Parrel Beads

[Ferit]

Hi,

Please let me know which yards have to be fitted to the masts by parrels...

At my kit plan only main, fore, lateen and spritsail yards have parrels... There aren't any parrels on topsail, topgallant and bowsprit yards...

I want to know if the kit plan is accurate...

Thank you...

[allanyed]

Ferit

Are you referring to the Frigate Berlin 1674?   Ships in the  British Navy in the late 17th century had parrels with ribs and trucks on the foreyard, main yard, fore and main topsail yards, and on the starboard side of the mizen mast for the mizen yard for a lateen sail as the yard lay on the port side of the mast.  A truss parrel superseded the parrel of the ribs and trucks on the mizen yard in abut 1773 (Lees Masting and Rigging, page 105).   The topgallant yards were fitted the same way as the topsail yards until about 1805 then went to truss parrels.  The cross jack had no parrels, but rather slings until 1773 at which time a truss was used.  

Allan

 

[popeye2sea]

Basically , any yard that has to traverse up and down its mast requires a parrel or truss parrel arrangement to facilitate the movement.  When the main and fore yards were no longer lowered for reefing sails they no longer required parrels and a truss was substituted making them essentially fixed in position (other than bracing round).  The crojack yard on the mizzens only function is to spread the foot of the mizzen top sail so it too does not require a parrel.

 

Occasionally, an upper sail: royals, skysails, moonrakers, etc., was set 'flying'. Meaning it was hoisted aloft by its halyard from the deck without parrels, trusses or lifts.

 

Regards,

Edited November 27, 2019 by popeye2sea

[Ferit]

Thank you Allan and popeye2sea,

 

I am referring to the Frigate Berlin 1674.

I thought that to fix a yard to a mast that holds a sail inflated by a strong wind to drive a heavy ship at sea is case important.

Is its halyard enough to do this?

 

Will I make a mistake if I add parrels to topsails yards? Or have I to follow the kit plan...

[allanyed]

As Henry said, you need something to allow the yards to be moved, be it a parrel with trucks and ribs or a truss parrel, which was made of rope with no ribs or trucks (beads)  The following pictures are from Lees'  Masting and Rigging  page 84.   Allan

 

[Ferit]

Thank you very much for all this information, guiding illustrations and your interest...