Mast Document Translation

[Matrim]

K, In my attempts to get a rough idea of sizes at scale and I am looking at masts. Lees gives 1815 values for a 38 but nothing close to the 1798-1818 period for a 32. Therefore I am looking at seeing what other info I can gather and I do have some random scribbles on a ripped out muster sheet. Most of it lists the sails (which is fine) but the bottom bit lists some other information that might relate to a mast/yard/bowsprit or something else. I cant make head not tail of it so am putting it out here in case anyone is fluent in 'bad handwriting related to something on ship'

 

Looks like we have an extension of something and a 'spirit' length to me but if that is the sprit? (bowsprit) or spiritsail /yard/etc

 

Any guesses welcome..

 

[BANYAN]

I have recently been transcribing a lot of documents and found the 'running' writing sometimes scrawled/written quickly could be hard to read.  To my eye that word is Sprit (as in the sprit yard/sail) as fitted to the bowsprit/jib?  It looks like the writer didn't close up the 'p' and uses the old english form of 'r' making it appear like a separate letter?

 

Just one further interpretation

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Louie da fly]

I agree with Banyan's interpretation of the "p" and the "r".

 

Looks like

 

"length of the sprit 31.10" (31 ft 10 inches?) 

 

Then "(something) of the deck 24"

 

"below 5.3"

 

"(extension?) of head 29.3 +2 = 31.3"

 

"(Head?) 5.3"

 

"New Mark 36.8"

 

"length of the sprit 31.10"

 

Steven

[druxey]

Second line: "Main (indecipherable word, possibly 'Mail') above deck     24"

 

Although 'Mail' does not make much sense! Perhaps 'Mast'? Any other ideas, anyone? If it is a mast, the measurements must surely be in yards/inches, not feet/inches.

[BANYAN]

Hi Druxey, I read that as Main Mast above the deck 24?  Asto the extension, this may relate to an extension of the head, but your ship may be a little early for that.  Mid-19th C ships had extensions added to make them "Taunt" as described by Kipping and Fincham (that is tall).  However, if we interpret the above deck measurement as being from the partners to the hounds (which is standard), the extension may be referring to the 'head' or doubling?

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited January 8, 2020 by BANYAN

[Matrim]

ooo. All good interpretations. Though I am curious as to why that information relates to a sail plan. Unless it was to help size the sails for the available mast 'space'. It is a nice rare working scribble though I am surprised it survived. Probably chucked in a draw somewhere with something more important.

[Matrim]

Does it make sense if those measurements are to do with where the spiritsail yard is in relation to the bowsprit length? So we have 5.3 foot out of sight, 24 ft over the deck then the head and relevant extensions all eventually used to flag that location? Or is the 24ft distance for the deck just too large. On a 38 the bowsprit is 55 ft long approx (and as a 32 this would be possibly 16% or so smaller? - so around 46 foot) - allowing it has not been deliberately overmasted etc which I doubt as they were deliberately designed to be slightly smaller.

[BANYAN]

Hi again, the distance seems OK to me but I will leave to more experienced and knowledgeable people to respond more adequately     The bowsprit (outer end) for my Victoria (1855) is 23 feet (for a ship of 166 feet between perpendiculars and of 580 tons) so you are in the ball park I think ?  I am unfamiliar with spritsail yards and the like so can't offer too much more to assist you; sorry.

 

It is surprising what info is stored and what is lost.  For example I have hundreds of letters  written between the Crown Agency, the build Supervisor and the Governor of Victoria at the time, many of which refer to literally nearly a hundred drawings/sketches and plans - while the letters have been preserved, not a single plan or sketch has been

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited January 9, 2020 by BANYAN

[Mark P]

Good Evening Matrim;

 

This might help you settle the sizes.

 

See below an extract from a 1790 volume in the British Library. This gives mast & yard dimensions for a vessel of every class, including Iris, a 32 gun ship. The photograph is slightly out-of-focus as the reading rooms are not brightly lit, and the BL do not allow the use of camera stands, so everything is hand-held with an elongated exposure.

 

The bowsprit is 52'8" (given as 17 yards & 20 inches)

 

Note that the reference to 'flying jib-boom' is actually referring to the jib-boom. This was commonly called a flying jib-boom from its introduction in the early 18th century. 

 

If you need anything more, let me know.

 

All the best,

 

Mark P

 

 

Edited January 9, 2020 by Mark P

[Matrim]

Oh Mark you absolute hero. I was considering making a 38 masts proportional for my 32 as Lees has nothing at the correct age range but that is absolutely perfect..