A sail is a complex object that requires a considerable high level of skill when building.
Prior to the introduction of steam power in the 19th century, ** relied on wind and sails for power and combat maneuverability. A sail is a complex object, the construction of which requires a considerable level of skill. To function well, the sails must be strong enough to withstand the force of the wind and the ravages of war, while also being light and flexible enough for sailors to operate when working at heights, often in challenging conditions. This balance is difficult to achieve because the stronger the material used, the heavier and stiffer the sail. The solution is to use different grades of canvas for different parts of the sail, with the middle canvas material being lighter and the blades (side edges) being heavier because the stresses are greatest here.
Even the square sail has an intricate design.
First of all, it's not really a square. In general, the width of the head (upper) matches the yard to which it is attached, and the foot (lower) is wider in proportion to the longer yard below. The feet themselves are not straight, but are bent into a gentle arc, which allows the canvas to be unaffected by the rigging. Then, in the middle of the sail (called"Sail belly"Crop the extra material so that it forms a belly for windward.
At the edge of the sail, the canvas is doubled to increase its strength, and then a tether is sewn along the edge to prevent cracking. This rope is offset, so that even on the darkest nights, the sailor can tell the front and back of the sail by touch alone. Then, various rivets (holes), cleats (reinforcement points for attaching the ropes at the lower corners) and take-off points (short ropes for the take-up of the sails) need to be added to the sail. It is estimated that it takes more than a thousand man-hours to make a side sail for a sailboat.
Material**: J m. caiella
In the 18th century, the strategic role of ** changed dramatically. Before 1700, the major naval powers fought in their fleets in European waters during the summer and never far from friendly ports. Firepower is everything, and the more ammunition a battleship has on it, the better, which is not conducive to the ship's handling and weather resistance. However, the rapid development of the colonial economy of the New World and the massive expansion with Asia** led to a change in strategic priorities. The Navy needs to project power into the world's oceans using ships that can operate in more severe weather. Naval operations have also changed, with a greater emphasis on maneuvering the fleet to achieve tactical superiority over the adversary. Therefore, the battleship and its sails need to adapt to these requirements.
One such change is the increasing use of fore and aft sails, i.e. sails that are aligned with the centerline of the boat. This type of sail allows the vessel to sail closer to the wind, providing both a tactical advantage in the operation and an increased safety in bad weather, especially when docking. Hanging sails – sails set between masts – first appeared in the British Royal Navy in 1709. Initially they were triangular, but after 1760, when their usefulness was confirmed, they were replaced by larger quadrangular sails. By the time of Napoleon, only the front and rear sails were often used in order to compete for the weather vane.
The most effective sails for maneuvering a large battleship are those in the bow, which have undergone the most profound changes. The farther these sails are deployed, the more leverage they exert to increase the veerability, especially when turning into the wind. At the beginning of this period, battleships had a small vertical mast at the end of a short bow mast with one or occasionally two square sails, called"Masthead sails"with"Masthead sails"。These sails, together with larger square mast sails suspended under the bow mast, provided the lever for steering. This sail was rather complex and had a limited effect, and from 1705 onwards began to be replaced by small warships.
Elements and Practice of Rigging and Navigation (1794).
The small sail mast was removed and replaced by an extension of the bow mast, called the jib mast, on which several triangular fore and rear sails could be hung. Within twenty years, all warships adopted this modified sail. It changes manoeuvrability, doubling the canvas area in this critical area and moving the sail forward farther away to maximise the impact of the sail.
Of all the main sails on **, the mid-mast sail (the lowest sail behind the mast or behind the mainmast) has the most variation. The maneuverability benefits of having a large fore and aft sail at the stern have been proven, as provided by the pull sails adopted in the Arab world. This sail provides considerable leverage when cornering, but is awkward to operate. In addition, when the yard swings in one direction, the spinnale in front of the midmast moves in the opposite direction, canceling out the effect to some extent. From the 30s of the 17th century, initially on British and Dutch battleships, the front part of the sail was dismantled, and a new leading edge was tied to the midmast. This change was quickly adopted by the navies of most countries, but as a result, the front half of the ship's midmast remained bare.
During the American Revolution, the British began to use a new, larger truss and boom sail (called"Sampan") to replace the mid-masted sail, which was gradually adopted by all warships, but even in the Royal Navy it was not until several years later that it was fully adopted.
Flagship of Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile in 1798"Vanguard"(HMS Vanguard) was hoisted with a mid-mast sail, and it was the only ship on both sides that still used a mid-mast sail. Masts are more convenient and efficient than the sails they replace. It is noteworthy that in the Battle of the Nile, only the Vanguard of Nelson's battleships was swept to the ends of the beams in high winds, and part of the mast was destroyed. She had to be towed to safety by another ship, the Alexander, which survived the summer storm. Alexander"newer masts were installed.
In an era when the firepower of a battleship could only really be used on the side, the ability to outperform the opponent in action could give a huge advantage. By the end of the 18th century, thanks to the constant innovation of the sails and rigging of the ships, commanders could consider actions that were considered suicidal at the beginning of the century.
One of these operations took place on the night of March 30, 1800. A 36-door frigate commanded by Captain Henry Blackwood"Penelope"(HMS Penelope) intercepted the 80-door frigate that broke through from Malta"Guillaume-Tell"（guillaume tell）。The French cruiser was being pursued by a squadron of the Royal Navy, which was far faster than the squadron of the Royal Navy.
The Penelope was in hot pursuit from the stern and kept outpacing its clumsy opponents throughout the night. Blackwood, with his great seamanship and the greater agility of his own battleship, repeatedly crossed the stern of the Frenchman, hitting her every time, and then"Guillaume Taylor"The number quickly turned before firing the broadside guns.
By dawn, the French battleship was badly damaged and was soon sunk by its pursuers. In contrast,"Penelope"The ship was almost unscathed, with only one dead and three wounded. This result would not have been possible without a major overhaul of the sails and rigging of 18th-century battleships.
Reference to the Journal of Naval History, February 2022, Original: Philip K. Allen.
U.S. Naval Institute February** Dynamic Incentive Program