Vertical pieces of wood on the outer hull?

[jongr90]

Hello all. I was wondering what these vertical pieces of wood are outside ships of the line and similar era ships. What are they called and what is their purpose? Are these decoration? Or are these an additional level of reinforcement? Why are they only located amidships and not throughout the length of the ship? Thanks in advance!

 

[Kurt Konrath]

I don't know the technical name of the parts, but they are bumpers or fenders along the hull where the ship would rub against another ship at sea when the come along side. The purpose is to give a gap between the sides of ships to keep damage to hardware and cannon doors from happening.

 

[neptune]

They are for when lowering the ship's boat's, and the two close together are for rolling barrels up and down the side of the ship,
Best regards John,

 

[jongr90]

Thank you, both! Now I know to actually mind the spacing for when I place them rather than just plopping them on based on "looks"

 

[Uwek]

The answer of John is completely correct hoisting the boats - imagine the activity, off course with closed gunport lids
usually only midships at the hull sides, where the boats were secured on deck

 

[AllanKP69]

I don't know the technical name of the parts, but they are bumpers or fenders along the hull where the ship would rub against another ship at sea when the come along side.

There were fenders and chestrees. With the wales protruding from the surrounding planking the fenders were to protect the hull and cargo such as barrels being hauled onto the ship (parbuckling) and they were actually replaceable wear strips, I have never seen any description based on contemporary sources that describe these in connection with ships boats or rubbing against other ships but they may have served that purpose as well. The scantlings for fenders and chestrees for various rates can be found in Steel's Elements and Practice of Naval Architecture, although Goodwin gives different scantlings. I am not sure of his sources for the figures he uses. From Steel, the fenders were sided anywhere from 2.5" to 5" and moulded 4" to 7" depending on the ship rating. They also tapered 1" to 1.5" so barely noticeable at our most common scales.

As to the number, there were as many as four or five on first, second and third rates until about 1706 when the fifth fender was eliminated. In 1736 this was reduced to three with the two opposite the main hatch, spaced about 2' 9" apart. About 1780 the third was shortened and served as the chestree.

There was one chestree on each side and each carried a sheave for the main tack. It was sided from 4 inches to 10 inches and moulded 4" to 8" depending on the ship rating. It tapered from 1.5" for smallest vessels to 3" for first rates. When the chestree was no longer considered a fender and shortened, the lower end stopped at the upper edge of the middle wale on three deckers, the upper edge of the channel wale on two deckers, and a little above the main wale on single deckers.

During the early part of the 19th century the fenders were eliminated.

Allan

 

[manning16]

Allan..I knew you would know! I wish I had .000001 of your nautical knowledge !

 

[jongr90]

There were fenders and chestrees. With the wales protruding from the surrounding planking the fenders were to protect the hull and cargo such as barrels being hauled onto the ship (parbuckling) and they were actually replaceable wear strips, I have never seen any description based on contemporary sources that describe these in connection with ships boats or rubbing against other ships but they may have served that purpose as well. The scantlings for fenders and chestrees for various rates can be found in Steel's Elements and Practice of Naval Architecture, although Goodwin gives different scantlings. I am not sure of his sources for the figures he uses. From Steel, the fenders were sided anywhere from 2.5" to 5" and moulded 4" to 7" depending on the ship rating. They also tapered 1" to 1.5" so barely noticeable at our most common scales.

As to the number, there were as many as four or five on first, second and third rates until about 1706 when the fifth fender was eliminated. In 1736 this was reduced to three with the two opposite the main hatch, spaced about 2' 9" apart. About 1780 the third was shortened and served as the chestree.

There was one chestree on each side and each carried a sheave for the main tack. It was sided from 4 inches to 10 inches and moulded 4" to 8" depending on the ship rating. It tapered from 1.5" for smallest vessels to 3" for first rates. When the chestree was no longer considered a fender and shortened, the lower end stopped at the upper edge of the middle wale on three deckers, the upper edge of the channel wale on two deckers, and a little above the main wale on single deckers.

During the early part of the 19th century the fenders were eliminated.

Allan

Excellent information. Much appreciated!

 

[AllanKP69]

Allan..I knew you would know! I wish I had .000001 of your nautical knowledge !

Excellent information. Much appreciated!

Thanks guys. I have no more knowledge than anyone else, just a decent library that has been built up over the years. Even with about 70 books I find that I use four or five of them predominantly, and the others only if applicable to a specific build/era/nationality or as a cross reference so I hopefully have at least two that match up. Contemporary plans and contracts, all of which are free, are also a huge plus for finding scantlings and layouts for specific ships. For kit builders, the kits are usually, if not always, based on contemporary plans so the contemporary plans can be quite useful for kit builds as well as scratch builds. My memory stinks at my age, so the books and such are life savers.
Allan

 

[Smithy]

Even with about 70 books I find that I use four or five of them predominantly

We need to know the titles of the five sacred books!!!!!

 

[AllanKP69]

Here you go Smithy
Masting and Rigging English Ships of War
The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War
The Construction and Fitting of the English Man War
Scantlings of Royal Navy Ships
The Fully Framed Model

The last includes volumes 1, 2, and 4. While I have not built a Swan class ship, the information in these volumes is priceless for any build.
Allan

 

[Hubac’s Historian]

These vertical timbers are called skids.

 

[bill36]

They are for when lowering the ship's boat's, and the two close together are for rolling barrels up and down the side of the ship,
Best regards John,

You got it right.

 

[AllanKP69]

These vertical timbers are called skids.

Probably just another name for the same thing. Lavery calls them skids in the AOTS but the 1719 Establiishment, the 1745 Establishment, the 1750 Establishment, Steel's The Elements and Practice of Naval Architecture, The Shipbuilder's Repository 1788, Goodwin and Antscherl all call the twin pieces fenders and the pieces with a sheave chestrees or chesstrees. None of these make mention of anything called skids. No matter the name, there are scantlings and history for how many and the sizes so easy enough to make them. Steel does give scantlings for fir boatskids which sat over the waist area and where ship's boats rested.
Allan