Author: Terry Williams, Conservator
Ropes are some of the oldest tools known to humans. Dating back to ancient times, rope would have even been used in objects such as axes and hammers to bind the head of the tool to the handle. Ropes and their uses evolved over time and were/are critical to many industries, none more so than in sailing. In general, ropes become “lines” once they are on the sailboat though some retain their name. Most notable is the bolt rope; a rope sewn into the edge of a sail to strengthen it and prevent tearing. Excavation and careful conservation have revealed fragments of bolt rope from our site. While another segment of suspected bolt rope is still in treatment, the first two confirmed sections of bolt rope, have completed conservation and are currently at the North Carolina Maritime Museum (NCMM) in Beaufort.
While still in the lab, thorough measurements were taken, and considerable research was carried out. It is rope that has been served, in that an outer layer of protection has been applied by twine wrapped as tightly as possible around the line, each progressive turn of the twine laid as close as possible against the last, covering the line completely. Outside of this, a textile has been marled on to it with a marling hitch. A marling hitch is a knot that is used in series to lash long bundles. The spacing between the marling hitches is about 1.4 inches; in all there are 5 marling hitches visible. The textile itself has Z-spun (direction of the twist from top right to bottom left), single-ply warps and wefts.
One way to identify the sail this came from is by measuring the diameter of the bolt rope beneath the serving. According to experts, the 1-inch diameter indicates that this bolt rope was on an upper sail. Further, it was suggested that this fragment was originally part of a port clew leech (the leech is either side edge of a symmetrical sail) or port clew foot because the sailcloth is marled on instead of sewn through the rope. Bolt rope in clew areas was served so it could not be sewn down in the traditional manner.
Among the first 400 objects recovered from the site, the bolt rope went through numerous treatments including desalination, chemical and mechanical cleaning, and iron removal and bulking, spanning about ten years of conservation treatment. The other bolt rope is currently going through its treatment. Once complete, additional research can be done to confirm the object’s identity before its move to NCMM.
References:
Kipping, Robert. 1847. The Elements of Sailmaking: Being a Complete Treatise on Cutting-Out Sails, According to the Most Approved Methods in the Merchant Service. F.W. Norie and Wilson. London.
Images:
-Section of conserved bolt rope from the QAR site. Image by NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
-Parts of a square sail. Image by PeteVerdon. Image in the Public Domain.
