Main top bowline bitts

[allanyed]

This is probably an easy one for someone out there, but I have not been able to find where the main top bowline bitts are located.   These are referenced in various sources as a belaying point for the main topsail buntlines, but I cannot find a drawing that shows where these are actually located.  Thank you for any help that can be provided.

Allan

[davyboy]

Hi Allan,

I'm not 100% sure but I think they were/are synonymous with the fore jeer bitts. Lees has some belaying plans in his Masting and Rigging book and one plan has them named main top bowline bitts with the fore jeer bitts below on the main deck. The others fore jeer bits. Hopefully a more knowledgeable member can give a definitive answer.

 

Dave  

Edited November 29, 2018 by davyboy

[popeye2sea]

The fore topsail bowlines will lead from the sail forward to a pair of leading blocks on the fore topmast stay at about the level of the fore yard and then through two blocks attached to the bowsprit somewhere near the the collar of the fore stay.  They then went directly to the forecastle rail or sometimes they went through the gammon block.  Most often they belayed to the rail at the fo'c's'le or the "range" (a pin rail across the head).  If to the range they sometimes went through an additional pair of blocks a little way up the fore stay.  At times they were taken back up to blocks under the fore top and down to the deck from there.

 

Regards,

 

 

My apologies, I misread your post and gave you the info for the fore and not the main. The main topsail bowlines will run to leading blocks under the after ends of the fore trestle trees and then down to the deck.  They will belay to whatever fitting you have abaft the foremast, whether that is set of bitts with a cross beam or a fife rail with belaying pins.  I do not think there would be a separate set of bowline bitts.

Edited November 30, 2018 by popeye2sea

[allanyed]

Thank you Dave and Henry

Henry, I was actually looking for the belaying point of the fore topsail buntlines not the bowlines.  I did have the same description for the bowlines that you gave from several sources, so we are in agreement, thank you very much for your reply.  

 

The fore topsail buntlines appear to belay to the main topsail bowline bitts and that was my dilemma, finding where these bitts were located.

Dave you pegged it, I found them on the one drawing in Lees  and it is shown as you described it.   My fault for not searching a "bitt" harder.  

 

Thanks again

 

Allan