Page 121 - Nicolaes Witsen & Shipbuilding in the Dutch Golden Age

Figure 2.119. Figure 2.120.
(top) Plate LIII (drawing MM) (bottom) Plate LIII (drawing NN)
also made with a dovetail in the top timber , c are the top timbers. To this then the port lid is made, in the Chock the pegs of the port hinges are made, and they are shut from inside. The gunports are cut according to the rising and falling of the main deck and upper deck.
(55 I 4 1) Chocks are made to close something, and keep it secure.
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60. Make the Chocks above the Gunports around the Outside
When the uppermost parts of the frames, the top timbers, were placed, the pos ition of the gu nports had already been taken into account. Usually they were arranged such that they fell between two frames, wasting as little wood as possible. The sills and lintels were j oined with side scarfs between the frames.
Figure 2.121. (top) Plate LIII (drawing OO)
How Ships Are Built in Holland Today
(71 I 22) 31. About the Gunports.
1. At the main frame, the heigh t of the upper deck is divided in to three parts, one part below , one part above the gunports.
2. The sill of all the gunports after this heigh t, aft and forward somewhat wider.
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(77 I 41) The gunports are made wider today than be- fore, to better aim the gun.
(78 I 1) The rearmost gunport, is made comfort- ably away from the stern timber and such 2 1⁄2 feet, the other gunport 11 feet from the rear of the port, or 13 feet from the stern timber: the third gunport 10 feet from the rear, the fourth gunport 9 feet, the fth gunport 10 feet fromtherear,thesixth101⁄2 feet,theseventh111⁄2 feet the eighth 121⁄2 the ninth gunport 12 feet from the rear , and so forth.
Forward in the forecastle, near the bow to measure, 61⁄2 feet from the stem, comes the rst gunport, at seven- teen feet the second, and at 31 feet the third, etc.
(77 I 36) About the chocks or lintels, abo ve the gunports and sill.
1. The chock, above the gunport, thick 4 inches: the sill, thick 4 inches, being equal with the top timbers in- side and outside.
(77 II 46) The gunports come 2 feet 2 inches above the main deck, but sometimes also 2 inches wider: stand apart 81⁄2 to 9 to 91⁄2 to 10, and sometimes 11 feet.
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