Page 526 - The Ashley Book of Knots

PRACTICAL MARLINGSPIKE SEAMANSHIP

The cover of the "flaking box" has a series of pins over which the

line (a braided one) is coiled in the manner pictured, alternate flakes

being coiled from front to back and from side to side. The box is

then placed over the coiled lines and pins and is turned over. When

the coil is put to use the cover with the pins is lifted, which leaves

the line loosely coiled in the box. The box is placed with a corner

facing the line of trajectory, so that the flakes are diagonal. The back

corner of the box is lifted to allow the rope to run out easily when

the rocket is fired.

3108. A British method of coiling a line for the rocket gun is 310&

described by Todd and Whall and pictured in the Admiralty Mil11ual

of Seamanship for 1932. The turns are taken diagonally instead of o ... ?

e 0 0 \) 0

square, alternate flakes having opposite diagonals. The rocket end "

0 0
of the line leads from the side of the box, which is placed all square,

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and with the back side lifted.

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3109. Racked turns. If a new sheet is inclined to kink, coil it flat ~ .,
"\.
0
on deck in this manner with figure-eight or belaying-pin turns, which

will neither add to nor detract from the amount of twist. Make the 0 ()
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turns as large as space will admit. After a few days the sheet will 0 0 0 ... 0 0 • 0

L

adjust itself. Coil garden hose in this manner around two large stones

which will hold the turns in place while coiling. Coiled in this way,

hose may be hung up on two pegs or beckets against the side of a

building and may be hauled directly from the coil without danger

of kinking.

3110. Figure-eight flakes. A series of overlapping figure-eight

turns, advancing, in the direction illustrated, about one or two di.

ameters of the rope at each turn, is an excellent way to range a new

stiff cable. It is also a very satisfactory way of coiling down large

hose.

3111. A long flake in a chain buoy cable is ranged thwartship the

full width of the deck opposite the companionway and, when the

anchor is dropped, whips out, end for end, with a fearful commo-

tion, raising a cloud of dust. After it has once started to run, no

human agency can stop it. It does not require so wide a companion- 31o<j 311 I

way as the French flake which follows.

3112. The French flake is made exactly as the long flake, but it

leads from the side instead of the end when planting buoys. It is

also used in hawsers and warps for towing, when it is ranged

thwartship and the lead is aft.

3113. To "Flemish down" is a little different. Although it is very

closely related to the French flake, it bears no resemblance to the

Flemish coil. It is employed with a stiff line, not necessarily a large 3 I I 2.

one, although usually so. The ends of each succeeding flake are

pushed slightly under the preceding one, which holds it in place.

One man coils down, while another arranges the turns. 3 , , '3

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