Day 604.

The final boom to be installed and rigged is the jumbo jib boom.  This boom sits up near the bow, running from the bowsprit to the fore mast.

Jumbo Jib Sheet

The jumbo jib sheet is similar to the sheet on the fore boom, but simpler.  Like the fore boom sheet buffer, the job of this line is to pull the boom down towards the deck.

It is made from 0.018″ tan rigging line.  It starts with a double block shackled to the bottom of the boom.  A single block is hooked to an eyebolt on the horse (a small wire piece installed in the deck near the fore mast).  A line is seized to this single block, and run up through double block, back down, back up, and back down.  The free end is tied off to a belaying pin on the main mast.

The jumbo jib sheet runs from the boom down to the deck.

Inhaul Tackle

The jumbo jib boom’s fore end attaches to the jumbo jib traveller block.  A brass wire on the top of the traveller block passes through the two U-shaped brass pieces on the end of the boom.  This allows the boom to slide fore and aft on the traveller.

The inhaul tackle holds this end of the boom in position.  Since the jumbo jib sail will be attached to the jumbo jib stay (pulling the boom forward), the inhaul tackle puts opposite pressure on the boom, pulling it aft and keeping things tight.

The inhaul tackle is a little different from other lines – it has some chain.  It is also very small, so making it requires some delicate work.

I started with some small chain that was painted black.  One end of the chain was attached to the U-shaped pieces on the jumbo jib boom’s fore end.  The other end of the chain was shackled to a double block.

A single block was attached to an eyebolt on the boom, and 0.08″ tan rigging line was run between the two blocks.  The free end was tied off on one of the bitts.

The inhaul tackle consists of chain, some blocks, and some rigging line.

Jumbo Jib Topping Lift

The jumbo jib topping lift runs from the fore mast down to the aft end of the jumbo jib boom.  It pulls the boom up.  Combined with the downward force from the sheet, this holds the boom at the correct angle off the deck.

The topping lift starts with some 0.008″ black rigging line hooked onto a metal piece located just below the trestle trees on the fore mast.

The topping lift starts with a pendant hooked to the fore mast.

The pendant runs about halfway down, where it is seized to a double block.

A double block is found at the lower end of the topping lift pendant.

A single block is hooked to the end of the jumbo jib boom (using a long hook), and 0.008″ tan rigging line runs between the two blocks.

The free end is belayed to a pin on the fore mast.

The lower end of the topping lift is hooked to the boom.