The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor

Or a Key to the Leading of Rigging and to Practical Seamanship

Darcy Lever

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9780486402208
• eBook ISBN: 9780486137582
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: Technology & Engineering

First published in 1808, The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor became a standard guide throughout the 19th century in both England and the United States. Author Darcy Lever compiled the text for "a young gentleman whose inclinations at that time led him to the choice of a sea-faring life," and he later expanded its contents for the general use of young officers in the Royal Navy and East India Company.
Starting with a precise explanation of the principles of rigging, the text proceeds to a well-defined account of a ship's operation through the effect of the wind on its sails. Tacking, use of a compass, the art of swinging a ship at single anchor, casting, and numerous other aspects of seamanship receive close attention and clear definitions. Detailed drawings accompany the ample directions for splicing ropes, making sails, and other practical measures; indeed, every other page of this book features clear, well-drawn illustrations of the procedure under discussion and its execution.
This rare volume, an authentic look at the maritime world of the 19th century, belongs in the library of every ship fancier, model builder, and naval historian.

THE YOUNG SEA OFFICER’S SHEET ANCHOR;

OR A KEY TO RIGGING AND SEAMANSHIP.

RIGGING.

THE Rigging of a Ship consists of a quantity of Ropes, or Cordage, of various Dimensions, for the support of the Masts and Yards. Those which are fixed and stationary, such as Shrouds, Stays, and Back-stays, are termed Standing Rigging; but those which reeve through Blocks, or Sheave-Holes, are denominated Running Rigging; such as Halliards, Braces, Clew-lines, Buntlines, &c. &c. These are occasionally hauled upon, or let go, for the purpose of working the Ship.

Ropes are a combination of several Threads of Hemp, twisted together by means of a Wheel in the Rope-Walk. These Threads are called Rope-Yarns, and the Size of the Rope in Diameter, will be according to the Number of Yarns contained in it,

A Proportion of Yarns (covered with Tar) are first twisted together. This is called a Strand; three, or more of which being twisted together, form the Rope: and according to the number of these Strands, it is said to be either Hawser-laid, Shroud-laid, or Cable-laid.

2

ROPES—SPUN-YARN WINCHES.

A HAWSER-LAID ROPE, Fig. 1.¹

Is composed of three single Strands, each containing an equal Quantity of Yarns, and is laid right-handed, or what is termed with the Sun.

A SHROUD-LAID ROPE, Fig. 2.

Consists of four Strands of an equal Number of Yarns, and is also laid with the Sun.

A CABLE-LAID ROPE, Fig. 3.

Is divided into nine Strands of an equal Number of Yarns: these nine Strands being again laid into three, by twisting three of the small Strands into one. It is laid left-handed or against the Sun.

SPUN-YARN,

Is made as follows :—A Piece of Junk or old Cable is untwisted, the Yarns drawn out, knotted together, and rolled up in Balls round the hand. Three or four of these Balls are laid upon Deck, and an End out of each being taken, they are coiled in Fakes upon a Grating, or other thing, (to keep the Tar from the Deck) and upon every three or four Fakes Tar is rubbed by a Brush. These are fastened by their Ends to a kind of Reel called a Spun-yarn Winch, Fig. 4, and a half-hitch is taken over one of the Spokes, E. The Man who spins the Yarn, retires to a convenient distance, and then, with a brisk motion, (holding the Yarns in his hands) he whirls the Winch round against the Sun. When it is spun sufficiently, he rubs it backwards and forwards, with a piece of old Canvas, which he keeps in his hand, reels it on the Winch, takes another half-hitch round the Spoke E. and proceeds as before, When the Reel is full, it is taken off and balled.

There is a Winch, Fig. 5, on a much better construction, used in the Merchant Service, with which two boys may spin a considerable quantity of Spun-yarn in twelve hours. A Crutch (1.) is stepped into a mortise of the Windlass, (2.) A Wooden Spindle goes through the Holes in the upper part of the Crutch, having a small Wheel or Truck fixed to one end. That part of the Spindle which lies between the two Arms of the Crutch is four Square, (3.) The part without is rounded, and in the end is fixed a Peg, (4.) A piece of Line, such as small Rat-line, (5.) well chalked, is taken with a Turn round the squared part, (3.) The Rope-Yarns are fixed to the Peg, (4.) on the rounded part : one boy walks aft with them, rubbing them with a piece of old Canvas, whilst the other (having a part of the Rat-line in each hand) (5.) pulls briskly on the under part (a), then slackens it, restoring it again to its former position, by hauling on the upper one.

Thus the Wheel and Spindle are kept in a continual whirl, which renders this method very expeditious ; for the boy may walk the length of a large Ship with the Yarns, before there is occasion to reel them up. When it is sufficiently spun, the Bight is laid over a Hook fastened by a Laniard to one of the Fore Shrouds, opposite the rounded part of the Spindle, on which it is reeled by the Ratline Stuff. The Bight is then taken over the Peg again, and they proceed as before.

Ropes—Spunyarn Winches,

Page 2

Worming–Serving–Splicing

Page 3.

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WORMING—SERVING—SPLICING.²

Spun-yarn is used for worming, serving, seizing, &c.

WORMING A ROPE,

Is filling up the divisions between the Strands by passing Spun-yarn, &c. along them, Fig. 6. This is done, in order to strengthen it, for various purposes ; and to render its surface smooth for parcelling.

PARCELLING A ROPE,

Is wrapping old Canvas round it, well tarred, which prepares it for serving, and secures it from being injured by rain water lodging between the parts of the Service when worn.

THE SERVICE,

Is clapped on by a wooden Mallet, Fig. 7, made for the purpose. It is round at the Top, but has a Groove cut in the head of it to receive the Rope, that the turns of the Spun-yarn may be passed with ease and dispatch. It is done thus:—The Rope is first bowsed hand-taught by a Tackle, then wormed. The End of the Spun-yarn for the Service is laid upon the Rope, and two or three turns passed round the Rope and over it, hauling them very taught. The Mallet is laid with its Groove upon the Rope, Fig. 8 ; a turn of the Spun-yarn is taken round the Rope and the Head of the Mallet, close to the last turn which was laid by hand: Another is passed in the same manner, and a third also on the fore part of the Mallet, leading up round the Handle, (i,) which the Rigger holds in his hand. The Service is always passed against the lay of the Rope, so that as the latter stretches, the tension of the former is not much decreased. A boy holds the Ball of Spun-yarn, (k,) at some distance from the man who is serving, and passes it round, as he turns the Mallet, by which he is not retarded in his operation. The end is put through the three or four last turns of the Service, and hauled taught.

3

SPLICING.

Ropes are joined together for different purposes, by uniting their Strands in particular forms, which is termed Splicing. A Splice is made by opening, and separating the Strands of a Rope, and thrusting them through the others which are not unlaid. The Instruments used on this Occasion, are Fids and Marling Spikes.

A FID,

Is made according to the Size of the Rope it is meant to open, and is tapered gradually from one end to the other, Fig. 9. It is commonly made of hard Wood, such as Brazil, Lignum Vitæ, &c. and sometimes of Iron : when of the latter, it has an Eye in the upper End like Fig. 10.

A MARLING SPIKE,

Is an Iron Pin of a similar Mould, on the upper End of which is raised a Knob, called the Head, Fig. 11.

4

SPLICING.

A SHORT SPLICE.

To splice the two ends of a Rope together, proceed thus :—Unlay the Strands for a convenient Length; then take an end in each hand, place them one within the other, (Fig. 12,) and draw them close. Hold the strands (a. b. c.) and the end of the Rope (d.) fast in the left hand, or if the Rope be large, stop them down to it with a Rope-yarn : then take the middle end (1.) pass it over the Strand (a.) and, having opened it with the Thumb, or a Marling-spike, (Fig. A.) push it through under the strand (c.) and haul it taught. Perform the same operation with the other ends, by leading them over the first next to them, and through under the second, on both sides: the Splice will then appear like Fig. 13 ; but in order to render it more secure, the work must be repeated : leading the ends over the third and through the fourth; or the ends may be untwisted, scraped down with a knife, tapered, marled, and served over with spun-yarn.

AN EYE SPLICE, Fig, 14. (a.)

Is made by opening the end of a Rope, and laying the Strands (e. f. g.) at any distance upon the standing part, forming the Collar or Eye (a.) The End (h,) Fig. B. is pushed through the Strand next to it, (having previously opened it with a Marling Spike) ; the End (i.) is taken over the same Strand, and through the second; and the End (k.) through the third, on the other side.

THE LONG SPLICE, Fig. 15.

To make this Splice, unlay the ends of two Ropes to a convenient distance, and place them one within the other as for the short Splice: unlay one Strand for a considerable length, and fill up the intervals which it leaves with the opposite Strand next to it. For Example, the Strand (1.) being unlaid for a particular length, is followed by the space which it leaves by the Strand (2.) The Str...

Table of contents

• DOVER MARITIME BOOKS
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• INTRODUCTION TO THE DOVER EDITION
• THE AUTHOR’S DESIGN.
• CRITICAL TESTIMONIALS.
• Table of Contents
• JOSHUA SYDNEY HORTON, ESQ. CAPTAIN R. N.
• THE YOUNG SEA OFFICER’S SHEET ANCHOR; - OR A KEY TO RIGGING AND SEAMANSHIP.
• APPENDIX - TO THE YOUNG SEA OFFICER’S SHEET ANCHOR.
• A DICTIONARY OF SEA TERMS.
• NOTES