21-FEB-2006
Maintop
You can see the construction of the top, a circular wooden platform laid on top of the trestletrees and crosstrees. Also note the futtock shrouds leading from the futtock stave to the rim of the top, and the way that a mouse has been raised on the stay to keep the eye-splice from riding up.
21-FEB-2006
Foremast and foretop
The great height of the lower mast is apparent. Note the sheaves in the side-fishes, just below the top, where the lower yard top-ropes ran through.
21-FEB-2006
Main mast shrouds
The shrouds kept the mast from snapping off, and also (with the footropes) served as rope-ladders so that the crew could ascend the rigging. You can see the mast-tackle inside the shrouds.
21-FEB-2006
Mast tackle
The mast tackle, visible here just inside the shrouds, were used to hoist heavy objects.
21-FEB-2006
Main mast collar detail
The mainstay ran from the top of the lower main mast forward to the inner end of the bowsprit, and kept the main mast from breaking. It runs in a collar around the lower end of the foremast, as seen here, and is tightened using the pair of large double and triple blocks seen in the picture. When in place and tarred, the stay was more like a rigid bar of iron than a soft piece of hemp rope!
21-FEB-2006
Bowsprit detail
Here you can see the end of the bowsprit. A small mast, the sprit-topmast, was set here to hold the spritsail topsail. This was a very awkward and vulnerable arrangement - and manning it must have been deadly once the weather got rough.
