Flying jib boom around 1850:
1. Flying jib boom,.
2. Horse,.
3. Outer martingale stay,.
4. Flying jib boom guys,.
5. Topgallant stay,.
6. Royal stay
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Around 1715 an extension of the bowsprit was added below the sprit topmast. For a short period the jib boom, as it was called, and the sprit topmast existed together, then the sprit mast disappeared.
The crupper
Until the middle of the 18th century the crupper was the only standing rigging fitted to the jib boom. This was a lashing which connected the bowsprit and jib boom. It consisted of about seven turns around both the bowsprit and jib boom with cross turns between them. Around 1850 the crupper was in many cases replaced by a chain crupper and a heel lashing.
The martingale stay
In the second half of the 18th century the jib boom became so long that downwards support became an urgent necessity; this was the martingale stay. The martingale stay was secured at the head of the jib boom, then reeved through a hole in the dolphin striker, and was usually set up at the foot of the bowsprit with hearts.
The martingale back stays
This method was soon seen to be too complicated, and not strong enough. For this reason a change was made to two ropes supporting the dolphin striker from the bow- the martingale back stays, which were set up with hearts. The martingale stay, for which a chain was used after 1840, was just taken to the dolphin striker and fixed to an
iron ring there.
The outer martingale stay
Eventually this method superseded all others, when at the end of the 18th century the jib boom was extended by the flying jib boom. The outer martingale stay was led from the flying jib boom to the dolphin striker in the same manner as the martingale stay, now known as the inner martingale stay. Occasionally the inner and the outer martingale stays were a single rope, which was rigged from the jib boom, through an eyebolt on the dolphin striker, and passed forward again to the flying jib boom. The martingale stays were tensioned by setting up the martingale back stays.
The jib and outer jib guys
The jib and outer jib guys were designed to give the jib and outer jib boom lateral support. They were attached in pairs to the jib boom band and the outer jib boom band. Until about 1830 they reeved through eyes on the spritsail yard, and were attached to the hull with hearts. When the spritsail disappeared, the guys ran directly to the hull, although in many cases the outer jib guys ran over whisker booms on the catheads, in order to spread them more widely.
The jib boom footropes
The jib boom footropes, usually fitted in pairs, fulfilled the same function as the foot ropes on the yards. They were secured to the bowsprit cap, and were often knotted at regular intervals, in order to provide the sailors with a better foothold. Nets were often stretched under this area to provide additional security for the crew.
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