Figureheads

[Elena]

The wooden figureheads on the tall ships... how were they mounted/ taken out? Was it anything to screw them in, or what?

[Coastie04]

Well here's the easy way:

Seriously though, I've seen at least one that was tied on in place by using some stout lines behind it, much like a buckle. It was looped around the holes in the backside of the figurehead (allowing them to pass through), then secured around the stem of the boat (or some other hardpoint-it's been a little while). When in place, these ropes were hidden by the figurehead itself. There were also a number of smaller figureheads that would be carved in to a billet head that would then be secured to the vessel. Below are a couple of pictures of the Charles W. Morgan's new billet head being installed (c. 1840's vessel iirc). It looks like nails or screws holding it on.

It's extremely hard to find pictures of the reverse sides of figureheads, as everyone seems to want to see this instead:

[Elena]

Thank you very much! I fully agree with you, and this is exactly why I asked in the "Shipyard", for somebody who had seen it.

Because my characters are going to steal, among other things, a ship's figurehead as well... (The story is longer - the privateers were cheated by the authorities and given half the sum deserved for bringing a Spanish prize ship. So the captain plotted a revenge... which includes a small volunteers team sinking the ship in the harbour after emptying it of anything valuable. Figurehead included). And yes, no one would suspect the privateers, who set sail one day before...

So Santa Maria de Guadalupe will be caught with lines on the frigate .

Edited March 25, 2014 by Elena