Introduction
Standing rigging rope sizes
Gammoning .
Bumkin shrouds.
Outrigger guys
Bobstay .
Bowsprit shrouds
Head stay.
Loading gear
Burtons .
Shrouds.
Backstays
Stays.
Sprit topmast backstay
Jibboom rigging
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The term "standing rigging" covers all the ropes of a ship which serve t08 support the masts forward, aft and laterally. There are certain fundamental lines of development which can be observed in the design of the standing ngging through the centuries.
Until the middle of the 15th century the standing rigging was fairly simple; the ship carried just what it really needed. In the second half of the 15th century and in particular the whole of the 16th and the early part of the 17th century the standing rigging grew enormously complicated, and this complexity far outstripped the ships' requirements. We have to remember that the renaissance was not only a return to the consciousness of ancient times, but was also the first stage of an era of technology. New technical possibilities were deliberately indulged, with up to 16 pairs of shrouds per mast, double and triple crows feet on the mizen stay, fore topmast stay and backstay, lateen top and topgallant sails plus mizen and jigger masts, even when the ships were so over-rigged that their efficiency suffered markedly. In the 17th century this confused jungle of ropework was cleared up again under the leadership of Holland, Britain and France, and the standing rigging was again reduced to what was really necessary and useful.
In spite of the constant growth in mast heights and sail areas, the number of ropes did not increase in the 18th century, except for the stays. Instead the individual ropes of the standing rigging grew thicker and thicker. In the latter part of the 19th century, the hemp ropes used until that time finally became inadequate for the extremely tall-rigged ships, and it became standard practice to use steel wire rope for all or part of the standing rigging.
When fitting the standing rigging, work proceeds from the bow towards the stern, and from the bottom toward~ the top; in the case of shrouds and backstays individual ropes are fitted alternately to starboard then to port. This means: bowsprit gammoning -bobstay bowsprit shrouds - fore tackle pendants - fore shrouds (starboard port etc. ) - forestay tackle pendants - main shrouds - mainstay - mizen burton pendants - mizen shrouds - mizen stay - fore topmast shrouds fore topmast stay - main topmast shrouds -etc. etc.
As in full-size practice, the fitting of the standing rigging is a rather complicated matter on a period model - not so much because of the fiddly nature of the ropes, but because in every section a whole series of ropes have to be fitted at exactly the right tension to balance each other out.
The whole standing rigging system is based on the principle of tension and counter-tension, i.e. not only must each rope be pulled tight (that is, they must be under a certain amount of tension), but you have also to consider every other rope which exerts a pull in the opposite direction. An example might illustrate this principle: the shrouds pull the mast back towards the stern. If the shrouds are set up and tensioned, the mast assumes a slight curve towards the stern. If we now try to compensate for this by setting a corresponding amount of tension in the stay, the first pairs of shrouds will inevitably fall slack. For this reason it is of the utmost importance to leave all the lines and tackles of the standing rigging temporarily fixed until all the standing rigging has been fitted; then the tension of each component can be matched to the others, and the whole system balanced out.Do allow yourself plenty of time for this. Masts that are curved or even bent by incorrect or asymmetrical tension look just as awful as loose shrouds, backstays or stays.
When the whole of the standing rigging has been fitted and balanced, the lines and tackles can be permanently fixed, the excess ends cut off, the crowsfeet attached to the main and fore stays, and the shrouds rattled down.
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