Page 528 - The Ashley Book of Knots

PRACTICAL MARLINGSPIKE SEAMAl'SHIP

was a slow process. In this case the rope was in short lengths for

e:!sier handling, with an eye in one end to which the next length was

lent with a BECKET HITCH.

3124. Some of the older seamanship works picture snaking passed •

,
""'" ' ........ -_ .... -,'
with a round turn. In this case it would have to be stopped, other- ........ , .... , 1 " .. , .... , ,Col ...... ..,
,
,
I ~ 2 '!)
\
wise it would not hold if the rope parted. This latter method was • , \ ~ , , 1 I
I , \ \ \

probably the quickest of all. • \ \ I
,
•

\

3125. There are, nowadays, many more or less mechanical ar-

rangements for bending sail, consisting of various metal slides and • ~ \ , I
,
,
I
,
.
snaps, but here we are particularly concerned with rope practice. _~/. ____ ---..:., •

At the end of Chapter 16, "Binding Knots," are given a number

of ROB AND HITCHES, which were formerly used in bending square

sails. The following practices are for gaffs and booms.

The most usual way of bending a sail to a gaff is with marline

seizings, consisting of several turns around the spar and boltrope with ) 12. b

crossing turns added. In large craft, small stuff is used in Illllch the

same way. The number of turns may be few or many, depending en- . , ,
I

tirely on the relative sizes of the sail and the line. Square sails have ,'1 \' I, :

"
.... --......... .,.\,.o. •••••• - ..... -_.L_J ____ ...... ""' .... '.
been bent in this way with two turns only, before jackstays came l', " I, .1, t
• I '~---------~-~
Into use.

3126. Bending with a single short piece of rope, passed through

an eyelet in the foot of a sail, and reef knotted below the boom. is

the oldest known method of bending a sail. Later the two parts were ))))))))))) '))))/)))))))) J)J)))))))y

seized together between the spar and boltrope.

) I 27

3127. A Gloucesterman's boom was usually bent in the fashion

•
shown here, with a lace line wrapped around and around, passing I , I
•

through an eyelet hole at each circuit. Gaffs were also frequently I , (
•

bent to in this same way. __ -.---_...J..... ( _. __ ., __ ,,"dr-"- --'".-

3128. Both gaff and boom are often marled to the sail, and wire

boltrope is marled in a similar way to a square sail with small stuff.

3129. Lace line and screw eyes. This has been common practice )))))) :W!J))))jU))\))V))HJ~! I Jy)]}))~)~n

both in "pleasure boats" and small commercial craft for l11an~T years. -

The screw eyes are in the boom and the sail is laced through eyelet ,/2.8 ,

boles in the tabling or else to thimbles seized to the footrope. I. , ., \ , '\ I
\ ,
\

3130. This is called a FOOT STOPPER or a BOOM STOPPER KNOT. I " " 1 I, " \ \ \ I
,.... ..... ..) ...... '-l __ ~- -- - __ .l. _-_- __ - '--- ____ ..! _ - - - 4 __ '- __ -,

With this contrivance, when on the wind, the foot of a sail is bent I

to the boom. When off the wind, the REEF KNOTS are cast adrift and

the sail is loose-footed. So far as I know, its use is limited to slJJall

British craft.

3 / 2.9

To tie the knot: A short strap, that is whipped at each end, is mid-

dIed through an eyelet hole in the foot of the sail. Each end is thrust ~~~I ~)~I))/J}))(I) ))))))J; ):~W)))))/'//);))) ))jJ))J)/~))/;!;))J

through the lay of the other end, close up to the hole. The ends are :-..;,~---- --".-

then reef knotted around the boom. This knot is also shO\vn in

Chapter 16.

3'30