Rick310

Jared, for what it’s worth, I’ve been dragging my line through a dilute solution of white glue and then hanging it with weights to stretch while drying, both running and standing rigging. Don’t have enough running rigging to tell yet, but hopefully the shrouds on the mizzen and main masts will stay relatively tight. Been gone for last 10 days, so I will check when I get home tomorrow. I anticipate having to adjust the lanyards, but hopefully not too much. One issue is the change in humidity, high humidity, lines swell and tighten up, dry humidity and line go slack, as I understand it. The solution of white glue is supposed to protect the lines from moisture. Running the lines through wax is supposed to do the same thing. Rick

Just a beautiful hull form Rob!! Great job!! Rick

It just keeps getting better and better Keith!! Rick

You’re doing a really nice job!! Looks great!! Rick

Hull looks great Rob!! Rick

I disagree. Europe may have been designing ships on paper at that time. I don’t know much about European ship building techniques, however, I would like you to show me an American ship plan from the mid 1850’s from which that ship was built, Any plans on paper originated from the half models/lofting floor.

I really don’t like to get involved in these kinds of discussions. However, I think I need to add to this discussion. Ships were not designed on paper until the late 1800s or early 1900s. Half models were the way ships were designed even up through the 1920s and the 30s. There is plenty of literature and one only needs to visit the Maine Maritime Museum. They have a display on how half models were used to layout the pattern for the frames on the lofting Floor. The way it worked as I understand that is that all the principles involved in the ship, such as the principle investors, shipyard owner, and captain got together and with a master model builder would decide what qualities they wanted in a ship’s sailing characteristics, such as cargo capacity sail handling and speed. The model maker would then put lifts pegged together and then he would carve these from the plank shear down into the form that met the desires of the principles. When everybody agreed that this was what they wanted, the half model was sent to the lofting barn where measurements were taken off of the half model and drawn on the floor of the lofting building at full size from the half model. Wooden battens were shaped into the shape of the full sized frames that were then sent to the sawmill to cut out the pieces of the frames.At no point was he designed drawn out on paper. These half models were known as builders models as they were the actual model the ship was built from. Go to any Maritime Museum specifically the Maine Maritime Museum, and they have dozens of builders half models. Cornilius’s model would not have been the actual half model of Staghound, as that model was used for lifting the frames. Although not the original builder’s model, it is without question, very accurate. Clipperfan, you are absolutely correct! Rick

Coming along nicely! Rick

That has been great advice Rob! Can’t imagine trying to rig the FF any other way and not break something, which I still manage to do occasionally! Rick

Brief update. Finished the main shrouds, same as mizzen with serving and parcelling. It was at this time I realized I needed to rig the main yard lift tackles. Access to the mizzen and fore mast is straightforward, as I have yet to place the fore cabin. but the main mast is severely restricted. Should have rigged them prior to stepping the main mast. After strapping 3/32 single blocks with 26ga copper wire and rigging the tackles with .008 line, I was fortunate to get the lower blocks into the eyebolts next to the mast by working under the fife rail. Would have been much easier before the masts and shrouds placed! Next up are the other lift tackles and the main stay. Working from aft, forward has been much easier than forwards aft!! Thanks Rob and George for the great suggestion!!

Very nice Rob! You can already see the beautiful contours of her hull! Rick

WOW!! Beautiful!! Rick

Looks really good!! Nice job!! Rick

Better to just correct the mistake than to have to live with it, always asking yourself why you didn’t get it right when you had the chance! Don’t ask how I know! Rick

Very nice!! Rick