Furled sails on Phantom

[MSzwarc]

On a schooner like Phantom, without a fore boom, how would the foresail be furled? Also, how would the furling of the main topmast staysail and gaff topsail be handled, since there are no ratlines to allow the crew to go aloft?

[trippwj]

The foresail would be lowered to the deck level and furled there.  The Main topmast staysail would be lowered to the foremast using the downhaul.  Crew would use the mast rings to access the topmast.  On the gaff topsail, a similar process - would be brought to the main mast using the downhaul, then lowered to the level of the cap.  Access again via the mast rings.

[MSzwarc]

Thanks for the reply, Wayne. Are you saying the crew would use the mast hoops as a sort of ladder to go aloft?

[trippwj]

That would be correct based on information I have come across in a couple of books (I can try and find the references tonight if interested).

 

Apparently they provided, while not having the same level of the ease as the ratlines, at least a method of getting aloft without the use of a bosuns seat. 

[MSzwarc]

Thanks again, Wayne. A bosun's chair was the only method I could think of, but it seemed there had to be a handier way to go aloft.

[JerseyCity Frankie]

Here is a photo of the Fore on Pride of Baltimore II. You can see the foresail, which is loose footed, is brailed to the gaff and yard. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3594/3629456516_d33b6d3575_z.jpg?zz=1

 

I just deleted a paragraph I had written about how to furl the sails aloft ( two guys standing on the crosstrees furl the sails into neat packages lashed abaft the masthead) when I did a google image search for Phantom and I see photos of Phantom models with NO RATLINES on the lower shrouds. I am EXTREMELY skeptical that this was ever a practice on a schooner with topsails or staysails, or any schooner for that matter. I'm willing to keep an open mind though, maybe it was possible? With no knowledge of the Phantom I have to hold my tongue I guess but I can't believe anyone would trade the dubious extra 1/20th of a knot speed advantage removing ratlines from the rig would give you against the certain maintenance and safety issues not having safe access to your rig would cause. I would love to learn more about this apparent impossibility.

Edited March 29, 2013 by JerseyCity Frankie

[MSzwarc]

Thanks for the photo, Frankie. I had seen brailed foresails before, but didn't see how this would be easily accomplished without ratlines. I, too, have done searches for both the Phantom, and for pilot schooners in general. A search for the Phantom specifically only brings up endless pictures of the MS model. And while I've managed to find a few pictures of other pilot schooners, none of them have a loose-footed foresail, and they also all have ratlines.

[trippwj]

The other challenge for brailed sails would be some lines to brail them in to the mast.  Based on the sail and rigging plan, there weren't any on this one.  Also, the foot of the sail would need some way of moving along the gaff.

 

Agree on the ratlines making things easier, though there are quite a few shown in Marquardt's The Global Schooner that have shrouds without ratlines. Also in Pilots, Vol 1 by Tom Cunliffe there are numerous drawings of New York pilot boats from the mid to late 19th century that do not have ratlines on the shrouds, most also having a loose-footed foresail. 

 

This one viewable (partially) at http://books.google.com/books?isbn=0937822698

[MSzwarc]

Thanks for the link, Wayne. I found more useful images in the Google preview than in any of the searches I did. The cover art of the book shows a painting of a pilot boat with no ratlines (and no shrouds?), and a crew member at the masthead standing on the top mast hoop. Also found a photo of a pilot boat with furled sails and also no ratlines. Can't quite make out if the foresail is loose-footed. Anyway, great link.

[JerseyCity Frankie]

There are some modern schooners with no ratlines, but the ones I know also have rod rigging, Bermuda riggs, or mast furling systems in which the sail rolls up INTO the mast, forsooth. FAR from traditional rigs. There is a schooner in New York harbor called America 2.0, which has carbonfiber masts and NO SHROUDS AT ALL, which is just  weird to look at but she is the fastest boat in the harbor.