Talk:Futtock shrouds

Utility of climbing futtocks
"It's not clear whether the preference for the futtock shrouds had a basis in practical considerations, or simply a macho display of skill and courage." This sentence seems out of place to me. I think its unencyclopedic to muse about the motivations for particular behaviours. I don't have any sources at hand, but consider that climbing up the futtock shrouds leads directly to the next set of shrouds, which attatch to or near to the top of the futtock shrouds. Going through a lubbers hole introduces a diversion in that one has to turn around to reach the next set of shrouds and then get around to the outside before ascending. I've read that sailing warships would have topmen stationed at the tops and perhaps for getting to the tops themselves a lubbers hole made sense. On merchant ships sailors would ascend to the upper rigging directly from the deck, and being more often than not short handed (particularly in the last days of sail) speed and efficency were important. I'm going to remove the sentence. --john.james (talk) 01:53, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

Futtocks
Many readers are confused by the term futtock itself. Physically these parts of a ship's ribs are nowhere near the shrouds, so I have added a paragraph to explain their role in construction. Rif Winfield (talk) 10:49, 7 February 2010 (UTC)

Catharpins
If you follow the link to 'Catharpins' it makes it clear that these gather the shrouds together to allow the yards to brace round further. The statement in the text here is at odds with this; here it is claimed that they run port-starboard to brace the shrouds. Someone should sort this out. Dean1954 (talk) 14:04, 5 December 2017 (UTC)

"How are your futtocks?"
I think everyone would enjoy this reference to futtocks. https://themoth.org/stories/all-at-sea If so, feel free to add it to the article.--Jonathan108 (talk) 18:56, 4 April 2021 (UTC)