popeye2sea

22 hours ago, timboat said:

Ok, so would "Take in T'gallants'l" be appropriate to clew up the T'gallant for battle sails?

Sure.  That would work.

An example would be:

"Shorten sail! Stand by to take in royals and flying jib!"

"In royals! Down flying jib!"

"Lay aloft to furl royals!  Lay out and stow flying jib!"

Regards,

The problem your going to run into is that the actual commands were rather general and intended to control the timing of the sequence to accomplish something.  The subordinate commands for the individual lines and movements were not necessary because the crew was trained and proficient in what needed to be done.  So commands like "off tacks and sheets" or "let go and haul" do not contain enough specific information about individual lines.  The lieutenants and bos'n would make sure the proper lines would be hauled or eased as needed.

The line would indeed pass under the rail.  That is the reason the timber head is set into the rail.  You will find that the top of the timber head has a lip or notch underneath it so that the line does not slip over the top.  Early on, the timber heads would actually be carved heads and the line would belay around the neck.

Prior to the extensive use of belaying pins most lines were secured directly to the rails.

Regards,

I look at it this way.  The shrouds are made in a defined way to certain lengths.  They all act on the same point at the mast head and they are set up in pairs.  It would be very easy to get and keep them set up all in a line.  And they would all be under equal tension unless you ease the foremost one occasionally when the sailing master wants to brace up very sharp.  Why wouldn't they be all in line?

Regards,

Two half hitches just below the head of the timber head.  A timber head that was meant to be belayed to would have a cove groove below the head for this purpose.  Often the lead of the rope was lead beneath the adjacent rail first before belaying to the timber head or through sheaves near the base of the timber head (as in a knight head).

I was a signalman in the Navy for 24 years.  Topside duty, several decks above the guns usually.  And I had some hearing loss from being aboard ship.

It's not that unusual, even today.

Regards

Seize a small block to the truck (top) of the mast or the peak of the gaff.  Reeve the smallest line that you have through the block.  Both ends will belay to the same pin or cleat.   Fasten your ensign to one part of the line.

Regards

There would be stuns'l booms on both sides regardless of whether they were both rigged out or not.  Your plans show detail on only one side to improve clarity.  Notice that the foot ropes and stirrups are shown on the right side while the cleats only appear on the left.

Regards,

Thanks Mark,  I couldn't even find my own reference!!

The sail is bent to the jackstay by means of robands.  Robands are short pieces of braided rope made up with eyes on one end.  The robands go through the grommets at the head of the sail in pairs and are secured by passing through each others eye.  This leaves a pair of ends that will be secured to the jackstay.  There were usually two roband grommets per sail cloth.

To bend the sail to the jackstay the roband ends were passed around the jackstay in opposite directions, through the grommet and back up over the jackstay to be tied together with a square knot.

Regards,

Considering  that a round seizing consists of 7-9 turns of line,use the diameter of line that looks the right size using that many turns and you should end up with a good looking seizing.

If you really want to go crazy with accuracy a round seizing starts with 7-9 turns followed by riding turns one less in number in the opposite direction and three crossing turns.

regards,

Hi Tom,

 

Do you know when the restoration on the Constitution is scheduled to be completed?  I remember in 1997 there was a major restoration.  Is this the same type of work being done?

 

Your model is looking fantastic!

 

Thanks,

Don

The refit will hopefully be done in June.  They are on track so far and they want to have her back in the water before the arrival of the tall ships this July.

Regards,

Not sure I would fit into the no limit category, but I just looked over what I've spent for my current build so far.   The initial kit was about $250.00 about 30 years ago.  To date I have spent about $3000.00 on books , tools, aftermarket parts, and supplies.  And the ship is only half done.

Regards,

Perhaps gathered is too strong a term.  I think what I read was a reference to about an inch of slack canvas per yard when sewing on the foot rope and about three inches per yard on the leech rope.  I know that probably doesn't make a bit of difference at scale, but I was wondering if anyone had ever tried it out.

Is it worth trying to replicate some of the bagginess that was built into the sails?  Has anyone tried this to advantage?  What I mean by bagginess is that the length and width of the sails was actually larger than the bolt ropes.  When the bolt ropes are sewn in the sail material was gathered (for lack of a better term) by a certain amount.  Not only did this allow the bolt rope to take most of the strain , but it produced some of that billowing or bagginess to the sail when it filled.

I was just wondering if this would improve the look of the sails on a model.

Regards,

Reef points are on both sides of the sail.  When the sail is reefed the ends were brought up over the yard and tied in a reef (square) knot.

Excerpt from 'Elements and Practices of Rigging and Seamanship'  :

The mouse, made with spun-yarn, in the shape of a pear, is then raised on the stay, at one-third of its length. By some, but, by others, two sides of the mast-head, added to twice the length of the trestle-trees, gives the length from the eye to the mouse.

The mouse should be in length one third the circumference of the stay and in circumference at the shoulder three times that of the stay.

In practice it should end up under the fore edge of or a bit before the top.

Regards,

Slight correction to the nomenclature:  The line shown is the Fore Yard Halyard. It runs between a triple sheave knight, in this case below deck, to the rams head block on the Tye.  The tye runs through the upper hole on the rams head block and both ends lead up to the cap where it passes through sheaves or blocks and is hitched to the Fore Yard.

Regards,

Depends on what era.  Early (1600's) sails were furled in front of (or under) the yards. Topsails were furled to the topmast. Later when jackstays came into use sails were furled on top of the yard.

Staysails furled to the mast.  Jibs and headsails were furled to the bowsprit or jib boom

Perhaps others may know more about this.

Regards,

The name and artist are printed above the top of the image.  I believe the painting is currently held by the Navy History and Heritage Command.  Probably public domain.  The print number is also printed above the image.

Prior to anchors getting large enough to require a tackle to cat I can easily envision a D-Block placed vertically in the bows giving some clearance for catting the anchor.

Regards,

They are called gangway steps (or cleats)

Regards,

That picture shows standard USN non-skid and the color is called deck grey (highly original, I know).  It is really just deck grey paint with a texture material added.  We put on with a thick nap paint roller.

The color on the sides (vertical surfaces) is called haze grey.

You can probably look up the mil-spec numbers and match the colors exactly.

Regards,

P.S. It is horrible stuff to get off the deck.  You had to use a needle gun.

Marktiedens is right.  They are indeed called crows feet and they were in use on some French and Dutch ships until very late 1600's

Regards,