Research Note

For illustrated and descriptive text of how a Jacob's ladder is made up ... See Clifford Ashley's book, THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS, pages 591 and 592. Figure 3836 and 3837 are the variations of the Jacob's ladder under discussion.

Figure 3836:

A Jacob's ladder has round rungs that are generally of oak or ash but sometimes of iron. ... The sides of Jacob's ladders are made preferably of four-strand rope, and, if of Manila, these are about two and one quarter inches in circumference. Middle a rope and seize in a Thimble Eye. The strands are opened enough to receive the rungs, which are seized in at approximately sixteen-inch intervals. Finally the lower ends of the rope are spliced together [forming a loop, some 16" below the bottom ladder rung].

It looks like the ladder should reach so the bottom rung is slightly higher than the side of the boat it is serving. Proportion wise, from the illustration, it looks like the ladder's side ropes would be say 14" apart on centers.

Figure 3837:

Sometimes Jacob's ladders are fitted with a pair of beckets instead of a single one; this is to prevent spinning.

In other words, the top end of each side rope of the Jacob's ladder ends with a Thimble Eye spliced into it.

Figures 3838, 3839, and 3840 show variation of how the wooden rungs are secured to the ladder's side ropes.

Figure 3840:

The most usual way of fitting [the rungs] is the one given here. The rung is turned in a lathe with [a groove and] a knob in each end. The knob is entered between [the opened strands] of the rope [so the strands are in the groove] and either seized in or else secured above and below with a Standing Turk's-Heads [knot].

It is not spelled out how the Jacob's ladders are secured at the top, but it does appear they would go up and over the transom and the Thimble Eye, on the top of the ladder, would be slipped over a Hook and Eye in the inside face of the transom, and the hook moused with marlin, to keep the Thimble Eye in place.

As to when it would be appropriate to show a Jacob's ladder on a model? Here are my thoughts, after reading what John Harland had to say in his book, and looking at the illustrations.:

Stern boat's Jacob's ladder - If the boat was hanging from the davits, without gripes securing it, I would say it is ready for lowering and the Jacob's ladder would be rigged and rolled up against the inside of the taff rail bulkhead.

If the boat was secured by gripes, as if the vessel was ready for sea, the Jacob's ladder would be stowed away, somewhere. From the illustration in John Harland's book, I would say the stern ladder was rigged in the center of the transom.

Jacob's ladders for the stern quarter-boats - John Harland notes:

"The usual practice was to keep the quarter-boats ready in all respects, so they could be lowered on the run, in the event of a man being lost overboard."

John's book the illustration shows the quarter-boat davits straddling the main mast shrouds channel, and the Jacob's ladder going up and over the channel and being secured to the top surface of the channel.
{Art Herrick}

Some random thoughts which may or may not be of interest to the modeler:

The "Jacob's ladder" was originally intended for use on the highest masts where shrouds were not practical. The reference is to Genesis Chap. 28, Verse 12:

"And he dreamed, and beheld a ladder set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven: and beheld the angels of God ascending and descending upon it."

If you have access to a copy of the Nautical Research Journal, Vol 45, No.2, June 2000, the cover photograph shows a splendid example of a model Jacob's Ladder. The subject of the photograph is of August Crabtree's 'Brig of 1810'.

I am not sure about early 19th C practice, as regards having everything ready in the quarter-boat, but in the Royal Navy of WW2, the seaboat always had rudder and tiller shipped, with the tiller secured by a rotten stop so it was towards the ship's side. This ensured that the boatrope would pull the boat away from the side of the ship the moment the falls were slipped by the disengagin gear.

By using four-strand rope, the rung could be inserted between the strands with two strands on either side.
{John H Harland}

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