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Fitting of top mast in a raking mast.


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My query is how a top mast is fitted or set to the lower mast in schooners or other craft when the masts or mast are set at an extreme raking angle. Baltimore clippers, Virginia pilot type vessels and the Bermuda sloop are my concern here.

 

In a vessel in which the masts are not set at an angle, I can find pictures, drawings and diagrams galore as to how the top mast is set or fitted.  The topmast generally passes between the trestle trees and hounds(a trestle tree and hound each on port and starboard) and through the cross trees(one each fore and aft).  The fid is inserted through the topmast. The fid rests on the trestle trees thus taking the weight of the top mast.  In this regular setting the trestle trees and cross trees are parallel to the water line. 

 

The problem with the fitting or setting of the topmast on raking mast is as follows. 

 

     1.  The trestle trees are set parallel to the water line. To achieve this the hounds to support them are cut at an angle. Thus the trestle trees will be parallel to the water line but set at an angle to the mast(not perpendicular to the mast).

 

     2.  In many of the plans I have reviewed, including the AL kit Dallas and Model Shipways Pride of Baltimore, the trestle trees and cross trees are parallel to the water line but set at an angle to the mast.  The top mast just appears to be sitting on top of the trestle trees and cross trees with NO PASS through. The top mast does not appear to be locked in place. However, in the plans to Corel's Ranger, the trestle trees and Cross trees are set perpendicular to the mast and at an angle to the water line.

 

     3.  In the majority of Chapelle's plans he shows them parallel to the water line, however, in some plans he shows the trestle trees and cross trees perpendicular to the mast so that the trestle trees and cross trees are set at an angle to the water line.  For his drawings of the Bermuda Sloop he showed it both ways.  Go figure.

 

     4.  Clay Feldman in his Virginia sloop book sets the hounds, trestle trees, and cross trees perpendicular to the mast and at an angle to the water line.

 

My questions are....

 

     A.  If the trestle trees are set parallel to the water line, logic may dictate that that the trestle trees should be notched in such a way to receive the cross trees so that flat faces of the cross trees between the trestle trees are perpindicular to the lower mast so that the top mast can pass between and be locked into place without cutting and making an odd shape out of the foot of the topmast to make it fit between the cross trees.  Is this correct?

 

     B.  If trestle trees and cross trees are set in the regular manner how does the top mast pass through to be locked into place?

 

     C.  In short what is the actual practice?  Has anyone had the opportunity to examine the fitting of the topmasts on Pride II or on any other sailing topmast schooner or Bermuda sloop?

 

Phil Roach

NRG Director

President, Southwest Florida Ship Modeler's Guild.

Edited by roach101761

Phil Roach

Former Director, Nautical Research Guild

Member Shipmodeler's Guild Southwest Florida

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There is a photograph of the Pride of Baltimore II here https://www.facebook.com/prideII/photos/pb.72244443638.-2207520000.1409197704./10152154152158639/?type=3&theater. The trestle trees are clearly parallel to the deck - I think it would look very odd if they weren't (although I couldn't say why).

 

It's not clear to me why the angle would be a problem. Everything has to be cut with the rake in mind but it should all still work. See the mast cap here http://www.mysticseaport.org/morganblog/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2013/08/IMG_7990.jpg, the hole is definately cut on an angle.

 

It'll be interesting to see everyone else's thoughts.

 

Richard.

Richard

Current Build: Early 19th Century US Revenue Cutter (Artesania Latina "Dallas" - messed about)

Completed Build: Yakatabune - Japanese - Woody Joe mini

Member: Nautical Research Guild & Midwest Model Shipwrights

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Interesting question.  Longridge says that the trestle trees should be parallel to the water line, so the angle against the mast would increase as rake increases.  He doesn't say why either but I agree with Richard that it would look funny. 

Tom

 

 

Current: Sergal Sovereign of the Seas

Previous builds:  AL Swift, AL King of the Mississippi, Mamoli Roter Lowe, Amati Chinese Junk, Caesar, Mamoli USS Constitution, Mantua HMS Victory, Panart San Felipe, Mantua Sergal Soleil Royal

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Assuming that the  cross and trestle trees are set parallel to the waterline, no special arrangement would be needed other than the space for the topmast to pass through would need to be slightly oblong rather than square, and the fid hole cut in the topmast heel so that the fid was normal to the trestle trees. Or am I in error?

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That makes sense Druxey and if I'm picturing things correctly, they did it that way so working the fid would be doable?

Tom

 

 

Current: Sergal Sovereign of the Seas

Previous builds:  AL Swift, AL King of the Mississippi, Mamoli Roter Lowe, Amati Chinese Junk, Caesar, Mamoli USS Constitution, Mantua HMS Victory, Panart San Felipe, Mantua Sergal Soleil Royal

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It is my general impression that on fore & aft rigged masts, particulary on smalles vessels, the trees and the cap were set perpendicular to the mast. On larger vessels especially on square rigged masts where men worked in the tops, the trees were parallel to the deck or waterline.

 

The original sail plan of the Fair Rosemond/Dos Amigos has all the trees & tops perpendicular to the masts.

 

The 1851 sailplan of the USS Macedonian as a razee plainly has her tops & trees parallel to the waterline.

Drown you may, but go you must and your reward shall be a man's pay or a hero's grave

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I'll toss another grenade into the mix.... some had the tops and trees dropped in the front.  Wasa comes to mind assuming the Billing's plans were correct.   New research may have changed that, though.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

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I am away for the labor day weekend, and therefore away from my books.  However, on some British Revenue cutters,(single mast sloop rigged) the top mast is positioned behind the mast.   I wrote the first post as parallel to the deck but the proper term is parallel to the water line as others above have indicated. For posterity I will edit the first post so it will read correctly.  I also edited it for spelling and changed the word parallel to perpendicular in paragraph "A" above.

 

Phil

Edited by roach101761

Phil Roach

Former Director, Nautical Research Guild

Member Shipmodeler's Guild Southwest Florida

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