Page 93 - Des Pawson "Des Pawson's Knot Craft" 2 edit.

KNOTCRAFT 2009:Layout 1 23/10/09 12:17 Page 92

Bowsprit Net

BOWSPRIT NET gives any vessel an air of importance. It serves
Atwo very useful purposes: it provides a safe platform for any-
one working out on the bowsprit; and it helps to stop fore-
sails/headsails, especially the larger ones, from getting dragged
in the water when being dropped and doused. As is always the
case in these matters, there are a number of ways to make the
item. Whilst some favour the usual diamond mesh approach
that uses the sheet bend, just like a piece of fishing net, this can
be difficult with larger sizes of rope and is not so easy to shape.
The other approach, which I prefer, is to make the net with a
square mesh. Using this construction, the crossing ropes are
tucked and knotted, and the whole net has a heavier ‘boltrope’
with meshes being formed from separate lengths of slightly
smaller rope. These smaller ropes join the outer ‘boltrope’ with
a neat right angle splice. On certain vessels the net can be made

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