LOSING MASTS, SPARS, ETC. made by sawing the yard in two, removing the splintered portion and scarfing in a piece of the foremast of an English sloop-ofwar which was given for the purpose, the scarf being securely banded. In sending the yard down, instead of using jeers, a two-fold purchase was rove with a six or eight inch manilla hawser, through two stout single blocks lashed at the main topmast head, above the eyes of the rigging, and two similar ones in the slings of the yard; the fall being snatched and taken to the after capstan. This purchase was assisted by the pendant-tackles, hooked to a long strap over the main cap, and the burtons hooked to the burton straps. The pendant-tackles, however, bound against the forward part of the lubber's-hole and were of little use. A stout fore-and-aft tackle was hooked to the starboard fore and main yard-arms, the fore yard being supported by a preventer-brace taken out on the bowsprit. The fore topsail tyes were racked aloft, and the lower blocks of the halliards hooked to the starboard main yard arm, to assist in rousing it forward. The lifts, trusses, and braces, were unrove, and when all was ready the yard was swayed up, the slings unshackled, the foreand-aft tackle and topsail halliards well manned, and the capstan "walked back" handsomely. Owing to the long drift of the main purchase, little or no difficulty was found in dipping the starboard yard-arm over the smoke-stack, the port one inside the rigging, and landing the yard in the port gangway; the whole was done in a very few minutes. The yard was sent up by reverse means, being first swayed up above the rail, then squared and landed; the lifts and braces were rove and the yard swayed aloft in the usual manner. FISHING THE MAIN YARD OF AN ENGLISH 90-GUN SCREW-SHIP. The main yard of H. B. M. S. "Hero," in 1861, which had carried away entirely, was fished with the following spars in about ten hours, and stood perfectly in heavy weather afterward: One fore topmast studding-sail boom, One fore top-gallant studding-sail boom, Three fishes, and LOSING MASTS, SPARS, ETC. One elm plank 21⁄2 inches thick by 11 wide and 24 feet long. These spars, with 300 fathoms of 3 and 4 inch rope used for wooldings, weighed 1 ton 18 cwt., being 14 cwt. more than the two main topmast studding-sail booms, which were not replaced aloft. All fished yards are heaviest on the damaged side, therefore the yard arm requires an extra support. TO MAKE A TEMPORARY LOWER YARD. The two topmast studding-sail booms are equal in length to the lower yard. With these for the length, the yard is made up by the most convenient spare spars, woolding all together with a number of well-stretched lashings. RUDDER GONE. Rudder-bands were the origin of rudder-chains. In ancient times vessels had frequently a rudder at each end ("doubleenders"), and in bad weather, the rudders were triced up, while the ship" drove ;" being let down again when moderate. When rudders became hung as at present, the fastenings remained for the purpose of retaining the rudder when bumped off on the ship's grounding, and seamen made use of them for steering purposes when any injury befell the rudderhead. The possibility of this latter application has sometimes been overlooked; and not only have the fastenings on the rudder not been sufficiently far down, but common bolts inserted instead of a strong metal strap which should clasp a large portion of the after part. An improvement has recently been made in this respect by placing a preventer tiller in the after part of the rudder, as explained in Chap. VII., page 93. In arranging the gear of the temporary rudder in a screw-ship, it would be necessary to take the guys through the screw aperture under the after bearing, and thence up on their opposite sides. They should, of course, be well covered at the nip. When the guys lead to the quarters, they should be turk's-headed, or keckled, so as to keep them clear of torn copper. Formerly it was a common practice during heavy gales and seas, both at anchor and at sea, to insert the rudder chocks, and thus by steadying the rudder head prevent the dangerous and . LOSING MASTS, SPARS, ETC. violent motion of the tiller, tiller-ropes, and wheel, which occurred whenever a sea struck either side of the rudder itself. It has also been customary when lying-to, in very bad weather, to lash the helm hard a-lee, and with the aid of proper after-sail, keep the ship close to the wind, bowing the sea. It may safely be said that the old practices referred to are very questionable; the fineness of the run, the large aperture in the dead wood, the dash of water from the screw, the increased size and weight of the rudder itself, the necessary alterations in its gear, all conspire to render the steering apparatus more liable to injury than heretofore. Perhaps in lying to, the same effects as lee helm might be produced by keeping the screw down: but this would probably depend on its form; that is, if it were right or left handed, and which tack the ship was on. Men-of-war are generally supplied with spare pieces with which, in cases of necessity, to construct a temporary rudder. In the absence of these one may be constructed by using a spare topmast for the main piece, and building out from it in the proper form, using enough pig-iron ballast to sink it. To supply the place of pintle and gudgeon it has been proposed to make use of a spare lower-cap. In constructing the rudder on deck, the topmast is placed through the round hole of the cap, while the wood abaft the square hole is cut away so that it will fit on the stern-post, where it is secured after the rudder is got over, by means of guys leading through ports well forward. The topmast, cut the proper length, comes up through the rudder hole, and the vessel steered by guys attached to the rudder outside. CHAPTER XXXII. SHIFTING SAILS AND SPARS. SPLITTING SAILS. SAILS, when split, should be taken in and repaired aloft if possible; if not, then shifted. The new sail should be ready on deck, and can be sent up to windward as the old one goes down to leeward. If the sail splits so as to be of no further use, unbend and send down at once. If not, keep it on the ship until the new one is ready. A reef-tackle-cringle, or any part of the leech, can readily be repaired aloft by the sailmaker, in moderate weather. The officer of the deck need only clew up the clew requiring repairs. Men on the yard gather the sail up, the yard being, of course, clewed down. In chase, or being chased, it is absolutely necessary to shift sails (if required to do so at all) quickly. If carrying studding-sails on one side only, the others can be shifted over and set if anything happens to those set. If the jib splits, set the fore topmast staysail, cautioning the man at the helm to "mind his weather helm;" take in spanker if necessary. If the foresail or fore topsail splits, take the sail in, repair it aloft or shift it. Reduce after sail to balance the ship. Caution the helmsman as before. If a topsail splits across the head, or if, in turning out a reef, the sail is torn, and it is not convenient to shift it, take the reef in again. TO SHIFT A JIB. Haul the sail down-gather it on the boom, and put on good stops. Come up the jib-stay, and bend the marrying line. Unbend tack-lashing, jib-sheets, and bend a rope's end for an inhaul. Overhaul the halliards, and secure the bight round the head of the sail, taking care that the hanks may still travel up and down the stay. Pull up the halliards! Ease away the downhaul ! SHIFTING SAILS. When high enough, ease in the jib-stay the lee side-haul in on the inhaul. When on the forecastle, unbend the marrying-line, and unreeve the jib-stay from the hanks. Reeve jib-stay through all the hanks of the new sail, and bend the marrying-line. Shift the halliards, downhaul and inhaul, from the old to the new sail, securing the bight of the halliards round the head of the sail as before. Pull up the jib halliards! Haul out on the marrying-line and jib-downhaul. Lower the jib down to the boom, pass the tack-lashing, and bend the jib-sheet. Cast off the bight of jib halliards, cut stops-set up the jibstay.* Hoist away! TO SHIFT A TOPSAIL (BY THE WIND, UNDER ALL PLAIN SAIL). Trice up and hook the sail burton round the topmast head. The new sail (say the main topsail) is in the weather gang-way ready for bending. Clew up the main royal and top-gallant sail. Man the main topsail clewlines and buntlines! Weather main topsail brace! Let go the main to' bo'line! Haul taut! Clear away the sheets! Clew up! Settle away the main topsail halliards! Round in the weather brace! Lay the yard nearly square, and set taut the braces. Trice up! Lay out! FURL AND UNBEND! Unreeve the first and second reef-earings from the sail (supposing them to be bull-earings). Unbend the topsail sheets, clewlines, bowlines, reef-tackles, robands, and head-earings, securing the bunt-robands to the buntlines. Lower the sail down the weather side by the buntlines.† With the customary hide-bridles the jib-stay is not unrove, but the bridles cast off and the sail sent in as before. It is very frequently found more convenient to send the sail down forward and to leeward of the mainsail, into the lee gangway. |