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"No" Ropes aboard.


capn'rob

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So often I hear in a very authoritarian voice "there are no ropes on a vessel." True, once brought aboard most rope when put to use becomes a line. Most line with a name for the purpose it serves. There are , however ropes aboard. So here's the game; what are they?

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Tiller Rope

Jas. Hook

"Born on an island, live on an island... the sea has always been in my blood." Jas. Hook

"You can't direct the wind . . . but . . . you can adjust the sails."

"Don't eat the chickens with writing on their beaks." Governor Sawney

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So often I hear in a very authoritarian voice "there are no ropes on a vessel." True, once brought aboard most rope when put to use becomes a line. Most line with a name for the purpose it serves. There are , however ropes aboard. So here's the game; what are they?

Bolt rope on a sail.

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So often I hear in a very authoritarian voice "there are no ropes on a vessel." True, once brought aboard most rope when put to use becomes a line. Most line with a name for the purpose it serves. There are , however ropes aboard. So here's the game; what are they?

Bolt rope on a sail.

A "cocked hat" sight! There's one!

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Manrope

And neither fish or fowl... a boats 'painter'. biggrin.gif

Jas. Hook

"Born on an island, live on an island... the sea has always been in my blood." Jas. Hook

"You can't direct the wind . . . but . . . you can adjust the sails."

"Don't eat the chickens with writing on their beaks." Governor Sawney

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And one for the goal oriented Bo'sun Mate... a Rope's End. ohmy.gif

Jas. Hook

"Born on an island, live on an island... the sea has always been in my blood." Jas. Hook

"You can't direct the wind . . . but . . . you can adjust the sails."

"Don't eat the chickens with writing on their beaks." Governor Sawney

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My, I'm quite suprised no ex Navy or CG have chimed in here.(that's a hint)...There is only one rope on a ship; the bell rope. The lines come aboard as bulk cordage.

Avast, Sir Master o' the Royaliste! If'n ye takes th' time t' look in th' deeps o' Mr. Hands post ye'll see he been nay missin th "Clok Strop"! In Modern Navy and CG the "Cordage" didn't become some of the aforementioned items yet in years gone by certainly did. Yet there be more!

Edited by capn'rob
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Footrope or foot-rope. Two uses aboard: the line rigged under a yard on which to stand while handing sail; the boltrope at the foot of a sail.

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My occupational hazard bein' my occupation's just not around...

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Footrope or foot-rope. Two uses aboard: the line rigged under a yard on which to stand while handing sail; the boltrope at the foot of a sail.

Aye, to be sure. Fer were it not we poor sailors would have nae t' brace upon while gatherin' the bunt.

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Aye, so here we be. "No Ropes" aboard. "One Rope" aboard. And Blast me, we've got six! 1) Bellrope, 2) Manrope, 3) Footrope, 4) Boltrope,

5) Tiller rope and 6) the Rope's End !!

To the best o' me recollections, that be all of what I knows. Yet I be willin' ta learn.

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There is actually one more, sorta, only it is a modern usage. But, since no time period was specified, I'll include it. Wire rope is never called line. It retains the name "rope" even when aboard. As in "The main halyard is made of wire rope" as oppossed to "The main halyard is made of dacron line." There's 3/8" nylon line and 3/8" wire rope.

Edited by Captain Jim

3ff66f1f.jpg

My occupational hazard bein' my occupation's just not around...

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There is actually one more, sorta, only it is a modern usage. But, since no time period was specified, I'll include it. Wire rope is never called line. It retains the name "rope" even when aboard. As in "The main halyard is made of wire rope" as oppossed to "The main halyard is made of dacron line." There's 3/8" nylon line and 3/8" wire rope.

Aye, but ye missed the point in yer own statement: "Main 'Halyard'" is what that piece of wire rope is called! Even if it's spliced to three strand dacron.

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Aye, that's why I said "sorta". The word "rope" is in the construction, not in the name. So one might have a footrope made of nylon line or cordage, but you could also have a footrope made of wire rope, introducing the word "rope" on board. A sailor would be sent to fetch a coil of hemp line or sent to get a coil of wire rope. I know I'm getting semantical, but it does mandate the word "rope" when speaking of it on board. So is it a rope, as in a named part of the ship like a footrope? No. Is it rope aboard that is not commonly referred to as line or cordage? Yes. It's why I kinda hesitated to include it to begin with. This is why language can be such fun!

3ff66f1f.jpg

My occupational hazard bein' my occupation's just not around...

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Aye, that's why I said "sorta". The word "rope" is in the construction, not in the name. So one might have a footrope made of nylon line or cordage, but you could also have a footrope made of wire rope, introducing the word "rope" on board. A sailor would be sent to fetch a coil of hemp line or sent to get a coil of wire rope. I know I'm getting semantical, but it does mandate the word "rope" when speaking of it on board. So is it a rope, as in a named part of the ship like a footrope? No. Is it rope aboard that is not commonly referred to as line or cordage? Yes. It's why I kinda hesitated to include it to begin with. This is why language can be such fun!

Aye, tis true. Have ye seen the "whattzit?". Jas. Hook got "Parbuckling" off the ways but "Salt Shelf" is still up for grabs!

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Oh there are plenty!

Breast ropes. Used to fasten parrels to their yard.

Bucket rope. Used to raise and lower buckets...

Buoy rope. Used to weigh anchor from a longboat.

Dead rope. Any rope that is used to haul without the use of blocks or other mechanical aids.

Entering rope. That which is fixed next to the entering port as a hand-hold.

Guest rope. (Also known as boat rope). The rope by which a ship's boat is towed

Guy rope. i) any rope used to keep objects from knocking the ship's side, ii)a line reeved on the foremast to keep the winding tackle pendant taut

Jeer rope. Fastened to the yards and reeved through blocks down to the deck to assist in hoisting yards

Keel rope. Laid between keel and keelson for the purpose of clearing ballast from limber holes

Preventer rope. Usually applied to ropes which prevent the halyards running through their blocks if broken, but can often be applied to any 'belt and braces' line.

Rudder rope. Fixed to the rudder and passed inboard so that if the rudder is knocked off it is not lost.

There are probably others...

Foxe

"With this Fore-Staff he fansies he does Wonders, when, God knows, it amounts to no more but only to solve that simple Question, Where are we? Which every chi'd in London can tell you." - Ned Ward The Wooden World Dissected, 1707


ETFox.co.uk

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