futtock

In the most traditional ships, the futtock shrouds can be used to gain access to the tops.

"Look there, in the futtock shrouds I'd know that grinning rogue anywhere.

Futtock is very collectable at the moment.'

Ruori slipped down the futtock shrouds and jumped to the gaff.

Using the futtock shrouds involves climbing the underside of an overhanging rope at about 45 degrees.

Before this the futtock shrouds were attached to the lower shrouds that rose directly to the top.

'Actually, mm, it's a Futtock,' said the old priest, who still hadn't yet got up to mental speed.

The futtock shrouds carry the load of the upper shrouds into the mast below.

"They can sail to China so long as we catch them," Chase said, then collapsed his telescope and disappeared down the futtock shrouds.

Any traditionally-rigged ship will have futtock shrouds, but on some modern ones they are strictly for structural purposes, with climbing forbidden.

Futtock (frame)

He swung himself into the ratlines and scrambled up to the maintop, bending backward to grab the futtock shrouds.

He reached the futtock shrouds and, without thinking, hurled himself upward and outward, the quickest way to the maintop.

Access to the tops is by a vertical "jacob's ladder" down to the ratlines, rather than inverted futtock shrouds.

(Futtock is in fact a harmless nautical term - a shortening of the phrase 'foot-hook'.)

"Redwater," moaned Shimchisko, hanging from the futtock shrouds upside down beneath the top.

Between each futtock the planks were laped in normal clinker style and fastened with 6 iron rivets per plank.

In some ships the gap between the lower uneven futtock and the lapstrake planks was filled with a spacer block about 200 mm long.

At the bow the forward upper futtock protruded about 400 mm above the sheerline and was carved to retain anchor or mooring lines.

The lower part of the side stay consisted of ropes looped under the end of a knee of upper futtock which had a hole underneath.

As well as climbing the futtock shrouds, most ships also allowed access to the top through the "lubber's hole" at the tip of the ordinary ratlines.

Access for sailors to the top may be by a Jacob's ladder, lubber's hole, or the futtock shrouds - see the latter entry for more details.

Although on many ships the only way round was the overhanging futtock shrouds, modern-day tall ships often provide an easier vertical ladder from the ratlines as well.

The futtock closest to the keel was the ground futtock and the other pieces were called upper futtocks.

Sailors ascend ratlines on the ordinary shrouds until nearly at the top, then transfer to the futtock shrouds which will be reaching upwards and outwards above them.