If a mast is broken out at sea, what do you do?

[Devin Camary]

I am curious of something, but idk if this is the best place for that. I know a bit about rigging, how the yardarms are rigged to other masts and to different yards/stays, then to the deck. But, lets say the main mast was broken, due to either bring broken in a ship battle, or some other way. How would that affect sailing? Would you be able to control the yardarms of the other two ships? How do you fix something like that if it happens out at sea? 

Edited January 25, 2020 by Devin Camary

[Jaager]

3 hours ago, Devin Camary said:

Would you be able to control the yardarms of the other two

Controlling any yardarm is quite easy.  The yardarm is the very end of a large yard.  It is usually a smaller diameter than the yard it is a part of and there is a right angle surface at the transition.  It allows for a secure attachment for the rigging/blocks that control the angle of the yard. 

I think I have seen drawings of possible temporary jury rigs for a broken mast in rigging books. 

[Devin Camary]

I am using the correct terminology when I mention yardarm? I mean the horizontal wooden part that holds the sail up. 

 

And I see... well, what if the main topmast was broken off? How would one go about as to control the sails after that was broken down?

[Gregory]

22 minutes ago, Devin Camary said:

I am using the correct terminology when I mention yardarm?

There was some discussion about this recently..

 

Jaager's comments are correct..

Quote

 The yardarm is the very end of a large yard. 

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by Gregory

[Jim Lad]

One example of what can be done:-

 

The American ship 'A.G. Ropes' left Hong Kong for Baltimore at the end of June 1905 bound for Baltimore, but limped back into Kobe, Japan on 22nd July after having been dismasted in a severe gale.  Only a part of the foremast was left standing, on which the crew managed to rig sufficient sail to get her back into port.

 

The photo below, from Greenhill and Stonham's book 'Seafaring Under Sail', shows the rig they managed to contrive.

 

John

 

[mtaylor]

Many ships did lose masts in battle, Victory for one.   They would spare masts, even yards for a mast.  In Victory's case, if I remember right after Trafalgar, they rigging yard to be the foremast, didn't have any others.  The rig was  simple triangular one.  

[Dr PR]

The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor describes how to raise masts.

 

Page 17 tells how to step a mast. You need two poles (spars)  longer than half the length of the mast. The poles are secured to the deck on either side of the mast hole and tied at the top to form a triangular "crane" (shears). This is then lifted and hoisted vertical over the mast hole and secured with lines. Blocks are attached to the top of the crane to be used to lift the mast using tackle attached to the mast above the center of the mast length. When the mast is vertical the foot is lowered into the mast hole and then stepped on the keel. After that the stays and other rigging are attached in the normal ways. This could be done underway with fairly calm seas, but it would be a lot easier in port!

 

The lower mast is used to hoist (swaying up) the topmast. This is shown on page 26. A lifting line is run through the fid hole at the foot of the topmast (small masts) or is run through a sheave near the foot (larger masts) and then back up to the top. The topmast is  lashed to the lifting line with ropes. The running end of the lifting line is passed through a block at the top of the lower mast and then back down to tackle. Then the lifting line is used to haul the topmast up through the crosstrees and the hole in the top cap. When the foot is clear above the crosstrees the foot is stepped in place in the top and secured with the fid.

 

Hoisting new spars on the mast is trivial by comparison.

Edited January 25, 2020 by Dr PR