Futtock shrouds are rope, wire or chain links in the rigging of a traditional square rigged ship. They run from the outer edges of a
topOn a traditional square rigged ship, the top is the platform at the upper end of each mast. This is not the masthead "crow's nest" of the popular imagination - above the mainmast 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...
downwards and inwards to a point on the mast or lower shrouds, and carry the load of the
shroudOn a sailboat, the shrouds are pieces of standing rigging which hold 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...
s that rise from the edge of the top. This prevents any tendency of the top itself to tilt relative to the
mastThe mast of a sailing ship is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship....
. In the mid-nineteenth century the
futtock band was introduced, being a metal collar fitted to the mast below the top, to which the lower point of the futtock shrouds is attached.
Futtock shrouds are rope, wire or chain links in the rigging of a traditional square rigged ship. They run from the outer edges of a
topOn a traditional square rigged ship, the top is the platform at the upper end of each mast. This is not the masthead "crow's nest" of the popular imagination - above the mainmast 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...
downwards and inwards to a point on the mast or lower shrouds, and carry the load of the
shroudOn a sailboat, the shrouds are pieces of standing rigging which hold 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...
s that rise from the edge of the top. This prevents any tendency of the top itself to tilt relative to the
mastThe mast of a sailing ship is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship....
. In the mid-nineteenth century the
futtock band was introduced, being a metal collar fitted to the mast below the top, to which the lower point of the futtock shrouds is attached. Before this the futtock shrouds were attached to the lower shrouds that rose directly to the top. In this arrangement lower shrouds must support a greater load, requiring the use of
catharpinCatharpin is a nautical term, which is often pronounced cat-harping. It describes one of the short ropes or iron cramps used to brace in the shrouds toward the masts so as to give a freer sweep to the yards. It is also the name of a small, few-store settlement in Virginia, north of Manassas...
s to provide bracing between port and starboard shrouds.
In the most traditional ships, the futtock shrouds can be used to gain access to the tops. Sailors ascend
ratlinesRatlines, pronounced "rattlin's", are lengths of thin line tied between the shrouds of a sailing ship to form a ladder. They are found almost invariably on square rigged ships whose crews must go aloft to stow the square sails, but may also be present on larger fore-and-aft rigged vessels in order...
on the ordinary shrouds until nearly at the top, then transfer to the futtock shrouds which will be reaching upwards and outwards above them. Using the futtock shrouds involves climbing the underside of an overhanging rope at about 45 degrees. Futtock shrouds may or may not have ratlines.
As well as climbing the futtock shrouds, most ships also allowed access to the top through the "lubber's hole" at the tip of the ordinary ratlines. However, this was generally scorned by experienced sailors, and reserved for those on their first few trips aloft.
Any traditionally-rigged ship will have futtock shrouds, but on some modern ones they are strictly for structural purposes, with climbing forbidden. These ships may also dispense with lubbers' holes, and instead opt for a "
Jacob's ladderThe term Jacob's ladder, used on a ship, applies to two kinds of ladder.The first is a flexible hanging ladder which can be lowered down the side of a large ship. It consists of vertical ropes or chains supporting horizontal wooden or metal rungs, and is used to allow people to board the ship from...
" that descends from the edge of the top to the ratlines vertically, rather than overhanging like the futtock shrouds.