Last week, (Friday 28 January 2022) we carried out some exciting work on Götheborg. We’ve made two new yards for the ship, a main yard and a fore yard. (Video on how to make a new yard: • How to make a new yard ).
One of the final steps is to put on iron rings, that are used to fixate the joints of the yard. The work is done in the historically correct way; the same way these large riggs were built in the 18th century.
The rings are precisely measured to fit the exact place on the yard where it’s supposed to go. They are heated to 800 degrees Celsius in an oven, carried over on hooks to the yard, then pushed and pounded into place, and shaped with big sledgehammers. This involves fire, smoke and a lot of work. Finally, the rings are cooled down with water, which shrinks them, and fixates the different parts of the yard.
This is a rare piece of craftsmanship, as it’s only done when building new yards, bowsprits and masts. Götheborg is one of very few ships in the world that use this technique.
Do you want to know more about how it’s done, and why, this is explained by our bosun Marie-Louise Edholm in this video clip on Instagram: tvCAput40j...
In the clip you’ll also learn about hookers, pokers and bonkers.
Or there is a shorter version on Facebook: fb.watch/aWcOHHpekg/