The Masting And Rigging Of Ships

Hello all,

I have been trying to contact a gentleman who have translated one German book about masting and rigging. The book is "Bemastung und Takelung Der Schiffe" by F. L. Middendorf. In terms of square rig design it is considered a bible, specially as it was written by a former director of Germanishen Lloyd. It covers stability and scantlings for masts and rigs of the later 1900´s big square riggers, it also includes plenty calculations as example. Sadly it was only published in German, so I started to translate the book. I am not a German speaking person but I am a sailor in Dutch tall ship fleet, which helps a bit with vocabulary. Together with the book "Masting and rigging-Clipper ship and ocean carrier" by Harold A. Underhill I started the work but sincerely as I don´t have any base in German language it becomes very frustrating.
Along my research I found that in 1992 Mr. MORI P. FLAPAN had worked the English translation of the book, interestingly he used the same book, from Mr. Harold, to get the English vocabulary. The last book was written for model makers but is has very comprehensive nomenclature of specific parts of the rigging of ships whish helps a lot in the translation from the German.

In Mr. Mori website a mail address is shared and having sent a couple of mails to Mr. Mori with o reply, I am afraid that is is not possible to contact Mr. Mori, sadly. it is very important to me to get the translation of the book, currently I am researching for a project I am involved, a cargo sailing ship. The website link is THE MASTING AND RIGGING OF SHIPS http://www.boatregister.net/MiddendorfWebpage1.htm.

If anyone has any information of how to get hands on the translation and or contact who has rights on it I than you very much to share it with me.

Looking for a bright comeback of the age of sail!

Francisco Oliveira

 

hello and good day
I am new on this forum and as I was doing some research I found your message. I have been through the same difficulties with M Mori and could not get any answer on the translation on this German book,
I would like to know if you have been successful in getting it and as I am working on a project regarding square riggers I would love to know a bit more about your project.
all the best Bernard

 

May I recommend Steel's Elements of Mastmaking Sailmaking and Rigging by Claude S. Gill ?