I'm a new member working on a Spray kit from Bluejacket. I'm trying to add more detail to the anchor rigging than what's provided in the original kit but after much internet research cannot find any information on how the Spray (or similar smallish 19th century sloops) would have secured the anchor. Photographs of the spray show the anchor secured from the port side of the boat but I cannot make out how it is secured. It doesn't appear that the Spray used an actual cathead with associated blocks, lines and securing paraphenalia etc. Other modelers who have posted their completed Spray builds on the internet seem to have dealt with the anchor by placing it on the deck unsecured to stanchions, eyepins, etc. Does anyone know how anchors were secured on Spray-type sloops?
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I have no idea if this is similar but maybe will be a little help. There are a lot of photos of fishing schooners from the late 19th century that might help. There are a lot of photos of similar vessels in the Library of Congress website that can be downloaded for free. Maybe there are some there that could help.
Allan
I have no idea if this is similar but maybe will be a little help. There are a lot of photos of fishing schooners from the late 19th century that might help. There are a lot of photos of similar vessels in the Library of Congress website that can be downloaded for free. Maybe there are some there that could help.
Allan
Thanks! This clearly shows the position of the anchor and the rigging line around the arms of the anchor. I'll check out the LoCongress files.
Yes thanks, I have these. They just didn't have the level of detail I was looking for.
I built a scratch model of the Spray many years ago from the published plans and many photos of the Spray in various books about Slocum. I no longer have all of my reference material but I've attached a picture of the bow of my model so you can see how I handled the anchors. FYI the Bluejacket kit produces a nice model but it is in many ways inaccurate when compared to Spray's plans and photos.
one thing that has me puzzled with anchors, especially on large ships with anchors weighing thousands of pounds...
realize weighing anchor on a rocking rolling ship can be and is an extreamly dangerous task. how is it the ship rails n decks arent getting destroyed with that swinging anchor being lifted over the sides? or even with the anchor secured to the side of the ship... rubbing steel against the hull or just the wrong wave slaming the ship as its dangling. oh yea the bill board, but from the ships ive built, they just dont seem to be enough protection.
realize weighing anchor on a rocking rolling ship can be and is an extreamly dangerous task. how is it the ship rails n decks arent getting destroyed with that swinging anchor being lifted over the sides? or even with the anchor secured to the side of the ship... rubbing steel against the hull or just the wrong wave slaming the ship as its dangling. oh yea the bill board, but from the ships ive built, they just dont seem to be enough protection.
Attached are the plans I used. They were supplemented by the many photos of Spray I found in various books to get the deck details. If you Google "Plans for Slocum's Spray" you'll have no trouble finding enough info for a scratch build. It was a fun project and well worth the effort.
