The top on a traditional square rigged ship is the platform at the upper end of each (lower) mast.[1] This is not the masthead "crow's nest" of the popular imagination – above the mainmast (for example) is the main-topmast, main-topgallant-mast and main-royal-mast, so that the top is actually about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way up the mast as a whole.
The main purpose of the top is to anchor the shrouds of the topmast that extends above it. Shrouds down to the side of the hull would be at too acute an angle from the mast, so crosstrees run sideways out from the mast to spread the topmast shrouds. These crosstrees rest on two trestle trees running fore and aft, which themselves are placed on top of the cheeks of hounds, bolted to the sides of the mast. Placing a few timbers onto the crosstrees produces a useful platform, the top. The futtock shrouds carry the load of the upper shrouds into the mast below.[2]
At the upper end of the topmast and topgallant, there is a similar situation regarding the next mast up (topgallant and royal respectively). At these points a smaller top might be constructed, but it is more usual simply to leave the shroud-bearing struts open, in which case they are known as crosstrees.
A foremast might be stepped into a similar fore-top platform on the foremast. A mizzen-top would be a platform on the mizzenmast.[3] Similar main-top and fore-top platforms have been retained on steam ships and motor vessels as preferred locations for installing rotating radarantennae.
Fighting topedit
A fighting top was an enlarged top with swivel guns, designed to fire down at the deck of enemy ships. They could also hold sailors or marines armed with muskets or rifles; Horatio Nelson was mortally wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar by a sniper firing from a fighting top of the Redoutable.
External linksedit
Media related to Top (sailing) at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to Fighting tops at Wikimedia Commons
sailing, ship, traditional, square, rigged, ship, platform, upper, each, lower, mast, this, masthead, crow, nest, popular, imagination, above, mainmast, example, main, topmast, main, topgallant, mast, main, royal, mast, that, actually, about, mast, whole, fore. The top on a traditional square rigged ship is the platform at the upper end of each lower mast 1 This is not the masthead crow s nest of the popular imagination above the mainmast for example is the main topmast main topgallant mast and main royal mast so that the top is actually about 1 4 to 1 3 of the way up the mast as a whole The foretop of the Prince William Note the futtock shrouds white painted rods angling inwards and jacob s ladders extending upwards are the topmast shrouds with their rope ratlines The main purpose of the top is to anchor the shrouds of the topmast that extends above it Shrouds down to the side of the hull would be at too acute an angle from the mast so crosstrees run sideways out from the mast to spread the topmast shrouds These crosstrees rest on two trestle trees running fore and aft which themselves are placed on top of the cheeks of hounds bolted to the sides of the mast Placing a few timbers onto the crosstrees produces a useful platform the top The futtock shrouds carry the load of the upper shrouds into the mast below 2 At the upper end of the topmast and topgallant there is a similar situation regarding the next mast up topgallant and royal respectively At these points a smaller top might be constructed but it is more usual simply to leave the shroud bearing struts open in which case they are known as crosstrees Access for sailors to the top may be by a Jacob s ladder lubber s hole or the futtock shrouds A foremast might be stepped into a similar fore top platform on the foremast A mizzen top would be a platform on the mizzenmast 3 Similar main top and fore top platforms have been retained on steam ships and motor vessels as preferred locations for installing rotating radar antennae Fighting top editA fighting top was an enlarged top with swivel guns designed to fire down at the deck of enemy ships They could also hold sailors or marines armed with muskets or rifles Horatio Nelson was mortally wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar by a sniper firing from a fighting top of the Redoutable External links edit nbsp Media related to Top sailing at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Media related to Fighting tops at Wikimedia CommonsSources edit Knight Austin M 1942 Knight s Modern Seamanship Tenth ed New York D Van Nostrand p 826 Charles G Davis The Ship Model Builders Assistant Marine Research Society Salem Massachusetts 1926 side 62 fig 52 Keegan John 1989 The Price of Admiralty New York Viking pp 278 amp 279 ISBN 0 670 81416 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Top sailing ship amp oldid 1179824301 Fighting top, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
