What was available in 1901?

[Ian McColgin]

Boats go through so many evolutions. I helped rig the old radical yawl Hutoka back in the '80s and she had wire reel winches for halyards and sheets. What a horror, especiall gybing the main. I proposed making wheel winch handles that could stay in place allowing fast trimming and palm friction easing. It was way too hard to turn the crank fast enough letting it out and handle removal and brake control both militated against that method. So put a plaque up explaining just how insanely dangerous the rig was.

Anyway, judging from those winches, the various sizes of ss 7x7 put in as replacements worked as well as the same size original ungalvanized steel cable. From what I've not too reliably heard and less reliably remember of what old timers in my childhood might have told me fifty five years ago or so, wire running rigging was just oiled and given that these were racing boats not meant to last long anyway nothing much mattered. If you put on ss, it will look right for longer than if you put on steel wire and watch it rust on the exhibit. Whatever your choice, not galvi.

G'luck

[Dock]

Hi Ian, Radical yawl, yikes, was it owned by a communist? Hmmn, despite what you say, as I recall you paid 1,000's of dollars each for 4 Merriman wire winches in the late 80's from me, so you must really like them. Oh, I suppose the 3 masts & boat they were attached to may have had something to do with why you would pay such an high price for 4 wire winches. Did I tell you about the time the brake broke on the jib halyard winch, in a gale off of Mexico, & the winch handle went flying (about 60' up)? Other than that, I really liked them. But I Digress, & we're Way off topic! The boat the original question is about has no winches & it has not evolved, only lost some pieces (like all the rigging, yard, & boom) in 113 yrs. The wire halyard (we're 95% sure it was wire) would have had a hemp line tail. We also don't worry that plain steel wire will rust, as it will be in a climate controlled space, & if it does sail again, the water will be hard. Yes, it's an iceboat, & a radical one at that, lateen rigged. Some people think it belonged to a communist too, FDR. So, the question remains, what wire was available in 1901, and where might we find same? Also, were brass sail slides & track in use then?
Asks, Dock