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Lars,

     Roger.  Tak tak.

      Your detailed analysis deserves more response from a CN forum.

       My two period paintings of Grace published here are in the naïve style popular with captains of that time..  What is shown is authentic, not necessarily exhaustive. 

      A book, "Salcombe, Schooner Port." by Roger Barrett, ISBN 978-1-5272-1851-2, contains over 200 period paintings and photos from Salcombe, Grace's Port of Registry.  My private two are not included. None of them shows a tackle rigged to the tiller. All of those that show crew, show at least one other hand near the helmsman, perhaps to help the helmsman when needed. Perhaps a " Handy Billy" was used, rather than a permanently rove tackle.

      The fruit schooners carried fresh fruit from the Azores or Mediterranean to Devon for onward tranfer to London, where fresh fruit was a lucrative remedy for incipient scurvy. They usually sailed hatches open to preserve the fruit. Running downwind across Biscay I know to be hair-raising, even with a preventer and backstay. Quick reaction is vital. Many schooners were lost when, I suppose, a broach caused flooding or rig loss.

     Frank Reed encourages forum discussion on traditional navigation.  You may not be aware that you form part of a UK safety system. Here is part of my knee- pad carried in my image on my 25 Oct 2021 NavList post ref Alastor.

Over,

Brian Walton.

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