When to serve and when to seize?

[Geoff Matson]

I am beginning to rig my MS Constitution and was wondering if there are set rules for serving line and seizing line? Are there any books that would explain this? thanks for your help.

[popeye2sea]

A service (worming, parcelling, and serving) is applied to a line to resist damage to the line from rubbing and chafing.  You would normally find parts of the standing rigging served over (for example: the upper portion of the shrouds and stays where they pass around the masthead, collars for stays and bob stays)

 

A seizing joins two ropes together or part of a rope to itself and can be found everywhere in the rigging.

[Geoff Matson]

Thanks popeye I was thinking to serve any line that might cause chafing. And you are on my bucket list to come visit the Constitution sometime

[Modeler12]

Hi Geoff,
In addition to what Henry mentioned, here is a picture.

I always think that a picture is worth a lot of words (or was that someone else who said that first?).

 

This came from the book by George Biddlecombe, The Art of Rigging.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Modeler12

[Geoff Matson]

Thanks for the picture Jay.