on the hull of a ship, the easiest way to do it was to drag the vessel ashore and roll it on its side. This was called careening. Breaming was a way to remove growths like seaweed, barnacles, and other items picked up by a vessel in its travels. Fire was used to soften the tar in the hull so that growths could be easily scraped or swept off. With a smooth, clean hull, the vessel could sail faster.