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MAIN MAST UPPER DEADEYES
Having now done this on the Foremast, I sort of fell into a technique that may be of some help to the family of Niagara builders out there.
 
The Niagara calls for four, upper shroud 3/32” deadeyes, port and starboard, to be seated in the top with a loop underneath to accept the futtock lines and hooks that are tied off to the main shrouds.
Here is how I did mine.
 
I use a .26 gauge wire for the stropping process.  It is the same wire I use for my eyebolts. I also use the same drill bit I use to do holes for the eyebolt.
 
The pictures tell the story.

BOWSPRIT SHROUDS
 
Just a quick update as I go through the plans and pick up some things that I misses at the bow. I installed the bowsprit shrouds.  I used a .025 black rope with a blackened black hook seized to one end and hooked to an eyebolt on the side of the hull.  The other end was lashed to a bullseye. I had to make up another batch of cherry bullseyes on my mini lathe (see previous post). I seized a .012 tan lanyard to the bullseye and wound it to the bullseyes lashed to the bowsprit.
 
Another tedious endeavor.  The Bowsprit/jib is a very complicated place with ropes and lines going in every direction.  The good news is that I believe I have completed all of the rigging up front and as far as I can tell, no line is rubbing up against its neighbor.

BELAYING FOREMAST STAYS AND RUNNING RIGGING
 
With the course yard in place, it was time to finally time to “tie up some loose ends” – actually, a lot of loose ends.
On the Foremast Back Stays, from top to bottom:
 
1.      Royal Back Stay – Seized to top of the mast and belayed to a tackle hooked to waterway eyebolt.
 
2.      Top Gallant Backstay – Seized to mast and belayed to deadeye on channel
 
3.      Topmast Backstays (2) – Seized to mast and belayed to deadeye on channel
 
On the Foremast Running Rigging, from top to bottom:
 
4.      Royal Halliard – belayed to the lower stave
 
5.      Royal Clew Line – tied off at end of the royal yard, left slack, and belayed to the lower stave
 
6.      Royal fixed lift – tied off at top of mast and end of royal yard.
 
7.      Royal Sheets – tied off on end of t’gallant yard, routed through block in shrouds, and belayed to pin rail on deck.
 
8.      Top Gallant Tye – wound around t’gallant yard and seized to a tackle attached to lower top.
 
9.      Top Gallant Lift – Tied to end of t’gallant yard and routed through block in shroud and belayed to lower stave.
 
 
10.  Top Gallant Clew – Tied to end of t’gallant yard, left slack, routed through block on yard (held with a knot) and belayed to pin rail on deck.
 
11.  Top Sail Lift – Tied to end of top sail yard and routed through block in shroud and belayed to tackle on lower top.
 
12.  Top Sail Clew Lines – I seized the blocks with the clew lines to the top sail yard, but have not figured out what to
do with them.  Per the plans, they run to blocks lashed to the course yard and back up to the seized block on the top sail yard.
 
On the Bowsprit, all routed through holes in the chock rail and belayed to pins in the forward pin rail
 
13.  Jib Stay Halliard
 
14.  Outer Jib Stay Halliard
 
15.  Inner Jib Stay Halliard
 
16.  Fore Stay Halliard
 
17.  Spritsail Yard Lift
 
18.  Top Gallant Stay Leads
 
 
 
Still to do (or figure out)
 
1.      Top Sail Sheets,
 
2.      Course Sheets.
 
3.      Course Clew lines.
 
I am not sure this is correct.  It is the best I could do in my interpretation of the plans. I have not completely decided to do with the buntlines, reefs, and leechlines – except to eliminate them. By adding the clew lines and sheets, I have at least added some of the running rigging for sails that will not be added to the ship
.
Here is a series of photos that show you where I am at presently.  The steps in this post took a solid 5 days to complete.

FUTTOCK SHROUDS
For all of the planning, I forgot to install the futtock shrouds before raising the course yard. It was therefore a bit more taxing with the yard always in the way.
 
I used .025 black rope. I seized a blackened brass hook on the end, attached that to the bottom of the deadeye and wound the other end around the stave and lashed it to the shroud. This is not easy. I placed a small drop of CA on the shroud, and held the futtock line in place until it set.  That allowed me to then apply two lashings.
 
Once done, I dressed them up with ratlines.
 
​Once I install the catharpin, another daunting task, it should pull all of the shrouds together and tighten up the lines. It is quite amazing how everything "ties together." Rigging this model has proven the engineering prowess of the 19th century shipwright

SETTING THE COURSE YARD IN PLACE
 
With the course yard fully dressed, I pinned it in place, and weaved the lanyards for the truss blocks and sling ropes. I used a heavy .018 tan lanyard for the sling.
 
​The truss assembly has a complex combination of a double lashing around the yard, with two 1/8 single blocks, and a single lashing around the mast.
 
l also rigged the course lifts with .018 tan rope.

COURSE YARDS
 
Now that I have completed the foremast shrouds with sheaves, fairleads and ratlines, and did about as much running rigging as I could, it was time to mount the course yard.  Before I did that, I had to dress up the bare spar.
 
On all of the yards that have jackstays and foot ropes, it is advisable to seize all of the blocks, slings, braces etc BEFORE you do the jackstays and foot ropes.  That way, all of the blocks can be stropped in a vice with oversized loops that can be simply slipped over the yard and tightened. If you add the jactstays or foot ropes, you will have to slip the seizing rope between the lines and the yard and tie and stropping loop on the yard instead of the vice.
 
The yard is now ready to mount.
 
I now face a daunting decision.  How much running rigging do I want to add to a ship WITHOUT any sails. I have attached all of the blocks as per the plans, and possibly could run buntlines, sheets, clew lines, etc, but have no sails to attach the lines to.  I understand that I could just tie off the ends to the yards and such, but wonder just how much detail I need to add to the ship.
 
For now, I have decided to rig clew lines and some of the sheets (course and topsail), tying the ends to the yards (instead of to sails that are not present). No buntlines.
 
Does this make any sense?  Any suggestions?

FOREMAST HALLIARDS AND JIB OUTHAUL TACKLE
 
I continued working on the running rigging on the foremast. I added the 4 halliards used to haul the stay sails. That included attaching blocks on the foremast, which I had done earlier, and also adding blocks to the bowsprit and jib for the downhaul lines. For some reason, I missed those. Probably because when I built the bowsprit and jib many months ago, I did not know what a halliard even was.
 
In any case, I had to tie on 4 blocks to a very crowded bowsprit and jib.  The main halliard downhaul block had to be positioned under the main stay open heart. There was no way I was going to be able to lash that to the spar, so I opted to strop the block to an eyebolt. I was able to position my pin vice in between the jaws of the heart and drill a receiving hole, and carefully insert the eyebolt with a drop of CA.  The rest of the downhaul blocks were lashed.
 
All of the downhaul lines then traverse the length of the bowsprit and pass through fairlead holes in the chock rail and are tied off on the forward pin rail. The only problem is that I failed to drill the holes in the chock rail. Again, I had to do that in between the lines of spaghetti ropes and of course the spritsail yard was in the way of where I had to turn the drill. Niagara builders – DRILL THE HOLES BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE BOWSPRIT.
 
The loose end of the uphaul line had to be belayed, according to the plans, to the “stay throats.” That was not overly specific, so I used a best guess, based on what a 1/64 figurine standing on the tops would do with the loose end – tie it waist high in an easy access place that was out of the way.
 
I also added the jib outhaul tackle. I used a .018 tan rope with 1/8 blocks. The plans however did not specify where the loose end of the rope went to. I looked in the plans and the instruction book. Nothing.  I therefore assumed it passed along the bowsprit, through the fairlead holes and was tied to the forward pin rail.

LOWER SHROUD SHEAR POLES, FAIRLEADS, AND RATLINES
 
I had previously lashed the deadeyes on my lower shrouds and threaded the lanyards.  It was time to tie of the lanyards, attach the lower and upper shear poles and fairleads and tie the dreaded ratlines.
 
I milled my shear poles and fairleads out of some cherry stripwood and finished them off with my tung oil. I initially secure them to the lines with a drop of CA.
 
On the lower shear pole, I used it to line up the deadeye and shroud lines to face forward since they tend to twist out of alignment without it.  I lashed it with .008 black rope. You can get away with a half hitch knot since it disappears in this small size. I tie the knot in the back and add a small drop of CA with the tip of a pin to finish it off.
 
The fairlead is a bit trickier. It is installed on the inside of the shrouds, and has 8 small holes to accept running lines that pass through on their way to the pin rail below. I measured out the holes, and drilled them with my pin vice. I lashed them with the .008 rope.
 
The upper shear pole is small and tucked close in under the top. I tied it off like the lower.
 
For the ratlines, I used my .008 tan rope.  I tie a half hitch knot on the ends and use a classic clove hitch on the middle lines. For the half hitch, I learned through experience to tie it such that the end leading to the shroud lines comes under the knot so that it creates a natural crescent shape. I do the same with the end knot.

FOREMAST MAIN STAY AND PREVENTER STAY
 
I served .045 rope for the main and .035 rope for the preventer stays.
 
I then measured them for length, and clamped in a closed heart.  I purchased 7mm closed hearts from Chuck and Syren. Great product again. After some assembly, I gave them a coat of cherry stain and finished with tung oil.
 
I was able to position my portable vice with a spring clamp close enough to insert the heart for lashing. The heavy served stay ropes were pretty stiff, so the whipping was a bit challenging. I weaved a section of .018 tan rope for the lanyard.
 
Once done, I threaded the lanyard and tied it off on the upper lashing of the heart. It turned out pretty good.

BOBSTAYS
 
A somewhat tricky item.  The plans call for a Double line that runs through a hole in the keel to a bullseye under the bowsprit.  There are 2 separate bobstays.
 
As I indicated, I should have done these first thing.  It would have been much easier with nothing in the way. Since I did all of the stays first, EVERYTHING was in the way.
 
I used .035 Syren black rope (great product). I seized the bullseye first on a long strand of rope. I did this in my vice. Since this would tie to a bullseye previously tied to the bowsprit, I attached a lanyard rope.  I used .018 Syren Tan. This is a good time to discuss stropping lanyard ropes to bullseyes. I experimented by tying the lanyards to the fully stropped bullseye as against simply inserting the lanyard between the stropping rope and bullseye and then seizing the connection.  Aesthetically, I preferred the later.  I am not sure what is the right way.
 
I then threaded the lanyard through the two bullseyes, settling on a proper spacing, and tying the end around the seizing rope on the bullseye on the bowsprit.
 
Once that was done, I ran the other end of rope through the hole in the keel and pulled it away from the ship far enough to put both ends into my vice to seize the connection.  This was a bit tricky since the plan called for a double rope.  I therefore had to splice the ends together, and at the same time create a seized loop around the keel. I also decided that I would like to lash over the cut end to conceal it. I did my first whipping, kept it loose enough so that I could remove the rope from the vice and carefully pull it tight against the hull without undoing the whipping. Once done, I tightened the whipping, coated the knot with a drop of CA, then carefully cut off the ends of the seizing thread, and VERY carefully cut of the end of the bobstay rope.
 
With the seizing up against the hull, I added a separate seizing/lash to cover the end of the bobstay. VERY difficult. No room and ropes everywhere. The first one took most of the evening.
 
I then worked on the second one, going through the same procedure. Unfortunately, when I threaded the lanyard, tied the end to the bullseye seizing on the bowsprit, and then cut the excess, I must have nicked the seizing.  When I attempted to pull the other end through the keel, the seized bullseye on the bowsprit broke free. ARGH.
 
I had about a ½ inch of seizing rope still attached to the bullseye, not enough to wrap around the bowsprit, but enough to sieze to a eyebolt. Sooooo, I tied this off to an eyebolt, and then crawled under my ship – that is I extended the bowsprit out over the bench – and sat underneath it to drill a small hole under the bowsprit. I had to rig a headlight on my forehead in order to see, and carefully pull all of the rigging aside to get to the target. What a pain. I then added a drop of glue to the eyebolt and inserted it. I let it dry, hoping it would hold, and then completed the task.
 
Two bobstays, ONE ENTIRE EVENING.
 

FORESTAYS AND BOWSPRIT RIGGING
 
With my foremast finally in place, I was in a position to begin belaying all of the standing rigging onto the Bowsprit/jib.
 
I worked on this over the holiday weekend and have knocked out about 90%. I am attaching a couple of photos of the finished product, but will break this work down into segments in order to map out how I tackled all of these individual lines
.
Just some general observations for my future Niagara builders. I gave my order of attack a lot of thought. I tried to figure out what to belay first. I ended up attaching the JIBBOOM GUYS FIRST. There was no method to this madness, other than I had seen that others had done this first. From there, I then attached all of the stays, starting with the FORESTAY and PREVENTER STAYS, and moving up the mast to the TOPMAST STAY, TOPGALLANT STAY, FLYING JIB STAY and ROYAL STAY. I then attached the JIBBOOM MARTINGALE and FLYING JIBBOOM MATINGALE. I then attached the BOBSTAYS.
 
If I were to do this again, I would totally reverse this order of attack. I should have attached the BOBSTAYS FIRST. By the time that I got to them, which run from holes in the keel to the underside of the bowsprit, it was so crowded with stays and guys that it was nearly impossible to tie and manipulate the ropes.  More on that challenge later.
 
I would then attach the stays as I did them, bottom (Forestay) to top (royal).
 
Then the martingales.
 
Then LAST, the Guys. The guy lines were in the way during the entire process.  I am lucky I did not knock one off. I hit them hard with just about every tool I used on this process.
 
In short, think INSIDE OUT on the bowsprit, and BOTTOM TO TOP on the stays.

LOWER SHROUDS AND LANYARDS
 
Well, I finally stepped my foremast. I tied as many ropes on as I could figure out (all of the standing rigging and much of the running rigging) and attached all but the course yard.  Once in place, I started by connecting the lower shrouds.
 
I created a jig similar to the one I used on the upper shrouds. I pulled the shroud tight, and clipped the deadeye with a clamp.  I then took the clamp to my vice, placed next to the ship, and seized the deadeye.  I used three whippings on each.  My forward shroud line was served, thus the larger diameter.
 
I used .012” rope for the lanyards. I haven't tied them off just yet.
 
​My jig worked well and the deadeyes lined up nicely.  It was also pretty efficient allowing me to knock this out pretty smartly.

SHIP’S BELL AND FORWARD PINRAIL
 
Before I encase the bow with rigging, I decided I had better finish some of the last tasks on the deck that I have been putting off. I had previously built the ship’s bell framing, but had not lashed the bell and attached it to the Bowsprit. I also had to install the forward pin rail.
 
I built all of this from scratch from my supply of cherry.

ROYAL, TOPGALLANT, AND TOPSAIL YARDS
 
In another small milestone, I dressed up and hung the Royal, Topgallant, and Topsail yards on my foremast in a lowered position.
 
I started with seizing all of the blocks to the yards by stropping them on a vice and slipping them over the yards. I seized blocks in my lift lines and tied bracing blocks.  Once they were all attached, I then installed the footropes and jack stays. I pinned the yards to the mast with straight pins and a drop of CA. The lift lines were then belayed to best secure them.
 
I seized all of the blocks for the clewlines, sheets, and buntlines, even though I am not going to attach any sails.  My plan is to run rigging to these blocks and tie them off on the yards somewhere.
 
I believe I have now reached a point where I will be stepping my foremast to the ship. That will then allow me to tie off the front stays and finish the bowsprit rigging and attach my lower shrouds and ratlines. If I attach the course yard in advance, I think it will be in the way when I work on the shrouds and ratlines. I will prepare the mast and yard with the pin in advance so that the installation will be as easy as possible.
 
The size of the bird nest of loose rope is alarming. There is plan for all of this... I think!!!

MORE TOPGALLANT RATLINES AND STAYS
 
I finished the port side ratlines on the topgallant shrouds. I also seized more backstays, topgallant, royal etc. stays and slipped them over the mast adding more vines to the assembly. It gave me cause to insert the mast and do some inventory to make sure I had all of the lines set correctly.  So far so good.... I think. I took a few photos.
 
This process is slow and a real mental challenge. I will be working on the foremast yards next to prepare them for attachment. The plan is to attach the royal and topgallant yards before stepping the mast. I will not attach the course yard until I have tied the lower shrouds. I haven't decided what to do with the topsail yard, but will probably attach it before stepping the mast.
 
And when and if I ever finish the foremast, I have the mainmast waiting in the wings.  

TOP MAST, UPPER SHROUDS, STAYS, ROYAL AND T’GALLANT YARDS
 
I have not posted anything lately, but I have been busy on the Main Mast. Working my way up, I attached the top mast, and then followed with the upper shrouds, burton pendants, stays, halliard blocks, lift blocks and staves. I then installed the t’gallant mast and the very upper shrouds, stays, halliard block and staves.
 
As I did on the foremast, I then focused my attention to the ratlines for the upper shrouds. And that is where I hit a dead end.  I ran out of the.008 tan rigging line that I was using for my ratlines.
 
Not wanting to be dormant while I replenished my stores in the shipyard, I turned my attention to the Main Mast yards.  I fully dressed the royal and t’gallant yards, and then ran out of 5/32 blocks that I was using for the braces.  Another road block.
 
Soooo, I then turned to my anchors and will be working on those while I wait for my order from Syren to arrive.
 
Here are some photos of my progress.  The Main mast is simply setting in place and my shrouds and stays are laying loose. And as I look at the photos, I note that some of the stays are misplaced.

Mike,
 
Good idea on the stern.  I have not done anything to that. I have to make the mooring cleats and all of the other hardware, and yes, the lettering.  I have been giving that some thought.  I would love to find someone or something that could laser engrave the letters on a small plank for attachment to the stern. Something that I could paint yellow like the original. I have not found anyone that can do this at such a small scale. I can't see me carving it, so  perhaps some down loadable letters to act as decals like in my old plastic model days.
 
I see that you have almost finished the gun deck diarama.  It looks fantastic. I hope you get back to your Niagara soon. I think you are really going to appreciate her beauty when you start hanging some rope.
 
Happy New Year my friend.

TOP MAST, UPPER SHROUDS, STAYS, ROYAL AND T’GALLANT YARDS
 
I have not posted anything lately, but I have been busy on the Main Mast. Working my way up, I attached the top mast, and then followed with the upper shrouds, burton pendants, stays, halliard blocks, lift blocks and staves. I then installed the t’gallant mast and the very upper shrouds, stays, halliard block and staves.
 
As I did on the foremast, I then focused my attention to the ratlines for the upper shrouds. And that is where I hit a dead end.  I ran out of the.008 tan rigging line that I was using for my ratlines.
 
Not wanting to be dormant while I replenished my stores in the shipyard, I turned my attention to the Main Mast yards.  I fully dressed the royal and t’gallant yards, and then ran out of 5/32 blocks that I was using for the braces.  Another road block.
 
Soooo, I then turned to my anchors and will be working on those while I wait for my order from Syren to arrive.
 
Here are some photos of my progress.  The Main mast is simply setting in place and my shrouds and stays are laying loose. And as I look at the photos, I note that some of the stays are misplaced.

Dave,
 
Would you mind sharing with me the source of your plans for your this exciting build? Are they available for purchase to others with scratch built Constitution fever?

MAIN MAST UPPER SHROUDS, STAYS, COURSE LIFTS AND SPANKER MAST
 
I tied the upper shrouds and stays for the main mast.  I also created the course lift blocks that slip over the mast cap. I did this BEFORE I attached the cap – much easier to create this on the vice and slip over the cap.
 
I also worked on the spanker mast.  This is a dowel supplied by the kit.  I stained it with cherry stain and had to straighten it (best I could). I attached the bracket to the mast, and created the deck cradle.  I also had to insert a square piece of cherry in the top to attach it to.  Make sure that you leave a little of the mast exposed above the tops to accept the Spanker Gaff Cradle assembly, made with two blocks that hang over the end.
 
Here are the photos.

Your photo is NOT from the lower shroud. The Upper shroud has two pairs of lines as shown in your photo.  Here is the diagram for the lower shroud. It clearly shows that the first shroud, the ODD shroud, is tipped with a burton pendant.
 
 
 

MAIN MAST UPPER SHROUDS, STAYS, COURSE LIFTS AND SPANKER MAST
 
I tied the upper shrouds and stays for the main mast.  I also created the course lift blocks that slip over the mast cap. I did this BEFORE I attached the cap – much easier to create this on the vice and slip over the cap.
 
I also worked on the spanker mast.  This is a dowel supplied by the kit.  I stained it with cherry stain and had to straighten it (best I could). I attached the bracket to the mast, and created the deck cradle.  I also had to insert a square piece of cherry in the top to attach it to.  Make sure that you leave a little of the mast exposed above the tops to accept the Spanker Gaff Cradle assembly, made with two blocks that hang over the end.
 
Here are the photos.

MAIN MAST UPPER SHROUDS, STAYS, COURSE LIFTS AND SPANKER MAST
 
I tied the upper shrouds and stays for the main mast.  I also created the course lift blocks that slip over the mast cap. I did this BEFORE I attached the cap – much easier to create this on the vice and slip over the cap.
 
I also worked on the spanker mast.  This is a dowel supplied by the kit.  I stained it with cherry stain and had to straighten it (best I could). I attached the bracket to the mast, and created the deck cradle.  I also had to insert a square piece of cherry in the top to attach it to.  Make sure that you leave a little of the mast exposed above the tops to accept the Spanker Gaff Cradle assembly, made with two blocks that hang over the end.
 
Here are the photos.

Dave,
 
Would you mind sharing with me the source of your plans for your this exciting build? Are they available for purchase to others with scratch built Constitution fever?

Gents,
 
Thanks guys for setting me straight. You are all right, and I was wrong and appreciate the clarification. I have removed my photo from this post so as not to perpetuate the error for future viewers.
 
I apologize to MarkJay for sending you in a wrong direction.
 
Frankie, your reference to the Niagara plans points us to the upper shrouds, and I followed those directions completely. The upper shrouds have an even number of shrouds, and I created the Burton Pendant separately as set forth in your highlighted section of the plan (although I did not use a cont splice - way to difficult at this scale and above my pay grade).
 
My confusion however came from the lower shrouds, and the fact that there is an odd number of shroud lines. There is no diagram in my plans that tells us landlubbers what to do with the odd line, and the large rigging sheet creates the illusion that the odd shroud line is "tipped off" with the burton pendant. I posted a question in my log about the lower pendant before I chose the method I did. It is a reasonable conclusion to a "modeler." However, after considering your note, and Druxey's, and thinking about it, It makes perfect sense that this was wrong for a real ship, which is what I am realistically trying to recreate.
 
I can add another obscure bit of information in my growing bag of 19th Century shipwright knowledge.