The top on a traditional square rigged ship is the platform at the upper end of each (lower) mast . This is not the masthead " crow's nest " of the popular imagination – above the mainmast (for example) is the main-topmast, main-topgallant-mast and main-royal-mast, so that the top is actually about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way up the mast as a whole.
6-405: The main purpose of the top is to anchor the shrouds of the topmast that extends above it. Shrouds down to the side of the hull would be at too acute an angle from the mast, so crosstrees run sideways out from the mast to spread the topmast shrouds. These crosstrees rest on two trestle trees running fore and aft, which themselves are placed on top of the cheeks of hounds , bolted to the sides of
12-415: The mast up from side to side. There is frequently more than one shroud on each side of the boat. Usually a shroud will connect at the top of the mast, and additional shrouds might connect partway down the mast, depending on the design of the boat. Shrouds terminate at their bottom ends at the chain plates , which are tied into the hull. They are sometimes held outboard by channels , a ledge that keeps
18-399: The mast. Placing a few timbers onto the crosstrees produces a useful platform, the top. The futtock shrouds carry the load of the upper shrouds into the mast below. At the upper end of the topmast and topgallant, there is a similar situation regarding the next mast up (topgallant and royal respectively). At these points a smaller top might be constructed, but it is more usual simply to leave
24-487: The shroud-bearing struts open, in which case they are known as crosstrees. Access for sailors to the top may be by a Jacob's ladder , lubber's hole, or the futtock shrouds . A foremast might be stepped into a similar fore-top platform on the foremast. A mizzen-top would be a platform on the mizzenmast. Similar main-top and fore-top platforms have been retained on steam ships and motor vessels as preferred locations for installing rotating radar antennae . A fighting top
30-421: The shrouds clear of the gunwales . Shrouds are attached symmetrically on both the port and starboard sides. For those shrouds which attach high up the mast, a structure projecting from the mast must be used to increase the angle of the shroud at the attachment point, providing more support to the mast. On most sailing boats, such structures are called spreaders , and the shrouds they hold continue down to
36-510: Was an enlarged top with swivel guns , designed to fire down at the deck of enemy ships. They could also hold sailors or marines armed with muskets or rifles ; Horatio Nelson was mortally wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar by a sniper firing from a fighting top of the Redoutable . Shroud (sailing) On a sailing boat , the shrouds are pieces of standing rigging which hold
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