Some interesting thoughts and information coming out of this post.

A THOLE pin used in rowing vessel gunnels were literally often Belay/Belaying pins pushed into the thole. Could that be a corruption of the hole maybe?

It is also possible that they used a Google translator, unfortunately he has classical education and technical terms are alien to him. I can say that when I use Google translator, I read terrible things ....

"Thurl Pins are also the name for the two pins that are used as rowlocks on pilot gigs !" ...
Can't imagine anyone trying to row a steam tug though!!! 😲

Before long we'll be better than Wiki 😉 Keep it up folks 👍

I think that the misunderstanding here occurred as non-professionals who do not know the ship's technical terminology are trying to describe "professionally" items that already have their old-used name...
Here I can see belaying pin rack ...

Ballast. Rack shown on the two knight heads supporting the mast so called as they usually have carved heads, this photo of theones on the Golden Hind. Foreknights mentioned as being recovered from a wreck meant the knightheads supporting the foremast, presumably main and mizzen knights for the other masts

We use thorl pins in wooden boats instead of rowlocks where the wood attached to the oar has a hole and the wooden cheek's weight counter balances the weight of the length of the oar. interesting to know the connection with belaying pins and the quick release of the shrouds by knocking them out.
thowel
Thole \Thole\, n. [Written also thowel, and thowl.] [OE. thol, AS. [thorn]ol; akin to D. dol, Icel. [thorn]ollr a fir tree, a young fir, a tree, a thole.]

A wooden or metal pin, set in the gunwale of a boat, to serve as a fulcrum for the oar in rowing.
--Longfellow.

We live and learn 👍👍 Excellent 😎

Thurl Pins are also the name for the two pins that are used as rowlocks on pilot gigs ! Here is a Belaying Pin Rack !

That is a very good looking boat.

Model coming along nicely Alan. A build Blog would be very welcome.

A very nice job 👍 thurls here or thurls there 😉

Thank you all so much for the links and information. Every day is a school day 😁
Thanks Dave for the photo's, they have thrown light on something I was not sure of 👍
I will be making the Thurl pin rack out of some hard wood and tooth picks, eventually.
I have uploaded a photo (I hope) of the boat as far as I have got, its a slow build as there are a lot of little bits to make.

Alan

Fits with the etymology of Thurl or Thirl! 👍
Highly appropriate for a bunch of 'very old English' boat modellers 😁
(Myself included😉) happy thurling!

Hi all
I have just spoken to Brian at Mobile Marine and he advised the term was based on a very old English name for belaying pins.
Basically its a wooden plank with holes for the belaying pins and fastened in a raised position to the deck. The shrouds are wrapped in a figure of eight round the belaying pins which in an emergency can be knocked out to release. They are used on the davit fixings, not the mast.
I have small hooks on the shrouds to the bulwarks and on the fore mast fitting.
My model requires the top cabin to be removable so I have made a fixing out of wire that can be quickly released from the white metal fitting on both sides.

Hi Alan
I dont know if you have read this http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7930.0.html the other link to a write up on Lady T is this one http://www.thercmodelboatforum.com/t134-my-lady-t?highlight=lady+t I hope the links works, they are by Footski.

yes I have read that some of MMM white metal parts do need a lot of work to make them look good,

Dave M on this site has also done the Lady "T"

I have uploaded a photo of the label from the inside of my Lady "T", as you can see I have had her for some time now and I have only just started to lay out the internal parts.

Fred

Thanks for the reply Fred. I have looked on MMM site and found the Thurl pin rack made in white metal, can't say that it appeals to me, so I am going to make my own.
It's nice of you and Doug to take an interest and I appreciate it, it's a very nice model but there is a lot of work involved in the woodwork and making of the bits.
Thanks again
Alan

Hi Alan
Would this be the MMM Lady "T", if so I will have a look at my copy of the plans, or you could just give them a call 01522 730731
Brian would tell you.

Fred

Sure is Alan! Since old English thirl or thurl apparently simply meant a 'hole' just make a Belaying Pin rack (a board with a row of holes😉) and be done with it! Don't the instructions or packing list mention the rack?
Just looked at the kit, nice boat 👍 sure you'll have lots of fun with it.
Cheers Doug 😎

Thanks for the reply Doug. Just had a look at the drawing again and it definitely says Thurl pin rack, it's a mystery 😁

Alan

PS Not found in my Admiralty "A Seaman's Pocket Book" either 🤔

The Free Dictionary
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/thurl
says it's the hip joint of cattle, citing Webster's College Dictionary ! So where does that get us?😁 To 'thurl or thirl' may have been old English meaning to make a hole or aperture in something.
Stick with Belaying pins! 😎

Hi Alan, never heard of a 'thurl pin', and neither has WIKI, Websters, OED or my "THE SAILOR'S WORD-BOOK: AN ALPHABETICAL DIGEST OF NAUTICAL TERMS"

W. H. Smyth. The Sailor's Word-Book / An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. 🤔

I believe you are right about belaying pins. See attached extracts from The Sailors Word Book. Doug