Iron rings in the hull

[Leiba]

On the N/B Jimmy when I was on it, it still had these iron rings poking out of the upper hull on the insides. They were about every 12ft or so and were used in the days when it carried a loose cargo. Chains would be connected to them across the boat to stop the sides bowing out when it was fully laden. What were these rings called?

[Derek R.]

On the N/B Jimmy when I was on it, it still had these iron rings poking out of the upper hull on the insides. They were about every 12ft or so and were used in the days when it carried a loose cargo. Chains would be connected to them across the boat to stop the sides bowing out when it was fully laden. What were these rings called?

 

Don't know that they had any particular name as such, just chain rings. Rigging screws were linked between two short chains and tightened sufficiently to keep the sides from spreading when loaded with loose cargo, but that's already known. Chain stay ring might be a name they were known as, but then again there may have been a local variation in naming them if any.

 

Derek

[Chris Pink]

On the N/B Jimmy when I was on it, it still had these iron rings poking out of the upper hull on the insides. They were about every 12ft or so and were used in the days when it carried a loose cargo. Chains would be connected to them across the boat to stop the sides bowing out when it was fully laden. What were these rings called?

 

The planks over the chains are called 'stretcher planks' so I have always called the chains 'stretcher chains' so the eyebolts the chain is shackled to would therefore be the 'stretcher chain eyebolt'.

[Blossom]

The planks over the chains are called 'stretcher planks' so I have always called the chains 'stretcher chains' so the eyebolts the chain is shackled to would therefore be the 'stretcher chain eyebolt'.

 

Iv'e always known them as cross beams or to be more accurate a mast beam into which the box mast fits, cross beams into whose slots the stands fit, and a back end beam which was just in front of the back cabin

[pete harrison]

On the N/B Jimmy when I was on it, it still had these iron rings poking out of the upper hull on the insides. They were about every 12ft or so and were used in the days when it carried a loose cargo. Chains would be connected to them across the boat to stop the sides bowing out when it was fully laden. What were these rings called?

 

The chains do not hold in the sides of a fully laden boat, but they do hold in the sides of an empty boat and clamp the cross beams in place.

 

When a boat is lully laden, particularly with something dense so not 'leaning' against the insides of the hold, the water pressure against the boat sides is actually trying to push the sides in, and it is the cross beams that counter this. The sides of an empty boat naturally lean outwards as the bottom is slightly narrower than at gunwale height and it is the chains underneath the cross beams that counter this from becoming too excesive, and also then give the open hold some rigidity when pulled tight as they compress the cross beams in place.

 

I agree with Mr Blossom regarding the names of specific cross beams, i.e. 'mast beam', 'cross beams' and 'back end beams'. These then devide the hold into four sections that I have always know as 'fore end', 'back of the mast', 'back end middle' then 'back end' (hence 'back end beams'). Our common terminology may be due to us both coming from the same area and being influenced by similar people (although he is much, much older than me of course !). I have two understandings of the term 'stretcher'. One is the fixed cross beam of a B.C.N. day boat (wooden or iron hulled as long as it is a fixed / non removable beam) and the other is the 3'' x 3'' piece of wood that crosses the hold of many wooden hulled long distance working boats half way between each cross beam.

[Speedwheel]

Iv'e always known them as cross beams or to be more accurate a mast beam into which the box mast fits, cross beams into whose slots the stands fit, and a back end beam which was just in front of the back cabin

 

Thats what I know them as too.

[Laurence Hogg]

Thats what I know them as too.

 

I agree, but on Yarwoods drawings (for type "E" GU boats) the beams are called "mast beam" and "stand beam", also there are 3" x3" "oregon pine stretchers" stated "one between each beam 3 off", I cannot recall ever seeing these used in practice.

[sociable_hermit]

Perhaps the railways borrowed this terminology? A 'stretcher' in railway parlance is an adjustable bar fitted across from underneath one rail to another and tightened to ensure that the gauge remains correct. The term always struck me as odd because, if anything, it's an anti-stretcher.

[Derek R.]

I agree, but on Yarwoods drawings (for type "E" GU boats) the beams are called "mast beam" and "stand beam", also there are 3" x3" "oregon pine stretchers" stated "one between each beam 3 off", I cannot recall ever seeing these used in practice.

 

Needle in a haystack? How many Middle Northwich boats were used as intended - for carrying? With only eight pairs built, four cut down in '42, and the butties used as pump boats, an unlikely spotting. Did others have such a 'stretcher' fitted? I can see the extra rigidity obtained between the stands with their fitting, but wonder how many lit the back cabin range - top planks supplicing for strength, and the extra inconvenience of their presence might well have made them 'useful' in other ways. Only a calculated guess though.

 

Derek

[carlt]

Needle in a haystack? How many Middle Northwich boats were used as intended - for carrying? With only eight pairs built, four cut down in '42, and the butties used as pump boats, an unlikely spotting. Did others have such a 'stretcher' fitted? I can see the extra rigidity obtained between the stands with their fitting, but wonder how many lit the back cabin range - top planks supplicing for strength, and the extra inconvenience of their presence might well have made them 'useful' in other ways. Only a calculated guess though.

 

Derek

Nursers had them.

 

The brackets for them are still on Lucy's liner plank and Raymond's replica has the stretchers in place (which doesn't make up for the stands being completely wrong, though).

[Chris Pink]

I agree, but on Yarwoods drawings (for type "E" GU boats) the beams are called "mast beam" and "stand beam", also there are 3" x3" "oregon pine stretchers" stated "one between each beam 3 off", I cannot recall ever seeing these used in practice.

 

 

On the GUCCCo drawings the chains are referred to as 'stretcher chains' and the planks as 'portable beams'

[Laurence Hogg]

Needle in a haystack? How many Middle Northwich boats were used as intended - for carrying? With only eight pairs built, four cut down in '42, and the butties used as pump boats, an unlikely spotting. Did others have such a 'stretcher' fitted? I can see the extra rigidity obtained between the stands with their fitting, but wonder how many lit the back cabin range - top planks supplicing for strength, and the extra inconvenience of their presence might well have made them 'useful' in other ways. Only a calculated guess though.

 

Derek

 

I dont work with calculated guesses. the type "E" plan has more detail than others and gives a full description. Stretchers are present on lots of other boats as Carl has indicated, on Admiral class boats they are most prominent as there are no "beams" as such.

[pete harrison]

Nursers had them.

 

The brackets for them are still on Lucy's liner plank and Raymond's replica has the stretchers in place (which doesn't make up for the stands being completely wrong, though).

 

All of the G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. Walker's built boats had stretchers between the beams too ! I have seen most drawings relating to G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. narrow boats and my view is that the terminology used is that of either the company or the builder and does not always have a particular relevance to the terms used by the boaters. I prefer the boaters terms as they are the most widely used and understood by 'enthusiasts'.

 

The biggest problem I find when boating on RAYMOND is the mis-matched alighnment of the beams with NUTFIELD's, especially as period photographs show them to be more or less alighned. (this is obviously a problem in addition to RAYMOND being an odd shape and the worst butty I have ever towed ! - the cabin is quite comfortable though).

[antarmike]

Angel had a stretcher beam added in the back room, not to help hold the sides out, but when the top planks are down, this room has the longest span, and the stretcher stops the back top plank sagging.

 

Re Boat sides being pushed in when laden with a bulky load.

One of the most punishing loads for boats was steel bars and Rolled sections, since because of their length , could only be loaded after the beams (and stretchers) had been taken out Then after loading the beams had to be put back in.

 

At the end of each beam (usually only one end) was a vee shaped notch. The plain end of the beam was dropped into the socket by one gunwhale and the boat sides had come in so much, that the other end of the beam could be several inches overlapping the gunwhale on the other side.

 

Standing on the beam, a crowbar was used in the notch , and against the gunwhale to forces the hull sides back out enough for the beam to drop back into the socket again.

 

I am sure this is one of the causes or cracking in the steel bottoms, between the end of the knees and the Keelson. The boat structure is fairly rigid throughout, but the flexing in this situation happens largely on the inch or two of un supported, (non re-inforced) steel at this point.

Edited February 19, 2010 by antarmike

[antarmike]

Iv'e always known them as cross beams or to be more accurate a mast beam into which the box mast fits, cross beams into whose slots the stands fit, and a back end beam which was just in front of the back cabin

The GUCCCo gauge sheets refers to them as Cross beams, but calls the Stands, Standards.