For many sailors climbing the rigging on a tall ship is exhilarating, a real adrenalin rush. For others, a fear of heights or disability prevents them climbing, although through organisations such as the Jubilee Sailing Trust (https://jst.org.uk) people with conditions that might seem disadvantageous such as sight loss or missing limbs, even using wheelchairs, can go aloft safely.

Climbing is a necessity because, although large square sails are drawn up from deck-level with ropes called clewlines and buntlines, sails have to be properly stowed to stop them flogging and wearing out. Crew aloft pull up the hanging cloth, tying it firmly to the yard with short ropes called gaskets. Similarly, when sails are required, crew have to climb up to untie the gaskets so that the sail drops down, ready to be pulled taught by other people on the deck.

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“In contrast, the rungs or ratlines, although sturdy, can break thus there is the danger of pitching forward onto the deck if we grab a ratline that gives way.”

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We climb aloft using the shrouds. These are cables, holding up each mast, that run from deck to high up in the mast. Two side-by-side form a very long, thin triangle. In between are rungs, called ratlines. However, climbing is not like mounting a ladder  because we hold tight to the shroud, so only our feet are on the ratlines. This is because the shrouds are very strong. Nowadays they are often made of wire whereas in the 1800s they were of specially strengthened rope. In contrast, the rungs or ratlines, although sturdy, can break thus there is the danger of pitching forward onto the deck if we grab a ratline that gives way. Holding the shrouds means that if we put our foot on a ratline that fails, we can lower ourselves back onto a firm one.  

So, if you see a film or video game where the crew are climbing up the rigging as if using a ladder, hands and feet going from rung to rung, you know that the makers haven’t done their research.