This video was a real eye opener about gun tackles

[Thukydides]

@Gregory So if I understand correctly, it seems that the evidence is uncertain and you could reasonably justify using either method?

[Gregory]

I'm no expert, and didn't give it much thought until Allan brought it up..

 

Lavery talked about how heavy the guns were and why the tackle was necessary..  32 Seems like an arbitrary cut-off point.

 

On another hand, I don't see ship fitters using a double when a single would get the job done..

[allanyed]

 

6 hours ago, Gregory said:

" A gun tackle consisted of a rope fixed to a single block,
 passed through a double block, and through the double block again.

Hi Gregory,

  I agree with you that Lavery is an accurate source, but  I think you left out a couple words 😀      " A gun tackle consisted of a rope fixed to a single block,  passed through a double block, back through the single block and through the double block again."

Cheers

Allan

 

 

Edited September 24, 2021 by allanyed

[Gregory]

Yep..   Had double stuck in my mind..

[allanyed]

Gregory,

No worries, if I had a dollar for every one of my own mistyped posts  here at MSW I would have retired five years sooner!!

Allan

 

[Thukydides]

Thanks for the thoughts. I have a copy of Goodwins construction and fitting of the english man of war on the way. I am hoping he may discuss the issue more in it.

[allanyed]

 Thukydides,

Caruana is probably the best source and Lavery is also very good for  information on guns based on contemporary information.  Goodwin is a great source for many things, but sorry to say it is not of much help for rigging, including the guns. 

Allan

[Thukydides]

Maybe to add some more weight in favour of single blocks for most smaller guns is some stuff I found in the 1891 textbook of seamanship. In the section on tackle it refers to gun tackle now (in the late 1800s) using either a single and a double or two doubles where previously two single blocks were used.

 

Interestingly it notes that:

 

Power can only be increased at the expense of time, hence there are many cases on board ship where a great deal of purchase would be a positive disadvantage. Were treble-blocks used for the side tackles of a broadside gun, the gun could be run out more easily than with a double and a single block, but then it would be longer in running out, and there would be an inconvenient accumulation of fall.

 

This seems to suggest that likely two singles would have been used for somthing small like a 6pounder.

 

Edit: it seems to me that Goodwin was convinced of the single plus double arrangement because I managed to find his diagram of the tackle for the 6pounders in his book on the blandford and he is using the same single plus double arrangement as he used for the alert book. So now I am second guessing my conclusion :).

Edited September 25, 2021 by Thukydides