Should all spars be aligned in the same direction?

[Modeler12]

The reason I ask is that I am adding topsails to my model and it will be on a starboard tack. That means that not only the topsail jacks but also the course jacks will be aligned at an angle. That is necessary because the topsail sheet goes through a sheave on the course jack. Besides, I think it would look strange not to have both follow in the same direction.

 

But what about the topgallant and royal spars? They will not be furled (too many lines already). Would they be just kept straight or also angled???

[popeye2sea]

Not sure what the proper answer here is but my gut feel is that no one would really justifiy spending the time and energy bracing round yards that did not have their sails set.

[wefalck]

I think all yards on one mast would be braced the same way. In fact some lines would be belayed on the same pin, so they would need to be cast loose at the same time. Also, taking in or setting sails would depend on the wind etc. and one would not want to waste time to brace the yards.

 

Also note that yards are not braced up to the same degree, there is a certain 'twist' in them, i.e. lower yards are braced up tighter than upper ones. This has to do with the wind velocity distribution over the height profile - due to the friction over the water, the wind velocity is lower near the water; therefore, the apparent wind comes more from the front closer to the water.

 

wefalck

[JerseyCity Frankie]

Congratulations on your decision to depict your ship with yards braced around. It is so uncommon to see ship models depicted this way, even with all sail set! But this was how they would most often have been rigged while at sea and in my opinion it looks better on a model than yards squared as if for a formal inspection.

[Stockholm tar]

From experience of the ships I've sailed in, all the yards on a mast were usually braced in the same direction – whether they had sails set on them or not. 

 

The yards on a mast are all connected, by sheets through the yardarms below, downhauls etc. So even if the furled yards weren't moved, you'd still have to ease off some of the rigging to enable the others to be braced, or risk strain and perhaps damage.

 

In addition to Welfack's description of the twist of the yards, bracing those with furled sails also reduces wind resistance, especially in strong winds.

 

I agree, it's nice to see a models with the yards braced.

 

 

[Tigerdvr]

Just a thought but, for instance, if top gallant and/or royals were going to be furled, the yards might be braced up to take the wind (load) off the sails and thusly be easier for the top men to furl the sails. I don't how the yards would be braced after the sails were furled.

An interesting topic.

[dafi]

There are some contemporary drawings and paintings that show different angles at special occasions, especially in the early days:

 

Resolution Willem van der Velde (younger)

 

Cannon shot by van der Velde

 

Daniel

Edited November 30, 2013 by dafi

[wefalck]

The lower picture shows the sails set for drying while the ship is at anchor. They were draped sort of random on purpose so as not to push the ship in an uniform direction.

 

BTW, in harbour, when moored to the quai, ship often tipped the yards so that arm facing out to the harbour almost touched the rails. This reduced the risk that another ship that came adrift or didn't calculate the distance right sheered off the yards.

 

wefalck

[Modeler12]

Thank you gentlemen for your replies.

I was curious about this but, unfortunately, I posted my question after I had already braced the upper yards.

Again, the royal and topgallant sails will not be furled nor rigged (other than the halyards and braces) so I gave it no thought at the time.

Then, when I started to add the topsails did it occur to me that the upper spars should align the same way.

If the wind comes from about three o'clock, the wind shear and resistance should not matter too much, but having the spars facing the same way would, indeed, make the whole picture look better. So be it.
 

I might add that the way I am rigging is from the top on down (good or bad, it works for me thus far, except for this foo-foo).