Page 50 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Figure 2-8. The uppermost block hangs from the
backstay pendant, providing a roughly 2:1 advan-
tage. The next-lower single doubles this advantage,
for 4:1, and the third single doubles it again, making
it 8:1. Finally, the upper fiddle block multiplies this
times four, for a total advantage of 32:1. (Margaret
Wilson-Briggs)

Figure 2-9. Purchases used in combination multiply each other’s force. Thus the four-part
handy-billy at left, when combined with the two-part purchase, results in an eight-part pur-
chase (4 5 2). Together with the Spanish burton (third from left), the handy-billy makes a
20-part purchase, and with the seven-part purchase at right it gives an advantage of 28. Note
that the blocks have been separated laterally for clarity; in practice, lateral separation reduces
effective purchase (see Fig. 2-18).

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