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Clew lines
Clew lines
lines
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The clew lines (clew garnets on
courses)
Clew lines have been used since the 14th century .The clew garnet and
topsail clewlines were attached to the yards -2/3 of the half-yard
length plus 2ft from the middle of the yard -reeved through a block on
the clew (see SHEETS), returned to a block on the yard- 2ft inside the
attachment point -then reeved through a leading block at the top and
through a shroud truck half-way up the shrouds, and belayed to a
belaying pin. Topgallant clew lines -they were single ropes on smaller
ships -were sometimes belayed in the top. Spritsail clew lines belayed
to a cleat in the head before 1720, and later reeved through the gammon
lashing or rack block and belayed to a timber head on the forecastle.
The sprit topsail clew lines belayed in the sprit top before 1720, and
after 1720 followed the same route as the spritsail clew lines.
Clew-line blocks were almost always used for clew lines after 1670 |
Leech lines and bunt
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First we have to differentiate
between leech lines and bunt lines. Leech lines have been in use since
the middle of the 15th century .They were attached to the leeches of
the sail with martnets, and were always carried on both sides of the
sail. After 1650 the leech lines were simplified, the various versions
being shown in the drawings on the right.
After 1720 simple leech lines of the British type were in general use.
Bunt lines were carried on the fore side of the sail only,
and were attached to cringles in the foot rope. From the middle of the
16th
century they were fitted to the courses, from the first half of the
17th
century to the top sails, from the end of the 17th century to the
topgallant
sails. Before 1720 one pair was carried on the courses, and after 1720
two
pairs on large ships; one pair was fitted on top sails, and often only
a
bunt line on the topgallant sails, attached with a thimble to a span
between
two foot cringles. The bunt lines ran below the top or to the stay
collar
via blocks, then down the shrouds through shroud trucks, and belayed to
belaying
pins. The spritsail possessed only bunt lines, often the same type as
the
topgallant bunt lines; the sprit topsail carried neither leech lines
nor
bunt lines.
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Reef tackles
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After the introduction of the reef
on the topsails in the 17th century, reef tackles became necessary.
They hooked into cringles in the leeches of the sail, reeved through a
sheave in the yard
arm, and ended in a tackle, which was stropped to the topmast head in
Dutch
ships, and in others to the parral ropes. The Dutch method became
standard after 1710. The reef tackle belayed to the chain plate
deadeyes in the top. Clew lines, leech lines, bunt lines and reef
tackles are slack when the sails are set, that is, they just hang
freely.
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Yard tackles
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From about 1685 the lower yards
were fitted with yard tackles to augment the stay tackles. A yard
tackle consisted of a pendant, which was fixed to the yard arm" and
which carried a long tackle block. The running part carried a hooked
double block. When the ship was under
sail, the yard tackle was hooked to the futtock shrouds and made up
along
the yard, as shown in the drawing on the right. Yard tackles were
principally a feature of English ships; they were very seldom seen on
Continental ships.
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