Page 126 - Nicolaes Witsen & Shipbuilding in the Dutch Golden Age

Chapter Two
Figure 2.130. (top) Plate XX. Waterway of upper decks.
Figure 2.131. (bottom) Plate XX. Binding strake of upper decks.
63. Then the Upper Waterways Are Made (and the Binding Strakes)
On the upper dec k the planking was prepared in the same way as for the lower dec k: heavy waterways were laid against the s ides, and in the middle, next to the locations reserved for the h atches, the binding str akes were laid. As on the m ain deck, the binding str akes did not run in one line from bow to stern. At the large sky- light grating they lay farthest apart; forward and aft of that they lay nearer to one another, as the other hatches and openings were not as wide. The binding strakes and waterways both h ad grooves in whic h the ledg es fitted (see 2.104).
There were different methods for j oining the w ater- ways and binding str akes to the dec k beams. Sometimes a section of the be am was cut thinner to let them in, and sometimes a part of the binding strakes was cut to fit over the beam. With the pi nas the beam was lef t untouched except for two small cuts at the edges. Holes were made in the w aterway to fi t in the bos, square wooden piec es with scupper holes drilled through them (see fig. 2.132).
64. With the Spirketing on it.
64. With the Spirketing on It
The spirketing was fi tted against the ship’s side on top of the waterway, as on the main deck. This ceiling or gun- wale was continued all the way up to the rail. In the fore- castle, steering stand, and cabin, however, there was only one ceiling plank, topped by the covering board, leaving the top timbers above the covering board exposed.
65. The Ledges on the Main Deck.
(90 II 17) The ledges thick 21⁄2 inches, or 3 inches. There comes one on each end of the ledge [the carlings are meant].
65. The Ledges on the Main Deck
The ledges, as mentioned e arlier, were sm all extra deck beams, lying in the groo ves of the waterway and binding strake and giving extra support to the deck planking. They were as thick as the hul l planking. Usually three ledg es lay between a pair of beams, but there could be as many as five where the dec k beams lay seven feet apart at the main hatch.
66. The Carlings underneath.
(56 II 48) the Carling comes longitudinall y under- neath the ends of the ledges.
. ..
(90 II 11) The carlings are let in to the deck beams underneath the ledges, because the guns, would oth- erwise bend the main deck.
. ..
(68 II 35) [. . .] carlings 1⁄3.
66. The Carlings Underneath
The ledges were in turn supported by longitudinal timbers let into the s ides of the deck beams. Thus a web of sup- porting timber was laid underneath the dec k planks. The
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(77 I 12) 2. The spirketing on it, broad 10 inches, thick 21⁄2 inches.
(90 II 15) The carlings thick and broad 4 inches, the ledges31⁄2 inches,thecarlingsintheforecastlethick31⁄2 inches.