Belaying fore topgallant clue line

[Don Case]

In Lees pg 177 belaying on the Medway I took this picture


The cluelines say "second fore shroud". Elsewhere he says it's belayed on the fore top. I'm confused as to where and how it's belayed. I'm assuming that "second fore shroud" would be the lower shroud. Petersson has it belayed on the pinrail on the fore deck so that doesn't help. But Steel agrees with Petersson. So what and where is the "second fore shroud" in this case??

 

[Don Case]

I decided to use my new rule, " If in doubt belay it at the furthest away point as you can". Then if you find out later where it really should go you have enough slack to move it there.

 

[AllanKP69]

A conundrum to be sure Don. Regardless of how you proceed there are options and as you know, there were variations from ship to ship even within the same era. Strictly a guess but would the second fore shroud be the second lower shroud where a cleat would have been used for belaying the clue? Same goes for the main topgallant clue as Lees writes that it belays to the second main shroud. Whichever way you go, you have backup evidence should anyone question how you
do it.

 

[Don Case]

Strictly a guess but would the second fore shroud be the second lower shroud where a cleat would have been used for belaying the clue? Same goes for the main topgallant clue as Lees writes that it belays to the second main shroud. Whichever way you go, you have backup evidence should anyone question how you
do it.

Thanks for the post Alan. That was as far as I could guess too. I don't like making/attaching/belaying to shroud cleats so I'll think about it for a while. When you start seeing the end of this rigging you start to realize that for the most part 'you can't see the rigging for the ropes' so I guess one mistake will get by.

 

[PeterG]

Just to be REALLY pedantic, the spelling of the words ‘clue’ and ‘clew’ are not synonymous. The definition of a clew, is from ‘old English’

“before 900; Middle English clewe, Old English cleowen, cliewen, equivalent to cliew- (cognate with Old High German kliu ball) + -en -en” and correctly as a noun means:

noun ‘clew’​

1. clue ( def 1 ). See below
2. Nautical. either lower corner of a square sail or the after lower corner of a fore-and-aft sail.
3. a ball or skein of thread, yarn, etc.
4. Usually clews. the rigging for a hammock.
5. Theater. a metal device holding scenery lines controlled by one weighted line.
6. Classical Mythology. the thread by which Theseus found his way out of the labyrinth.
   

   noun ‘clue’​

   1. anything that serves to guide or direct in the solution of a problem, mystery, etc.:
      It is up to Aurora to piece together the clues and solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.
      Synonyms: key, mark, evidence, trace, hint, sign
   2. a phrase or word provided as a hint to help find an answer or response in a crossword puzzle, on a game show, etc.:
      The celebrity editor's name was featured as a clue on the long-running quiz show
   3. an insight into or knowledge about something:
      As a kid from the suburbs, Patrick has lived a sheltered life and doesn't have a clue how to survive on his own.
      
      To be realistic though, I think in common usage, ‘clue’ is likely to be mainly used in the USA to refer to the corner of a sail whereas, English and derivative countries such as Australia would spell the word as ‘clew’. In other words, it depends which dictionary you use, and where it is used.
      
      Best Regards,
      
      PeterG