Page 103 - Nicolaes Witsen & Shipbuilding in the Dutch Golden Age

The main step was placed six feet behind the middle of the ship and, a s we s aw before, secured between a rider floor forward and aft and on the sides by chocks (see fig. 2.87).
The foremast step lay all the way forward. It was a thick crescent-shaped plank, supported by a c hock, which rested with its foot on the ceiling against a breasthook.
Witsen forgets to include the futtoc k riders in his enu- meration of reinforcements. These large timbers went from the t urn of the bil ge past the m ain deck beams up to the height of the upper deck beams. They were as thick as the hanging knees and were bolted to the dec k beams and futtocks with heavy bolts.
These riders were applied to c ompensate for the los s of constructional strength caused by the gunports and to strengthen the ship against the great strain caused by fir- ing a broadside. In the pi nas one was added between ev- ery two gunports. Thus, it could happen that a number of deck beams had a hanging knee to one side and a futtock rider to the other.
41. Level the upper [should be “lower”] Waterway.
41. Level the Upper (Lower) Waterway
The waterway was a broa d, thick plank lying on the dec k beams against the ship’s side, thus forming the edg e of the deck (see also section 42, Lay down the W ater- way). The thickness was one third, the breadth one and two thirds of the stem.
Witsen in f act means that the futtoc ks in the ship’s side and the dec k beams had to be leveled or f aired to prepare them for the waterway. The waterway was let into the deck beams to level it with the other deck planks.
The inner side of the water way was grooved, on which the ledges carrying the dec k planks were to c ome. The depth of the groo ve corresponded with the thic kness of the deck planks.
In the pi nas the waterway was fi tted around the fut - tock riders that went from the turn of the bilge to the up- per deck. That was not a standard construction. In the restored Wasa, for in stance, the w aterways do not touch the ship’s sides because of the riders. The space between these parts were fi rst filled with filling pieces, and then the waterway was mounted.
42. Lay down the Waterway.
(54 I 50) Waterways are thick planks, that lie on the main deck, or on the upper deck, against the side, that have been bolted with bol ts to or in the wales and
Figure 2.87.
mainmast step (1), a hole hewn in the keelson (2), strengthened on both sides with a chock (3) and fore and aft with a rider floor. The rider floors were on both sides, placed against bilge riders, which were connected with a vertical futtock rider. (Drawing by A. J. Hoving)
through the hull planking. The ledges and beams here are tightened with heavy bolts, joined, and dovetailed.
. ..
(60 II 41) The waterway goes fore and aft on the side, on the beams, l ying against the top timbers, and the futtocks.
. ..
[. . .] lies on the ends of the beams, against the frames, on each side, up to the stem.
How Ships Are Built in Holland Today
Kattespoor. The assembly consisted of the
(59 I 52)
(68 II 17)
. ..
16. About the thickness of the Waterway.
1. The Waterway, should be 1⁄3 of the thickness of the stem.
2. The breadth, to 12⁄3 times the stem. . ..
Shown at the
the Waterway.
The Beam, w hich is made as above, with a
gure DD [fig. 2.89]. groove of 1⁄2 inch chiseled in the Waterway.
(153 I 29)
a b
(76 I 47) 22. About the lower Waterway.
1. The lower water way broad 19 inches, thick 6
inches.
85