HMS FLY question.

[miketherock]

I am in the process of building this vessel and do not feel convinced that there are only the two belaying pin racks on the rails near the stern also that there are no other pin locations anywhere on the ship.

Is this factual or have they left the other racks and pin locations off the model as the model is not rigged with sails?

Thanks in advance for any replies and/or opinions.

       

                   MIke.

[Blue Ensign]

This is one of those questions where opinions vary. Belaying pins seem such a simple device that it is hard not to imagine they were in use for virtually the whole period of sail.

 

However, based on contemporary models of British ships experts such as Lees came to the conclusion that they didn't appear thro' the bitts or on racks  along the bulwarks until the end of the Eighteenth Century, although there are examples of pins on racks attached to the Mizen shrouds in earlier period ships.

 

As far as the Swan sloops kits Fly and Pegasus are concerned, I personally don't like the arrangement of pins on the rails adjacent to the Mizen mast, not least because I think they look overscale and ugly.

 

On my Pegasus build I intend to fit only Mizen shroud racks with pins, but the matter is one of personal choice, and there is no doubt that pins do make the issue of line belaying a little easier.

 

B.E.

[druxey]

Pin racks gained popularity as the bulwarks became closed in. While there were open rails, it was easy to belay lines to them. Once this option was no longer available - presto! Pin racks proliferated.