Armed Virginia Sloop by GuntherMT - FINISHED - Model Shipways - scale 1:48

[rafine]

Superb looking work Brian.

 

Bob

[GuntherMT]

So...  many...   ropes...  

 

I have no idea how people that do full ship rigs, in much smaller scales than this, don't go completely insane.

 

Attached the main outhaul, which just dead-ends at the sheave on the boom since I don't have sails, and the boom lift.

 

Massive mess of ropes and blocks.  New to this mess is the boom lift, and the gaff throat halliard.

 

Boom lift tackle.  Belaying this off to the cleat on the shroud was..  an interesting experience.

 

Top from the other side with a better view of the gaff throat halliard.  Slightly out of focus, sorry about that.

 

Gaff throat halliard tackle and belayed to the Riding Bitt.

 

Cleaning up all the belayed ends, and adding coils is going to be pretty interesting later on.

[GuntherMT]

Woop!

 

 

Jeers tackle.

 

Nothing holding any downward tension yet, so the jeers are sort of loose.  Can see the served parrel around the served spreader horse though, now lashed to the yard.

Edited September 17, 2015 by GuntherMT

[GLakie]

Your rigging skills are nothing short of being outstanding Brian, and the quality of her look brings it all out nicely. 

[donrobinson]

I have to apologize Brian as I am sitting here chuckling, this all brings back memories( I purposely did not say fond memories!!) and you document it so well. As Dirk says the finish line is close, and the job you are doing is fantastic.

[Jack12477]

I have to echo what was said above. The rigging looks superb. Great job, Brian.

[GuntherMT]

Thanks all.  Every time I work on another piece of the rigging in the middle of everything I feel like I'm one twitch or sneeze away from ruining everything.  Every time I finish belaying off a line it's like I managed to successfully defuse a bomb (or maybe just a clock, hahaha)*.

 

*Terrible joke/reference to latest stupid news here in the US.

 

Edited September 17, 2015 by GuntherMT

[Aqueous1025]

Again I just have to say beautiful work.  When I look at those pictures I feel like I am looking at pics of a real boat. 

[Beef Wellington]

Brian, that is beautifully crisp and precise rigging.  Looks like you've used the Syren thread throughout?  Well done!

[GuntherMT]

Yes, I am using Syren rigging line and blocks.

[GLakie]

Using good quality rope and blocks makes a huge difference in the over-all look I think.  

[dgbot]

Using good quality rope and blocks makes a huge difference in the over-all look I think.  

How true.  Years ago I went to a show and a model of an East Merchantman that someone had worked on.  The craftsmanship was very nice but it was marred by line the modeler used.  Out of scale and very sloppy applied.  Keep up the great work.

David B

[aliluke]

Beautiful rigging Brian

Just popped around the corner (into my dining room that is) to look at my own and realise how the serving of the ropes on yours makes it look so much more real and properly scaled. That'll be a new learning curve for me next time.

[SawdustDave]

Hi Brian.... Just now joining this build from your beginning post. Really enjoyed this entire log, along with all the comments and excellent photos. Great job.

Dave

[GuntherMT]

Thanks all, and welcome aboard Sawdust Dave.  Just in time for the home stretch, although I think that home stretch is a good month or more still with all the rigging yet to do, rope coils, anchors, etc.

 

Beautiful rigging Brian

Just popped around the corner (into my dining room that is) to look at my own and realise how the serving of the ropes on yours makes it look so much more real and properly scaled. That'll be a new learning curve for me next time.

 

Good to see you around Alistair, and yea, I really love the effect of the serving, I couldn't be happier with how the serving has come out, and the look is great.  Even the spreader yard parrel, which probably nobody else will ever notice when looking at the model (other than me), I think is so much better with the serving, even though doing that bit by hand while one end was attached to the yard was a huge pain in my ****.  

 

I've also downsized most of the rigging line, using a rigging plan that I found on modelshipbuilder.com.  http://modelshipbuilder.com/page.php?188

 

Many of the blocks are also downsized (especially the cannon tackle) from the kit sizes.

 

Seizing all of my rope terminations has also done a lot for the overall look I think, but that might just be me thinking it does, since I'm the one that's spent so much time seizing little ropes!

[GuntherMT]

Tonight I got the spreader yard lifts and aft braces rigged.  At this point it's pretty obvious that stuff is going to start getting in the way, so I'm going to have to break down and do the ratlines next, so I guess that's the project for this weekend.

[xken]

Brian, looking great and I am sure you will enjoy making the ratlines  just take your time and enjoy tying clove hitches.

[HIPEXEC]

amazing work, Brian.

[SawdustDave]

Ratlines....clove hitches.... All ship modelers cringe at the very thought.

[GuntherMT]

Following the lead of many other build logs, I made a simple guide out of a manila folder that I clipped in behind the shrouds to help me space and align the ratlines.

 

 

Then, let the clove-hitching begin!

 

 

If anyone makes comments about how inconsistent my ratlines are, I'm just going to show them this picture, from a real ship, that I took while I was on my San Diego trip.    Maybe I'll just mount this picture on the base!

 

[GuntherMT]

Addendum - After looking at all the pictures I took while I was in San Diego from all the ships that had ratlines, I chose to use the dark brown rope to make the ratlines, even though most of the ships there had tan rope ratlines.  The reason is, that in every single picture other than the super close-up shots, the ropes look brown/black from any distance at all.  They appear to be the same color as the standing rigging unless you are right up on top of them, for whatever reason.

 

If I could go back in time a few weeks I would probably have ordered the light brown rope to do the ratlines with, because I think that would be perfect, but since I don't have any of that rope in the right size, dark brown is what I'm going to use.  I think the tan just stands out too much, and as you move away from the model it doesn't blend in like the tan lines on the real ships do.

[hamilton]

Hi Brian:

 

I think the ratlines look great - I've always had a hard time getting a nice dip in them to make them look like people have actually climbed them.....yours do this well!

hamilton

[GLakie]

I agree with Hamilton Brian.  The lines look great. 

[JesseLee]

You are right Brian. We try to make our models so "perfect" but that's not how it is in real life. Ropes aren't perfect, Decks, rails or anything wood has wear, cuts, nicks, etc. I no longer try to get mine so perfect anymore. Little imperfections add character & looks more realistic!

[GuntherMT]

And, the starboard side is done.  I was hoping to finish both sides this weekend, but I had a fair number of other chores to do around the house, and I discovered that I was only able to tie off about 6 lines before feeling the need to get up and do something else for a bit, so it took a little time.

 

Tomorrow night I'll put lines on the guide for the other side and start the next half.  Woo... 

 

[hamilton]

Look at that! Great stuff - the ratlines really bring her to life. Nicely done

hamilton

[Gundorph]

Looks perfect... 

[Dimitris71]

Hello Brian, It's been a while since my last visit to your build log... So i put my glasses on and keep reading... You did an amazing job ,Planking ,detailing,ringing etc...

Well done mate!! :) She is beautiful.

 

Kind Regards

Dimitris

[GuntherMT]

I'm finished tying clove hitches!  Yay!

 

Just before the final trimming...

 

All trimmed up...

 

And a couple of overall shots now.

 

I made a bit of a list of what I think I have left to do, and I think I'm on track to finish in 2-3 weeks, barring something unforseen, or something taking more time than I expect.  I then have an idea for a base which may take a couple more weeks, but overall, looking good for a mid-late October finish I think.

[UpstateNY]

Hi Brian,

 

Very impressive...been very much enjoying watching your rigging work.

 

The full hull shots really show how your AVS is now coming to life. It must be nice to be at least starting to see the finish line!

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.