Try-works

A try-works, also try works and tryworks, is a furnace used to heat blubber from whales for the recovery of oil on a whaling ship.

The try-works is located abaft the forehatch. It is constructed of brick and attached to the deck with iron braces. Two cast-iron try-pots are set into the furnace. A reservoir of water under the bricks keeps the furnace from scorching the wood of the deck. The process of removing oil from blubber is known as "trying out". It is similar to the rendering process for producing lard by heating or frying fatty pork.