Page 143 - Nicolaes Witsen & Shipbuilding in the Dutch Golden Age

How Ships Are Built in Holland Today
(87 I 35) 9. About the Ribs in the Beakhead.
The First rib stands against the stem.
The Other 2 feet farther , and are thick 5 inches,
broad 71⁄2 inches.
The third wide 2 feet, thick 6, and broad 1 inch. The fourth, wide 2 feet 2 inches, thick 4 1⁄2 inches,
broad 61⁄2 inches.
(87 II 3) 10. About the Little Deck [in the beakhead]. Forward the little deck is thick 4 inches, broad 10
inches.
(87 II 6) 11. About the beakhead Pinrails.
1. There are 2 pinrails, thick 5 inches, broad 5 1⁄2
inches.
2. Having a curve 31⁄2 inches. 3. Made with 4 belaying pins.
(87 II 11) 12. About the Battens.
1. The battens, thick 1 inch, broad 11⁄2 inches.
2. Lying apart 2 inches.
3. They lie 1 inch underneath the upper face of the
second head rail.
4. There are 6 beams, thick 2 1⁄2 inches, broad 3
inches.
5. At the end they are ath wart the beams, thick
3 inches, broad 4 inches.
80. The Beakhead
We saw how the lower spur of the beakhead was placed in section 68 ( The lower Spur of the beakhead ). It was secured by knees from below as well as from the s ides. A groove was cu t into the top, in whic h the k am fitted. This was a c arved plank, sculpted with fl oral motifs and other embellishments. The upper spur of the head rested on top of the k am. It was s lightly less massive than the lower spur and secured b y cheeks at the sides as well as a knee above.
The lion rested on the lower spur of the beakhead, its rear bordering the k am. The es, the exten sion of the up- per spur of the he ad, terminated with a nic e scroll that protruded above the lion’s head.
Between the es and the ship’s hull were the head rails, which were held in place by ribs. The ribs were connected by beams, on whic h the batten s forming the be akhead deck were nailed. These were set a little apart so that the deck was always drained.
Forward in the be akhead a pair of crosspieces were
Figure 2.162.
construction. The lower spur is supported from underneath by a knee and laterally by the cheeks. Abaft the lion we see the kam with the upper spur on top. (Courtesy G. A. de Weerdt)
Figure 2.163. (center) The upper spur is secured laterally by cheeks. The top headrail has been fitted, connecting the es with the ship. (Courtesy G. A. de Weerdt)
Figure 2.164. (bottom) The headrails and ribs have been completed. The battens of the grating deck are placed on top of the beams, and the pinrails connect the headrails of both sides. (Courtesy G. A. de Weerdt)
(top) The beakhead in the first stage of
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