Building Friendship: Reports by John Monaghan

September 2000: Rigging the Mizzen Shrouds and Stays

Now that Friendship has her lower  masts in, and the "tops" installed on the trestletrees at the top of the lower masts, it is time to start "setting up the lower rigging". This lower rigging consists of the shrouds that run down and back to the sides of the ship from the masthead and the stays that run down and forward to the center of the ship from the masthead. The combination of shrouds and stays form a kind of tripod-like support for the masts. These must be stout and strong to support the mast not only against the push and pull of the wind, but also against the movement of all the rigging as the ship rolls and pitches with the motion of the sea.

Left: Friendship at her temporary berth at Central wharf, with work partially completed on her mizzen shrouds and stay. Photo by John Monaghan.