All the smaller sizes of rope were made fast to belaying pins, which were plugged into pin rails, the fife rails, or the rails. Until 1830 shouldered belaying pins were always made of wood, and thereafter sometimes of metal. Metal belaying pins which were a force fit in the pin rails and which tapered slightly towards both ends were in use in the British Navy in the late 18th century.
Generally speaking, the lower diameter of a belaying pin was never less than the diameter of the rope which was to be belayed. As only one size of belaying pin was kept on board, its diameter was that of the thickest rope to be belayed. The proportions of the pins and the
method of belaying the rope are illustrated on the right; excess rope was coiled up and hung over the pin -for the model builder it is often the best idea to make this coil of rope separately and then hang it over
the pin.
Cleats
The ends of thicker ropes were belayed on cleats, but in ancient times, in the Middle Ages and in the Mediterranean, cleats were used exclusively, as belaying pins were unknown. The cleats were fixed to the deck and to the bulwark. After 1720 very long cleats were often attached to the masts, and other cleats were lashed to the shrouds with seizings.
The dimensions of the cleats given in the following table are in mm, and again the figures represent a guideline, and do not take possible variants into consideration.
|
A
|
B
|
C
|
| Rope dia. |
Length |
Height |
Width
|
| 6 |
120 |
40 |
30 |
8
|
160
|
53
|
40
|
13
|
220
|
73
|
55
|
19
|
270
|
89
|
68
|
25
|
312
|
103
|
78
|
| 32 |
355 |
117 |
89 |
38
|
380
|
125
|
95
|
51
|
463
|
153
|
116
|
63
|
525
|
173
|
131
|
76
|
584
|
193
|
146
|
Thimbles
Trucks were used to guide ropes. They were lashed to the shrouds with a seizing. The hole was always big enough for the rope to run
through it easily, and the outside diameter was three times that of the hole. The height was the same as the outside diameter .
From the 17th century onward, strop eyes generally incorporated a thimble. These thimbles were round and made of wood until the beginning of the 19th century , and after that time they were sometimes heart-shaped and made of metal.
Euphroes
The euphroes were long wooden rods or flat blocks which had drilled holes instead of sheaves. They served as guide blocks for the crow's feet. (See STAYS, BACK STAYS, TOPPING LIFTS, CLEW LINES).
|
