Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 21, ROT-Siam

Bow¬
sprit.
594
SEAMANSHIP
is to be lifted by one purchase, and one on each side if two are used,
and as high up as the shears will allow, the limit being from heel
to lashing 6 or 8 feet less than from the lower side of the purchase-
block to the deck. Old spars
having been hung over the side
for the mast to rub against and
the purchase fall taken round
the capstan, the mast is hove
up till the head comes above the
gunnel; then two single blocks
with long-tailed
strops are secured
round it with the
gird-lines of about
4 inches and twice
the length of the
mast ready rove.
The trestle-trees
are now usually bolted on in the mast-house. The gird-line from
the shear-head must be bent to the head of the mast at a suitable
height to act as a topping-lift. As the mast is hove up by the
capstan a stout rope from out¬
board must be timber-hitched
round the heel so as to ease it in
as it clears the gunnel, and to haul
it towards the partners (mast-hole);
when it has been lowered to within
2 feet of the step, a slew rope is
passed three times
round the mast and
a “ cat’s-paw” formed
on each side, through
the eyes of which a
capstan bar is passed
ready to heave
either way as
Fig. S5.-The spars and rigging of a fngate.i 1 the bowsprit; 2, bobstays, three pairs; 3, sprit-sail-gaffs, projecting on each side of the bowsprit-the
ropes at the extremities are Jib-guys and flying-jib-guys; 4, jibboom; 5, martingale-stay, and below it the flying-jib-martingale; 6, back-ropes-7
flying-jibboom; 8 fore-royal-stay flymg-jib-stay and halyards; 9, fore-top-gallant-stay, jib-stay, and halyards; 10, two fore-top-mast-stays and fore¬
top-mast stay-sail halyards; 11, the fore-top-bowlmes, stopped into the top and two fore-stays; 12, two fore-tacks; 13, fore-truck; 14, fore-royal-mast
yard, and lift; 15, top-gallant-mast, yard and lift ; 16, fore-top-mast, top-sail-yard, lift, and reef-tackle; 17, fore-top, fore-lift, and top-sail-sheet - 18
fore-mast and fore-shrouds, nine pairs; 19 fore-sheets ; 20, fore-gaff; 21, fore-top-mast back-stays and top-sail-tye ; 22, royal and top-gallant back¬
stays; 23, fore-royal-braces and mam-royal-stay; 24, fore-top-gallant-braces and main-top-gallant-stay; 25, standing parts or fore-top-sail-braces and
mam-top-mast-stays ; 26, hauling parts of fore-top-sail-braces and main-top-bowlines; 27, four parts of fore-braces ; 28, main-stays • 29Pmain-tacks • 30
main-truck; 31, main-royal-braces; 32, mizzen-royal-stay and mizzen-royal-braces ; S3, main-top-gallant-braces and mizzen-top-gallant-bra’ces ; 34 standing
parts of mam-top-sail-braces and mizzen-top-mast-stay ; 35, mizzen-top-sail-braces; 36, hauling parts of main-top-sail-braces, mizzen-top-bowlines, and cross-
jack-braces , 37, main-biaces and mizzen-stay ; 38, standing part of peak halyards ; 39, vangs, similar on each gaff; 40, ensign staff - 41 spanker-boom •
42, quarter-boat s davits; 43, one of the davit topping-lifts and wind-sail; 44, main-yard-tackle; 45, a bull-rope. > > P >
required ; in the meantime both the heel of the mast and the step
should be well coated with white lead or coal-tar. Lower and slew
according to directions from below ; when the mast is stepped and
brought to the desired
position, place four
temporary wedges, rig
a triangle, trice it up
by the gird-lines, un¬
lash the purchase or
strops, overhaul down,
unrig the triangle, and
haul the gird-lines taut
on each side.
The shears can be
transported forward in
nearly an upright posi¬
tion by first pulling the 1
heel-tackles and then ^
the guys, shifting the Fl(J 36._Sohooner yacht.
1, bowsprit, with mar¬
tingale to the stem ; 2, fore-top-mast-stay, jib,
and stay-fore-sail; 3, fore-gaff-top-sail; 4, fore¬
sail and main-stays ; 5, main - gaff-top - sail; 6,
main-sail; 7, end of boom.
guys forward one at a
time as necessary. The
main - mast and the
fore-mast are taken in
in the same way as the mizzen-mast, described above,—all three
abaft the shears; but, being much longer, they require greater
hoist and greater care generally.
To take in the bowsprit the shears are again moved forward, all
the heel-tackles being led forward and extra lashings placed on the
heels. A purchase nearly as strong as that to be used in lifting
the bowsprit should be secured between the fore-mast-head and the
shear-head, or two parts of a stout hawser may be used, the middle
being clove-hitched over the horns and the ends taken round
beams well aft on either side, ready for veering as the shears are
drooped (to an angle of about 45°), then to act as the principal
support; the fore-guys are also taken aft to assist. The fore-mast
must be wedged on both decks and one or more tackles used to
keep the head aft. The bowsprit cap is invariably bolted on in
the mast-house ; the bowsprit is then brought under the bows
with the cap end forward and slung for the main purchase a little
1 References are not repeated for each mast where the names and functions
are identical.
outside the housing, which is generally about two-fifths of the
whole length. The main purchase should plumb nearly the length
of the housing outside the bows, and the higher the shear-head
the greater the freedom of
motion. The outer purchase
attached to a strop through the
hole in the cap and the guys
from the cap to each cat-head
alike tend to force in the bow¬
sprit when it is high enough ;
besides this, a heel rope is put
round it before it leaves the
water, and a strop with a tackle
to the bitts is used to bowse it
into the hole and mortise. It
is hoisted to about an angle of
45° before the heel is entered.
A rough sketch made to scale
will greatly facilitate such opera¬
tions and ensure success. When
a bowsprit is put in by shears on
a hulk or jetty, it is hoisted up
ahead of the ship nearly hori¬
zontal, or at the angle (steeve)
which it is intended to assume,
and the ship is moved ahead
towards it, till the bowsprit en¬
ters in the desired position.
The directions for masting a
large ship are more than suffi¬
cient for masting a small one,
which is so much easier.
Gammoning the bowsprit is
the most important point in -—> xx—o— uu>.-
riggfng a ship, as the stays of the fore-mast and main-top-mast sprit
depend for security on the bowsprit. In large ships there are two
distinct lashings (of either new stretched rope or chain) to keep the
bowsprit down ; they are passed in a similar manner over a long
saddle-shaped piece of wood called a gammoning fish and through
the holes in the head knees, the outer one first. One end is clinched
or shackled round the bowsprit over the fore-part of the hole ; the
Fig. 37.—Cutter yacht. 1, bowsprit and
martingale ; 2, jib,—behind it is the
fore-sail; 3, cross-trees and top-mast-
shroud ; 4, pennant designating the
club to which she belongs; 5, gaff-
top-sail ; 6, peak of gaff, hoisted by
peak and throat halyards; 7, main- Rigging
sail; 8, end of boom and topping-lift, bow-