Topmasts
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When topsails were introduced in the
late l5th century, the masts had to be
extended to carry them. However, the
masts themselves were not lengthened;
instead separate topmasts were added to
them. The first half of the 16th century
saw the addition of topgallant masts,
and in the 17th century royal masts were
introduced, ending in small flagpoles.
In the 18th century the number of upper
masts was reduced again to two, the
topmast and the topgallant mast, the
upper part of which was still termed the
royal mast, if royals were carried. If
not, the upper part became the flagpole.
Topmast construction
The topmasts are made up exactly
like the masts, that is, a square
section strip planed down to 8 and then
16 sides, and finally rounded off with
glasspaper .
Many model kits include dowelling for
masts, topmasts and yards -do not use
them! Dowelling has to be tapered to the
correct degree, an in practice this is
much more difficult with round section
material than with square section. Of
course, you could use the dowels withou
tapering them at all, (i.e. upwards and
outwards) -that looks clumsy on masts
and topmasts, and downright terrible on
the yards
The topmast heel
The topmast heel was square in
section from the end of the l5th century
(eight-sided in England in the 18/19th
centuries), and was frequently slightly
thicker than the nominal maximum
diameter of the topmast at the lower
cap. It should be a snug, but not loose,
fit between the trestletrees, so that
the whole of the top mast neither
wobbles nor leans to one side.
To prevent the topmast sliding through
the top a wood or iron bar termed the
fid was passed through the heel of the
topmast, resting on the trestletrees.
The lower edge of the fid hole should
always be located twice the thickness of
the topmast heel from the foot of the
topmast.
There is a trick worth knowing for
making the fid hole neatly: saw the
foot of the topmast off square at the
bottom of the fid hole, cut a groove of
the appropriate width and depth using a
circular saw, and glue the lower piece
back on, using cyano-acrylate glue for
preference. A single sheave was fitted
in the topgallant mast heel, and also in
the topmast heel in the 16/l7th
centuries. In the 18/19th centuries a
double sheave was fitted -please note
the differences in the English and
Continenms. These sheaves served to take
the topropes, when the topmast was to be
hoisted or sent down.
The topmast head
The topmast head was octagonal in
section on Continental ships, and square
on English ships; those on English ships
were fitted with sheaves, those on
Continental ships were not. The topsail
tyes (see HALYARDS) reeved through holes
below the crosstrees, the sheaves of
which were the same diameter as the
topmast to which they were fitted.
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Topmast and topgallant mast
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Crosstrees and
caps
Iron
cap,
19th
century
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Continental
form of
cap
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British
form of
cap
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Mast
cheeks
The
lower
crosstree
supports
were the
mast
cheeks,
strrong
timbers,
the same
width as
the
trestletrees,
which were
fixed to
the mast
with
hoops,
bolts, and
nails. On
British
ships from
1569 to
1720 the
mast
cheeks
were
fitted
with
sheaves
over which
the
halyards
reeved
(see
HALYARDS).
The
crosstrees
The
length of
the main
trestletrees
was 0,3 to
0,35 of
the width
at the top
of the
main
frame, the
height
0,08 of
the
length,
the width
0,9 of the
height in
the
16/17th
centuries,
reducing
to 0.45 of
the height
by the
middle of
the 18th
century.
The
crosstrees
were as
long as
the
trestletrees
in the
16/17th
centuries,
as broad
in
section,
but only
half the
height,
and let
into
trestletrees.
In the
18th
century
the length
of the
crosstrees
rose to
1,3 times
the length
of the
trestletrees,
they were
then twice
as broad
in
section,
but still
only half
the
height,
and again
let into
them. The
size of
the
crosstrees
on the
fore and
mizen
masts were
in the
same
proportion
to the
main
crosstrees
as the
masts were
to each
other. The
topmast
crosstrees
were
similar in
design to
the main
tops,
except
that they
were
usually
three in
number to
support
the
topgallant
and royal
shrouds.
In their
proportions
they
corresponded
to of the
lower
masts.
The
topmast
crosstrees
were often
curved aft
slightly,
and in the
16/17th
centuries
were the
same
length as
the
trestletrees,
while by
the middle
of the
18th
century
they were
sometimes
almost
twice
as long.
In the
19th
century
spreaders
were
sometimes
fitted to
the
crosstrees
over which
the
backstays
ran. (see
BACKSTAYS)All
the
crosstrees
were
fitted
with
wooden
bolsters
at the
masthead,
which were
rounded
off on the
outside
edges;
their
purpose
was to
prevent
the
shrouds
chafing on
the edges
of the
trestletrees.
The
cap
The
purpose of
the cap
was to
provide a
support
for the
topmasts.
There were
two basic
forms, an
English
form
-which was
widely
adopted on
the
Continent
after the
middle of
the 18th
cenury –
and a
Continental
one. In
the 19th
century
caps were
made of
wood and
there were
no
national
differences.
The
length of
the caps
was 0,5 to
0,45 of
the length
of the
masthead.
The
rectangular
hole
fitted
over the
mast head
cap tenon,
and the
round hole
in front
accepted
the
topmast
heel. The
holes and
grooves in
the
Continental
type of
cap were
designed
to guide
the
halyards
(see
HALYARDS).
They
disappeared
at the
beginning
of the
18th
century.
The cap
did retain
its basic
shape, but
became
considerably
flatter,
until it
was
completely
superseded
by the
English
type
around the
end of the
century.
In the
18th and
early 19th
centuries
the caps
were very
often
reinforced
with iron
bands.
Until the
middle of
the 16th
century
the cap's
front end
was often
just cut
back to
form a
U-shaped
recess.
The
topmast
was
located in
this
recess,
and fixed
in place
with a
rope
lashing
round the
cap.
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Made masts:
1. Front fish
2. Fore side tree
3. Filling
4. Spindle
5. Starboard side
tree
6. Cant piece
7. After side tree
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