What is this type of rig called.

[rwiederrich]

Pat...well researched.  I for one appreciate your time and attention to the matter.

In my library I have a book called, The Lore Of Ships, edited by Sam Svensson 1966, reprinted in 1998.  And it is a wealth of sail rigging plans and lists a significant list of vessel types.

Your vessel mimics a two topsail schooner sail plan. Or what is called a modified *Jackass Bark*.

It also has a drawing of your exact winch you made.

 

Pretty exhaustive valuum on the subject of rigging and nearly every aspect of ship fittings.

 

Rob

Edited April 10, 2019 by rwiederrich

[BANYAN]

Hi Rob, many thanks for looking in and your suggestions; I very much appreciate your contributions.

 

I have a copy of the book and I am kicking myself (very hard  ) that I have not checked it previously; it is one of those books I did not readily identify (changed opinion now) with this level of research as the author mostly provides drawings/illustrations with very little supporting text (need to trust he is accurate).  That said, there are lots of examples of equipment, and in particular ship rigs, provided, and after looking at them I am confident in staying with my assessment/proposal of a 'Steamer Rig' as most (NOT all) steamers appear to use this, or a slightly modified version of the rig.

 

Contemporary authors probably avoided defining it as a 'particular type' of rig, especially calling it a 'Steamer rig' (or something similar) as it was developed in the transitional phase of sail-to-steam powered vessels and there were some modifications / other rigs used in steam-powered ships - they would therefore have believed it to be a transitory evolution of a rig (as Druxey pointed out).  Also, by the time the rig was established steam-power, along with iron construction, was well and truly preeminent and the 'need' to name these rigs was probably thought less relevant.

 

However, I still believe (my opinion) that the very wide use of this style/type of rig in steam powered vessels, and its continued use well after steam became the main motive power for ships, that it can be 'identified' as a specific style/type of rig.  The name I have offered should really be attributed to Kipping, and to a lesser degree Fincham, whom discuss the rig under the topic of 'steamers' without actually naming it so.

 

Unfortunately, we cannot associate it as a Jackass Bark due to the fact Victoria (and other steamers) also carried a course on the main as well as the fore mast.  However, his diagram of early steamers on page 92 (option B ) is a close fit once you add the clipper bow and associated rigging - that agrees with Kipping's description also.  (Note the two part masts with long extension poles - combined Topmast and TG mast).

 

A pity he does not provide some further text to support the drawings, as a 'scan through' of the rig illustrations tends to support the association of a two-part mast with fore-and-aft sail rigged ships.

 

cheers

 

Pat

 

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by BANYAN

[rwiederrich]

Glad...the transitional form has found root and *Steamer Rig* is firmly acceptable.  My own research, though limited, points to an evolutionary transition from standard sail *types* to what will become standard *steam* types.

 

Smooth sailing.

 

Rob

[Louie da fly]

This has been a fascinating discussion which has, I think, added to the sum total of knowledge on rigs of this period. "Steamer rig" seems a very appropriate name for a sail plan that I'm sure most of us didn't know existed, or when and why. 

 

Steven