)
STANDING rigging material needed is: Single blocks, 47, 1/16-in.; 33, 3/32-in.; 28, 1/8-in.; 5, 5/32-in.; double blocks: 6, 3/32-in.; 4, 3/32-in. fiddle blocks: 5, 1/8-in.; three-hole black deadeyes: 24, 1/16-in.; 64, 3/32-in.; 96, 1/8-in.; 44, 5/32-in.; 48, 3/16-in.; five-hole black deadeyes: 2 each, 1/4-in., 9/32-in. and 5/16-in. Four single 3/32-in. blocks, with hole reamed oversize, may be substituted for special spritsail topmast-backstay blocks detailed in this article. For rigging line, one 100 to 200-yd. spool each of linen thread, Nos. 30, 35, 60 and 70, and one spool of No. 50 cotton thread will be required. Also, a piece of beeswax, with which every line is thoroughly impregnated. Now, we can proceed with the job.
The first step is to drill at an angle through the forward edge of the forecastle deck and connect these holes with those previously made in the beakhead bulkhead just below this deck level, so that the mainstay can pass through and down around the inboard end of the bowsprit. The main-hatch grating is glued and pinned to the spar deck on the centerline about 1 in. forward of the mainmast bitts. Two small wire eyes are set into the after port corner, to belay the garnet tackle described later. Sixty wire chain plates are now made as detailed. Of these, the fourteen required for the mizzen chain plates are cut to about 1/2-in. length. The ends opposite the eyes are bent inboard to provide hooks for the wire strops of the lower-shroud deadeyes. The chain plates are fastened to the hull with small round-headed escutcheon nails. Before attaching, study the illustrations carefully. Chain plates of the fore and mainmasts are not evenly distributed along the channels, but are grouped as shown. This is required in order that the guns, in the ports partly covered by the shrouds, may be pushed outward without forcing the rigging aside.
Copyright, © 1933, by Popular Mechanics Company
