help with fitting horse shoes

Christopher - Could you show or illustrate exactly what you mean by horse shoes?

Hi On sailing ships there was a deck fitting called a "horse".

Shown here **LINK** .I remembered the term being used sailing Marbleheads many years ago

Old Guy Tom

Old Guy Tom

Bang on the money, these deck fixtures are almost as old as sailing and the term 'Horse' comes from English late middle ages when they were constructed from heavy timber, it was called a horse simply because of its likeness to a carpenters saw horse, which itself was called saw horse because it four legs and a strong back.

I found this out many years ago, I had taken my Hillyard into Dickies on the Menai Straights, as it was a timber boat it attracted the attention of many people including an old boatbuilder who, over the next few days and during many convivial pints taught me more about timber boat construction then I could have ever have learnt in a classroom.

Happy days

Paul

So assuming the information posted by Telstar is correct and the `horse' has already been made. To fit the horse is just a drilling operation. Firstly drill a piece of scrap material to obtain the optimum size of the drill for the material i.e so that it is a push fit into the hole. Drill two holes at the correct distance apart (or pitch) in scrap material. Some trial and error may be required to get this correct. Once you have two holes of the correct diameter and pitch, transfer the piece if scrap to the model and locate in the correct position using double sided tape. Then just spot through the two holes to the depth required and then remove the piece of scrap, or to give it its correct terminology ....Drill Jig.

**LINK**

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DM

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 13/04/2016 13:36:43

Lifebelts, whether round or horseshoe shaped are mounted on a quick release bracket attached to the boat's railing or stanchions.

**LINK**

Colin