Spanker Brail Blocks

[Boccherini]

I have 3 pairs of spanker brail blocks to fit to the mizzen mast. I can't find any reference on how they are set up in Underhill's book.

I am assuming they are supported with thumb cleats on either side of the mast. Are the "pairs" of blocks rigged on the same loop around the mast, or are they rigged separately? Any pictures would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Grant.

[Dr PR]

It would help if you said what type ship you are modeling. Rigging can be very different on different type of ships.

 

But since you mentioned a book by Underhill, I looked in his "Masting and Rigging of the Clipper Ship and Ocean Carrier."  Figure 24 (page 24 in my copy) shows brails attached to the leech (aft side) of the sail at three points and the brail blocks attached to the mast at three points - also stated in the text. However this is for a mast with the gaff permanently attached to a swivel below the mast top (late 1800s configuration). The sail is taken in to the mast by the brails. This arrangement wouldn't work if your gaff can be raised and lowered on the mast to set or take in the sail as was common in earlier periods and on many types of vessels.

 

In  Plate 10 (page 50 in my copy) he shows the metal main mast of a barque, and it shows a mast band with lugs for brail blocks and a jackstay.

 

Mondfeld's "Historic Ship Models" (page 325) shows a different arrangement for brail blocks for gaff sail on the mizzen mast where the gaff is lowered down the mast to take in the sail. Three brails are attached to the leech of the sail as before, but the brail blocks are attached to the gaff at three points. In this case the brails would draw the sail up to the gaff.

 

Lees "Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War" (page 109) shows rigging for the mizzen brails similar to what Mondfeld shows.

 

Lever's "The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor" (page 63 Fig. 346) shows the same arrangement as Mondfeld and Lees, but states that the blocks are spaced on the gaff at the same distance from the peak as the cringles (where the brails attach) are spaced on the leech.

[Boccherini]

Phil,

thanks for the input. 1860, timber mast, fixed gaff. Plans (they MAY be a bit vague), don't show a jack stay . My issue is how to attach the blocks to the mast.

 

Regards,

Grant.

[Dr PR]

You need eye bolts and/or mast bands. There are (at  least) three ways to do this.

 

One way is to fashion eye bolts from wire, drill a hole in the mast, and glue the eye bolt in place.

 

You can wrap a band around the mast and solder wire loops to it. Or you can drill through the band and mast and place the eye bolts as described above.

 

For me the easiest way is to use a narrow strip of very thin brass shimstock and fold it around the mast, forming as many attachment points as needed.

 

 

First bend the strip 2 to form a lug and then solder it 3.

 

4. Wrap it around the mast (M).

 

5. Fold and solder another tab.

 

6. Wrap the ends around the mast and fold them together.

 

7. Solder the ends together and cut off the excess strip.

 

8. Drill holes in the tabs and round off the corners. You can even shape them to look like eye bolts if you want to.

 

If you need only one tab just wrap the strip around the mast, fold the ends together as in 6, solder and cut 7, and drill a hole 8.

 

You can belay to the tabs directly, or in your case attach the block strops to the tabs.

 

Here is an example of a two lug band on the end of a dolphin striker.

 

 

 

I have been using this method for decades. It takes a bit of practice to get the tabs spaced correctly around the mast. But it is very strong - you won't be pulling these "eye bolts" out of the mast! Before trying this I did try to use individual wire loop "eye bolts" and they sometimes pulled out of the holes in the masts when I tightened the rigging.

Edited June 17, 2022 by Dr PR

[Boccherini]

Phil,

thanks for taking the time with that very detailed reply.

Regards,

Grant.