BELFAST YAWLS.
This type of whale boat is said to have been imported from Norway, and even the Galway hooker and pookhaun exhibit evidence of Norwegian origin. The Belfast yawls vary in length from 12ft. to 30ft. The larger craft above 20ft. keel have two masts, the shorter one being stepped forward. The mast is stepped in the keelson, and fits into a half circle cut out of the thwart. It is stayed forward, and is kept in position without any mast clamp on the thwart.
The tack of the sail is hooked to a hook on the bow. There are two hooks on each bow, the after one being used when before the wind. The halyard consists of a tye and single whip purchase. The standing part of the purchase is fast to the gunwale, and the fall is also belayed to the gunwale. There is no traveller, and the tye runs over a half sheave at the mast head. This fitting is in great repute among the Belfast men, as there is little chance of the yard jamming in hoisting or lowering.
The main sheet is a single rope rove through a bull's-eye on a swivel on the sternpost. The sail is extended by a boom, the latter having a pin at the outer end, which is put into the clew cringle of the sail. The other end is lashed to the mast. A bowline is sometimes used as represented in the cut (Fig. 111). This bowline is set up to the towing bollard or " Samson," with which these boats are always fitted. The sail is cut so high in the clew because it should not get into the water during rolling. The mast is stepped amidships. In squalls the sheet or halyard is let go. In running, if the bows dive, the halyard is eased a little.
The boat is steered by a yoke and long lines, all the crew sitting amidships. Stones are used as ballast. The rig is a very rude one, and it could not be expected that such craft would do much to windward where short tacking would of necessity be frequent.