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rwiederrich

NRG Member
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About rwiederrich

  • Birthday 01/22/1962

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Bremerton Washington
  • Interests
    Building Clipper ship models, Astronomy, telescope building, model railroading....

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  1. Possibly to retain the banding from possible rotation on the yard. I’ve seen this octagon centers on other ships before. James Baines? Rob
  2. Just beautiful. Your attention to clean precise details is just astounding. Rob
  3. Pat...I believe I got illustration 97 from an online reference for the model plans for the clipper Flying Fish. The last is of the Barque James Craig.
  4. Trying can only have two results. You either, tried and failed, where trying is your excuse, or you tried, till unacceptable failure was replaced by success. Rob
  5. Further observation....concludes that it is true Duncan McLean of the Boston Atlas, did indeed say that Flying Fish did have double topsail ties. But I argue...not in the manner model designers have drawn. Their design causes the tie's to run free within 3 gin blocks. Meaning one side could be purchased in greater effect...resulting in the chain passing freely through all gin blocks. Making any parral lift cable bolted to the tie inoperable. For it would pull up against the cable or bind at one or both of the purchases. The arrangement drawn here is not compatible for top sail yard parral lifts. And if you can't lift the parral along with the yard...you will bind the parral on the mast. See first image. I propose that each tie coming down from each gin block under the top tree...attach to the iron band instead of on center of an iron bar. This would also eliminate extra hardware like the bar and gin block that would impede full upward travel along the mast. You would still have port and starboard purchases that terminate at the channel and pin rail .
  6. Back to business. In my constant research, I have discovered(many years ago) that the double tie lift/halyards found on clipper models such as Flying fish and Flying Cloud's topsail yards...is in all practical purposes incorrect. They depict the tie on both sides of the top trestle tree as connected to the gin block found on the crane just top of the yard lift band. This arrangement, will not permit the necessary Parral lift wire to work at lifting the parral along with the yard evenly. Here is a picture of the said published design. Note that both ends of the tie end in haulyard purchases on opposite sides of the hull....along the channels. Here is another picture of the proper arrangement for a parrel left wire to attach to the tie and even lift the parrel and yard evenly....to prevent binding. Lastly, note the actual cable lift on this image that afixes to the parral from the chain tie lift.
  7. There were far too many factors that led to the American clipper demise. North American Transcontinental access via rail(which helped and hurt). The war of Southern oppression, indiscriminately altered American shipping (Leaving few for robust international competition) . The Black Ball line of Liverpool purchased more American clippers that any other. More speed and cargo capacity. Economics(Shipping costs). If it were not for the British insatiable demand for tea...the *Great Tea races* would have never found fruition. so many factors....realized and otherwise,.... contributed to American clippers being lost to time. I, however, have but one non American clipper in my fleet of clippers. The little Cutty Sark. She shares the harbor with Sea Witch, Swordfish, Great Republic, Glory of the Seas, Staghound....oh and their little whaling friend C.W. Morgan. Long live the American clipper......at my house!😍 Rob
  8. Not quite sure, it was on a plaque I kept in my denture office. But it applies to model building……I’m sure. Rob
  9. In like manner… there is another adage I particularly agree with……. That is…… ”Quality is never an accident, it is the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution. It represents the wise choice of many alternatives “. Rob
  10. Try as you may…..it’s the tried and true method of trying without trying , that makes all other attempts trivial. I above all others will never shy away from a good ole fashioned attempt at trying. Rob
  11. Thanks Rich for the calculations. I already concluded the dimensions and made the temp masts to replicate them. I know that only her fore and main were built as well. It is how I am going to replicate them for this model. That is my next project. Again …..thanks. Rob
  12. Setting up the mock masts to determine each mast height and doubling length. After reviewing Bruce’s Lightning’s lower built masts. I might consider simply banding them without the chapels. Rob
  13. Reminds me of when Forest Gump run and broke free from the shackles of his leg braces....... Rob
  14. If 465 nautical miles in 24 hours was sustained across the 14,000 mile journey. Lightning and Champion of the Seas would have made that trip in just over 30 days. Magine that!😲 Rob
  15. Oh....I agree...flying Cloud made the fastest passages during the seasons that she made them. and I agree, she retains that unequaled record for any large 3 masted deep water full rigged ship(to be clear). But, there IMHV, is more to the qualification as, *Best clipper*, then simply a fast passage. Far too many contributors need to be taken into consideration. But a flat out race...if the conditions were right for a 465 mile achievement in a 24 hour period were to be sustained during the entire voyage.....it would be clear who was the fastest vessel afloat. So many factors need to be considered....such as, hull design(which effects stability and buoyancy), friction coefficients, wind direction and speed, sail dynamics and placement, crew availability and aptitude, and course application. And the list goes on. And we haven't even discussed cargo capacity, and ship ergonomics. When one considers the ease of accessibility in deck arrangements that favors crew egression.....I'de have to stick with clippers like the Lighting and the Donald McKay. So much to choose from... Rob
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