Ahoy and welcome to the Cutty Sark learning blog! Sailing a ship is a tricky business but this blog aims to help explain how sailing ships work and the purpose of some of the tools on board.
by John Prescott, Cutty Sark volunteer
Knots: measuring speed at sea
You've most probably heard the term ‘knots’ referring to the unit in which a ship’s speed is measured. Learn more about the origin of the term and how knots are measured.
How to make a log line
Learn how to make your own log line and measure speed in knots!
Cordage: its origins, construction, properties and uses in ships
Learn more about cordage, also known as rope, including the different fibres used to make cordage and the types of rope most commonly used in sailing ships
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About John Prescott
A former HMS Worcester cadet, John has had a long maritime career - afloat to begin with, followed by more than 25 years as a shipping journalist and maritime publisher, before joining Cutty Sark as a volunteer explainer on the Main Deck.
His deep-sea time was all with British India Steam Navigation (BI) in the company’s wide network of cargo and passenger services east of Suez and covering the Indian Ocean littoral, Gulf, South Asia, Far East, Australia and New Zealand, plus time on BI's educational cruise ships. On coming ashore, and still in the days of hot metal presses, John reported and wrote for several publications including the daily newspaper Lloyd’s List.