First respecting the Hull of the Vessel — It appears that water nearer the surface is more readily displaced than water deeper situated, and that the broader the front of the body moving in water be the greater resistance will it meet; therefore for a given capacity to move with less resistance, it must be of such a shape as to swim at a less draught of water, with a narrower front; and this can only be performed by spreading the capacity lengthwise. On the above basis, or principle, I construct the Hull of my vessel: I spread the capacity lengthwise, given it a midship form resembling Fig. I which form continues the same, along the greater part of the length of the vessel. Such a shape will have the good quality of being weatherly, and particularly stiff, to sail, without the disadvantage of violently rolling like a stiff ship of the present construction.
It will prove weatherly, from the lankness of the under water form, C; it will prove stiff from having the ballast contained in the space C, which is beneath its principal floating capacity; and it cannot roll, like a cylindrical body, from its having to remove a considerable volume of water in its vibrations. The manner of uniting the Timbers is peculiar to myself, represented by the midships bend, and explained by the annexed drawing.
Secondly, representing the sails. If a certain area of canvas, set obliquely to the wind be separated into detached narrow strips, perpendicular to the horizon, and the slips be set each of them to the same obliquity with the wind, as when united in one piece; it appears then, both from theory and experiment, that the collected efforts of the wind upon the slips will materially exceed the effort of the wind upon the whole piece. My sails admit this principle, with the additional advantage of having a flatter surface of canvas than has hitherto been produced. Moreover, the construction of the masts and sails is more simple and uniform, so as to blend the following very material objects, viz. The sailing nearer the wind: The great facility if manœuvring: The exceeding snugness both at sea and at anchor. The expeditious mode of taking in the sails, for the most part, immediately from the deck. The reduction of top-hamper, height and size of masts. The greater economy of every kind od stores. The less partial straining of the Hull. And lastly, the masts not depending upon each other, or upon the bowsprit for their support. All the above objects will be evident, by attending to the figures and their explanations. Fig. 2 represents the plane of the vessels deck, with the sections of the masts and sails, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: the sails being trimmed to a position for receiving the wind from the Larboard side. The sails on the fore mast numbered 1, are square, and with some exceptions which will be hereafter specified, resemble the sails of a ship; but the sails on the four aftermasts numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, are fore-and-aft sails, constructed and set in a manner peculiar to myself. In the present figure, five masts are represented; but this is by no means intended to limit this number, as more or less of them may be placed, in proportion to the length of the vessel. On particular occasions, the fore mast will have sails similar to those set on the aftermasts. The headsails are confined to their position by braces and bowlines, as in a ship: and the aftersails are confined by ropes, leading from amidships, representing by the dotted lines. By an attentive consideration of the figure, it will appear that by a wind coming from the side A, in the direction of the arrow, cannot pass to leeward of the vessel without infringing on the sails; after which, it presently escapes, and does not dwell upon it as it would do were the canvas broader. To put such a vessel about, we have only the helm and the headsails to attend to, for the aftersails will of themselves swing over to their position for the other tack. Fig. 3 represents the foremast and its sails viewed from aft; the mechanism of which differs from a ship's in the following particulars: First, the top or crosstrees A,A are placed nearer the head of the lower mast; and small vessels may have a single crosstree, play round a pivot fixed in the centre of the lower mast head, as in the figure before us. Secondly, the foreyard is above the forestay, which permits the forestay to fasten to the stem; thus the foremast has no dependence on the bowsprit. Thirdly, the foresail hoists up to the foreyard, having a gore cut out of it amidships (represented by the dotted lines), to receive the forestay; and it is bent, or sheeted home, to a yard below. Fourthly, to the foot of the topsail are affixed crow-feet legs B,B, leading abaft the foreyard, which confines the foot of the topsail to it, thus preventing the escape of the wind, and causing the sails to stand more flat. The aftermasts with their sails and rigging are like each other in every respect. Fig. 4, is a side view of one of them, with the sails extended. Their mechanism differs from the masts of ships in the following particulars: First, they have no dependence upon each other, but are supported by shrouds leading before and abaft the masts; and secondly, the topmasts are made to fit on one side of the lowermasts, which admit their being struck (even at sea), without impediment to the working of the Course sails. The manner of setting sails: The Course is first extended, by hoisting upon a throat-halliard leading to the lowermast head, which brings the sail and its sprits to the position represented. A lower tack, fixed to the corner of the sail B is now bowsed upon, to tauten the fore-leach of the sail, flat up and down the mast. This done, bowse upon the tackle C,B, which is attached to the deck and to the troat of the lower sprit; thus the sail, by the action of the sprits against each other, will thereby be strained to a flat surface, having resemblance in its shape and action to a door moving upon its hinges, for it can neither rise nor fall, but only swing from side to side. The upper sprit is fixed to the sail in the position represented but the lower sprit is at liberty to be moved up and down the mast, as may be required. The sail is prevented from bagging to leeward, when the sprit is to windward of it, by ribs of canvas, which are represented in the figure. The topsail, which is laced up and down the topmast, is next extended; first, by sheeting it home to the peak of the Course E, and secondly, by hoisting upon a hailliard, which passes from the throat of the sprit to the topmast head; the peak F is forced out, and the sail is thereby extended to a surface equally flat with the Course. The topgallantsail follows; it has a sprit laced in it from corner to corner, that is, from tack to peak, and is extended by a halliard through the mast at G, a tack at H and a sheet to the peak of the topsail at F. The manner of reducing the sails: the topgallant sail is reduced by brailing up the sail and sprit, and then hauling it down upon deck. The topsail is reduced by letting fly the sheet, lowering the sprit-halliards, and hauling upon the brails and down hauls. When furled, it has the appearance represented by Fig. 5. The Course is reduced by lowering it down, and, at the same time, gathering in upon the peak downhaul.
In Witness whereof, I, the said Richard Hall Gower, have hereunto set my hand and seal, the twenty-fourth Day of March in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred.
Richard Hall GowerAnd be it remembered that on the same twenty fourth day of March in the Year above mentioned the aforesaid Richard Hall Gower came before our Lord the King in his Chancery and acknowledged the specification aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained in form above written and also the specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the same twenty-fourth day of March in the Year above written
Transcribed by by Lars Bruzelius
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Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.