Question on Mayflower RIg?

[Jake Groby]

I'm building a Trumpeter Mayflower for a customer and have a hard time believing that way the inst. are saying to terminate the rigs.  One would think they would have belaying pins in the rail? I've checked some reference books but can't seem to pin this down yet. Any guidance appr.

[Knocklouder]

Hi Jake, I belive that belaying pins were not use for a hundred years. After the Mayflower, but I would ask @allanyed he my go to guy when I need to know anything, he has the answers  lol.  

Edited February 5 by Knocklouder

[druxey]

Those open rails were perfect for securing lines around.

[allanyed]

 

11 hours ago, Knocklouder said:

After the Mayflower, but I would ask @allanyed he my go to guy when I need to know anything, he has the answers  lol.  

I take that as a compliment but I rarely have the answers.  I do have a decent library and enjoy doing the research though.  When research fails my go to folks are mostly members here at MSW including Druxey, Ed Tosti, Mark Porter, and a host of other experts who have taught me so much over the years as they know far more than I do.

 

Regarding belaying pins for British warships, James Lees gives 1745 as the approximate time belaying pins came into use in the RN.  Did this apply to merchant ships such as the Mayflower?  I would think that is the case, but maybe they were ahead of their time.  Study photos of contemporary rigged models at RMG, Preble Hall and elsewhere and you will see the rigging terminating at rails, not pins on models made prior to 1745.   Were there exceptions? Maybe, there was a lot of variation in the early days, especially in rigging.  The below are a couple shots of early 18th century ship models (1705 and 1714) taken during a visit to Preble Hall. 

Allan