rule of thumb for braces, halyards, and clew lines

[Christopher V]

Hey guys, 

I am building a two masted topsail schooner which has two square-rigged sails aloft and was wondering if there is a rule of thumb for where the halyards, braces, bunt and clew lines are attached to. Specifically the fife rail beneath the mast or the outer pin rails- I would assume that the lines which carry more load would be attached to the outer rails and the ones that carry less are closer to the mast. I also know that the braces for the higher yards are directed to the mizzen mast and then down to the deck, but would these also be fastened to the outer pin rails or the fife rail?

(The plans for this kit were garbage and so I am basically constructing it by general historical plans and rigging standards. The ship is a baltimore-clipper type privateer).

Thanks for any info,

 

Christopher

[Dr PR]

Christopher,

 

Lennarth Petersson's Rigging Period Fore-and-Aft Craft (Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland, 2007, 121 pages) is an excellent reference for topsail schooners. It has many drawings showing the masts, spars, sails, standing rigging and running rigging, including deck plans for where all of the lines are fastened.

 

I highly recommend this book! The first part describes rigging for British Naval Cutter (pages 10 - 65). The second part (pages 66 - 111) is for the American Schooner. The drawings and plans are excellent.

 

There were a lot of variations in topsail schooner rigs, but most were very close to what is depicted in the book, with minor differences.