Page 154 - Nicolaes Witsen & Shipbuilding in the Dutch Golden Age

Chapter Two
Figure 2.183. Covering board.
Figure 2.184. Bolster.
Figure 2.185. Cabin beam.
(above) Plate XXXIV. (right) Plate XXXVII. (below) Plate XXXII.
85. The Covering Board
The covering board closed off the top of the top timbers, preventing water from ent ering between the fr ames from above. At the beginning of the c entury, for in stance, on the Wasa (1629) and even on the Prins Willem (1649), the covering board at the top of the gunwale lay very low above the deck, with the tops of the top timbers still vis- ible at the ins ide of the gunw ale. Later the inwale was raised, lining the inside of the gunwale up to the covering board everywhere. This can be seen on the Hohenz ollern model of the Dutc h two-decker, for instanc e. Van Yk was not very taken by this idea and devotes a lengthy section to the low gunwale, which in his opinion is much easier to maintain (p. 115).
The plank that formed the c overing board was half as thick as the ceiling; it was mortised to fi t over each top timber and caulked after positioning.
86. The Bolster.
(55 I 14 ) Bolsters: serve to bela y ropes, and cables onto, to make bitt anchors. The large riding bitt also helps to strengthen the ship in the bow.
. ..
(70 II 18) 2. The bolster 1⁄3 thicker than the stem.
3. The cheek of deal, on the aft side half as thick as
the stem.
(79 II 43) 6. The heads of the bolster, long 15 inches. 136
86. The Bolster
The bolster was the last part of the riding bitts, which con- sisted of the bitt posts and bitt knees before them (see sections 76, Place the Bitts, and 84, The Bitt Knees).
This horizontal beam was provided with a deal or pine fish. It was here that the wear was the greatest. It was much cheaper to occasionally change such a piece of soft wood than the oak crosspiece itself. Furthermore, the an- chor cables were subjected to much less chafing from the softer wood.
87. Plank the forecastle.
[the planks] in the forecastle 2 inches 87. Plank the Forecastle
This section refers to laying the deck planks on the fore- castle head. These filled the spac es between the w ater- ways and the binding str akes at each side and between the binding strakes in the middle.
88. Make the Waterboard on the Forecastle.
(86 I 18)
(83 I 32) The waterboard on the forecastle, 3 1⁄2 inches, broad 10 inches.