Part 5
=A Common Sennit= is made by taking three or four nettles according to the need required. Middle them over a belaying pin and plait three or four together the length it is intended to make the eye. Then work both parts together to form an eye and plait them by bringing the outside nettles on each side alternately over to the middle. The outside one is laid with the right hand and the remainder held firmly with the left hand. Work the whole together adding a nettle when necessary. After the eye is properly formed drop a yarn and continue to the end with an odd number. When it is of sufficient length lessen it by dropping a nettle at regular intervals. To finish it lay one end up, leaving its bight down and plait the other ends through this bight until they are all worked through it. Then haul on the end till the bight is taut. To secure all parts cut off the ends and whip it.
=A Square Sennit= is made somewhat in the same manner as the round sennit but without a heart. Nettles are used in the same ratio increasing by fours. Having put a whipping round the (eight) ends divide the nettles, and lay half on each side. Bring the uppermost left-handed nettle round underneath all and up inside two and over two of the right-handed ones. Cross over the latter ones to the left and make four on each side again. Then take the uppermost to the right-handed nettles, pass it underneath and under two and over two of the left-handed ones, still keeping four on a side, because the nettle taken up always comes round to its own side again. To proceed take the upper nettle on each side alternately and finish off as the round sennit is finished.
=A Fender= is used to protect the sides of a boat. Sometimes it is made of wood but more often is of canvas stuffed with oakum and painted.
To make a soft fender take a piece of Manilla rope double the length of the fender. Unlay it, open the strands and comb them until all the yarns lie straight. Double it and clap an eye-seizing on it, marling it down as shown in the diagram. A lanyard of small cords, such as log-line, is then spliced into the eye.
=A Round or Pudding Fender= is made of a center or heart of rope yarn worked over a grafted with short pieces of rope yarn nettles. The nettles are first cut to the proper length and the middle part slightly twisted. They are then brought snugly round a thimble and a seizing put on. The heart or pudding may be of any old stuff such as old strands, spunyarn, etc. This is put into its place and the nettles laid evenly over it. Half the nettles taken alternately are turned back over the eye and the other left lying down the heart. Pass a turn or two of twine or marline called the warp or filling round the fender where the nettles separate and hitch it. The nettles turned back must now be brought down and those that are down turned over the eye. The warp is now passed again and hitched as before. This must be repeated until the whole of the fender is covered with a woven coat as shown in the diagram. The ends of the nettles are brought round last turn of the warp and interlaced in the grafting.
A simple weaving apparatus is shown in the diagram by which mats may easily be made. Take two pegs about 15 to 18 inches long, and drive them into the ground or attach them to a board so as to be firm.
These should stand about a foot out of the ground. Then take a stick or a piece of wood and lash it across the upright stakes. Next drive a row of pegs into the ground. These pegs should be at equal distances apart, not to exceed 6 inches, and parallel with the lashed stick. Two sets of strings are then tied to the cross stick. The ends of one set are fastened to the sticks and the ends of the other set to a staff held in the hands, as shown in the diagram. If there are a dozen strings, then the odd numbered should be fastened to the sticks and the even numbered to the staff. By alternately raising and depressing the staff, placing a handful of straw or rushes between the strings at each movement and making them lie close, a good mat is made. These mats may be joined together with the cobbler’s stitch or by tying the string ends together.
The =Malay Hitch= is a name given by Captain Galton, a noted traveler, to a method for fastening boards or planks together to make a shelter. The cord is twisted once and then as each board is inserted this twist holds them sufficiently tight for temporary purposes.
HAMMOCK MAKING
At the mention of a hammock one’s mind naturally reverts to the sailor and at the same time thinks of the pleasure a good hammock will afford under some shady tree or on a sheltered piazza. Hammock making is quite easy and the tools necessary are simple. First, a netting needle is required. There are two styles of these needles, which are shown in the diagram. In the top one the cord is brought round the end at =A=, up one side, round the pin at =B= and back the same side, the process being repeated on the other side of the needle. This needle is made of hardwood such as boxwood, and is 8 inches long by ¾ inch wide.
The needle shown in the middle diagram has the cord wound round it as in an ordinary shuttle.
The mesh stick, the lower illustration, which also shows a cross section, is made of hardwood or bone and is about 5 inches long and oval in shape.
At one end of the string to be used for the net, tie a loop and place the knot on a nail fixed in some convenient position. Place the mesh stick under the loop as shown by =A= in the diagram, put the cord under it, then pass the needle through the loop and pull the cord taut.
Now place the thumb of the left hand on the cord beyond the loop, as shown in the next diagram, and with a turn of the wrist of the right hand throw the cord to the position shown at =B=, then pass the needle under the loop =C=, through the bight =B= and down as at =D= and draw the knot tight.
When this has been done the loop will assume the shape seen in the diagram illustrating the third meshing stage. The cord must be held firmly with the thumb at =A= when pulling up the knots, as the uniformity of the meshes depends on this.
To continue the netting the stick is withdrawn and placed under =A=, in the third meshing diagram. The needle is then passed under the stick as before, brought through the loop =B= and as before to form another mesh. This is continued to make a chain of meshes, say forty-five or fifty, sufficient for the width of the hammock. The loop =A= originally tied is then unfastened and it will be found that the meshes are all of the same size.
The chain is then opened out at right angles to the line in which it was made, shown in the next diagram, and working across is begun by making a mesh at =A=, then at =B=, =C=, and so on, until the length of the first lot of meshes has been reached, when the net is turned over and another row of meshes worked in the same manner.
To insure uniformity it will be well to put the loops, =D=, =E=, =F= and =G=, separately on the hook or nail as the meshes under them are made. After a little practice a cord may be reeved through the top line of meshes, tied into a loop and passed over the knee and then over the foot as the work progresses.
An ash stick may be used at each end to which the end meshes are looped and tied, and a piece of codline may be passed through the side meshes on each side and attached to the ends of the sticks. At each end a stout cord is secured to the stick in the form of a triangle for hanging the hammock. Another plan is to tie a number of cords together by doubling them in the center and forming a loop, and each of the free ends is attached to one of the meshes of the net. The best plan is to reeve a cord about the size of a little finger through the end meshes and splice it into the form of a grommet. A thimble, =A=, is fixed in the end to which the supporting cords are attached and the cords which are reeved through the side meshes are spliced into the eye =B= at =C=. When these clews are used the net must be made longer than for sticks.
STRENGTH OF ROPE, ETC.
Rope is measured by its circumference. A four-stranded rope is about one-fifth weaker than a three-stranded one.
Generally blocks should be three times the size of the rope which it is intended to reeve in them.
The hauling part bears twice the strain of the standing part of a fall, the pin of a block is often more worn on one of its sides than on the other and should be turned frequently.
Sheaves and pins of blocks should be carefully examined at short intervals.
BREAKING STRAINS, ETC.
HAWSER-LAID ROPE RULE
Square the circumference and divide by 3 for the breaking strain; in tons. Divide by 4 for the proof strain; divide by 6 for the working strain.
WORKED EXAMPLE
A rope 4 inches in circumference; required the breaking strain.
4 inches in circumference. × 4 ---- ÷ 3) 16 ---- _Ans._ 5.3 tons = breaking strain. ====
4 inches in circumference. × 4 ÷ 4) 16 ---- _Ans._ 4 tons = proof strain. ====
4 inches in circumference. × 4 ---- ÷ 6) 16 ---- _Ans._ 2.7 tons = working strain. ====
To find what weight a rope will lift when rove as a tackle.
Multiply the weight the rope is capable of suspending by the number of parts at the movable block and subtract ¼ of this for resistance.
To determine the relative strength of chain and rope.
Consider the proportional strength to be 10 to 1, using the diameter of the chain and the circumference of the rope; ½-inch chain may replace 5-inch rope.
Table showing the sized wire rope which may be used as a substitute for hempen rope.
Hemp Rope Wire Rope Inches Inches 3 1½ 4 1¾ 5 2 6 2½ 7 3 8 3½ 9 4 10 4½ 11 5
STEEL WIRE ROPES
1. The four qualities of steel wire used for wire making are:
=Breaking Strain p.s.i.=--Extra plough steel, 110 to 120 tons. Mild plough steel, 95 to 100 tons. Best patent steel, 80 to 85 tons. Bessemer steel, 40 to 45 tons.
2. =Specifications.=--Specification should state: (1) Length of rope. (2) Size of gear. (3) Speed. (4) Load, _exclusive of rope_. (5) If for wet workings. (6) Gradients. (7) Particulars of curves.
3. =Working Load.=--The maximum working load at average speed, including weight of rope, should not exceed a tenth of the breaking strain as tabulated on page 156.
4. =Sheaves and Barrels.=--Great care should be taken that wire ropes are not worked round drums or over pulleys of insufficient circumference, that they do not strike against any hard substance while in motion. They should be about 30 times the circumference of the rope in diameter.
5. =Uncoiling.=--Much care should be taken in uncoiling wire ropes, to prevent kinking. The coil should not be laid stationary, but should be placed on a turntable or reel and unwound from the outer end.
6. =Grease.=--To prevent corrosion, all working ropes should receive a regular dressing of wire rope grease thoroughly laid on.
7. =Starting.=--The greatest strain on a rope being at the moment of starting, every care should be taken to insure perfect steadiness of movement, as jerking is ruinous to ropes.
Weights and Breaking Strengths of Round Wire Ropes.
+--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+ | Diam. | Circumf. | Lbs. | | Best | Best | |Inches. | Inches. | per | Plough Steel |Patent |Bessemer| | | | Fathom.| Extra.| Mild. |Steel. | Steel. | +--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+ | | | | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | | ½ | 1½ | 2¼ | 8½ | 7½ | 6¼ | 3¼ | | | 1¾ | 3 | 11½ | 10 | 8½ | 4¼ | | ⅝ | 2 | 3¾ | 15¼ | 13 | 11 | 5½ | | | 2¼ | 5 | 19¼ | 16½ | 14 | 7 | | ¾ | 2⅜ | 5½ | 20 | 17¼ | 15½ | 8 | | | 2½ | 6¼ | 23¾ | 20¼ | 17½ | 8¾ | | ⅞ | 2¾ | 7½ | 28¾ | 24½ | 21 | 10½ | | | 3 | 8¾ | 34¼ | 29¾ | 25 | 12½ | | 1 | 3⅛ | 9½ | 36½ | 32 | 27 | 13½ | | | 3¼ | 11¼ | 40 | 34 | 29 | 14¾ | | | 3½ | 12¼ | 46½ | 39¼ | 34 | 17 | | | 3¾ | 14 | 53½ | 45¾ | 39 | 19½ | | 1¼ | 4 | 16 | 61 | 54 | 44½ | 22¼ | | | 4¼ | 18 | 69 | 62 | 50 | 25 | | | 4½ | 20 | 77 | 70 | 56 | 28 | | 1½ | 4¾ | 22½ | 86 | 76½ | 63 | 31 | | | 5 | 25 | 95 | 85½ | 70 | 34½ | | | 5¼ | 27 | 105 | 96 | 77 | 38½ | | 1¾ | 5½ | 30 | 115 | 106 | 84 | 42 | | | 5¾ | 33 | 126 | 114 | 92 | 46 | | | 6 | 36 | 138 | 125 | 100 | 50 | | 2 | 6¼ | 39 | 155 | 133 | 120 | 60 | +--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+
INDEX
Artificial Eye, 119
Back-Handed Sailor’s Knot, 97, 98
Bale Slings, 84, 85
Belaying Pin Splice, 102
Bend Hawsers, 100
Bend Shortening, 71
Bending Sheet to Clew of Sail, 123
Blackwall Hitch, 44
Boat Knot, Simple, 95
Boat Knot with Thole Pin, 96
Boltrope, 14
Bow Knot, Double, 74, 75
Bow Knot, Single, 74, 75
Bow Shortening, 71, 72
Bowline Bend, 47, 48
Bowline Knot, 25, 26
Bowline Knot, Standing, 28
Bowline on a Bight, 27
Bronze Rope, 18
Builders’ Knot, 73
Builders’ Knot, Double, 74
Buntline Hitch, 38
Burton, Spanish, Double, 82, 83
Burton, Spanish, Single, 81, 82
Butt Slings, 84
Cable-Laid Rope, 13
Can Hooks, 84, 85
Capstan Knot, 96
Carrick Bend, 48
Carrick Bend, Double, 48, 49
Catspaw, 72
Chain Fastening, 90
Chain Fastening to Sheaves, Double, 91
Chain Hitch, 49
Chain Knot, 68
Chain Knot, Double, 69, 70
Chain Splice, 115, 116
Clinch, Outside, 28
Clinch, Running or Inside, 28
Clinch, Simple, 28
Clove Hitch, 39, 73
Coir Rope, 14, 18
Crabber’s Eye Knot, 37, 38
Cringle on a Crown, 127
Cringles, 125, 126
Crossed and Square Fastening, 92
Crossed Running Knot, 30, 96
Cross Lashing, 103
Cross Netting, 150
Crowning, 56
Crown Knot, 57
Cut Splice, 116
Dead-eye Lashing, 101, 102
Diamond Knot, Double, 63, 64
Diamond Knot, Single, 62, 63
Dog Shank, 70, 71
Double Blackwall Hitch, 41, 42
Double Builders’ Knot, 74
Double Knot, 22
Double Wall Knot, 56
Durable Rope, 18
Englishman’s Knot, 33
Eye Splice, Rope, 115
Eye Splice, Wire Rope, 130
False Knot, 31, 32
Fender, Round or Pudding, 141
Fender, Soft, 142
Fibres, 12
Figure of 8 Knot, 21
Fisherman’s Bend, 46, 47
Fisherman’s Knot, 33
Five-Fold Knot, 22
Flemish Eye, 119
Flemish Knot, 76, 77
Galvanized Iron Wire, 18
Granny, 31, 32
Grommet, 118
Gunner’s Knot, 99
Half Hitch, 36
Half Hitch and Seizing Bend, 47, 48
Hammock Clew, 150
Hammock Lashings, 14
Hawser Bend, Simple, 47
Hawser Rope, 13
Hawsers, 18
Hemp Rope, 18
Junk, 14
Jury Knot, 108
Killick Hitch, 42, 43
Knot Shortening, 71, 72
Lanyards, 14
Lark Boat Knot, 94, 95
Lark’s Head, 88, 89, 96
Lark’s Head, Double, 97, 98
Lark’s Head, Stoppered, 96
Lark’s Head, Treble, 97, 98
Lark’s Head with Crossed Ends, 97
Lark’s Nest, 57
Lengthening the Rope of a Sail, 122
Long Splice, Rope, 114
Long Splice, Wire, 131
Loop Fastening to Sheaves, 91, 92
Loop Knot, 23, 24
Loop Knot for Large Cordage, 24
Loop or Bend Shortening, Simple, 71
Lubber’s Knot, 32
Magnus Hitch, 43
Malay Hitch, 145
Manila Rope, 18
Marling Hitch, 42
Marlinespike, 118
Marlinespike Hitch, 43, 44
Manrope Knot, 57, 58
Matthew Walker Knot, 59, 60
Matthew Walker, Double, 60, 61
Meshing Loop, 147
Metallic Rope, 18
Midshipman’s Hitch, 42
Mousing a Hook, 100
Necklace Tie, 103
Nettle Stuff, 14
Netting Needles, 146
Nippering or Packing, 104
Oakum, 14
Open-Hand Knot, 32
Ordinary Knot or Tie, 34
Overhand Loop, 21
Packing Knot, 106, 107
Parbuckle, 84
Parcelling, 124
Pass a Life Line, To, 85
Pass a Stropper, To, 86
Paunch Mat, 134
Pitcher Knot, Single, 23
Pitcher Knot, Double, 108, 109
Point a Rope End, To, 52, 53
Portuguese Knot or Necklace Tie, 103
Pricker, 118
Purchases-- Burton, 81 Double Luff Tackle, 80, 81 Four-fold, 81 Gun Tackle, 79, 80 Handy Billy, 80 Luff Tackle, 80, 81 Runner, 79, 80 Runner and Tackle, 82 Three-fold, 80 Up and Down Tackle, 81 Watch Tackle, 80 Whip, Double, 79 Whip, Single, 79
Put a Strop on a Spar, 87
Racking Seizing, 109, 110, 111
Reef Knot, 31, 73
Roband Hitch, 39
Rolling Hitch, 40, 41
Rope, 11
Rope Yarn Knot, 35
Rose Lashing, 103
Round Fender, 143
Round Turn and Two Half Hitches, 43, 44
Running Bowline, 26
Running Knot, 75, 76, 77
Running Knot Checked, 75, 76
Running Knot Crossed, 30, 96
Running Knot in Eye of a Rope, 101
Running Knot, Simple, 96
Running Knot with Check Knot, 24
Running Noose, 29, 30
Sailors’ Knot Fastening, 94
Secure Lead Line to Lead, 100
Secure a Rope Round a Belaying Pin, 93
Secure a Rope Around a Cleat, 93
Selvagees, 120, 121
Sennit, 14
Sennit, Crown, 140
Sennit, Square, 141
Serving, 124
Shell Lashing, 103
Sheep Shank or Dog Shank, 70, 71
Sheet Bend, 46, 47
Shortening Tie, 34
Short Splice, Rope, 112
Short Splice, Wire, 129
Shroud-Laid Rope, 13
Shroud Knot, 64
Simple Boat Knot, 95
Simple Hitch, 21
Simple Knot, 21, 73, 74
Simple Running Knot, 23
Simple Stoppered Loop, 88
Single Plait or Chain Knot, 68
Six-Fold Knot, 23
Sling a Cask on End, 86
Slip Clinches or Running Knots Seized, 29
Slip Knot, Stoppered, 98
Slip Knot Secured by Slip Clinch, 99
Slippery Hitch, 39, 40
Slippery Ring Knot, 94
Snaking and Seizing, 65
Spanish Burton, 81, 82
Spanish Burton, Double, 82, 83
Spanish Windlass, 83
Spritsail Sheet Knot, 66
Spun Yarn, 14
Square Fastening, 93
Stationer’s Knot, 77, 78
Steel Rope, 18
Stopper Knot, 57, 58
Strands, 12
Stun’sail Halyard Bend, 44, 45
Sword Mat Splicing, 138
Sword Matting, 136, 137
Tail Jigger, 87
Tent Pole Knot, 75, 76
Throat Seizing, 120
Thrum Mat, 140
Timber Hitch, 36, 37
Timber Hitch for Towing Spars, 37
Toggles, 107
Tomfool Knot, 23
Topsail Halyard Bend, 45
Treble Knot, 22
Turk’s Head Knot, 58
Twine, 14
Twist Knot, Single, 69, 74
Twist Knot, Double, 74, 75
Twisted Rope Fastening, 89
Underhand Loop, 21
Useful Band, 106
Wall Knot, 54, 55
Waterman’s Knot, 89, 90
Weaver’s Knot or Tie, 32, 33
Wedding Knot or Rose Lashing, 102, 103
Weaving, Simple, 144
Whip a Rope, To, 50, 51
Whipping, American, 103
Whipping, To Finish, 105
Whipping, Palm and Needle, 51, 52
Whipping, West Country, 104
Wire Hawsers, Steel, 130
Wire Rope, 18
Wire Rope Eye Splice, 130
Wire Rope into Endless Band, To Splice, 131
Wire Rope Long Splice, 131
Wire Rope Splicing, 128
Wire Splice, Short, 129
Worming, 124
Yarn, 12
Transcriber’s Notes.
Italic text is indicated with _underscores_, bold text with =equals=. Small/mixed capitals have been replaced with ALL CAPITALS.
Evident typographical and punctuation errors have been corrected silently. Inconsistent spelling/hyphenation has been normalised.
To improve text flow, illustrations have been relocated between paragraphs. Where necessary, references to illustrations in the text have been modified to reflect the change in position.
New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.