The upper bights are designed for the eyes, and are marked round the middle, beginning at the inner one, with one piece of spun-yarn knotted, two for the second; and so on for the number required. Inside clinches are stopped, similar to the bends of this clinch, with small rope, or spun-yarn. There is much subordinate knowledge necessary before a person can either prepare rigging in the house, or fit it on board of the ship. This consists of knotting, splicing, making of hitches, mousing, serving, &c.
Use the Rig Wire 99 as a lightweight alternative for standing rigging. Each yard on a square or gaff rigged sailing ship is equipped with a footrope for sailors to stand on while setting or stowing the sails. Probably due to their resemblance to equitation tack, the stays below a bowsprit are martingales, and those above it bracing the bowsprit are bobstays. The martingales are often the strongest stays on a ship, and often constructed of chain. The bobstays hold down the bowsprit, which is liable to be lifted by the tug of the jibs, and of the stays connecting it with the fore-topmast. If the bowsprit is lifted the fore-topmast loses part of its support.
Knowing The Ropes
COMB-CLEATS are semi-circular, and are hollowed in the middle to confine a rope to one place. RANGE-CLEATS are shaped like belaying-cleats, but are much larger, and are bolted through the middle. SHROUD-CLEATS have two arms, similar to belaying-cleats; the inside is hollowed to fit the shroud, and grooves are cut round the middle and ends to receive the seizings, which confine them to the shrouds.
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In traditional ships, this rope was sewn onto the after side of the head and foot of square sails and the port side luff of the fore-and-aft sails. In modern leg-o-mutton boats, this fortifies the luff of the mainsail, or the luff of the jib. COLLARS have an eye spliced in one end, are wormed and served with spun-yarn, and have a single block seized in the bight. WORMING. Wind a small rope in the cuntlines of the strands of cables, shrouds, or stays; and spun-yarn in those of ropes four inches in circumference and above.
Lay the end over the hauling part, and pass it through the bight; then take several turns round the standing part, and stop the end. Sailboat halyard rope serves as a sling for bales, drawing of timber, &c. Square-rigged vessels required braces, which are used to adjust the fore and aft angle of a yard. A brace is a rope employed to wheel, or traverse the sails upon the mast, in a direction parallel to the horizon, when it is necessary to shift the sails, that they may correspond with the direction of the wind and the course of the ship.
BREAST-ROPE is fastened along the laniards of the shrouds, for safety, when heaving the lead in the chains. DAVIT-ROPE, the lashing which secures the davit to the shrouds, when out of use. ENTERING-ROPES hang from the upper part of the stantions, along-side the ladder, at the gangways.
The length of the foremost one is from four feet in small, to eight feet in large, ships. They have an eye spliced in each end for lashing; are then wormed, parcelled, and served with spun-yarn from eye to eye. CLEATS. Pieces of wood of various shapes, used for stops, and to make ropes fast to, viz. ARM or SLING-CLEATS are nailed on each side of the slings of the lower yard, and have an arm at one end, which lies over the straps of the jeer blocks to prevent their being chaffed. BELAYING-CLEATS have two arms, or horns, and are nailed through the middle to the masts, or elsewhere, to belay ropes to.