52 NICHOLLS'S SEAMANSHIP AND NAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE
head. Many ships are fitted with a permanent sheave bet\veen two
cheeks at the lower masthead for this rope to reeve over. Should
this not be the case a single block must be hung at the masthead and
the mastrope rove through it Take the mastcoat oS and remove the
wedges. Come up the backstays, stay, and jumper stay Lead the
mastrope to the winch and take the weight off the fid. Unship the fid.
Lower the topmast down inside the lowermast until the hounds band
is at the lowermast-head or in the position required. If the backstays
and stay are not sent down on deck they can be brought in to the mast
and stopped to it out of the way. The jumper stay can be taken adrift'
if necessary.
Should there be a signal yard or lamp bracket they must be sent
down to enable the mast to be lowered sufficiently. Do not unreeve
the mastrope.
To send down a Signal Yard.—Hang a good single block at the
topmast-head. Take the end of a yardrope aloft, reeve it through
this block from aft forward, and make it fast round the quarter of the
yard. Take to the winch, heave a very small strain on it and make
fast.
Take the yard adrift from its fitting. It does not swing on a truss
or parrel in the manner of an ordmary yard. When it comes adrift
the yard will cockbill on account of the yardrope bein'g made fast
- round the quarter. A rope lashing may be useful while doing this
part of the job. Lower the yard down on deck.
To send up a Telescopic Topmast.—See that the stay and backstays
are shackled on in their proper places and that they are all clear for
running when you hoist away. Eeplace the jumper stay, if it has been
taken adrift and reeve off the signal halyards. The mastrope having
been left rove when the topmast was sent down, it would be ready for
use. Take it to the winch and heave the mast up a bit. Fix the signal
yard in position if one is fitted, also the lamp bracket. Unless the
signal yard is an unusually heavy one it is not necessary to make another
job by sending it up afterwards. Heave away again on the mastrope,
and when high enough vast heaving and ship the fid. Ease up the
mastrope. Wedge the mast and put on the mastcoat. Cast the end
of the mastrope adrift, marry a short piece of wire or chain on to it,
haul it through and leave the ends made fast at each side of the masthead
so that they are ready for use when required again. Set the stay up,
then the backstays and jumper stay.
It may be required at some time to unship a telescopic topmast