Hatch covers.

[mikeaidanh]

If a hatch is to be displayed open on a period ship how were the hatch cover sections stowed and how was lifting tackle arranged?

Any ideas gratefully received.

 

Mike.

 

 

[trippwj]

Mike - the answer may depend in large part on the vessel.  Are you looking at a merchant ship or a naval ship, and what era?

[mikeaidanh]

Wayne,

 

Specifically HMS Surprise AL 1:48.

 

I intend to add some below deck interest which will require an open hatch giving view to another hatch below that. I thought to infer that

items were on the move between decks by having a barrel or two adjacent to the open hatches and, maybe, a hoist rigged ready for use.

There is a wealth of written knowledge describing fixtures and fittings as you will know but not so much that I am aware of that describes how things were done. Any thoughts?

 

Mike. 

[trippwj]

I think that, for loading, the individual hatch would be removed and stacked to the side.  It seems reasonable that some form of lift (probably not the right term) would be rigged from the mast forward of the hatch to lift and lower the barrels, crates and sundries into the hold.  I need to do a bit of digging to see what the layout on the Surprise was to see if that makes sense for loading barrels into the magazine.See the plate from Steel's The Elements and Practice of Rigging And Seamanship, 1794 below for an example.

 

[mikeaidanh]

Wayne,

 

Thanks for your reply. Stacked to the side is what I had imagined but if I did that without checking then, as sure as the sun rises, someone would have mentioned a "hatch rack" or some such device. I am joking really; I just wanted some input.

Thanks also for the useful illustration. I remember something from my dim and distance past about "slinging a cask end on" and the rope and hook system I am familiar with but the rest was new to me. I will file that away for future reference.

Again, many thanks,

 

Mike.

[mtaylor]

For loading and unloading, probably stacked somewhere out of the way. For "Quarters", the grating were removed and sent down below to the hold.

[mikeaidanh]

Thank you mtaylor,

 

That all makes sense. Do you have any thoughts on the rigging of a hoist for raising/lowering items?

 

Mike.

[rybakov]

As the hatches are in the midship plane I would assume that some sort of stay tackle would be used

as in this plate fron Steel's The art of Rigging

 

 

 

Hope it helps

 

Zeh

[mikeaidanh]

Thanks Zeh, that looks pretty clear. Something to think about.

 

Mike.

[druxey]

Stay tackle, as shown in the illustration, are rigged conveniently above the fore and main hatches. Zeh has it right.

[popeye2sea]

Stay tackles in conjunction with yard tackles would be used to sway out cargo from the holds.  The yards would be braced round so that the tackle was more in line with the hatch.  The tackles would be hooked to the load and the stay tackle heaved upon to hoist the cargo clear of the hatch.  Hauling on the yard tackle and easing off the stay tackle would swing the cargo over the side of the ship till the yard tackle bore all the strain.  Easing off all together would lower the cargo to the pier or the lighter alongside.

[Modeler12]

Henry, if I am not mistaken, both the main and fore yards would be used to lift really heavy 'cargo' or to launch a boat.

I recall seeing another drawing someone had published here that showed the whole process.

 

PS Mike, I am sorry for starting a new thread on the same subject. I just did not realize that you asked the question first. Strange how we both thought about the same subject for the same reasons.

 

PS Robin, that thought also occurred to me, but I am sure an experienced boats'n and captain would be prepared to do what ever. Even if it means 'man the pumps'.

But here is another thought along those lines. In bad weather the grating (hatches) would be covered with a tarp (something we never see on ship models). That would also have to be removed.

Edited March 20, 2014 by Modeler12

[Modeler12]

Here are a couple pictures of the model Fly by Oidtman.

The first shows how he rigged the way he envisioned a boat to be lifted.

Both a stay and a yard are being used. (I may be wrong about the stay because of the second picture).

 

The second is more complicated, but it involves moving the boat to port using both main and fore yards

and all the tackles that are part of the whole process.

 

Not clearly shown is the fact that both yards would have to be lashed on starboard to counteract the force being carried on the post side.

[rybakov]

I believe the second hypoyhesis is better as if you have a three point attachment

you can keep the boat steadier against rolling and pitching.

I came across a drawing (painting), I can't recall where that illustrates this perfectly.

 

 

Zeh