Page 187 - Nicolaes Witsen & Shipbuilding in the Dutch Golden Age

500 71⁄2 9
400 7 81⁄2 21⁄2 300 61⁄2 8 21⁄4 200 6 7 2 100 5 7 13⁄4
Weight Length Rope thickness
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23⁄4
Caliper thickness
The anchor on an East Indiaman long 170 feet, I have found to weigh 3300 pounds.
125. Anchors
A ship c arried several anchors: the b ower, which was the largest; the sheet anchor, somewhat smaller; the streamer, smaller again; and the kedge, the smallest. The longboat and launch both had a grapnel, an anchor with four arms.
Anchors were severely tested before appro ved to be taken aboard. Small wonder, considering that they were often used in dang erous situations and the s afety of the ship depended on their quality . To test its strength, the anchor was dropped on the barrel of a gun to c heck whether it would bend or cr ack.
Witsen’s tables speak for themselves. Dimen sions of thickness refer to diameter s, except “caliper thickness,” which indicates the cross section. The diameter of the an- chor cable of the pinas was about eleven centimeters.
126. Anchor Cables
(120 II 9) The thickness of the working bower cable, is proportionate to the length of the Ship: for instance; let the Ship be 100 feet l ong: then for every ten feet ofthelength,oneinchis takenforthethicknessfor the cable.
The bower usually has the same cables. In distress, two ropes are stitched together , to ride the sea more easily.
An anchor then, heavy 1100 pounds, long 111⁄2 feet. Is square at the top 4 1⁄2 inches, and at the bottom end 5 1⁄4 inches, measured with the calipers. The arms have 5 inches cur ve, and are 5 feet long. The ukes long 21⁄2 feet, and broad 2 feet, at on the inside, but on the outside like the shank. The arms are bent 2 feet and 9 inches, the square is long 1 1⁄4 feet, thenotchonit1foot,thick1 inch.Theholeforthe ringiswide21⁄2 inches,theringwide16inches.The anchor stock has to be as long as the anchor with the ring and all, which is 13 feet. Every foot length of the stock one inch for the b readth, but the ends half of this, the bottom side is made cur ved, or arched, for it to be stronger, and better able to bend.
Anchor ukes are taken as wished, yet tting, ac- cording to the size of the anchors; and the un tness of the ground, on which they have to hold, which is why there are no rules for this.
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(119 I 15) Grapnels are anchors with four arms, of which the weight is not derived from the size of the Ships, but of the boats, because that is w hat they are
(118 I 36)
How Ships Are Built in Holland Today
used for: and because these di the grapnels.
. . .
er little in size, so do
(127 I 13)
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The weight of the cable laid on one hundred fathoms.
(118 II 51) A uyt of 200 lasts, carries a bower of 900 pounds. A sheet anchor of 800 pounds. Stream anchor of 700 pounds. Kedge of 200 pounds.
Ashipof600lasts,hasabower ,3000poundsof weight. A sheet anchor , 2800 pounds of weigh t. Stream anchor of 2600 pounds. And k edge of 1800 pounds.
A ship of one h undred lasts, has a bower of 800 pounds. Sheer anchor of 700 pounds. Stream anchor, of 600 pounds. Kedge, of 500 pounds.
A uyt of 220 lasts, carries a bower of 290 pounds
[should probably be “12 90 pounds” compared with the first ship listed above].
A Merchantman, long 140 feet often carries an- chors, heavy 1700 pounds.
A cable of 4 inches, 41⁄2
51⁄2 6 61⁄2 7 71⁄2 8 81⁄2 9 91⁄2 10 101⁄2 11 111⁄2
weighs 325 pounds 400
90 580 680 800 930 1060 1200 1340 1490 1640 1800 1970 2150 2325
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