Yacht Mary Rigging Detail

[Gregory]

I'm finally getting around to completing the rigging on my Yacht Mary ( Mamoli ) and something seems odd to me..   ( above and beyond a lot of questionable details that seem common in a lot of kits )..

The rigging plan calls for two gaff vangs on each side of the boat.

I would be inclined to write it off to a Mamoli embellishment,  but I also see the same thing on this model of a similar boat,

As well as this one, in our gallery..

 

What would be the justification for two of these on each side of this type of boat, or is it just some convention that was copied for no good reason?

 

 

Edited May 7, 2019 by Gregory

[AVBiker]

Hi Gregory

Look heare, a movie from Statenjacht Utrecht

Greetings Hubert

 

[Mark P]

Good Morning Gregory;

 

If your model is 17th century (the name was used over many decades in the 17th & 18th centuries) and you want to know about 17th century yachts, search the internet under 'Van de Velde yachts'. The most prolific marine artists of the time, they were a father and son, appointed official sea artists to Charles II. 

 

Alternatively, search under the yacht Mary. Either way, you will see a wealth of illustrations in colour, which will almost certainly answer your question.

 

On the above version of the Mary, the vangs seem to be single each side, and rigged with a tackle. 

 

All the best,

 

Mark P

 

[amateur]

No, perhaps not, but it was standard practice in Dutch rigging around 1700.

Why they did it, and when they stopped it, I never checked, but quite a lot of pic on gaff-rigged vessels show a double vang on both sides, especially on the slightly larger see-going vessels.

 

Jan

 

Edited May 7, 2019 by amateur

[Gregory]

4 hours ago, JerseyCity Frankie said:

Two lines that do exactly the same job? It would only double the workload for those  working that line when tacking. And neither line can function independently from the other-I can think of no good reason to rig this way.

That was my thought ..  However, Jan makes the point that they were doing it for a while.

 

The practice could have been started for some obscure reason.   Maybe a boat was lost when a vang broke loose, and a  survivor thought redundancy would be a good idea.

 

I think I'm going to go with one.   It caught my attention because it just looked too busy..

On the other hand, I may go with two, because for whatever reason, it does seem to be historically accurate during

a certain period...

 

Thanks for the movie Hubert..  I see the replica has the doubled vangs.  It would have been interesting to see them tack..

I have to imagine they would slack off on one pair, work the other pair, then tighten everything down..

 

Thanks, everyone for your response..

Edited May 7, 2019 by Gregory

[druxey]

The gaff was loose footed at that period (no driver boom), so the only control lines were the vangs - no redundancy.  One needs one each side to move the gaff to port or starboard.

[Gregory]

Like Frankie said, it is clear that only one is needed; but for a period, they were rigged with two..

It would be interesting to know what the reasoning was..

Edited May 7, 2019 by Gregory

[Gregory]

8 hours ago, AVBiker said:

Hi Gregory

Look heare, a movie from Statenjacht Utrecht

Greetings Hubert

 

In the video that Hubert provided, at about 2:49, there is a crew member working a set of the vangs.  We only see a few seconds.  I would like to see what the whole operation was like.

Edited May 7, 2019 by Gregory

[Gregory]

Here is another video..   

At about 5:05 we see the crewman working the pair by himself..

I suppose the two tackles would make it easier for one crewman to do the work..

 

 

 

[Gregory]

I did a search for "Van de Velde yachts" images as suggested by Mark P, and sure enough, there are many examples of the double vangs..

 

I have decided it will be appropriate to include them on my model..

 

I hope to present some photos in the gallery before too long..

[mtaylor]

Gregory,

I'd suggest doing a build log as the Gallery is actually intended for finished models and not construction.

[Gregory]

Understood...

 

I have been working on this kit for ten years, and didn't document it well as I went along...

So, no log this time.

I'm hoping to have it finished soon, at which time I will show in Gallery..

[mtaylor]

No problem, Gregory.