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Unknown mast features, what are these for?

I

icecreamviking

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in the two attached images are two objects I've seen on the masts of at least two reproduction 18th century ships (L'Hermione and the the Rose a.k.a the Surprise. the attached images are of L'Hermione) that I cannot find any information on, chiefly because I don't know what they are called.

one is an interesting sort of chain of large wooden blocks and bearings that fits around the topmasts. the other is a net held taught around the cap that joins masts and faces the sails (my best guess is that they prevent wear on the sail when the ship is close to the wind and the sails are inclined to press against the masts?)

If anyone knows what these are called and what they are for, I'd love to know

unidentified_mast_tool_A.PNG

unidentified_mast_tool_B.PNG
 
Hi
The first one is not the mast feature. It is yard attachment to allow yard to slide and turn on the mast. Can't remeber the proper name.
The second one is for protecting the lines and sails, which could chafe on this part of the mast
 
icecreamviking said:
in the two attached images are two objects I've seen on the masts of at least two reproduction 18th century ships (L'Hermione and the the Rose a.k.a the Surprise. the attached images are of L'Hermione) that I cannot find any information on, chiefly because I don't know what they are called.

one is an interesting sort of chain of large wooden blocks and bearings that fits around the topmasts. the other is a net held taught around the cap that joins masts and faces the sails (my best guess is that they prevent wear on the sail when the ship is close to the wind and the sails are inclined to press against the masts?)

If anyone knows what these are called and what they are for, I'd love to know

View attachment 526554

View attachment 526555
Click to expand...
Pretty sure the second one is the mast cap. The photo appears to be a topmast and trestle trees laying on its side. It looks like the cap is clad in lead perhaps, although I don’t know why the bottom would have been left unpainted.
 
For the parrels, they were attached in different ways depending on era and possibly nation. From James Lees' Masting and Rigging English Ships of War, page 66. They were not used on the lower yards on English ships after about 1760 so depends on what ship you are building. The one on the right is rigged when the parrel rope did not have to go to the deck, but rather was made fast to the yard itself. The number of rows of trucks varied as well. Smaller yards usually only had two rows,

Allan

1750331357624.jpeg
 
AllanKP69 said:
For the parrels, they were attached in different ways depending on era and possibly nation. From James Lees' Masting and Rigging English Ships of War, page 66. They were not used on the lower yards on English ships after about 1760 so depends on what ship you are building. The one on the right is rigged when the parrel rope did not have to go to the deck, but rather was made fast to the yard itself. The number of rows of trucks varied as well. Smaller yards usually only had two rows,

Allan

View attachment 526591
Click to expand...
thanks for the graphic that is *extremely* useful. I'm building L'Hermione , its a beautiful and excessively well documented ship, but certain details are omitted from the monograph and the plan books, such as this one. you're really saving my bacon!
 
Namabiiru said:
Pretty sure the second one is the mast cap. The photo appears to be a topmast and trestle trees laying on its side. It looks like the cap is clad in lead perhaps, although I don’t know why the bottom would have been left unpainted.
Click to expand...
Yup. Top of the mast cap has sheet lead to keep the rain out. It used to be common to see this on top of pilings. Now, caps are made of plastic, aluminum or copper (see photo below). It's not painted because none of the spars and associated woodwork are painted. They look to be treated with some combination of tar, oil, and kerosene (naval stores) in the traditional way. The hole in the cap is lined with leather to reduce chafing between the cap and the topmast. Each of the tabs is nailed down. The leather was also treated with oil or tallow to preserve it and to provide lubrication. Fair winds!

piling cap.jpeg
 
icecreamviking said:
you're really saving my bacon
Click to expand...
Glad to be of some help ICV. A good rigging book is especially useful. I only have two really good ones that are principally for English ships, one by Anderson, one by Lees. I have a third one by Petersson which is extremely limited in scope as it is based on a single English contemporary model of a 5th rate of 1785 and has no scantlings for masts, yards, or rigging, The free download of Steel's The Elements and Practice of Rigging and Seamanship is very helpful at times for ships of the late 18th century into the 19th century. Do you or any member know of detailed rigging books on French, Spanish, Dutch, or Portuguese ships?
Allan
 
AllanKP69 said:
Glad to be of some help ICV. A good rigging book is especially useful. I only have two really good ones that are principally for English ships, one by Anderson, one by Lees. I have a third one by Petersson which is extremely limited in scope as it is based on a single English contemporary model of a 5th rate of 1785 and has no scantlings for masts, yards, or rigging, The free download of Steel's The Elements and Practice of Rigging and Seamanship is very helpful at times for ships of the late 18th century into the 19th century. Do you or any member know of detailed rigging books on French, Spanish, Dutch, or Portuguese ships?
Allan
Click to expand...
There is an elusive full topman's manual for the reproduction of L'Hermione that was at one point purchasable (Manuel Du Gabier, by Yann Cariou), and details the entire setup of the ship, but I can't find one anywhere and there were apparently never digital copies. As I understand it the replica ship is rigged in a hybridized fashion that followed 18th century French standard wherever possible, and adapted certain English and Swedish practices in certain places. I believe Jens Langert, who also worked/works on the Gotheborg, was heavily involved. He is credited in the book
 
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