In old "pirate" movies, you'll sometimes see, during a fight, a man pull
out a special-shaped wooden pin or club and use it as a weapon.
Sometimes he has one or more on him, but often he yanks it from a
mounting bracket on the rail of the ship (where there appear to be many
of things, for, I presume, tying down lines to tack the sails).

Question: Do these pins have a specific name?

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Reply to sans two @@, or your reply won't reach me.

On Sun, 26 Oct 2003 01:30:00 -0500, Mike1
wrote:


In old "pirate" movies, you'll sometimes see, during a fight, a man pull
out a special-shaped wooden pin or club and use it as a weapon.
Sometimes he has one or more on him, but often he yanks it from a
mounting bracket on the rail of the ship (where there appear to be many
of things, for, I presume, tying down lines to tack the sails).

Question: Do these pins have a specific name?


If the first pic on this ( http://www.tallshipbounty.org/belay.html ) page
is what you are talking about then, you're thinking of belaying pins, used
either for lashing/belaying running rigging, or motivating the crew.



--
Christopher Horner

"Christopher Horner" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 26 Oct 2003 01:30:00 -0500, Mike1
wrote:


In old "pirate" movies, you'll sometimes see, during a fight, a man pull
out a special-shaped wooden pin or club and use it as a weapon.
Sometimes he has one or more on him, but often he yanks it from a
mounting bracket on the rail of the ship (where there appear to be many
of things, for, I presume, tying down lines to tack the sails).

Question: Do these pins have a specific name?


If the first pic on this ( http://www.tallshipbounty.org/belay.html ) page
is what you are talking about then, you're thinking of belaying pins, used
either for lashing/belaying running rigging, or motivating the crew.

The more usual motivation tool was a "starter", a short piece of heavy line
used as a club/whip.

Brian Sharrock wrote:
"Mike1" wrote in message
...

In old "pirate" movies, you'll sometimes see, during a fight, a man pull
out a special-shaped wooden pin or club and use it as a weapon.
Sometimes he has one or more on him, but often he yanks it from a
mounting bracket on the rail of the ship (where there appear to be many
of things, for, I presume, tying down lines to tack the sails).

Question: Do these pins have a specific name?


Answer: Yes! -couldn't resist the temptation to

Question: what is the specific name for the items discussed?

Answer: Belaying pins. Ropes, line, halyards, sheets etc, etc,
are belayed onto the appropriate pin so that the rope-work
looks tiddly and Bristol fashion and that the crew can
fumble
in the dark and select the correct piece of string. Note
that
the rope-work is _not_ tied-off in a knot or bend which may
jam
but they are wound around the head of the pin and the tail
of the pin - belayed - then the remaining length is coiled
and
handed onto to head of the pin.

Hope that helps

--

Brian

almost there

Belaying pins actually function as a machine. The pin protudes through
the pin rail. the "rope" comes down vertically past the pinrail and a
"turn" is takn around the tail of the pin. This changes the angle of
pull 90 degrees and allows more people to pull on the rope than if it
just came down vertically. The rope can also be attached to a
windlass. Friction between the rope and the pin rail adds to the work
load, but in a trained crew is also used to grab the rope while you
change hands or tie off the rope. the rope is tied off by taking a
"hitch" in the rope in which the standing part is crossed over itself
and dropped over the top of the pin. Pulling on the rope tightens down
the "belay knot" (yes its a knot) on the head of the pin

if the load is very heavy and you need more friction you can take a
second belay by taking a second turn aroun the tail and making a
"double belay".


Vince

"Vince Brannigan" wrote in message
...

[ SNIP ]
Belaying pins actually function as a machine. The pin protudes through
the pin rail. the "rope" comes down vertically past the pinrail and a
"turn" is takn around the tail of the pin. This changes the angle of
pull 90 degrees and allows more people to pull on the rope than if it
just came down vertically. The rope can also be attached to a
windlass. Friction between the rope and the pin rail adds to the work
load, but in a trained crew is also used to grab the rope while you
change hands or tie off the rope. the rope is tied off by taking a
"hitch" in the rope in which the standing part is crossed over itself
and dropped over the top of the pin. Pulling on the rope tightens down
the "belay knot" (yes its a knot) on the head of the pin

if the load is very heavy and you need more friction you can take a
second belay by taking a second turn aroun the tail and making a
"double belay".

All you guys know a little bit too much, which is disgusting me. I will soon
expound on either the exact details of how early 19th century cannons were
secured (complete with the nomenclature of the ropes), or ruminate on
careening, or perhaps speculate at length on the design of galley oar
blades.

AHS

Mike1 wrote in message ...
In old "pirate" movies, you'll sometimes see, during a fight, a man pull
out a special-shaped wooden pin or club and use it as a weapon.
Sometimes he has one or more on him, but often he yanks it from a
mounting bracket on the rail of the ship (where there appear to be many
of things, for, I presume, tying down lines to tack the sails).

Question: Do these pins have a specific name?

I heard some people call them bull pins, and dog pins.
They weren't used for tying down anything, that's
why they were always free, and pirates particulary
wanted to steal them. After you get the
sails up on those tall ships, you have to
tension the lines. The pins were used in
a turnbuckle type of a rig to tune the
sails after you got them up.

"Vince Brannigan" wrote in message
...
Belaying pins actually function as a machine. The pin protudes through

snip good info

Also for flying scenery (moderately useless trivia info): see
http://www.arts.ubc.ca/TheatreDesign...spc/flies1.pdf

Regards,
Barry

BF Lake wrote:
"Vince Brannigan" wrote in message
...

Belaying pins actually function as a machine. The pin protudes through


snip good info

Also for flying scenery (moderately useless trivia info): see
http://www.arts.ubc.ca/TheatreDesign...spc/flies1.pdf



Our fly loft at my High school was built in 1896. It is exactly as
described.

Vince

On Sun, 26 Oct 2003 01:30:00 -0500, something compelled Mike1
, to say:


In old "pirate" movies, you'll sometimes see, during a fight, a man pull
out a special-shaped wooden pin or club and use it as a weapon.
Sometimes he has one or more on him, but often he yanks it from a
mounting bracket on the rail of the ship (where there appear to be many
of things, for, I presume, tying down lines to tack the sails).

Question: Do these pins have a specific name?

Belaying pin.

"Mike1" wrote in message
...

In old "pirate" movies, you'll sometimes see, during a fight, a man pull
out a special-shaped wooden pin or club and use it as a weapon.
Sometimes he has one or more on him, but often he yanks it from a
mounting bracket on the rail of the ship (where there appear to be many
of things, for, I presume, tying down lines to tack the sails).

Question: Do these pins have a specific name?

Answer: Yes! -couldn't resist the temptation to

Question: what is the specific name for the items discussed?

Answer: Belaying pins. Ropes, line, halyards, sheets etc, etc,
are belayed onto the appropriate pin so that the rope-work
looks tiddly and Bristol fashion and that the crew can
fumble
in the dark and select the correct piece of string. Note
that
the rope-work is _not_ tied-off in a knot or bend which may
jam
but they are wound around the head of the pin and the tail
of the pin - belayed - then the remaining length is coiled
and
handed onto to head of the pin.

Hope that helps

--

Brian