Page 123 - Nicolaes Witsen & Shipbuilding in the Dutch Golden Age

Figure 2.123. Figure 2.124.
(77 II 15)
(top) Plate XXV. Filling plank. (bottom) Plate XXV. Sheer rail.
About the Sheer rail.
How Ships Are Built in Holland Today
(80 I 3) 37. About the Washstrake.
1. The washstrake on the sheer rail , forward broad
19 inches.
2. Aft broad 18 inches.
3. Thick 11⁄2 inches.
4. Notched above, and comes to the outside equal to
the top timbers.
(80 I 18) 39. About the Washstrake aft of the Mast.
1. The washstrake, aft of the mast, broad 19 inches,
thick 7⁄4 inches.
2. The railing there broad 3 1⁄2 inches, thick 1 1⁄2
inches.
This is the uppermost wale, and is called as such [ra-hout ] because the yard [ra] lies on it in some ships: and also has another form than the wales.
(77 II 21) 1. The Sheer rail , 8 feet from the stem, broad 9 inches, thick 31⁄2 inches.
2. The side broad 2 1⁄2 inches, the other around the main frame wide 5 feet, aft one inch [mysterious formulation].
(54 I 38) Washstrake: is closed planking, w hich, at the main frame, where the ship’s side is at its lowest, is made to remove and set at will: which is done to seal the ship better; on ships of war it has round holes for muskets, and small doors through w hich things are raised and entered.
Vertuining board, plank or wood: is wood, or are planks, that are placed on the Ship’ s sides, above the sheer rail , toward the stern, w hen ships are planked high.
Above the sheer rail , forward as well as aft, start- ing from the hances, it is vertuin t [planked] as should be, and generally aft of the [main] mast 4 hances are made, or sometimes 3, depending on w hether the stern is plank ed high or l ow; the lowermost strak e, on the sheer rail , is al ways as broad for ward as aft. Then the vertuining [planking above the sheer r ail] is continued with wainscot boards, of a thickness as re- quired. It should be minded that the vertuining boards aft against the large coun tertimbers are made a little broader, and coming in, so as not to have the vertuin- ing look drooping. When it is vertuint properly, then the ship is left open between the rails and top plank- ing, as wide as necessary; and on every hance the aftercastle side is made, one foot or a little less high, according to the size of the ship, but aft it is closed between the open strakes, and such around the cabin; that can be made so much higher.
(54 I 32)
(77 II 26) 9 feet from the bow , or measured from the stem around the bow , there the washstrak e begins, on the sheer rail: there it is broad , between the railing and the sheer rail , 19 inches, and above the rst gun- port broad 16 inches, farther aft at the end of the fore- castlebroad18inches,thick11⁄2 inches:thehole3feet 7inches,pasttheaftermostbeam oftheforecastle:the hance comes forward: the washstrake is broad 20 inches, and let into the top-timbers above like the railing, broad 31⁄2 inches,andthick11⁄2 inches:themolding1inch:the otherrailingswide81⁄2 inches,forward9inches,broad 5inches,andthick3in ches:themoldingstripis1 1⁄2 inches, straight above and hollow below.
The washstrake on the sheer rail, aft broad 18 inches, thick 11⁄2 inches, forward 2 feet.
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