mojofilter

Thanks Nils!
 
Thanks Hamilton - Interesting is right.  Everything was kinda making some kind of sense until the very end - a few leftover blocks, a few belay pins . . .  Not having a sea-fareing bone in my body, I just winged it.
 
And thanks Peter.  Cutty Sark is under the bench.  1:78 Mantua/Segal - At the risk of crowding the harbor, Maybe next?
 
I'm doing the shroud lanyards tonight.  That should finish her up.  Maybe tidy up some of the rope coils.
Actually the base for America is in work.  The glass for the case will be ready tomorrow.  Going to try a frameless thing using glass glue. No Idea how this will work yet...
 
- Tim

Almost done with the faked running rigging.  Just the main sail and top sail "sheets".
The last will be the shroud lanyards.
 











 
Should be ready to put on the stand very soon.
 
- Tim

Almost done with the faked running rigging.  Just the main sail and top sail "sheets".
The last will be the shroud lanyards.
 











 
Should be ready to put on the stand very soon.
 
- Tim

Almost done with the faked running rigging.  Just the main sail and top sail "sheets".
The last will be the shroud lanyards.
 











 
Should be ready to put on the stand very soon.
 
- Tim

Almost done with the faked running rigging.  Just the main sail and top sail "sheets".
The last will be the shroud lanyards.
 











 
Should be ready to put on the stand very soon.
 
- Tim

Hi Peter -
Haven't dropped by for a while - your America is looking great!
Reading your post on the main mast topsail shroud, I think you are justified (historically) in omitting them.  I found a copy of Low Black Schooner: Yacht America 1851 1945 by John Rousmaniere.  There are many drawings and paintings, and even a few early photographs and none shows shrouds running from the chain plates to the top of the topsail mast.  My Mamoli kit had them and I used them, but running rigging alone would look nice.  Are you planning to do the sails?
I think the brass columns look great!  I will order a set - much better than the supplied wooden cradle.
 
- Tim

Hi Hamilton -
Thanks for posting your pictures here - Beautiful job on Glad Tidings!
I believe I'll have the gaffs raised on the masts.  The jib boom and flying jib halliards will also be up.  I know there would be no reason for yacht to ever be in this state, but I like the look of all the rigging up there.
Anyway, getting close.  In the middle of building a base for her - solid walnut with Blue Jacket's brass pedestals.  I've ordered glass for the case.  It will be frameless with a groove to receive the glass.  I should get some pictures of the progress on the base on here.
 
Hope you can get some time on Syren.  Set up the bandsaw in the kitchen and then just vacuum real well 
 
- Tim

Hi Hamilton -
Thanks for posting your pictures here - Beautiful job on Glad Tidings!
I believe I'll have the gaffs raised on the masts.  The jib boom and flying jib halliards will also be up.  I know there would be no reason for yacht to ever be in this state, but I like the look of all the rigging up there.
Anyway, getting close.  In the middle of building a base for her - solid walnut with Blue Jacket's brass pedestals.  I've ordered glass for the case.  It will be frameless with a groove to receive the glass.  I should get some pictures of the progress on the base on here.
 
Hope you can get some time on Syren.  Set up the bandsaw in the kitchen and then just vacuum real well 
 
- Tim

I'm trying to decide how to handle the running rigging with no sails.  I figure a lot of it came down with the sails, but it seems that some of it remained up in order to haul sails up.  In dock with sails down (or off), the gaff spars would be down, and I don't want to do that so it won't be a very realistic look.  That's OK - I like the look of all the pretty rigging.  As Slartibartfast said, "I'd far rather be happy than right".

More pics tomorrow.

- Tim

There is a flag halyard from the mainsail boom to the end of the gaff that is for a flag.  The one that came with the kit is silly - first, at scale it would be 15' X 10'!  It is also a Betsy Ross style 13 star.  When America was launched in May of 1861, there were 34 states in the union (Kansas I think).  So I suppose a 34 star flag?  Anyone know where I can find an appropriate flag for her?

Thanks,

 

- Tim

There is a flag halyard from the mainsail boom to the end of the gaff that is for a flag.  The one that came with the kit is silly - first, at scale it would be 15' X 10'!  It is also a Betsy Ross style 13 star.  When America was launched in May of 1861, there were 34 states in the union (Kansas I think).  So I suppose a 34 star flag?  Anyone know where I can find an appropriate flag for her?

Thanks,

 

- Tim

I'm trying to decide how to handle the running rigging with no sails.  I figure a lot of it came down with the sails, but it seems that some of it remained up in order to haul sails up.  In dock with sails down (or off), the gaff spars would be down, and I don't want to do that so it won't be a very realistic look.  That's OK - I like the look of all the pretty rigging.  As Slartibartfast said, "I'd far rather be happy than right".

More pics tomorrow.

- Tim

Well the new wood shop is finished so finally some time back at the shipyard.
Finished the bowsprit rigging.
 
 
Now on the the rest of the rigging.
Need to decide on what running rigging I will put up.
I have decided against sails.  I'm not good enough to pull it off.  Plus I think it would cover too much of the rigging detail.
Although Hamilton did a beautiful job on his sails.  I may try on the Cutty Sark (next build).
 
More soon.

Well the new wood shop is finished so finally some time back at the shipyard.
Finished the bowsprit rigging.
 
 
Now on the the rest of the rigging.
Need to decide on what running rigging I will put up.
I have decided against sails.  I'm not good enough to pull it off.  Plus I think it would cover too much of the rigging detail.
Although Hamilton did a beautiful job on his sails.  I may try on the Cutty Sark (next build).
 
More soon.

Well the new wood shop is finished so finally some time back at the shipyard.
Finished the bowsprit rigging.
 
 
Now on the the rest of the rigging.
Need to decide on what running rigging I will put up.
I have decided against sails.  I'm not good enough to pull it off.  Plus I think it would cover too much of the rigging detail.
Although Hamilton did a beautiful job on his sails.  I may try on the Cutty Sark (next build).
 
More soon.

Well the new wood shop is finished so finally some time back at the shipyard.
Finished the bowsprit rigging.
 
 
Now on the the rest of the rigging.
Need to decide on what running rigging I will put up.
I have decided against sails.  I'm not good enough to pull it off.  Plus I think it would cover too much of the rigging detail.
Although Hamilton did a beautiful job on his sails.  I may try on the Cutty Sark (next build).
 
More soon.

Checking back into the site, I find that Hamilton has finished his America.  She is beautiful and an inspiration to get mine back to the kitchen table.  The big distraction was the new wood shop, which is now nearing completion.  Benches and shelves etc. are all that's left.  Doubt I will have the shipyard out there, but the sawdust-making power tools will be (much to the Admiral's relief).
I need to re-investigate sail cloth as the material that came with the Mamoli kit is way too course.  Still debating . . . 

As I mentioned before, I found a truly great reference to the Schooner Yacht America.  It is THE LOW BLACK SCHOONER YACHT AMERICA  1851-1945 by John Rousmaniere.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone building America as it has some detailed history, descriptions, paintings and even some photographs from her later years.
While you should buy the book yourself, I will point out some things I've learned here for the potential benefit of some folks who are in the middle of their America build.
While the Mamoli kit indicates three shroud lines to the mainmast (actually two to the step of the topmast and one to the top end of the topmast), none of the paintings of photographs show this.  Only two shrouds to the topmast step - nothing above that.  Nevertheless, I like the look of the topmast shroud so it stays. It is said that as designed, she had a gaff topsail over her mainsail but it was never built.  She only carried three sails; a boomed mainsail, a boomless foresail, and a single boomless jib.  The Mamoli kit has the gaff topsail rigging, and jib boom and its sail used at the beginning of the Isle of Wight race, which was "carried away" during the race.  In a refit in 1875 she was fitted with a top foremast and flew two gaff topsails. Her masts were designed to have "extreme rake".  2 3/4" per foot.  That's ~12.9 degrees. I don't know if that is off the keel or the waterline. I have seen drawings & paintings with more and less than that.  Evidently in 1885 she was stepped with masts forward of plumb(?!?) - The rope headstay was 10" in diameter!  That would scale to 3.85mm.  Evidently wire rope was not yet used (in 1851). Her large cockpit was 30' in circumference which is ~6.18' in diameter.  She was originally fitted with a long tiller but early photographs show her with a wheel. Her deck was 3" white oak (not teak like I always thought). Bulwarks were 13" high at the afterdeck step, and 20" high for the forward deck. The book is crammed with race history and Civil War history.  Pretty cheap too.

So I cut off the bowsprit rigging but have not gotten around to re-rigging with the Syren 1/8" blocks and line.  I would also like to replace all the Mamoli-supplied blocks with Syren blocks but this will be difficult.  The deck and handrail mounted blocks were wrapped and seized to the brass eyelets and then glued into little holes with CA glue. Re-wrapping the Syren blocks to the glued down pins will be a challenge.  I will get to it but summer seems to be getting in the way.  The other big distraction from this critical ship building job is the new wood shop in the back yard   12' x 24' with 10' ceilings.  Been waiting a long time for this.  One of the very first projects will be a walnut and glass case for America, that will sit on a dedicated display stand.  I saw somewhere on this site where a gentleman had made drawers in his stand where he placed the kit drawings and reference books for his model.
Speaking of reference books . . .

Got a minute to update a little.
Still have to finish the gaffs.  The kit came without the Britannia-metal gaff jaws or a design for the clappers indicated on the Arthur Montgomery plans.  I shall fashion the jaws out of walnut.
The shroud lines are temporarily rigged to the deadeyes.  Per someone's good advice, I won't apply the lanyards until the rest of the rigging in on.  Here's a bunch of pictures:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Next will be hanging the gaffs and the rest of the standing rigging.  The bowsprit, jib boom and the main boom worry me because they really stick out in harm's way.  I can be pretty ham-fisted . . .
I figure it's time to get her on a pedestal but haven't decided on what to use yet.  I'm pretty sure it won't be the 'cradle' that came with  the kit.
 
- Tim

So here is my latest attempt.  The aft shroud, top deadeye seizing is my attempt at the method that Brian shows.  There is actually three seizings, although hard to see due to black on black.  I'll re-do the single shroud (to the top mast) and proceed to the other side.
I hope to keep all the shrouds about the same (very low) tension in the paperclip retainers so that at the end of rigging, the lanyards will bring the deadeyes to the same spacing.  We'll see...
 
 

 

 

So - a little more progress on America...  (In spite of the grog)
 

 
All of the remaining deck fixtures/cleats etc. installed -
 

 
The anchor chain ways going the the chain locker seem a little too far aft . . .
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Mamoli's America kit has a stepped mainmast - I've noticed some kits (and paintings/drawings) do not. . .
 

 
Pretty rough job on the scupper holes - I'll do better next time.
 

 
The mast foot plates and belay pin anklets will be next.  They will take a bit of file work as they are quite a bit smaller than the 8mm masts.
 

 

 
I've posted a couple of times on the subject of copper hull plate patina.  Good? Bad? Too much?
After reading the fantastic post on the repair/refit of the USS Constitution, and seeing the hull in dry dock, I think I like the look here.
I wonder if her being out of the water and her bottom dry causes the green, and when she is back in seawater the patina disappears?
 
- Tim

Hi Peter -
Haven't dropped by for a while - your America is looking great!
Reading your post on the main mast topsail shroud, I think you are justified (historically) in omitting them.  I found a copy of Low Black Schooner: Yacht America 1851 1945 by John Rousmaniere.  There are many drawings and paintings, and even a few early photographs and none shows shrouds running from the chain plates to the top of the topsail mast.  My Mamoli kit had them and I used them, but running rigging alone would look nice.  Are you planning to do the sails?
I think the brass columns look great!  I will order a set - much better than the supplied wooden cradle.
 
- Tim

Looking good Peter - the stand looks very nice - I just used the one that came with the kit....yours is much nicer
hamilton

Jon,  Not an expert on brass but I have done this many times with sterling silver.  I chuck one end (say an 8" piece) in a vice and grab the other end firmly with pliers.  I then pull the wire ~ 1/4".  There's a bit of a touch to it - you can feel it give, then stop!  The metal is work-hardened due to dislocation and directional re-alignment of the crystalline lattice structure of the metal.  The wire is slightly reduced in diameter but not much.  This really works quite well.
 
- Tim