Topsail Ties and Halliards on 16th/17th Century Galleons

[Mashuno]

Hello all!

 

I've been working on a personal project based around 16th-17th century galleons, and so far it's been smooth sailing (pun intended). However, I've run into a little problem with the rigging. More specifically, I'm having problems with how the topsail ties and halliards work.

 

I'm using R.C. Anderson's "The rigging of ships in the days of the spiritsail topmast, 1600-1720", and it says that the tie has a block at its end, with a runner passing through the block. The runner is then said to have its own block, with the halliard running through that.

 

 

I'm having some trouble visualising how the runner and halliard are rigged to the rest of the ship, especially since Anderson describes the runner as connecting to "one side of the ship as well as aft". If anyone can give a more detailed explanation, or provide diagrams/images of the runners position on the ship, that would be much appreciated

 

Thank you in advance,

 

Mashuno

[popeye2sea]

Indeed, as is shown in the illustration the runner and halliard come down on opposite sides of the ship. The standing end of the runner (to the left in the picture) commonly had a hook spliced on to the end and was hooked to an eyebolt near the bulwark or rail. The halliard may be in two or more parts with its standing end hooked to an eyebolt opposite the eyebolt for the runner.  The lower block of the halliard tackle would be hooked or seized to either another eyebolt close by or the same eyebolt. If the halliard was only a single whip (two part) there would be a leading block at the bottom instead of a tackle block. The hauling part of the halliard would belay to a pin on the rail.

 

Typically, the halliards for the yards as you go up the masts would switch sides. For instance, the halliard for the topsail yard would come down on the starboard side while the one for the the topgallant yard would come down to port, while the royal would belay to starboard again.  The halliards would also switch sides from mast to mast also.

 

Regards,

 

Henry

[Mashuno]

I think I follow. The runner is connected to an eyebolt, as is the standing end of the halliard; I assume when you say opposite, you are referring to the other side of the ship, either port or starboard. However, I have some trouble in understanding the running component of the halliard. Forgive me for being slow, but could you explain that a bit further? In particular, what do you mean by it being in two or more parts? If there are more blocks than shown in the image, how are they arranged? and what are the differences between a leading and tackle block?

 

Sorry and thank you again,

 

Mashuno

[popeye2sea]

 A block and tackle system can have blocks with multiple sheaves (pulleys). If there is only one block with a single sheave, then the tackle is called a whip. This type of system provides no additional mechanical advantage (purchase).  It is in fact no more than a lead block, which is a block employed to change the direction of the pull, or lead.

If you add another single block to the tackle system, now you have a two part, or two fold purchase. The load is supported by two parts of the rope, therefore the mechanical effort is halved. You can keep adding sheaves to the blocks and "purchase" more force applied to the load. You can have any combination of sheaves for the upper and lower blocks, single, double, triple, or more. One block will usually be fixed in place while the other moves with the load (see figure below).

In the case of your halliard, the lower block is fixed to the deck and the upper block is spliced on to the end of the runner.

Let us assume that you have a tackle arrangement where the hauling (running) end of the rope emerges from the top block.  In order to haul that rope you have to be almost beneath the tackle. This limits the number of men that can be employed for the haul. If you add a lead block at the deck level you can changed the direction of the pull to horizontal and now you can employ more hands to tail on the rope.

 

 

Regards,

 

Henry