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9. MAKING THE MASTS AND SPARS

The Various Stages of the Work described in detail— Alternative Methods explained—Making and Fit­ting the Tops and Crosstrees.

Masts and spars comprise all those rounded pieces of wood which support and spread the sails. On most models they are made of good quality yellow pine straight in the grain and as even in quality as may be procurable. The first stage is to cut the pieces to length and width from a board of suitable thickness. Then plane up all four sides and taper them according to requirements as shown on the working drawings and tables of sizes at the end of this chapter. Note that masts taper from one end to the other, but yards taper from the middle, which is the largest part, towards the two ends.

When the dimensions and proportions are correct, proceed to plane off the angular corners, thus making an octagonal spar and follow by planing off those corners until the wood is approximately circular in section. Complete the work by sandpapering, rotating the spar with one hand and manipulating the sandpaper with the other.

Then test the diameters at each end to make sure that all is correct, afterwards giving the wood a coat of spirit or other varnish to prevent subsequent soiling. The spars are made in exactly the same way, but are tapered from the middle towards the ends; the latter may be finished off by reducing the  diameter  and  thus   forming  a  small  shoulder  on  the inner face.

When the diameter of a spar is less than about ¼ inch, it is desirable to rest it in a V-shaped groove cut in a piece of board while the wood is being worked upon, as unless this is done the wood will yield and the resulting spar will not be true. Having prepared all the parts and varnished them, pin a distinguishing label on each to facilitate subsequent identification.

Fig. 86. Stepping the Foremast.

The next thing to do is to step the lower masts, that is, to fix them into holes drilled into the solid wood of the hull. This is best accomplished by drilling a comparatively small pilot hole through the deck downwards into the solid wood of the hull. Place a straight metal rod, about 12 inches in length, into these holes and see if they are upright.    The fore and main masts should be perpendicular to the water-plane, but the mizen mast inclines backwards, as shown on the drawings. The correctness of the mast alignment can be tested with a set square resting on the deck. If the rod shows that the hole is correct it can be enlarged with a drill of corresponding diameter to that of the mast; but if incorrect the hole can be corrected by drilling more on one side than the other with a drill that is only a little larger than the pilot hole; alternatively, the hole can be corrected by chiselling or filing, but in any case is completed with a full size drill as before.

The masts can then be tried in place, as shown in fig. 86, and any adjustments made as regards length and inclination.

The next thing to do is to make the tops, as shown on the working drawings, in the detail sketch fig. 87 and in fig. 88 during the assembly stage. The simplified tops used for the Royal Albert are sawn to shape from thin ply wood; the square hole for the foot of the topmast drilled and filed to shape, and the larger central hole—known as the lubbers-hole—cut out with a fretsaw and filed up smooth and true, and the two small cross-members called the crosstrees prepared and glued into their places.

Fig. 88. Assembling the Maintop of Royal Albert.

The head of the lower mast has then to be made square in cross section and the two tressle-trees, or fore and aft supports, cut to shape from stripwood and glued and pinned to the mast. See that the top itself will rest nicely on them and that it is square in all directions to the mast. File little notches in the tresslc-trees to accommod­ate the crosstrees, and make and fit two small shaped pieces of wood—known as hounds—to the sides of the mast, immed­iately beneath the tressle-trees. Note that a hole must be left through the hounds to enable a cord to pass, as is shown in fig. 89, this cord being used as a tye or rope to support the yard.

Fig. 89. Detail of Topmast, Crosstrees, Hounds and Tye.

Fig. 90. Foretop with Dead-eyes and Futtock Shrouds, and Mast Cap Fitted.

The foot of the upper mast must be shaped to a square section to fit into the hole in the top, as can be seen in fig. 88, after which prepare the cap (also seen in the same photograph). The cap is a piece of flat wood slightly rounded at the front and drilled to enable the upper mast to pass through it, the other end of the cap can be glued and pinned to the top of the lower mast, a work which should be done when the lower mast is in place in the hull as this allows of adjusting the upper mast so that it shall be in correct alignment.

Fig. 91. Assembling the Spritmast.

Before the top and cap are finally fixed it is necessary to drill all the holes required by the rigging plans and to fit the dead-eyes and shrouds as shown in fig. 90, these details being more particularly mentioned in Chapter XI on "Standing Rigging."

Crosstrees of simple form as used on the topmasts are shown in fig. 89, where the tye is seen passing through the hole in the hounds as already described.

The sprit mast on the end of the bowsprit is supported by a platform similar to a top, as shown in fig. 91, this top being supported by a knee-piece of ⅛-inch mahogany shaped to fit between it and the bowsprit and steadied by four little metal or card straps. The sprit mast steps into a hole in the top and is supported by another knee to which it is attached by adhesive and a band of metal or card.

The topgallant masts are attached to the topmasts by the crosstrees and caps, all of which should be made in accordance with the drawings and in a similar manner to the foregoing. The foremast, and the hole into which it steps, is shown in fig. 86, which also illustrates the stage of progress on the model at the time when the masts can most conveniently be dealt with.

It might be mentioned that masts and spars are not always circular in cross section, nor always made in one piece, but for the representative model a straightforward circular-sectioned mast or spar always looks better and more workmanlike than any other shape. The point is mentioned here in case the reader wishes to be very exacting in detail.

The leading dimensions of the masts are given in table No. 1 and similar dimensions for the yards are given in table No. 2, and the key to the positions at which the sizes are taken are given on the diagram (fig. 92), which with the sizes are those suited to a model of Royal Albert built to the same size as that of the presentation plates accompanying this book, which will be found in a pocket on the inside back cover.

TABLE NO. 1.

CHIEF DIMENSIONS OF MASTS AND BOWSPRIT.

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