SPARS AND SAILS OP THE " PEARL." Mr. Tredwen's mode of fitting a lowering mast is to have a quad rant-shaped trunk or case (as shown by K, Fig. 136), in which the mast is stepped. The trunk is lined with zinc, or copper, to prevent any water finding its way into the canoe through this opening, and a brass pipe (H), from the bottom of the case out through the keel, empties the water in the same way as the valves in the bottom of a lifeboat. The mast is encircled, at the level of the deck, with a brass ferrule, to the aft side of which there is secured a crossbar (F), on which the mast pivots when being raised or lowered. The crossbar turns in two hooks or crutches (G), securely screwed to the deck. The mast can be raised and maintained in position either by a forestay leading from the masthead through a block at the stem head, or by a heel rope, as represented in the diagram. When a forestay is employed the mast must be well back in the boat, or else a bumpkin will be required to take the stay clear of the 'aft of the sail, unless the latter is cut with a great deal of peak, and a very small part of the sail on the foreside of the mast. The flat-headed sail has a shorter yard, and when slung so as to have a good breadth top and bottom on the fore side of the mast, it sits very well. The mast, fitted with a heel rope, can be placed well forward in the canoe, and the sail does not then interfere with the paddle, when both modes of propulsion are used simultaneously. In the diagram, A is the sheave in the heel of the mast ; B, a sheave fitted on a ferrule around the mast, 6in. above the deck ; C, a sheave on deck ; D, heel rope made fast to an eye at E ; F, crossbar on which the mast pivots ; G, pair of crutches for F to pivot in. On slacking the rope D the mast falls aft, the heel of the mast A coming up to the deck towards C.
The sail (represented by Fig. 137, on tin. scale) is a cruising sail with one reef hauled down, and the dotted outline shows the sail fully set. The total area of the sail is about 55 square feet, reducible by three reefs, each reef containing 14ft., 13ft., and 12ft. respectively. The close reef, or third reef size of the sail, will therefore be 16 square feet.
The material of the Pearl's sails is "washed longcloth," one-yard widths joined together by seaming the selvages. The leach of the sail, from the peak (I) to the upper batten (J is a selvage edge, to which the other seams run parallel, the first seam taking very nearly the line of the topping lift. The sail is bound all round with strong tape, the luff with a double thickness. There are three battens (indicated by dotted lines) across the sail, one at each reef. A piece of tape is stitched along each edge to the sail, thus making a pocket for the battens. Instead of the tape seamed pockets, the Pearl has long bags or pockets made to fit the battens, and stitched to the sail across the side next the mast. The extra thickness prevents the sail pressing against the mast when closehauled, with the mast to leeward. Two openings are cut out of each pocket, at K and L, in order
to make fast a block to the batten. These blocks are made fast by a seizing of fine waxed twine. At each of the points J and M other blocks must be made fast. Across the sail, up and down from K to K and L to L, stripe of tape are stitched, great care being taken to keep the tape slack, so as not to draw the sail and spoil its sit. Along these tapes, and also on the luff and the leach, are rows of fishing-rod rings (tin. outside diameter) sewn on at intervals of 2in. The running gear for each reef is in three parts. The first is secured to the after end of the boom, and leads up through the rings on the leech and the block at J, and along the batten to N, where it turns into a bight to form a strop round the block N, and is securely seized, and then the line turns back through the block K, and forward along the batten, through the block M and the row of rings on the luff, down to the boom, where it is made fast. The second line is a short one ; B, its end, is fastened to the strop of block N, and it leads through block K down the row of rings, and if made fast to the boom. There are thus two lines leading through the block at K; but, as both run simultaneously, the working is quite smooth Two single blocks or a double block can be used at this point K, bur the double block seems to give most friction to the line from M, anc two single blocks give the best result. The third line, stouter than 014 others, is made fast to the fore end of the batten at M or L, and, beinf rove through the blocks N and L, down through the row of rings at L L through the threefold block on the port side of the mast, and back t? the hand, becomes the tackle, by pulling which the reef is gatherer together at the leech, luff, and the points K K and L L. All thre reefs are fitted in the same manner, the ends of the lines in the seconi and third reefs being attached to the battens instead of to the boom, a in the first reef. The arrangement of the ropes and blocks will be mor clearly understood by referring to diagram (Fig. 138). The regular conven tional reef points (x) are also tied to the battens at intervals, as a reserve in case of the reef tackle getting carried away.* Plaited cords should be used for this work, as laid cord would kink and twist up, especially where three lines join into one at the block N. The best cord for the purpose is the " white Albert blind cord," No. 2 size, for the first line (J J M M), and No. 14 for the second line (K K). The third line which leads to the hand should be " No. 14 extra super flax-sash line." The blocks required for each reef are two fin. at M and J, and three Sin. blocks (or }in.) at K, N, and L. Thimbles may be sub stituted for blocks at the expense of increased friction to the running gear. All these cords and blocks can be obtained of W. Good and Sons, Arthur-street East, London Bridge.