弁才船 Bensai-boat

弁才船

弁才船

今、小原鉄心の小説を執筆している。江戸末期（１８３８年）大垣藩は洪水に見舞われ、村人は飢えに苦しむ。運悪く、藩の備蓄米が足らない。鉄心は３０００俵の米俵を安濃津藩（今の津市）に買受に行く。鉄心と従者は弁才船に乗り、米俵を積んで大垣に帰る。

弁才船のことが分からなければ執筆できない。図書館に行って弁才船関連の本を１０冊ほど読み、ネットやユーチューブでも調べた。名古屋港の海洋博物館に行き、弁才船の模型を見た。お陰で執筆ができた。

大型弁才船の長さは２９メートル、幅８メートル。帆柱の高さ２０メートルある。

本帆、帆桁、表車立、航、轆轤、矢倉、矢倉板、舵柄、身縄、帆柱、筈緒、手縄、烏頭、艫矢倉などの役割が分かるようになった。

弁才船については何も知らなかったが、かなり分った。求めよさらば与えられんだ。

Bensai-boat

I am writing a novel about Ohara Tesshin, the chief retainer of Ohogaki Domain in the Mino District (present-day southern Gifu Prefecture). Near the end of the Edo era in 1838, the Ohogaki Domain was devastated by a flood, leaving farmers on the brink of starvation. Unfortunately, the stockpiled rice was insufficient to sustain them. In response, Tesshin embarked on a waterborne journey to the Anozu Domain (present-day Tsu City) to purchase 3,000 rice bags. Tesshin and his men traveled by Bensai-boat, returning to Ohgaki with their precious cargo of 3000 ricebags.

To accurately portray the Bensai-boat, I delved into extensive research. I visited libraries, scoured the internet, watched YouTube videos, and even made a trip to the Marine Museum in Nagoya Port to examine a Bensai-ship model.

A large Bensai-boat measures approximately 29 meters in length and 8 meters in width, with a mast towering 20 meters high. I familiarized myself with various tools used on the boat, such as the Honho (main sail), Hogeta, Omote-shadate, Rokuro, Yakura, Minawa, and others.

Although I initially knew nothing about Bensai-sen, my research has provided me with a deeper understanding and appreciation of these remarkable vessels.

Ask and you shall receive.