Bermuda and Early Colonial Sloop steering.

[Sceatha]

Hello all,

 

I have been looking at plans of 18th century sloops and trying to understand certain concepts. My main sources are:

1. HMS Ferret - 1711
2. Mediator - 1745
3. Chapman's Bermuda sloop (plate LVII) - probably a late 1760 specimen?

 

Now admittedly these are very different ships, built by different traditions in different part of the world over a relatively large period of time, but still adhering to the same philosophy.

 

Focusing on the steering:

1. Ferret has been depicted with a tiller on the small open deck above the cabin.
2. Mediator has a characteristic cabin with a curved roof and a steering wheel just in front of it. The tiller seems to be just below the maindeck, under the cabin.
3. Bermuda sloop??

 

Bermuda sloops are often depicted with the characteristic "domed" cabin, and in some depictions (namely Chapelle) are presented with a wheel, like Mediator. Now this makes sense for late models, like the one presented by Chapelle (based on Chapman) but what about earlier models? Apparently the wheel came into use after 1703 and I do not know how fast adoption was in the colonies.

 

Has anyone come across any reference of the steering of an early Bermuda or colonial sloop (around 1700 to 1710)? I assume having the tiller inside the domed cabin would be nonsensical.

 

Many thanks,

George