6ohiocav

And that finally brings me to 2016. When i picked up this project again, after being dormant for years, and realized my build log was gone in the crash, I figured I would simply plug away and gave up the idea of starting the log all over again.  Therefore, as I get closer to the present, the next few posts will cover alot of work but with only a few pictures.
 
First up, the overwhelming project of planking the hull. It ended up being the typical, think about the daunting hurdle for weeks, read everything I could get my hands on, nervously glue on the first strake, then get totally consumed with finishing. In the end, after I laid the last strake (which I did take a picture of for posterity), I sat back and had one of those "did I actually do this" moments.
 
Since the hull is painted (allowing all of the gaps to be filled and sanded), and single planked, I opted to simply lay the strakes in the recommended bands from the kit plans.  I did not taper many strakes, and heavily relied on steelers when necessary. It was a good exercise. When the time comes for a future build requiring a double planked hull where the paint and filler crutches are unavailable to cover up the work, I should be ready.

By the way, I forgot to mention that your 1/23 hammocks are outstanding. Great detail. Love the rope wrap.

On to the gun ports and sweeps.  I noticed that every gun port and some of the sweeps had at least one side affixed to a bulkhead top. So, I created wooden blocks in the shape of the square gun port, a trapazoid shaped one for the front port, and a small block for the sweep. I laid the block against the designated bulkhead and built the port around it. This method assured that the ports would be square and consistently sized. I did the same with the sweeps block. This tedious job, which as I look back on it took days to complete, was made easier with the block jigs.   

Maybe some 1/64 hammocks on the ends. I think that each side of the Niagara has two runs of hammock rails (break in the middle for stairs and boarding ladder).  That would be a total of 8. Then a canvas cover for entire run, and perhaps a square stock of wood with canvas cover in between, which the plan suggests.
 
Make sense?

Time to fair the hull.  I would have never even thought of doing this at this time.  However, repeated suggestions on this forum emphasized how important this is when it comes time to plank the hull.  They were right.
 
The balsa filler blocks made it easy to pin some strakes to the hull at the kit supplied band marks.  From there, I marked the high and low spots on the bulkheads and added splints or filed them down. There was some work to be done, but overall, the kit supplied bulkheads weren't too bad.  I also added the required bevels on the fore and aft bulkheads.  Overall, a pretty easy process.  Here are some photos of the finished product.

I then built the stern frames and added filler blocks.  The stern frames went up pretty easily.  The kit supplied blocks however were a challenge, especially the "corner fill blocks." They are small with complex shapes, and since they are prominently positioned on the outside corner of the stern, must be done right.  The plans provide two dimensional -to scale- pictures, so I cut them out, and traced them to a small block of bass wood.  I carefully cut those on a jig saw, and when mounted, was able to file them to size.  As I found in nearly all of this build, I screwed up the first set, but did better on the second set. Practice makes perfect, or nearly so.
 
I also added additional blocks as I did at the bow.
 
Some photos.

MAINMAST STAYS
 
I attached all of the mainmast stays.  The main and spring stay are rigged with closed hearts and tied with lanyards to a heart seized to the foremast and forward bit. I used .018 tan rope for the lanyards.
 
The topsail (middle) stays are rigged with bulleyes, route through thimbles tied to the foremast, and tied with lanyards to bulleyes attached to eyebolts on the deck. I used .012 rope for the lanyards.
 
The t’gallant and royal stays are routed through thimbles on the foremast.  The t’gallant stay is rigged with a double 1/8 block and attached to a tackle on the foremast tree. The Royal is rigged with a kit supplied ring, and attached to an eyebolt with .008 lanyard on the foremast tree.
 
I think you can see most of this on the photos.
 
Every layer of rigging I add to the ship really enhances the image of this great ship.
 
Next up, attach spanker booms and course yard.

MAINMAST STAYS
 
I attached all of the mainmast stays.  The main and spring stay are rigged with closed hearts and tied with lanyards to a heart seized to the foremast and forward bit. I used .018 tan rope for the lanyards.
 
The topsail (middle) stays are rigged with bulleyes, route through thimbles tied to the foremast, and tied with lanyards to bulleyes attached to eyebolts on the deck. I used .012 rope for the lanyards.
 
The t’gallant and royal stays are routed through thimbles on the foremast.  The t’gallant stay is rigged with a double 1/8 block and attached to a tackle on the foremast tree. The Royal is rigged with a kit supplied ring, and attached to an eyebolt with .008 lanyard on the foremast tree.
 
I think you can see most of this on the photos.
 
Every layer of rigging I add to the ship really enhances the image of this great ship.
 
Next up, attach spanker booms and course yard.

MAINMAST STAYS
 
I attached all of the mainmast stays.  The main and spring stay are rigged with closed hearts and tied with lanyards to a heart seized to the foremast and forward bit. I used .018 tan rope for the lanyards.
 
The topsail (middle) stays are rigged with bulleyes, route through thimbles tied to the foremast, and tied with lanyards to bulleyes attached to eyebolts on the deck. I used .012 rope for the lanyards.
 
The t’gallant and royal stays are routed through thimbles on the foremast.  The t’gallant stay is rigged with a double 1/8 block and attached to a tackle on the foremast tree. The Royal is rigged with a kit supplied ring, and attached to an eyebolt with .008 lanyard on the foremast tree.
 
I think you can see most of this on the photos.
 
Every layer of rigging I add to the ship really enhances the image of this great ship.
 
Next up, attach spanker booms and course yard.

MAINMAST STAYS
 
I attached all of the mainmast stays.  The main and spring stay are rigged with closed hearts and tied with lanyards to a heart seized to the foremast and forward bit. I used .018 tan rope for the lanyards.
 
The topsail (middle) stays are rigged with bulleyes, route through thimbles tied to the foremast, and tied with lanyards to bulleyes attached to eyebolts on the deck. I used .012 rope for the lanyards.
 
The t’gallant and royal stays are routed through thimbles on the foremast.  The t’gallant stay is rigged with a double 1/8 block and attached to a tackle on the foremast tree. The Royal is rigged with a kit supplied ring, and attached to an eyebolt with .008 lanyard on the foremast tree.
 
I think you can see most of this on the photos.
 
Every layer of rigging I add to the ship really enhances the image of this great ship.
 
Next up, attach spanker booms and course yard.

Hey Mike,
 
I have to mount the course yard, and both spanker booms, which I will be doing this week.  Then attach all of the loose stays and running rigging. That should complete the rigging.  I then have to work on the anchors, decide on what to do with the hammocks/rails, and last but not least, the ship's boats. The plan is to scratch build the boats on ribbing, and discard the kit supplied layered method.
 
Any suggestions on the hammock rails, canvas material, methodology, etc? 

Hi Joel,
 
I actually tried to create eye splices with the .008 rope, and to be honest, I could not find a pin tip small enough to split the fibers well enough. I also had to do it under a magnifying glass while the rope was clamped to a small vice. I cannot even imagine how one would do that on a ship at this scale. And considering that each of the lower shrouds would require 30 splices X 2 and considering there are 4 in total, that would be 240 splices.
 
I therefore have to agree with your admonitions.

PORTSIDE MAINMAST LOWER SHROUDS, FUTTOCK SHROUDS AND LAST OF THE RATLINES
 
I finished the portside lower shrouds. I lashed up the staves, installed the futtock shrouds, and tied my LAST RATLINES… I hope.

PORTSIDE MAINMAST LOWER SHROUDS, FUTTOCK SHROUDS AND LAST OF THE RATLINES
 
I finished the portside lower shrouds. I lashed up the staves, installed the futtock shrouds, and tied my LAST RATLINES… I hope.

PORTSIDE MAINMAST LOWER SHROUDS, FUTTOCK SHROUDS AND LAST OF THE RATLINES
 
I finished the portside lower shrouds. I lashed up the staves, installed the futtock shrouds, and tied my LAST RATLINES… I hope.

Hi Joel,
 
I actually tried to create eye splices with the .008 rope, and to be honest, I could not find a pin tip small enough to split the fibers well enough. I also had to do it under a magnifying glass while the rope was clamped to a small vice. I cannot even imagine how one would do that on a ship at this scale. And considering that each of the lower shrouds would require 30 splices X 2 and considering there are 4 in total, that would be 240 splices.
 
I therefore have to agree with your admonitions.

PORTSIDE MAINMAST LOWER SHROUDS, FUTTOCK SHROUDS AND LAST OF THE RATLINES
 
I finished the portside lower shrouds. I lashed up the staves, installed the futtock shrouds, and tied my LAST RATLINES… I hope.

PORTSIDE MAINMAST LOWER SHROUDS, FUTTOCK SHROUDS AND LAST OF THE RATLINES
 
I finished the portside lower shrouds. I lashed up the staves, installed the futtock shrouds, and tied my LAST RATLINES… I hope.

LOWER MAST SHROUDS, STAVES, FUTTOCK SHROUDS, AND YET MORE RATLINES
 
I reached yet another milestone – I stepped the main mast.
 
I seized the deadeyes to the end of my shroud lines using my jig, and then lashed them to the channel deadeyes with .012 lanyards (tan rope).
 
I then lashed the upper and lower staves using black sewing thread. The staves were made of cherry stripwood that I milled and finished in tung oil.
 
I then worked on the futtock shrouds. I used 3mm brass hooks (blackened) and .025 rope. I seized the hooks on with a whipping. I wrapped the loose end of the shroud lines around the upper stave and seized the end to a shroud line with my black sewing thread.
 
​Then, MORE RATLINES!
 
I am obviously getting a little better at doing this.  The work on the mainmast is much cleaner than the foremast. Practice does help.
 
Of course, it is still time consuming. These simple exercises on the starboard side took all weekend, and I have to do it all again on the port side.

SPANKER GAFF AND BOOM
 
Before stepping the main mast, I prepared the spanker gaff and boom, and the rigging blocks and such for the mast.
 
I dressed up the gaff and boom with cleats and chock blocks.  I inserted small pin heads to replicate carriage bolts, then sent it off to the paint booth for primer and two coats of flat black paint. I then seized thimble lashings and blocks per the plans.

TOPSAIL YARD, LIFT AND HALLIARD
 
I worked on the topsail yard for the main mast.  I pinned it to the mast, and attached the lifts and halliards. I still have to attach the parrel.
 
Topsail Yard lift:  I used .012 rope, seized to the end of the yard with a 1/8 block stropped to the end (which I believe would be used for the clew line if rigged with sails), then routed through 1/8 block in the shrouds, and then will be belayed to the deck.
 
Topsail Yard Halliard: I used a long single strand of .018 rope. I started by running it through the Starboard 1/8 block in the shrouds, then down to the 5/32 block seized to the center of the yard, and then up to the 1/8 block in the port shrouds.  Both ends of this rope will be belayed to tackles attached to the channels.
 
I am now getting close to stepping the mast. The spaghetti mass of ropes is starting to get a bit out of hand. I still have to seize some blocks for the spanker mast, and generally work on preparing the mast for the booms. As I found on the foremast, once stepped, the process of attaching all of the lines will move at a spirited pace.

ROYAL AND T’GALLANT HALLIARDS, LIFTS, CLEW LINES AND SHEETS
 
I worked on rigging the royal and t’gallant yards.
 
Royal Halliard/Tye:  I used .012 rope, tied one end to the yard, and routed the other end through a dumb sheave in the mast, and belayed the end to the lower shroud sheave per the plans.
 
Royal Lifts: I used .012 rope, tied them off to the ends of the yard, and tied them off at the top of the mast. (I still have to tie a knot and cut the excess).
 
Royal Clew lines. Since I have no sails, I elected to simply tie the end off on the yard and routed them through a 1/8 block seized to the yard and down to the lower shrouds where I belayed the end to the stave as per the plans.  I put some slack in the line and tied a simple square knot in the rope to keep it from pulling through the block.
 
T’gallant Halliard/Tye: I used .018 rope, tied one end to the yard, and routed the other end through a dumb sheave in the mast, and belayed it to a tackle rigged to the lower tree.
 
T’gallant Lifts: I used .012 rope, tied them off to the ends of the yard, and routed them through a 1/8 block mounted in the shrouds and belayed to the tackle rigged to the lower tree.
 
T’gallant Clew Lines: I used .012 rope. Like the royal, I tied the end off on the yard, and ran it through a DOUBLE 1/8 block seized to the yard. This will belay to the pin rail on the deck, so I made the rope extra long and it will remain free until I step the mast. I created some slack and tied a square knot against the block
 
T’gallant Sheets: I used .012 rope and tied the end to the yard.  I pulled this line tighter than the clew line.  I routed it through the same DOUBLE block using a square knot to keep it from pulling through.  It too belays to the pin rail on the deck.
 
I am not sure the clew lines and sheets are right or not. Just my landlubbers interpretation of the rigging plans.
​

Brian,
 
That is the angle I see on the model. I went fishing for photos of the real ship after I posted the question. Thanks for finding this first. My eye feels better.

MAIN MAST UPPER RATLINES, ROYAL AND T’GALLANT YARDS
 
I received my shipment from Syren, on time and as ordered, (thanks Chuck again!). Therefore, I was able to finish the upper ratlines. Since I had worked on the yards while in waiting, I was able to raise the royal and t’gallant yards.
 
I pinned them in place with .24 wire and a spot of CA. It holds them in place secure enough to work on the lifts and parrels. Once those are set, it is sturdy enough to thread the clew line and sheet running lines through the blocks.  I tied the ends off on the end of the yards.
 
Here are some photos of my progress.  I placed the main mast in its deck hole temporarily for illustration purposes only.

LOWER MAST SHROUDS, STAVES, FUTTOCK SHROUDS, AND YET MORE RATLINES
 
I reached yet another milestone – I stepped the main mast.
 
I seized the deadeyes to the end of my shroud lines using my jig, and then lashed them to the channel deadeyes with .012 lanyards (tan rope).
 
I then lashed the upper and lower staves using black sewing thread. The staves were made of cherry stripwood that I milled and finished in tung oil.
 
I then worked on the futtock shrouds. I used 3mm brass hooks (blackened) and .025 rope. I seized the hooks on with a whipping. I wrapped the loose end of the shroud lines around the upper stave and seized the end to a shroud line with my black sewing thread.
 
​Then, MORE RATLINES!
 
I am obviously getting a little better at doing this.  The work on the mainmast is much cleaner than the foremast. Practice does help.
 
Of course, it is still time consuming. These simple exercises on the starboard side took all weekend, and I have to do it all again on the port side.