I can only imagine it is a typo for 'bourlingue' --- according to GDT, this might perhaps come from the verb 'bourlinguer', though that would make it more a charcateristic than a part of a yacht: perhaps 'roll' or 'rolling'?

français

bourlinguer v.
Définition :
Rouler bord sur bord de façon chaotique.
En parlant d'un navire, rouler bord sur bord ou tanguer de manière désordonnée.

Domaine(s) : - marine
navigation maritime
anglais

labour, to

or 'labouring' ?

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Note added at 1 hr 25 mins (2005-02-18 11:01:19 GMT)
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Well, now that you\'ve given us some more context, it\'s a bit easier to make at least some kind of a guess.

I imagine this is realted to \'bourrelet\', a fender, and I wouldn\'t mind betting this is some kind of \'rubbing band\' --- is this a GRP boat? If so, the rubbing band commonly fufils the dual rôle of covering the join between the deck and hull mouldings; so having cracks in the plastic hull below this line would certainly be a feasible scenario.

Sorry I can\'t be more help, but if I come across anything more in my own glossaries, I\'ll get back to you....