Blue Ensign

Nice progress Steve, great job on the traveller ring. B.E.

I'm with the programme Martin, just because it's hidden is no reason not to do it. Mrs Shires W is generally supportive of my modelling activity, but having read the frank disclosure by Mrs Prairie W, I now begin to wonder why. She did once express an interest in making an Airfix Spitfire (had to be an Airfix) and indeed started it, when I asked which Mk she would like I was promptly told not to get nerdy! just get her a Spitfire. Still on with the show - don't forget to get the Catheads the right way up, and you will need to temporarily fit the main head Rails to assist getting the position right. Cheers, B.E.

Our respective Mrs W's seem to have the same outlook towards our modelling efforts, but that's not the point is it, although on a practical level Mrs Prairie W is correct in the sense that the Foc'sle scroll will be mostly hidden by the shrouds. Nice detail tho' Martin😊 Good luck luck with the Catheads, an interesting little project in their own right. B.E.

Looking forward to following your new build Bob. I have exactly the same mind set as I approach completion of my Pegasus , smaller subjects, larger scale, less focal range requirements. Time catches up with all of us I guess B.E.

The gun port size is as per the pattern, and I lined them with some 0.6mm boxwood strip. However, were I doing the model again I would have made the first port, which is in fact a Bridle port, (not a gun port), narrower to 8.50mm, and side hinged the port lid. I didn't line the Sweep ports. B.E.

I looked at this during my build and I finally settled on RB32mm guns and the 15mm for the Swivels. However, the 29mm look fine as well on the carriage, and once they are all together along the broadside I don't think they will look undersized, I just preferred a slightly chunkier look. This is the comparison I made when deciding on my build, and as you can see the Syren version is finer still than the RB 29mm. B.E.

Hi Doug, the details are there, Page two, post 52- here's the link I think. Cheers, B.E.

Thank you Bob, she looks great in those additional shots, a very fine model B.E.

Doug, my Stove is positioned wth the chimey forward, it is the only way it would fit. I pondered over this for some time but came across a reference to stoves sometimes facing that way. I did notch out the beam to allow for the steam grating to sit without the beam blocking it from beneath. I did quite a lot of modifications beneath the Foc'sle deck one of which was to provide sockets on the underside of the deck to take the legs of the Foc'sle bitts. This meant that the legs didn't extend down to the upper deck and would not therefore block your stove whichever way you positioned it. Possible solutions😊 B.E.

Nicely done Bob, another fine model, and great detail work. The last four full shot photo's look a tad out of focus to me, can you replace them so we may better enjoy the fruits of your labour. Regards, B.E.

You've done a fine job Steve, and I love the display mode you've devised, great stuff B.E.

Well done Doug going the extra mile by fully rigging the 'hidden' guns galley stove looks excellent, have you checked how it relates to the Chimney position and steam grating? B.E.

Thank you Chuck, Nils, and Michael, and to all those who have re-visited the log and hit the 'like' button multiple times. Scuppers One of tidy up items to do is the Scuppers for the Manger. I had much earlier in the build attended to the other six scuppers required along the hull and this is the last one. These are 'false' scuppers in the sense that they are drilled from outside and do not connect to the scupper outlets in the waterway, a much too fraught exercise to consider. The lead flanges are made from thin slivers of aluminium tubing bashed flat on my anvil and painted with a flat lead grey colour. The run of seven scuppers along the hull. With Pegasus out of her cover I took the opportunity to take some general shots. I keep spotting things that require attention or that I have overlooked, I think this process could take a while. B.E.

Fine bit of ropework you've been doing Michael, love your approach to working the mouse. B.E.

Just catching up after my recent pre-occupations Nils, and what a treat for my eyes, those last full shots are so impressive. B.E.

Hoisting the Ensign This is a schematic of how I attach the Ensign to the Staff. Incidentally this is Blue Ensign made for my Victory build, using the tissue/printing method. I had made the Ensign and Jack Staffs some time back in the build. The Ensign is raised. The Jack before tweaking............... .........and after. Almost there folks, some tidying up now to do, and a base to make. This post marks the seven day task of rebuilding this log, I think I've got it all in the correct order. B.E. 11 March 2017.

Ensigns. I have opted for the Red Ensign, and a Union Flag at the Jack staff. There should also be a Commissioning Pennant worn at the Mainmast head, but these very long pennants can be difficult to get to hang right on a model, and may be best left off, I am undecided at present. The two references I use for flags are: Flags for Ship modellers and marine artists by Alec A Purves Flags at Sea by Timothy Wilson. For Pegasus the pre 1801 Union flag design is appropriate; for Fly with a career spanning the Act of Union of Great Britain and Ireland, either would be appropriate. Many depictions of the pre 1801 Ensign, and Jack show quite a broad white diagonal representing the Scottish Saltire However, contemporary marine art does tend to show the Union flag with a much darker blue ground and a much narrower white diagonal. This extract is of a painting that hangs above my desk. It is entitled A Two-decker and a Frigate off Harwich by One of my favourite contemporary marine artists, Charles Brooking, and is my guide for the Pegasus Ensigns. This is my preferred design, albeit in rough form. Making the Ensign A photo of the Ensign is printed out at the appropriate size to form the pattern. This scales to 57mm x 87mm. To make the Ensign I used Modelspan tissue. A piece of Modelspan is taped across a box with a rectangular hole in it. It is then painted both sides with dilute pva, and dried with a hair dryer. It is then taped over the photo image of the Ensign and run thro' the printer. I allow sufficient extra on the hoist edge to form the hoist thro' which the halyard will be fitted. The printed image on Modelspan is a little too faded so it is again taped over a backing piece and is painted over. At this point I place a sheet of polythene beneath the image to prevent paint bleed sticking the Modelspan to the paper beneath. To paint the flags I have used Humbrol Acrylic paints, No 60 (Red) No 77(Blue) and No 34 (White) Painting both sides of the Ensign completed. The Jack was prepared in the same manner, measuring 23.8mm x 36.5mm. The next stage is to get the flags to hang limply in a natural fashion. My approach is to steam them and tease them into shape. These little hand steamers are just the ticket, beats holding it over the kettle spout. A heath Robinson device to hold the Ensign at the correct angle whilst it is steamed and pulled into shape. The Ensign is left to dry and hopefully stick in the arranged position. Line is loosely tied around the flag to assist in shape holding. The next post will deal with attaching the flags to the staffs. B.E.

Stanchions, and miscellaneous finishings Stanchions. These run along the Foc'sle and the waist. Foc'sle A passing rope (2½" - 0.30mm) threads thro' the Foc'sle stanchions. Eyebolts at either end of the stanchions in the planksheer and bollard timbers to secure the line. Waist The iron stanchions along the waist are topped by a rough tree rail. I have used a length of 'ebony' boxwood strip. Always a fine point to when to fit these delicate pieces, don't want to do it until I am sure no more fiddling in the waist area is required, hope I'm right. Entry stanchions and Entering ropes. The stanchions are kit provided in brass etch, but seemed a little too short to me, so I modified them. According to Steel the Entering ropes are of 3" line (0.38mm) I initially used Morope 0.40mm. which is closest to scale, knotted at 5mm intervals down to the water level. On reflection I thought the overhand knots looked too bulky; I retried it using pva blobs to represent the knots, didn't like that either. Finally I downsized to Syren 0.3mm line and this suited my eye best. Swinging Studding Booms I made these a long time ago, there are sets for the Fore and Main Studding sails. The Fore booms are a problem inasmuch that unlike the Main booms which lie along the Main channels, the Fore Booms have nowhere to lie insitu when not in use. When in use the Gooseneck hooks into an eye bolt fixed in the hull just aft of the Bridle port and forward of the Billboards. The Upper deck seems to be only practical place to store these, or perhaps lashed to the spare topmasts on the Gallows. At over 30ft in length manoeuvring and fitting these items must have been an awkward exercise when at sea. The Main booms hook into an iron strap with an eye at the Fore end of the channel and is supported by an iron crutch towards the aft end of the channel. Not quite sure how these are secured along the channels but I have taken the view that lashing to a deadeye strop is a reasonable option. The Main booms do have various guys rigged to operate, but I have not included these. B.E.

The Fore Sheets 4½" line 0.56mm Syren 0.45mm Eye spliced to eyebolt below fixed block in hull, 5mm fwd of sweep port. Thro' sheet block at the yard,then aft thro' aft fixed block. .......to the range cleat in the waist. The Fore Tacks TACKS, SINGLE, lead through the block lashed round the outer end of the boomkin on each side, then lead upon the forecastle, and belay round a large cleat upon the cat-head, or to the topsail-sheet-bitts. Deciding the run of this lead caused me some trouble and I raised the issue in a separate post. http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/15232-run-of-the-fore-tack/ The response to my query was somewhat thin but I have concluded that the tacks should run outside of other rigging lines leading into the Foc'sle. On a purely practical basis, with the sail set, the tack line would otherwise be fouled. Tack line taken inboard and belayed around top of Head rail. B.E.

Main mast rigging ongoing Tying up a few more loose ends. Firstly the Main Topmast and T'gallant backstays need to attached with their deadeyes to the Channel, and secondly the Main sheets which pass outside of the stays, but then pass thro' a fixed block and inboard to belay at a timberhead. At this point I have one of those 'oh bugger' moments, as I realise I have slipped betwixt two stools (no pun intended) when it came to the backstays. The kit provides for two Topmast backstays, the ffm only one, and I find I have one too many deadeyes on the channel. Needless to say I have only one backstay hanging from the Topmast head. Too late to remove all the top hamper to add another backstay in the proper manner, but it was just about possible to thread the line up beneath the stay collars, feed it around the masthead and down to the channel. I am encouraged by Lees comment that Main Topmasts sometimes carried one more backstay than the Fore topmasts. Crisis over and I move on, no real visual impact of this little deception, and only you and me know about it. My approach is to attach the deadeyes to the backstays, but leave off applying the lanyards until the sheets have been fitted and belayed. Main Sheets I had trialled the run of the Main sheets back in November,now is the time to fix them. The run of the Main sheets can look awkward because without sails rigged they tend to lie against the Backstays before they lead inboard. For this reason I like to have a degree of slackness in the sheets so that they do not bind hard against the stays. That the Channels are sniped towards the aft end on the ffm plans, which throws the backstays a little more inboard may be done to counter this . Of course the simplest method is to not rig the sheets and tacks on a bare stick model. The sheets are a substantial line scaling to 0.56mm ø This is an awkward size in relation to scale line. Syren has 0.45mm and 0.63mm and Morope has 0.4mm 0.6mm I need also to take into account the tack line which is larger at 0.69mm. I would prefer to use Syren for this particular line as the synthetic Morope needs to have some tension on it to avoid unnatural looking kinks. For these reasons I am using Syren 0.45mm line for the sheets, and 0.63mm for the Tacks, which give a visible difference between the two. To get a smooth kink free run of the sheet between the sheet block and lead block on the hull I dip the line in very dilute pva, wipe off the excess and put the line under light tension for a while. The standing end of the sheet is 'false' spliced around an eyebolt above the aftermost gunport. It leads thro' the sheet block from out to in, runs down to a lead block seized just above and aft of the standing part, and runs thro' the fixed block to belay at a timberhead. The Main Sheet belay can be seen opposite the gratings. With the Main sheet belayed I can now secure the T'gallant backstay. Main Brace Falls The ffm (18.43) indicates that once the brace line has passed thro' the the fixed block it is belayed to a timberhead some 6 to 8 feet forward to allow the Mizen topsail braces and Vangs to belay aft of the Main brace. On the kit model this would place the belay on a timberhead adjacent to the tiller lines. I have run the brace falls forward to belay opposite the Mizen mast. The Main Tack Belaying the tack to the forward Range cleat in the waist proved a little tricky, mostly because I added the waist gangboards. Just about managed it from the opposite sides with very long tweezers, but there are several risks poking around beneath the Pinnace at this stage. Ffm Vol 11 para 12.15 indicates an eyebolt for the Main tack fixed in side. - note this is applicable for double tack rigs not the single tacks as used in 6th rates. I will now move onto the Fore Sheets. B.E.

Return to the blunt end. Over the past few days I have turned my attention back to the stern. Some of the previously rigged lines now need to have the falls formed before the area gets too crowded. Mizen Topsail Yard Braces I used 1½" line (0.20mm) eye spliced around the Gaff end taken up thro' the brace pendant blocks and down thro' the lead blocks at the gaff peak. Eyebolts are fitted to the top of the Tafferal to take the tackle blocks for the Mizen Topsail braces The falls pass thro' the outer lead block on the Tafferal, and thro' the fixed block to belay at the Qtr deck rail. 6" single blocks (I used Syren 3/32nd blocks) and 3mm hooks Vangs Steel says: VANGS. The bight is put over the peek-end with an overhand-knot, and the double-blocks spliced in the lower ends are connected by their falls to a single block, that hooks to an eye-bolt in the upper part of the quarter-piece on each side. The standing-part makes fast to the becket in the **** of the single-block, and the leading-part leads from the double-block, and belays to a cleat nailed on the taffarel fife-rail, or round the **** of the single-block. A Pendant line of 3" (0.37mm) is hitched around the centre of the Gaff - I used Morope 0.4mm with 6" blocks (2.38mm) spliced in. Falls of 1½" line (0.20mm) Although they don't look it on this photo the pendants are of equal length below the Gaff. The falls pass thro' the lead block hooked to the Tafferal to belay. Again Syren 3/32nd blocks and 3mm hooks were used. For those using the ffm Vol IV as their rigging reference you should note that the guidance to run the falls of the Mizen Topsail Braces and Vangs thro' the fixed block at the Qtr deck rail may not work with the kit version at least because there is less Tafferal outside of the rails in which to bring the falls in from the outside. The book references are in relation to the Resolution model which has Quarter Galleries, and more space to work with. This is not a problem the Vang falls can either be expended around the lower blocks or hitched to a cleat on the inner face of the Tafferal. Mizen Topmast Backstay This was fitted a while back but now is a convenient time to secure with the deadeyes. For this I used 2.5mm Boxwood Deadeyes. To recap: The kit arrangement shows two topmast backstays set up with deadeyes hooked into eyebolts just forward of the Quarter Badge. Lees indicates the use of a stool or a deadeye plate bolted to the ships side. The ffm (Standing rigging plan) indicates a single backstay for which the addition of a small stool fitted at drift rail height aft of the Quarter badge is required. I opted for a deadeye plate fixed to the hull forward of the Quarter Badge, a lot less fussy than a mini stool and a little more secure. A peek thro' the Quarter badge lights. Looks like someone needs to have a sweep up in the Great Cabin. The lantern Chuck's little beauty was fixed some time ago, but there remained the supporting braces which have now been fitted. B.E.

Tidying up the Foc'sle. For the past few days I having been trying to sort out the confusion of lines around the Foc'sle. There are a lot of loose ends now that need securing, and looking ahead a little there is the perennial problem of sufficient belaying points. I note that the Belaying plan (Plan#3) of the ffm Vol IV shows 10 cleats conveniently placed around the inner bulwark of the bows between the Bowsprit and Cathead, but what is not shown is the Breast hook which fits over the Bowsprit and is bolted to the bow timbers which would preclude cleats in the position shown but presumably they could be fitted to the face or top of the Breast Hook. The Breast hook can be seen in this shot. Steel specifically mentions a pin in the breast hook to take the Fore T'Gallant bowlines. Bowlines are a feature I am thinking of adding even tho' mine is a bare stick model, in this case they are simply hitched to their respective yards before running to belay points. The Foc'sle is just about tidied up now and the T'gallant Backstays have been rigged. In a final crowning to the mastheads the trucks are added. The photos Tidying the line ends Belaying to the Belfry rails is a test of patience, so many lines to snag. Fore T'gallant backstays on the stools now secured. Lead of the Fore Tack, something that is causing me some confusion at present, not yet ready to be secured. Truck at Foremast head ....and at the Mainmast head; Main T'gallant back stays yet to be secured. Coming together now I think. B.E. 31/01/2017

Completion of Spritsail rigging Spritsail Yard (running) lifts 2" line (0.25mm) I used Morope line. One of the easier ones to rig, a simple false splice around the yards against the Horses, up thro' the thimbles on the Jibboom end. and down thro' the outer sheaves of recently fitted Bowsprit saddle, to belay around the timberheads. Brace pendants - 3" (0.40mm) served and tarred line / 9" (3.57m) single blocks / 8' long (38mm) I used Syren 0.3mm line served with Morope 0.1mm line. Always interesting and a little tricky making served pendants with an eye one end and a block the other, involves several little serving exercises. A completed pendant. Braces. 2½" line (0.30mm) I used Syren line. Testy little rig this, a long line clove hitched at the centre around the Fore-stay below the Mouse, taken thro' the pendant blocks on the yard.... ... up thro' the inner sheave of the forward outer block below the Fore top... .... and now the testy bit; feeding the line end thro' the inner sheave of the corresponding aft block on the Fore top. The line is then taken down to belay on the Fo'csle rail. The Braces need to be rigged together to equalise the tension. Spritsail Yard Clue lines CLUE-LINES reeve through the blocks upon the yard, and bend or reeve through a block at the clue of the sail, and lead in upon the forecastle. 1½" line (0.20mm) 6" blocks (2.38mm) I added cleats to the top of the Breasthook to take the clue line belays. Sheets Steel specifies single sheets for the Spritsail; for double sheets the standing part is hitched around first deadeye strop on fore channels, or maybe to the same eyebolt as the Fore sheets. 3" line is specified(0.37mm), I am using Syren 0.31mm. Getting your head around the run of spritsail sheet is a bit tricky with differing arrangements at differing times, but for a sixth rate this is my interpretation. The single sheet line has a wall knot in one end which passes through the clue block strop and leads aft through the lower of the fixed block sheaves below the sheave for the Fore sheets. This is another line that needs to hang with a degree of slackness to look good, and the line is dipped in very dilute pva and wiped thro' before fitting. This is a long line and to keep it tidy and clear of the sea it runs thro' a thimble which is triced up to the Fore shrouds. Once in place the line is re-wetted and light weights attached to form an even slackness. This is a process that will continue for a while, with re-wetting. and smoothing. A fair amount of time will be spent tweaking the lines before I'm entirely happy. Have decided not to fit the Bowlines, might be overegging the custard with a bare stick model. Besides, some of the lead blocks would now be very difficult to rig at this stage, particularly in relation to the main and Mizen sails. B.E. 25/01/2017

The Spritsail Yard Last of the yards to be fitted. A small 'iron' thimble is made and is stropped with 0.3mm served line around the centre of the yard between the sling cleats. The lead thimbles for the jib guys are also fitted to the yard, and the clue blocks stropped. Spritsail Halyard block - 7"(2.77mm)with 2½" (0.31mm) strop and hook. I used a 3mm block/hook arrangement to connect to the thimble at the yard centre. The hook was moused and for this I used 40swg wire, anything larger would have swamped the hook. Clue line blocks CLUE-LINE-BLOCKS are strapped, with two eyes, and are lashed through those eyes round the yard, three feet without the slings; the lashing to be upon the yard. 6" blocks (2.38mm) 1½" (0.19mm)served strops I used Syren 3/32th blocks. Bob checks out the footrope arrangements. Stirrups and Footropes Stirrups (2" line) 0.25mm and Horses (2½"line) 0.31mm I'm using Syren line 0.2mm and 0.3mm. Once again there is a divergence of opinion:- Lees says: Stirrups: they were seldom fitted tho' there was a period from about 1719 to 1775 when, on large ships, two stirrups were fitted each side. before and after that period no ships had stirrups. Footropes. usually only one footrope was carried, spliced around each yardarm, and seized in the centre to the halyard block strop. Steel writes in 1798: HORSES. The eye in the outer end is put over the yard-arm on each side, and stops against the cleats; the other end has an eye spliced in and seized to the yard three feet beyond the slings. The horses hang three feet below the yard. To keep horses more parallel to the yard, they are suspended at proper distances by ropes, called - STIRRUPS, two or three on each side the slings, having a thimble or eye spliced in their lower ends. They hang three feet below the yard, through which the horse reeves. The upper ends are opened and plaited, to lie flat to the yard: they have three turns round the yard, and are nailed. A flemish horse is used at each arm of the yard, having an eye spliced in each; one eye is put over the bolt in the yard-arm, the other seized within the cleats. In his tables Steel shows for Sloops both stirrups and horses for the Spritsail, and just horses for the Spritsail Topsail The ffm follows Steel's arrangement, and so have I, but I am puzzled by the Lees view which seems so time specific, and Lees was in the unique position to have access to all available contemporary records, including Steel, and access to all the contemporary models in the NMM. With all of the fittings on the yard it is time to Attach the Spritsail Yard. The yard is held beneath the Bowsprit by the slings, but trying to rig the slings and control the yard at the same time is a little tricky. It helps to pin the yard which allows the sling to be more easily fitted, and holds the yard in the correct position. The Slings. These comprise a fairly hefty line of 3½" served overall. I used Syren (0.44mm) line served with Morope 0.1mm line which was also used for the seizings. I trialled the required length to make the sling including an eye at one end before serving. The thimble and 'moused' hook for the halyard can also be seen in this shot. The line is doubled and passed around the yard on the Starboard side between the sling cleats, up over the Bowsprit, with the eye end passing beneath the yard on the Port side, and the running end passed thro' the eye and hauled taut. Seizings are then applied above the yard each side, and the running end to itself. I can now complete both the Standing Lifts and the Spritsail yard halyard, and complete the Jib guy pendants. Spritsail yard halyard The fall of the halyard caused me some considerable head scratching. What possible use would a halyard be with the yard sling stropped to the bowsprit, and contained between the jib saddle, woolding hoops, and the Bees, allowing virtually no movement of the yard. The ffm has the fall belaying at a timberhead just forward of the cathead and behind the foremost swivel post on the Starboard side. (the kit version has no timberhead at this position) Steel refers to:- the fall leads in upon the forecastle, and belays to the rack over the bowsprit. (A rack is a board with belay pins set into it nailed on the bowsprit.) This arrangement which I've not seen, seems too late for Pegasus. There is a reference in Marquardt's 18th-Century Rigs and Rigging quoting Röding:- the hauling part can even be secured at the tackle because the spritsail yard itself is not raised or lowered while the vessel is at sea; for precisely this reason the yard is now usually hung on a solid strop; these days a halyard is seldom used. I note that in the ffm the Resolution model shows the halyard falls frapped around the tackle. This is good enough for me. The Halyard tackle, frapped and secured. I next attend to the Standing Lift Steel says. THE STANDING-LIFT has an eye spliced in one end, and lashes to the yard one-fourth from the slings; the other end has a thimble spliced in, and is set up with a laniard to a thimble spliced in a strap that goes round the bowsprit within the bees. The ffm indicates that the standing lift is eye spliced around the yard at about the third quarter. I believe this puts the lift too far out on the yard. I have placed the standing lifts in accordance with Steel, one fourth out from the slings. The standing lifts are hooked to the Bowsprit Cap with a thimble/ lanyard arrangement. Jib Guy Pendants Steel: GUY-PENDENTS are put over the jib-boom, the same as the horses, and the inner ends reeve through a thimble, on the quarters of the spritsail-yard, and turn into the strap of a double block, with a throat and round seizings, which is connected, by its fall, to a single block, that hooks to an eye-bolt, near the cat-head, and leads in upon the fore-castle. These were eye spliced over the jib end in the previous phase. The falls can now attached. 8" single blocks,( 3mm)the inner one with hook and thimble. Falls of 1½" line (0.20mm) An eyebolt needs to be fitted in the forward side of the Cathead to take the tackle block. Tricky to drill this hole at this stage, not easy to manipulate a pin vise in the space available. A micro drill needs to be ca'd into a longish length of dowel so the job can be approached from the opposite side. Jib guy pendants. Tackle hooked to eyebolt in forward face of Cathead, and the fall belayed at timberhead. B.E.

Anchor buoys These are interesting little items often depicted on contemporary models and a nice little modelling challenge 39" long 15.5mm 19.5" wide 7.75mm I couldn't be bothered to get my lathe out so I indulged in a spot of recreational whittling to form the Nun Buoys, Lime wood carves easily. Using a length of 8mm ø dowel, I marked out the centres and ends and pared away with a scalpel and No 11 blade. A little bit of shaping and sanding produces the basic shape. These buoys were parcelled with strips of canvas and then served all over with line. An awkward shape to achieve this at model scale. I drew the line at parcelling, but at this scale I considered winding the buoy with line feasible. For this purpose I used Syren 0.20mm line. As the line is wound around the buoy it is smeared with full strength pva to hold it in place. The completed buoy is then dunked in Dark Jacobean wood dye to 'Tar' it. The tricky thing about Nun Buoys is the arrangement of slings around them, another testy little exercise. There are four served slings running from the ends of the buoy, two from the top and two from the bottom which are eye spliced around two hoops of line either side of the centre of the buoy. To simplify matters at this scale I insert stemmed eyebolts into each end of the buoy around which I can secure the slings, and attach the lanyard and buoy ropes. I also think that serving the slings is a step too far for me given the short lengths and required eye splices. Steel specifies 2½" line (0.30mm) for the slings, 2" line (0.25mm) for the lanyard, and 4" line (0.50mm) for the buoy ropes. Attaching the slings, I use a spot of pva to bind the sling lines to the buoy down to the point where they will pass beneath the hoops. Pva is also used to spot stick the hoop line around the buoy. Rigging the slings. Once completed the buoy is again dunked in the wood dye, looking suitably 'tarry' I think. The buoy is hitched to the Fore shroud by its lanyard. The buoy rope (I used Morope 0.4mm line) is spliced to the bottom end of the buoy, the excess is coiled and the running end is hitched around the anchor arms and seized along the shank. Starboard buoy completed. B.E.