uss frolick Posted May 25, 2021 Share #1 Posted May 25, 2021 On many draughts of French warships, from 74s down to flush deck ship-sloops, there is a separate single capstan on the forecastle, called a "fore jeer capstan". They are not just French items, as the builder's draught of the US Frigate Essex of 1799 shows one too. I had read that they were considered old fashioned by 1800. Question. What was it's function? It takes up valuable space and adds considerable weight over the forefoot, French hulls being notoriously tender forward, so it must have been important. What could it do that the main capstan couldn't? mtaylor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtaylor Posted May 25, 2021 Share #2 Posted May 25, 2021 This is pure speculation, Frolick. Yard and foresail handling maybe? Loading and unloading ship's boats and possibly rations, cargo, etc.? uss frolick 1 Quote Mark "The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me Current Build: Past Builds: La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD Triton Cross-Section NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64 Non-Ship Model: On hold, maybe forever: CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Grant Posted May 25, 2021 Share #3 Posted May 25, 2021 Might it not be that the original purpose was to handle the jeers of the foreyard when needed? Guessing etymologically. mtaylor and uss frolick 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted April 28, 2023 Share #4 Posted April 28, 2023 On 5/24/2021 at 9:28 PM, uss frolick said: On many draughts of French warships, from 74s down to flush deck ship-sloops, there is a separate single capstan on the forecastle, called a "fore jeer capstan". They are not just French items, as the builder's draught of the US Frigate Essex of 1799 shows one too. I had read that they were considered old fashioned by 1800. Question. What was it's function? It takes up valuable space and adds considerable weight over the forefoot, French hulls being notoriously tender forward, so it must have been important. What could it do that the main capstan couldn't? I wish I’d known it was mostly a French feature when I began my build of a British 74. Originally captured from the French, so perhaps they’d leave it in place. uss frolick and mtaylor 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce d Posted April 28, 2023 Share #5 Posted April 28, 2023 On 5/25/2021 at 2:28 AM, uss frolick said: What could it do that the main capstan couldn't? Just saw this so I am late to the game. I have seen documents in The National Archives UK where the handling of boats by capstan is advocated. Sounds simple to us now but apparently in the mid-late 18th century it was not standardised. One captain even requested a capstan for handling his longboat. This would keep the main capstan free for victualling, anchors, booms et al. A possibility? uss frolick and mtaylor 2 Quote 🌻 STAY SAFE A model shipwright and an amateur historian are heads & tails of the same coin current builds: HMS Berwick 1775, 1/192 scratchbuild; a Slade 74 in the Navy Board style Mediator sloop, 1/48 - an 18th century transport scratchbuild French longboat - CAF - 1/48, on hold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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