The spar plan shows a profile of the vessel, the position of the masts and yards and the standing rigging and, together with the half model, forms the complete plan of the ship. Masts are held in position by shrouds, which go from the mast heads to the sides of the vessel, and by stays, which run from the mast heads forward to the deck. The sails set on these stays are called staysails and the sails set on the fore stays to the jib boom are called jibs. The wooden spars to which the large square sails are attached are called yards. The ropes which control the yards and sails are called the running rigging. These are not shown on the plan.
This plan is a tracing of the original spar plan of the Fred Clark, a brigantine of 146 tons built at Canning, Nova Scotia by Ebenezer Bigelow in 1865. It is drawn to a scale of 1/8" to one feet.
The length of the masts and yards are marked on the plan. The length of the vessel is 90 feet and the distance from the deck to the royal yard is 81 feet. From this plan the masts, yards and sails were made and the vessel completely rigged.
The note in the upper left hand corner, written by Ebenezer Bigelow, says: "This vessel was considered by the Captain after proving her to be perfect both in hull and sparring."
The Fred Clark was lost on the South American coast in 1868.
Courtesy: John R. Bigelow and Charles A. Armour, Halifax, N.S.
