Page 182 - Nicolaes Witsen & Shipbuilding in the Dutch Golden Age

Chapter Two
117. The Pinrail on the forecastle.
Figure 2.220. Plate XXVI. Forecastle crosspiece, kevel, belaying pin.
119. Arch above the Whipstaff, If Necessary
In section 110 ( The Rudder), we saw why the whipstaff was made of some length. It c ould therefore protrude above the quarterdeck, and an opening was provided for it to move freely . Often a hutc h was built over the open- ing, going from waterway to waterway and closed on the aft side. The front was left open for the helmsman to have enough visibility to see the lower s ails and to c ommuni- cate with the quartermaster when the latter was standing on deck. The helmsman would also steer by the compass, which was placed in the binnacle, a small wooden cabinet with one or more compasses and an oil lamp for the night.
120. Then commence finishing o the outside.
120. Then Commence Finishing Off the Outside
In the title of this section Witsen uses the verb verzoe- ken, which has no clear meaning here. It probably means finishing off the outs ide—that is, leveling the n ails to make them fl ush, caulking, removing uneven patches, and so on.
121. And sheathe if necessary.
121. And Sheathe If Necessary
Wood sheathing was applied on ship s destined for the tropics because of the risk of shipworm (Teredo navalis), a type of mollusk that could damage ships so badly that they would fall apart. A second skin of deal planking was applied below the waterline to prevent the shipworm from eating into the ship. Between the main planking and the wood sheathing a layer of tar and cattle hair was applied to form an additional barrier.
Before the wood sheathing could be a pplied, it was necessary to hove down the ship (i. e., to haul it onto its side in the water).
122. The Sternpost and Rudder sheathed with copper.
122. The Sternpost and Rudder Sheathed with Copper
The sternpost was sheathed with copper plates to protect this important timber from decay. Yet ironically the combi- nation of copper with the iron of the rudder irons resulted
(90 II 1) 58. About the pinrail, before the Foremast on the forecastle.
1. This pinrail, thick 8 inches, broad 9 inches. 2. Lying 8 inches above the forecastle.
3. At each end there is a knee, in the side long 3
feet, at the pinrail long 2 1⁄2 feet, broad 8 inches, thick 6 inches.
117. The Pinrail on the Forecastle
Across the catheads and below the transverse railing there was a beam into which belaying pins were set, along with kevels for the cathead stopper, which was used when cat- ting the anchor. On the Wasa, which strictly speaking had a closed forecastle, the same solution can be observed.
118. Kevel and belaying pin.
39. Belaying pins, 3⁄4 inch. 118. Kevel and Belaying Pin
The kevels were treated in section 112 ( Apply the Kevel Rail, if necessary ), and for bel aying pins Witsen here uses the word karvielhout (carling) instead of karvielna- gel or the more modern equivalent, korvijnagel (“belaying pin” or “jack pin”). The jack pins had a diameter of 3⁄4 inch and were placed in the pinrails.
119.ArchabovetheWhipsta ,ifnecessary.
(71 II 19)
(88 I 6) About the arch above the whipsta .
This comes 18 inches from the bulkhead , and is 1 5
inches wide, and high in the middle 19 inches, it fades to naught at 11⁄2 feet from the ship’s side. The sides consist of a scant plank, and on the top, it is covered with deals of 1 in.
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