The entrance is by a trap-hatch at the bottom. It is composed of laths of wood, placed in a perpendicular position, round the exterior edge of a strong wooden hoop, forming the top, and round a plane of mahogany or other wood which forms the bottom, and the whole circumference of the cylinder is covered with canvas or leather. The form is cylindrical, open above and close below. The one most approved by the inventor is about four and a half feet in length, and two and a half in diameter. This contrivance, from the comfortable shelter it affords to the navigator, having come into very general use, it may not be improper to describe it more particularly. A piece of canvas tied round the head of the main top-mast, and heel of the top-gallant mast, extending only from the cap to the cross-trees, or at best, a canvas stretched round the base of the top-gallant rigging, but open on the after-part, was the most complete contrivance of a crow’s nest, until a few years ago my father invented an apparatus, having the appearance of a rostrum, which afforded an admirable defence against the wind. It is therefore necessary for the preservation of his health, as well as for his comfort, that he should be sheltered from the piercing gale. In difficult situations, a master’s presence at the mast-head is sometimes required for many hours in succession, when the temperature of the air is from 10° to 20° below the freezing point, or more. (He notably seems less concerned with the welfare of the sailors standing watch than he does the captain, who must also spend time at the masthead, from time to time.) Here is Captain William Scoresby, Jr., son of Captain William Scoresby, Snr, describing the evolution of the crow’s nest. Before the introduction of the crow’s nest, also apparently known as a “hurricane house,” sailors made their own shelters of canvas. William Scoresby and his son of the same name sailed from Whitby in North Yorkshire, UK, in the Greenland whale fishery. The first crow’s nest is credited to Captain William Scoresby Snr., who said to have invented the barrel like shelter for whale ship lookouts in Arctic waters in 1807. Morgan probably watched for whales standing in open iron hoops. While whaling ships and crow’s nests are closely associated in modern culture, most American whaling ships did not fit crow’s nests for their lookouts. Morgan under sail that we posted over the weekend. ![]() ![]() ![]() Who would have thought that a crow’s nest deserves such attention?Ī reader commented on the lack of a crow’s nest in the video of the Charles W. The first of a two-part post on crows nests. “The Arctic Expedition - the Crow’s Nest” 1875
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