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Spare spars.Studding
sail yards and boom.Boats' masts
Spare spars
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Every ship carried a large number
of spare spars, and it is really surprising how seldom they are seen on
models. It is not known which spare spars were carried until the
beginning of the 18th century, but it can be assumed that they were
little different from those of the 18th and 19th centuries, perhaps one
or more spars fewer .
Here is a list of the spare spars usually carried in the 18th and 19th
centuries:
Warships: 1 main topmast, 1 fore topmast, 1 main yard, 1 fore yar 1
fore topsail yard, 1 main topsail yard, 1 jib boom, 1 upper topsail
yard (where fitted).
Long distance merchant ships: 1 main topmast, 1 topgallant mast, 1
lower yard, 1 topsail yard, occasionally 1 jib boom, 1 upper tops yard
(where
fitted), 1 gaff.
Atlantic merchant ships: 1 main topmast, 1 lower yard, 1 topsail yard,
occasionally 1 jib boom, 1 topgallant mast, 1 gaff.
Coastal merchant ships: 1 topmast, 1 yard (usually a topsail yard). The
main topmasts and yards were stowed on crutches or skid beams. In the
18th century in France most of the spare yards were stowed on main
channels (see CHANNELS). Smaller spars were also stowed
in the waist until the first half of the 19th century, then later on
the top of the deck houses.
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Studding sail yards
and booms
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Studding sails were mentioned as
early as around 1625, but seem to have been a temporary measure taken
by individual captains. They came into general use on the Continent on
the fore yard and the main yard around 1650, on the topsail yards
around 1675, while in England main studding sails appeared around 1660,
fore studding sails around 1690, and topmast studding sails not until
around 1700. In the first half of the 18th century topgallant studding
sails were added by all nations.
The studding sail booms were held by two iron bands, the boom irons one
of which was located on the yard arm, the other 1/8 to 1/6 of the
yard's length further inboard.
Warships of all nations usually fitted the studding sail spars
diagonally in front of the yard, with the exception of the Dutch, who
fitted the diagonally behind the yard. 19th century merchant ships
carried them below the yard. Studding sail booms were carried on the
lower and topsail yards, and also the crossjack yard. The studding sail
booms, on which the lower studding sails were hauled out, featured a
hook which engaged in a heavy ring bolt on tne channel or on the ship's
side. They were either stowed on the channels, or hauled inboard and
kept next to the waterway on merchant ships. See also
THE STUDDING SAILS.
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Boats' masts
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Ships' boats were almost all
fitted with
sailing equipment. The following list gives the proportions of the
boats' masts. The spars belonging
to the masts bore the same dimensional relationships to the boats'
masts as the corresponding spars on large ships.
Length of main mast = 2 to 3 x boat's beam;
Length of foremast = 0.8 to 1.0 x length of the main mast;
Length of mizen mast = 0.5 to 0.7 x length of the main mast;
Length of bowsprit = 0.25 to 0.42 x length Qf the boat.
The boats' masts and spars, and also the oars, were usua»y stowed
in the boat.
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