Bullseyes & Lanyard - some help please.

[Capt. Kelso]

The plans for my current build (Kate Cory) note the use of numerous "Bullseyes & Lanyards". Basically, all involving the Bowsprit standing rigging. I have no experience with these although they look easy enough to assemble. The plans are vague and provide little detail, essentially, two bullseyes joined by rope. Searched the internet and my books but can't find any specifics on how these are put together. Is there a standard or rule of thumb distance between the bullseyes? How many times does the rigging/rope loop through the bullseyes?

 

These details, or lack of, drive me nuts! Any help is appreciated. 

[Gregory]

Here is how it looks on my Resolution.  These are 'hearts' but the bulls eyes would be rigged similar as far as the lanyards go.

The last two pics are from Lees.  Again, showing hearts.

I can't seem to find specific examples of rigged bulls eyes. Hopefully others will chime in.

The number of loops would be determined by the size of the line.  I would think maybe 2 or 3 max on a bulls eye.

 

 

 

[Kenchington]

I'd doubt the use of circular bullseyes on anything much larger than a small boat. The turns of the lanyard tend to get crushed towards the bottom of the curve, whereas a heart is designed to keep those turns spread out. So I'll guess that the plans you are working from suggest bullseyes as a modelling simplification (or else a misuse of terminology). Rig the model as though the bullseyes were hearts and you won't go far wrong.

 

Distance between the bullseyes in full-scale: Start with them far enough apart that, when the stay stretches and you take up the slack with the lanyard, you don't end up with the two bullseyes "chock-a-block" (i.e. jambed up against one another). In a model, set them whatever distance apart looks appealing and tell anyone who complains that they are too close (or too far apart) that your model is of a ship at the end (or beginning) of a commission!

 

Number of turns: Enough that the lanyard won't part off until the strain becomes almost enough too much for the stay. But as the rigging stretches and the lanyards have to be hauled further, the extra length would be passed as extra turns, so long as there was space enough to pass the end through the bullseye.

 

Trevor

[druxey]

The other big difference between a bullseye and heart is that the heart has grooves in it to accept the turns of the laniard so that the crushing effect Trevor mentioned is eliminated.

[Dr PR]

You need a copy of Darcy Lever's The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor 1808 (Algrove Publishing Limited, Ottowa, Ontario, 2000). This was written for young sea officers to tell them how to rig and sail ships. It is a fascinating read and invaluable reference.

 

On page 14 he describes bull's eyes as "a wooden thimble, with a hole in the enter, and a groove in the circumference." On page 24 he says three or more turns are taken through the eye and "stopped to the standing part or hitched around the stay." Of course, he tells in detail how to "stop" or "hitch" the line on pages 8 and 9.

 

How do you raise a mast when you don't have a crane to lift it? Lever explains how! It is the most useful reference for sailing ship rigging that I have found!

Edited Sunday at 03:49 AM by Dr PR

[Capt. Kelso]

Thanks everyone for the responses, they have been very helpful!