Mr. Thomas Butler, of Barrow-in-Furness, invented a topmast funnel, on the plan shown in the annexed diagram (Fig. 33), and uses it in his 3-ton yacht for getting his topmast on deck without unrigging. The funnel (shown by A) is cast in brass, about ;1 inch thick. a is the pole of the topmast, which is fixed or jammed in the funnel, and does not come below c. b is the lower part of the topmast. z is a stud to insure the funnel getting on the right part of the topmast. c is a shoulder to strengthen the funnel, and rests on the masthead cap when the topmast is lowered. d is a hole in the funnel through which the halyard is rove. g is a part of the funnel bevelled away to prevent the halyard being cut. f is a rib, of which there are three. (As the funnel is necessarily larger at the bottom than at the top, the top part would fit loosely in the masthead cap ; hence the ribs are made to taper to nothing at the bottom, and just fill out the cap when the funnel is lowered inside the cap.) e e are two eyes ; of these there are four, two for shrouds, one for topmast forestay and one for shifting backstay. They can either be cast with the funnel or rivetted in after wards. B is a section of the funnel, viewed nearly broadside on ; j j j j shows the thickness of the brass, and g the bevellings ; i the halyard ; k is a piece of hard wood fitted on the upper end of the topmast, as shown, instead of a sheave. If a sheave were used, it would require a broad one with a good deep score in it. D is an end-on view of the funnel ; 1 is the fore eye, looking in a fore-and-aft line corresponding with n; o and in are the two eyes for the shrouds ; q q q are the ribs ; k k are the shoulders ; p is the opening for the halyard ; j is the funnel. If other halyards are required, tail blocks can be made fast round the shoulders for them to run through.
The feature of this arrangement is that the topmast may be got on deck, or rather all that portion of it which is below tho topsail-halyard sheave hole, leaving the pole and funnel, with the signal and topsail halyards, and be sent up again without anyone going aloft to reeve the halyards or fid, as the heel rope can be trusted to keep the topmast up.
If necessary, in a squall topsail and topmast could be lowered alto gether by letting go the heel rope; this is of great consequence in small boats, as it enables a larger topsail to be used than a pole mast will admit of without the latter being too big for a sea way.
Various plans have been devised for fidding and unfidding topmasts from the deck, and the " tumbler " plan has been in fashion some time. In
Fig. 34, A is a pawl which drops into a score in the topmast as the latter is got up. When the topmast has to be lowered, haul on the heel rope ; and when the topmast is lifted sufficiently high, pull on the small rope B (which passes over the sheave C) until the pawl is clear of the score. The topmast can then be lowered.
The " self-fidding topmast " (Fig. 35) has been in use of late, and was designed and thus described by Mr. Augustine L. Dunphy : "The fid consists of a properly-shaped bar of iron working rather stiffly on a pin in the heel of the topmast, the slot (see A, 1) in which is cut specially to suit the peculiar action of the fid ; a stout bolt, B (2), firmly screwed into the masthead, completes the whole of the mechanical part of the arrangement.
" To Fid the Topmost.—The fid is placed in position, as shown at A (2), by hand whilst the topmast is down, and then, hauling on the heel rope, the topmast rises until the projecting part (A) of the fid strikes the bolt B (a score is cut in the cap, so as to enable the fid to clear), and is pushed into a horizontal position when the heel rope is slacked, and the topmast will fall a few inches, fidded as securely as by the old-fashioned bolt (see 4, Fig. 35).
" To Unftd.—Haul on the heel rope until the topmast is chock up ; the fid rising with topmast again strikes the bolt B, thereby changing its position to that shown in (3) ; ease up the heel rope, and the topmast is free to come down.
" A little extra care is necessary in sending up the topmast, as if driven up too high the fid is fidded and unfidded, when a hand must go aloft to right, or the topmast lowered so as to place the fid in position again. This fid has been in almost constant use, and has never failed me in any case. It will act equally well when the mast is at any angle, and dispenses with the tripping lines, which are always getting foul or being carried away. It never fails to bring down the topmast." One of the most approved plans of self-unfid ding topmast is shown by Fig. 36. a is the top mast, y the yoke, s is an iron tumbler fid, pivoted by a bolt shown above a. m and n are slots cut in the topmast, k is a small line fastened to the fid, and passed up through a hole bored in the heel of the topmast. To unfid hoist on the heel rope until the tumbler falls into the slot n, then lower away.
. To fid, hoist by the heel rope until the slot n is above the yoke. Then pull on the line k until the fid is in the horizontal position shown in the drawing. We think this fid is to be preferred to either of the other two.