Cannon Breech Rope Length

[dafi]

Oups, sorry I thought it to be a contemporary book of the 18-hundrets ...

 

Thank you for clarifying!

 

XXXDAn

[mikiek]

 I have volume two and it was worth saving up for.

Allan

 

That's what I am confused about there appears to be more than one "edition'  One appears to be a single book that covers the  entire date range.  The other claims to be a limited edition set (2 volumes).  Does anyone have any knowledge on what's what?

[mikiek]

I have come across some reading in Lavery's Ship of the Line V2 that describes the cannon ignition. Sounds like a long gun on a basic truck would take off like a freight train. While the tackles and even the wheel sizes were intended to help slow down, the breech rope is what really did it.

 

He also claims the recoil distance was more substantial than what I had expected. A 24 pounder had a breech tackle 34' long and could recoil up to 17'.   A 6 pounder had a 23' breech line and could recoil about 10' . Ample room to get the tools into the barrel without having to hang out a port window.

[allanyed]

Mike

Because a 24 pounder could travel that far does necessarily mean it was allowed to. If it recoiled 17 feet those opposite a hatch would wimd up down on the next deck. Look at the sketch I posted earlier. That shows 15 feet of travel on a deck that carried 24 pounders. These cannon never come inboard enough to use the tools without going through the gun ports.

Allan

Edited December 25, 2016 by allanyed

[allanyed]

Mike,

 

I did some digging and cannot find any single addition, only the two volume set, but they can be purchased separately   Most of the models I see on the forum would make Volume II the most useful, but I have been digging into a ship that would require me to have Volume I if I cannot find the information elsewhere in my small library.    I really hate having to see the admiral rolling her eyes if  I mention the need to buy another book related to ship modeling.  She does not buy into the argument that I keep using that it is an investment

 

Allan 

[mikiek]

Allen - that limited edition set would look great in anyone's library. I can almost smell the leather covers.

 

I think I was getting the hardbound version confused. It appears to be 2 volumes. Abe Books in the UK has several - hardbound and limited editions.

Edited December 28, 2016 by mikiek

[mikiek]

Allen - I am contacting Abe Books about one of the sets they have posted. Will let you know.

[allanyed]

Mike

Good luck and happy New Year

Allan

[mikiek]

Right back at you Allen. The guy did reply this morning. About $700 shipped and he claims it is like new.

 

There was another set for less but the condition did not sound quite as good. I'll check with them.

[John Garnish]

On 25/12/2016 at 4:35 PM, allanyed said:

Mike

Because a 24 pounder could travel that far does necessarily mean it was allowed to. If it recoiled 17 feet those opposite a hatch would wimd up down on the next deck. Look at the sketch I posted earlier. That shows 15 feet of travel on a deck that carried 24 pounders. These cannon never come inboard enough to use the tools without going through the gun ports.

Allan

Mike's comment is particularly true in the case of smaller ships, up to and including frigates.  The following is an extract from Plan 7B of the ANCRE book “L’Aurore” (18 gun frigate of 1697-1720) by Jean‑Claude Lemineur & Patrick Villiers:

 

 

This ship had a significant tumblehome, so I have shaded in the line of the top of the gunports.  It is clear that, even at full recoil within the confines of the other deck fittings, the muzzles would barely have cleared the ports.

[John Garnish]

Apologies to Mike and Allan for my mistake in the last post.  The comment was, of course, from Allan.