Page 534 - The Ashley Book of Knots

PRACTICAL MARLINGSPIKE SEAMANSHIP

is seventeenth-century. It is strapped through a hole between the

two shivs. Recently shoe blocks have been used for buntlines.

3193. A wwer lift purchase with standing part strapped to the

block.

3194. Two straps may be quickly adjusted to a block in this man-

ner. If there is time they should be seized in.

3195. A CUT SPLICE with single block seized in.

3196. A pendant block of about 1600 is shown by R. C. Anderson

in his Treatise on Rigging (circa 1625).

3197. A double pendlT11t block is given by Roding (1795)' I do

not know its purpose. It may be a fair-leader.

3198. A block from Furttenbach (1629), representative of one of '11

the earliest types known. The standing part is knotted into the

breech. The shell is actually a block of wood which, of course, is

the origin of the name.

3199. A strap fitted with STOPPER KNOTS from Roding (1795). A

lanyard was eye spliced around the neck of one of these STOPPERS

and the block was lashed in the rigging just as CABLE STOPPER

~1765 is clapped on. •
o

3200. The earliest way of strapping a block was to reeve it CI
3198

through a hole in the upper end of the shell. The method is shown

31,,6
by Furttenbach in 1629. The STOPPER KNOT used at this period would 1197

probably be a wall upon a wall (~684)'

3201. The early method of strapping, just described, is still em-

ployed on snatch blocks. I have one, incised "Bark America" on the

back, that dates from the first half of the nineteenth century. This

method of strapping is also used toJay on the blocks of tropical 3199

jalousies and awning gear.

3202. Quarter blocks are double and have a round seizing. The

legs are of equal length, with eyes in each end which lash together 3200

over the topgallant yard. The forward shiv takes the topgallant clew "32.0\

line and the after one takes the royal sheet, according to Brady

1
( 184 ).

3203. A euphroe block has "many holes but no shivers" and is used

to extend the edge of an awning.

3204. To strap a reef tackle block: Make a grommet and seize in ~zo2

two thimbles the width of the block apart. Notch the block deeply at

the breech and strap in the usual way. Reeve the fall through the

two thimbles. The purpose is to prevent reef earings and reef points

from fouling in the shivs.

31.04

3205, 3206. These are taken from Crescentio's N autica Medi-

terrania of 1607. Multi-shiv blocks were used to disperse the strain

of running rigging that was made fast to the stays. They served a

purpose similar to euphroe blocks (see ~ 32 76).

32.01

3207. This is a threefold block from Roding (1795).

A tackle (pronounced tai'cle at sea) is generally rove in the same

• •

32.0

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