Whalers, including the British Greenland whalers removed the blubber at sea. The whale was brought alongside the boat and then manipulated with a complex set of ropes, pulleys and hooks, whilst the men flensed away the layers of blubber.

This diagram, which is American in origin, shows details of the complex tackle that was required to handle these giant beasts.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Tackle used to cut in a whale