“What I have put here in my “slop chest” to provide for future crews, bo‘suns, mates and maybe even skippers of whatever vessel it may be aboard, does not pertain only to Shenandoah, but to any vessel that crosses a yard, carries a topmast or flies a gaff.  It mostly pertains to traditional vessels, but there are descriptions of blocks and tackle that may help the modern yachtsman or anyone trying to move a large object.  It should not be looked at as some kind of authority, for I am no expert and there are many ways to do any one thing. This book is only a compilation of what has worked for me, using the experience of those I have known and learned from, coupled with my own efforts.  It is an attempt to document and maybe entertain, but more importantly, to add one more link in the “family tree” of sea history.”