Language: jargon: sailing
Cranse Iron: Naut.
n.- The fitting on the outboard end of the bowsprit which provides for attachment of stays and sail tack.
Traditional bowsprits taper toward their tip, and just before the end have a shoulder girdling them, and the cranse iron is snugged up against it. The cranse is usually made of iron or mild steel, often a simple section of pipe with 'ears' welded on to attach the jib stay and bobstay, and bowsprit stays if equipped. Other shapes for the cranse include a tapered pipe matching the taper of the bowsprit, a cone which can easily be attached to a rendering bowsprit as it is extended, and a cap which matches the end of the bowsprit. A cranse might be cast in bronze, iron, or steel, welded up in any of these materials as well as stainless and aluminum, or might even be made integral to the 'sprit if it is made of metal.
The purpose of the cranse iron is to connect the tip of the bowsprit to the sailing rig, and transfer the load from the staysails to the hull through the spar.
References:
- Classic Marine; Bitts & Bobs(tays): Bowsprits and their Associated Fittings; http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/Articles/Bowsprits.PDF
- Cunliffe, Tom; Hand, Reef, and Steer; Sheridan House; © 1992 Tom Cunliffe; ISBN 0-924486-40-6