Horses ( Footropes )

[Gregory]

Here is what Lees says about  jib boom horses:

 

Sounds like what I had come to understand..  Note that there is no mention of stirrups for these foot ropes.

 

Now, what about this..

 

 

Here are the illustrations for the bowsprit foot ropes.

I'm having trouble understanding these..  Did they not stand on them, but just hold them while standing on the bowsprit.

How did they do any work while holding on?

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by Gregory

[popeye2sea]

The illustration is of man ropes.  They are a sort of hand hold for going out on the bowsprit.  Lees has his nomenclature wrong. 

There is no need for footropes under the bowsprit.  Footropes would more properly be found under the spritsail yard.

 

Regards,

 

[druxey]

Footropes are under the jibboom, as Henry has said. You can just see a pair of these knotted ropes under the jibboom in the photo. The illustrated ropes are hand lines or manropes.

 

[Mark P]

Good Evening Gentlemen;

 

It was usual to walk along the bowsprit. I have seen an example (can't remember if it was a model or a draught) with cleats along the top to provide a more secure foothold.

 

That's a nice model, Druxey. 

 

All the best,

 

Mark 

[Gregory]

Constitution?

 

[druxey]

I think that the example shown is more mid-1800's than earlier.