Billy Bones and the riggers of the Spanish Man O' War.
Riggers are people on sailing ships who work in the rigging of the ship.
Overview[]
Riggers primarily work with two types of rigging. Standing rigging refers to the system of ropes and cables that support the ship’s masts. Running rigging refers to the ropes and cables used to control or set the yards and sails. They are also responsible for the repair of these things. The riggers fall under the purview of the boatswain and the Ship's Master.
The riggers were the men sent to the tops of the masts to either furl or hoist the sails, the running rigging. While all common sailors had some experience managing the rigging, the running rigging was under the specific oversight of the riggers. As this required going into the tops of the masts, it was a dangerous job due to the height and lack of safety measures.