Hunley: Rigging the Spar and Torpedo

There is scant evidence on how the spar, torpedo and supporting tackle were set up and rigged on the H. L. Hunley. William Blackmore has adopted a rigging system based on research materials, which I have not seen, and on the actual boat now in Charleston at the Clemson Research Institute I believe. I think some of this remains speculative. That the torpedo was carried at the end of a long spar mounted to the Hunley's bow, and that the torpedo was designed to separate from the spar after being attached to a ship's hull by means of a wicked harpoon-like point as the boat reversed and backed away is established. What has not been conclusively shown is where the spar was attached to the bow - top or bottom - and how the spar with torpedo was supported while the boat was underweigh to render it relatively stable and secure from currents and course changes of the Hunley.

I think the most plausible theory holds that the spar was mounted to the bottom front edge of the bow on a strap that was attached there for that purpose. It evidently could swived up and down, a necessary mechanism for attaining a proper angle to the curving hull of an enemy vessel. A shorter spar, or boom, was attached to the upper front edge of the bow extending forward over, and in line with the spar carrying the torpedo. From this, supporting line and perhaps chain could have been rigged to the spar mid point for support.

There is a notch on the Hunley's bow, front edge just below the peak of the bow. What purpose did this serve? My view is that this was an anchoring point for the end of yet another metal support member, a firm brace attached to the bow and spar for additional carrying strength and support. With this in place, and at the speed possible with the boat, a maximum of perhaps four knots, this may have been sufficient structure to carry and deliver the torpedo successfully.

During the recovery of artifacts from the boat certain components were found in situ where the commander, Lt. Dixon, was stationed, that may have been components of a simple battery. The Confederates had the capability and equipment to detonate mines, or torpedoes, electrically. The USS Cairo, a river ironclad, was sunk by what is now believed to have been an electrically detonated torpedo. Recall that what were then called torpedoes would these days be more properly termed mines. So, it is possible that the Hunley was equipped for this kind of detonation as well. Not conclusive, but the battery artifacts makes this a likely proposition.

For modeling purposes then, I will construct this portion of the boat and the torpedo delivery system as I described above. At this scale I may not include separate electrical detonation wires, but I will have to see how that looks when I get to that part. The other big question is how the upper spar, or supporting boom, was attached to the bow. Probably more speculation will be called for.