A question about the Jeers

[Sailor1234567890]

I've been looking at Pandora's Jeer bitts lately and I can't figure out how they were used. There's the two blocks at the bottom of each upright, the lower and upper cross member... but how is something made fast to it? There are no belaying pins but I suspect the lines would have been too large for belaying pins. Kevels? I don't see any there. Does anybody know how the Jeers would have been used and how things would have been made fast? Or was it made fast elsewhere?  Thanks for your help guys.

Daniel

[JerseyCity Frankie]

The Falls of the Main Jeers Belay to the Main Jeer Bitts at the base of the Main mast. And you're correct, there is no pin for them the 7" diameter line is too thick. This line would likely pass through a lead block on deck then get belayed directly to the vertical element of the bitts with some kind of hitch. At 75 fathoms the falls would be about 450' long! The Jeers are used on the very rare occasions when the course yard needed to be lowered to the deck and I can imagine entire voyages where this would never become necessary. But you had to have the option to do it should the need arise. I'm more or less certain the huge coils of line would be hidden from view below decks, likely in the cable tier.