Stowing the sweeps

[georgeband]

Admiralty drawings of smaller vessels often have keyhole-shaped features on the bulwarks which I have assumed are ports for sweeps. The example below is from ZAZ6116, the schooner Haddock, and there are six on each side. Am I right in my assumption that these are sweep ports? 

The tables and drawings for sweeps in Steel https://www.thebigrow.com/?p=659#more-659 are quite extensive. For an 80 ton vessel he gives a total length of 25 feet of which 11 feet are inboard (handle plus loom). The deck on one of these schooners is very cluttered and it looks to me as if the inboard length should be a lot less otherwise the sweep cannot be used with a full stroke, especially when holding the handle. I could guess 20 feet as the maximum total length, which brings me to another question. Where are the sweeps stored when not in use? 

 

The only available space on my model of Whiting (same class as Haddock) is on the gunwales, leading forward from the transom. There are two convenient square ports where a rope can be passed through to lash the sweeps on top of or hanging from the gunwale, inboard or outboard. The geometry of the schooner would make it very difficult if at all possible to pass the sweeps into the hold so I cannot avoid the problem by claiming that they are 'below'. 

Any information would be most helpful. 

 

George

 

 

 

[druxey]

Yes, you are correct: they are a form of sweep port. Stowage of sweeps is an interesting question. They could be racked vertically around a mast, although with the rig in this case that would not work. Perhaps bundled along the bulwark tops inside the shrouds?

 

Sweep length as to such that the leverage is reasonable and the angle to enter the water is not too great. Therefore the inboard length cannot be too short  as you suggest. One wonders if sweeps were only used in extreme circumstances!

Edited November 10, 2023 by druxey

[Chapman]

Hi George,

in the past I had found ship oars stored on the outside of the Bulwarks in Baugean's detailed depictions of ships. Here is a link to a Mediterranean ship. I think there are a few to see here.

There is also a nice representation of a big Dutch cutter of war from Baugean, here the ship's oars can also be seen on the outside of the bulwark. Sorry, can't find any better files online at the moment.

 

Edit: Link Link 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by Chapman

[wefalck]

On some kinds of small ships (and boats) iron forks on the bulwarks were used to store long items. I wouldn't know, whether this is correct for your class of ship.

[georgeband]

Thanks all for your comments and suggestions. 

 

There is a log book entry for 18 June 1806 which states that on two occasions in a calm that day the crew were 'employed towing the schooner'. They apparently preferred to hoist out the boat and row that rather than use the sweeps on the schooner. As Druxey says, the sweeps might have been for extreme circumstances. (It is definitely 'towing' and not 'rowing'.) 

I wonder if the sweep ports were standard items in a contract and the various vessels had them, but the captains chose not to use them. A logical consequence would be that the sweeps (if provided) would be disposed of because they were yet more clutter on a busy deck. I think this is going to be a judgement call for my model since I do not have firm evidence either way regarding the presence or absence of sweeps. 

 

Chapman - thank you for the links. As an aside I have been looking for a clear picture of a 'mystico' and the one in your first link is excellent. You have solved a different problem for me! 

 

Wefalck - You provide valuable circumstantial evidence  which goes into the eventual balance of probabilities decision about sweeps. 

 

George

 

[Chapman]

Hi George,

 

I have one more addition: a model from the Cutter Vlieg. Here you can see the holder for the oars more clearly.

 

On this occasion, I really like your model. Good work!

Edited November 14, 2023 by Chapman

[uss frolick]

The 1813 Lake Ontario wrecks of the USS Hamilton and Scourge show the sweeps stored on the chains/channels. They also show those keyhole openings on the bulwarks of Hamilton. (Scourge had open bulwarks.) Providence had crane-irons built on the poop deck sides just to hold sweeps. HMS Reindeer (a big 400 ton Cruiser Class brig) used sweeps in 1814 to try and weather the USS Wasp. 

[georgeband]

Thanks Frolick and Chapman for all this information. It provides lots of evidence that sweeps were carried and used and pushes me towards stowing some, somewhere, rather than missing them out. 

 

George