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HM Mermaid jackyard set flying with the gaff topsail


Rick01

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I understand that the jackyard would not appear unless the topsail was being set, however I assume that at least some running rigging would be attached to the topmast at all times, specifically a halyard running through a block at the top of the mast. My question is - when not in use how is this halyard secured? Is it hooked to an eye bolt on the upper mast cap or run down to the deck and secured similarly there (this would entail a hell of a lot of excess rope 2 x total masts height). Sorry if I'm not using correct terminology but I'm still learning.

 

http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemLargeCopyright.cgi?itemID=921633&size=full&album=1&collection=823393&parent=442570

 

Rick

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Its going to be one continuous line from the deck to the masthead then back down to the deck, with maybe twelve feet extra so people can haul on it and a knot can be worked in the other end. It will live on a pin and I am going to GUESS that one leg of the line will run aft and outboard of all the rest of the rigging, with the inner half running straight down the mast to the deck and living on another pin.

The reason I say "guess" is that I am unfamiliar with the ship BUT it makes sense that the sail and its jackyard would be swayed aloft outboard and aft of all the other lines to avoid fouling on things on its way up and down.

Lets not forget the sheet either, This will be attached to the after corner of the sail which will  stretch, when set, to the peak of the gaff. There will be a sheave or a block at the peak of the gaff for the sheet to run through and then I will GUESS another block at the jaws of the Gaff so the sheet can lead from the gaff peak back to the mast and THEN down to the deck. There would be no way a sheet could be run with the gaff aloft, the sheet has to live on the spar OR the entire spar has to come down on deck when the lower for and aft sail is furled. If its a brailing sail the sheet likely must live on the spar.

Setting the topsail is like flying a kite, the wind takes it and it wants to fly downwind so you have the tack made to the lower corner of the sail and this line stays with the sail and is struck with it when the sail comes down. When the sail goes up, the halyard and the sheet do the lifting and the Tack does the controlling, it acts as a tag line controlling the tendency of the sail to blow away like a kite.

  

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 Niagara USS Constitution 

 

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Oh I am just now noticing the artwork you linked to so I see we are talking about a cutter. In the drawing the tack appears to come down the Port side while the sail itself is on the Starboard side and I doubt this would be the case, I think its a case of the artist drawing the topsail on AFTER he drew the Peak Halyards for the mainsail.

Also odd there appears to be a block and tackle at the topsail halyard and this is also unlikely in my opinion, given the size of the spar in question.

Further confusion is caused-in my mind- by the slack line running from the lower end of the jackyard to the gaff peak. is this the sheet? It would not be slack with the sail set.

  

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 Niagara USS Constitution 

 

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It's even more confusing for an absolute amateur! The "artist" was actually the captain who sailed this cutter around Australia for about 4 years and would have known his ship pretty well one would expect. However as I am rigging the model without sails my main concern is with the lifting rigging. Both the illustration I have provided and another sketch of her actually under sail seem to indicate that the lower corner of the sail is actually attached (via a loop possibly) to the peak of the gaff. If so then no block on the gaff, as King seems accurate with his rigging/blocks etc. in other respects I had assumed that the sail was attatched to and hoist with the gaff. 

The Mermaid was only a small cutter 17 metres stem to stern, beam 5.6 metres and weighing in at 84 ton.

 

Rick

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Looking at the sketch again and in particular the slack line you have noted, is this a possibility?

The line is fixed at the gaff peak and runs up and through a block on the yard then down to the deck, when she changes tack the line is then hauled in causing the peak of the yard to drop sufficiently to swing the whole assembly round the mast before being loosened again. This would then explain why it appears without tension in the sketch.  

 

Rick

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