Ed Ku20

Hi Allan, The MS plans indicate that the figurehead should straddle the cut-out on the stem. I also read elsewhere that the taper stops at the waterline. Based on that and some of the pictures posted by other builders, I carved the stem the way I did. I hope I have not made a mess of it. I recall checking out a link to those archived plans in one of the other build logs I read a while back. I think its funny that the British did not remember that they already had a ship named Cormorant in their fleet and had to change the name back to Rattlesnake!

Hi Dave - did you maintain a slope from fore to aft on the quarterdeck? In other word, even the high/low spots but still have a slope from M down to I near the middle of the ship. M sits pretty high at the stern of the ship. It would take a lot to make M level with I. I don't think there's enough wood on that deck support to even do that! I think I'm misinterpreting Old Salt's comment on leveling the q-deck. Yes, I will be sure to maintain the curve toward the port and starboard bulwarks. Although that will be tricky! Hi Paul, thanks for jumping in. Unfortunately, this particular model from Model Shipways is notorious for having the laser cut bulkheads not match the measurements on the plans. I think I'm going to do what you said with adjusting to match a straightedge line from I to M. Same with A to C, with B needing to be shimmed upwards a bit. I would like to get some confirmation on this plan from the other Rattlesnake builders before I do anything I'm going to regret later!

I NEED SOME HELP FROM THE RATTLESNAKE TEAM Old Salt in his build log said; “Shimmed bulkhead I for fairing and the top of bulkhead L so the quarterdeck will be level.” I have bulkheads on the quarterdeck that need adjusting. When I look at the blueprint plans it looks to me like the quarterdeck slops slightly toward the center of the ship. The raised fore deck also does the same, sloping aft toward the center. See the below pics of my quarterdeck and fore deck. B, I, J & L are all low. Or else A, C, K & M are high. My question is, should I attempt to level these bulkheads or fine tune them into a gentle slope to the center? The slope from M to I is pretty steep. What have you guys done about this? My bulkheads are set so that the gun deck at the bottom of the BHD inserts are all level with the top of the keel. Appreciate any advice! Ed

Step 5: Install the Bulkheads (BHDs) After removing the BHDs from the thickset I added some leftover 1/16” hull planking stripwood (from my last build) to provide extra support for the upper deck beams. I placed these on the “hidden” sides of the forward and quarterdeck. I have to give JPett credit for this tip in his build log. I also added a strip of painter’s tape to hold the BHD cutouts for these sections. This is all to help prevent breakage with these fragile parts. I removed the laser char using my new Dremel with a 120-grit sanding band. The next step was to dry fit the BHDs and use sanding sticks to get the proper fit and alignment. Sanding sticks fit perfectly into the slots of the bulkheads and keel. Using more advice from JPett, I used the deck line as the most important checkpoint. I also sanded the bottom on a few so they stopped at the beard line. The rest can be fixed later. Per advice, I marked the WL reference line on the BHD’s, but did not rely on it! Once everything was fitted, sanded or shimmed, I alternated from the center and used Weldbond to glue the BHDs in position. I like to use the grandkids Lego blocks to get the required 90-degree angles. Learned this from Dr. Per (Nirvana). Here are pics of the bulkheads glued in place before any “fairing”

Hi Dave, Just came across this build log for your Rattlesnake. I'm glad to see you got it started. I just started mine earlier this month. I'm not too far behind you. I just finished gluing the bulkheads. I look forward to following your build. It's too bad you are having trouble with the bulkheads. Issues with the framing seem to be SOP with this kit. I've had my share too. Great job on the anchor stocks. I might have to "borrow" some of your ideas there. It's great to have other modelers who are working on the same things you are! Keep up the good work!!

STAGE A: FRAMING THE HULL Alright, it’s time to get this party started! I experienced the same problems that everyone else has documented in their MS Rattlesnake build log. I’m not going to spend much time on these things, since they’ve been covered extensively by other builders. For those who are unfamiliar though, things like the fit of the 2 center keel parts are off, bulkheads don’t match the size and shape on the plans and don’t fit into the keel slots properly. The curve of the Stem does not match the keel. These are all fixable problems, but it’s too bad that Model Shipways can’t clean this up after all these years! Oh well, I guess it’s part of the lore of building the MS Rattlesnake! Step 1: Glue the 2 Center Keel Parts & Mark the Bearding Line, WL & extend BHD slot lines The Center Keel parts don’t fit. It’s important to shim the top and bottom of the slot so the deck level and bottom lines are aligned and even! I also created some of my own problems. Like snapping off the skinny little peg between BHD C and the fore mast when attempting to dry fit this bulkhead! I decided to fill this gap with a wider spacer after gluing this BHD in place. Step 2: Prepare the Stem before Installing The Stem does not fit and needs to be sanded very carefully until the shape fits the curve of the keel bow. I took a little bit off both the stem piece and the keel at the bottom part of the curve until it would lay flush. I used the new Dremel I got for my birthday last summer to carve the slots for the figurehead. I used a copy cutout of the stem and some carbon paper to outline the position on both sides. Then used a jeweler’s saw to rough cut the top section out before carving the slots on each side. Step 3: Glue Stem, 2 Keel Parts & Sternpost to Center Keel I prepared the parts by dry fitting and doing some light sanding. I also decided to insert a few dowels, as recommended in the instructions, to better secure the parts to the center keel. I was afraid the thinness of the keel after carving the Rabbet could be a problem. I used some 3/64” x 5/8” finishing nails as dowels. I drilled a pair of holes in each of the 4 parts on my drill press. Then added pilot holes into the center keel using a pin vice after I glued the 4 parts to the center keel. I use Weldbond glue on all the framing. When everything was dry and secure, I used Tamiya putty to fill any gaps in the fit. The instructions say to taper the stem before installing, but I decided it would be better to do this after it was attached to the keel. Pic of the keel after step 3 but before cutting the rabbet Pic showing the nails used as dowels around the keel It's difficult to get a good picture of the tapering of the stem. But here's a couple of pics. It widens out to the full 5/32" above the waterline and at the lower curve of the stem. Step 4: Cut the Rabbet On my first ship, this step scared me to death! It’s still scarry, but considerably easier the second time around. At least you understand how it’s supposed to work! I did not go quite the full 1/16” on each side that is required yet. I’m going to wait until I start fitting the garboard strake to do the final sanding. Pic of the keel after cutting the rabbet The next step is installing the Bulkheads (BHD’s).

Hi Kenneth, Yes, the people on this site are a great help. Having 1 previous build helps provide confidence, especially at the start of the P-O-B build. The steps are very similar. I just checked out your build log. Looks like you've persevered for a while now! And the end is drawing near for you. Your ship looks amazing! Look forward to following along. Thanks, Ed

Introduction Rattlesnake is my second model build. I finished Bluenose 1 back in June. This took me 2 years to finish. I decided to take a little summer break from modeling before starting Rattlesnake. I think that it was a good idea to give modeling a rest because I am now very eager to go. I consider my “official start date” as October 8th. In August I completed inventory of the kit. I also spent a lot of time throughout 2022 studying build logs for Rattlesnake and putting together my own build plan & instructions. I created an Excel spreadsheet to compare the instruction manual from Model Shipways, the plan I used for Bluenose and several build logs from this MSW website. Using all this information, I created my own plan. I thought about purchasing the Bob Hunt Practicum from Lauck Street Shipyard. But after reading JS Gerson’s build log, I decided not to. The Mamoli kit seems to be quite different from Model Shipways and I’m not ready to do a major kit-bash. I do plan on buying the masting & rigging practicum from Lauck Street. But that’s a ways off!! I share this thought process for anyone who is considering how to proceed with their own Rattlesnake build. I look forward to sharing my build log with you and I encourage you to share any comments or words of wisdom that will help me with this project! Thanks! Here are a few pics showing the completed inventory and the kit box cover:

Hi Guys, I wanted to share with you some pics of the display case that I built for my Bluenose. It turned out to be quite the project. I converted 2 of the 3 sections for a built-in bookcase in my basement to display my ship models. I designed it to hold 4 ships. Purchasing the custom mirrors and glass cost more than it did to start-up this hobby!! But now I have a dust free environment for her. I'm also throwing in a few pictures of Bluenose II from our vacation to Lunenburg Nova Scotia. Since it's related to Bluenose, I hope I'm not breaking any rules!! If someone would like to see something in particular of the ship message me. I've took a bunch of pictures. I even know what a "Baggywrinkle" is now!! I never added any of these and there's a lot of them on Bluenose II. After taking a few months off, I got Rattlesnake "off the shelf" and have started my build. Will be starting a build log very soon, if you are interested. This model is very different from the fishing schooner. Best of luck to all you Bluenose builders out there. I hope my log is of some benefit to you. Best regards, Ed BLUENOSE I MODEL DISPLAY CASE SAILING ON BLUENOSE II in LUNENBURG, NS

Thanks Ron! I am in the process of converting a built-in-the-wall bookcase into a display case. It will have glass shelves, mirrors, down lighting and glass doors on the front. I will post some pictures when it's completed. Definitely get back to your Bluenose. It's a beautiful ship!

Dave, the parts list in both of my MS kits (Bluenose & Rattlesnake) does say "Jewelry Nylon".

Dave, the MS line in my kit was identified as nylon. I did not do anything special to my line before using it. But, I applied a generous coating of beeswax to every piece I used. Make sure to run it through your fingers several times to press it into the line and remove the excess. This is supposed to help protect the lines and also keeps the knots more secure. Dilute white glue is for treating the knots so they do not come apart. This is supposed to be better because it does not turn stiff like CA does. I would not recommend coating the lines with it. I think it would make a mess!! Well, I tried using the dilute PVA on knots initially, but had zero success. These knots kept untying on me. Plus it takes forever to dry! I switched to thin CA early on. I made myself an applicator from one of those long thin straight pins. I bent a tiny hook at the end to hold a dab of CA, snipped off the head and inserted it into a dowel. This works great for me! Sometimes I used Old Salt's method of applying a touch of ca on the ends to keep them from unraveling. But, if you are trying to thread a block, it makes it more difficult. You either have to cut it on the angle or roll it in your fingers to make it thin enough for the larger line sizes. I hate getting that glue on my fingers! I used one of those needle threaders for sewing to thread most of my rigging.

Hi Chris! Welcome aboard. The forecast for the Chicago area for tomorrow is 95 degrees!! MSW is a great forum for getting help and guidance with your ship building endeavor. I just completed my first one last month. So, you are in good company. The best way to get feedback is to maintain a build log for your project. Best of luck to you.

I pre-rigged the bowsprit off the ship. I notice a lot of modelers do this. Then you can either complete the rigging onto the ship or wait until you are ready to do that step. I did it right away as my first rigged piece. It was kind of a way to cut my teeth before getting into the masts & spars. For me, I thought it was a bit easier without other rigging interfering with the bowsprit rig. Plus I was anxious to get some rigging done! Keep up the great work!

Dave, nice job on the turnbuckles. I like the way you opened both sides. What did you use for the bolts in the plates? I'm surprised you removed the paint? I dipped the bolts in some CA and inserted them in the holes. This held the plates securely for me. You always go the extra mile! Looking amazing. Ed

Thanks Brad! In fact, my wife and I have scheduled a trip in late August to visit Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. We are staying in one of the B&B's overlooking the harbor and are booked on board Bluenose II for the 2 hour tourist sail. I am really excited about doing this. Lunenburg looks like such an idyllic little harbor town. A great way to close out my time building this ship! I really appreciate everyone's comments!

Thanks Guys! It feels real good. A sense of accomplishment with a most challenging task. I don't think I'm going to rush right into Rattlesnake immediately. I'm going to spend some time planning and studying how to build it. I want to lay out the steps on a spreadsheet like I had for Bluenose. It looks like getting the framing done properly is the big challenge.

Yesterday, June 25, 2022, I finished building my BLUENOSE I. This was my first build. I started on June 15, 2020. It took 1,325 calendar days to complete. That's 2 years and 13 days. I logged 743 hours of actual build time. That does not include the time spent researching, planning, studying, maintaining a build log on MSW, and all the other things that go into this amazing hobby. But, you know all about that! I want to thank all of the people who helped me along the way. Especially, Suburban Ship Modeler. His website was invaluable to me. I also want to thank CPDDET (Dave) and Nirvana (Per) who directly assisted me on multiple occasions. I took a bunch of pictures to show the finished model to my Model Ship World community! After a short break, I will be pulling Rattlesnake off the shelf and digging into my next project. Hope you will follow along! Below: Bluenose I full view Below: Another full view looking down at the deck Below: Side view, Mounting board and brass nameplate Below: Side view of bow, anchor, jumbo jib boom and fore deck Below: View from bow & bowsprit looking aft Below: Looking down the middle off of port Below: Low angle view of all the sails Below: Close-up of the rigging at the stern Below: Bow and fore deck looking forward Below: Looking forward from stern Below: The Main sail Below: Close-up of bowsprit bitts and fore deck machinery Below: Main cabin and quarter deck Below: Main gaff & peak halliard Below: Quarter deck level view Below: 2 Dories Below: Deck level view on starboard side Below: Bow & fore deck view from starboard Below: Sails from above Below: The Canadian Red Ensign

Miscellaneous Final Steps There are just a few final steps that need to be done in order to complete the build process. 1. Install Dory Tackles – There are 4 dory tackles that need to be made and installed. These are used to swing the dories on and off the ship for fishing. Two are on the port side and two are on the starboard side. Per the blueprint plans, they are each “lashed” to the shroud closest to the dories on each side. The end is supposed to be belayed to the sheer pole. I had an open eyebolt and belaying pin, so I decided to belay them there. I substituted 5/32” single blocks at the top because I was running out of 1/8” blocks. I’m providing my drawing of the dory tackle rigging for you. This would depict the port side on the main mast shroud. Some of the aforementioned changes were not identified in this pic, so beware. Drawing of how I planned to make the Dory Tackles Upper Block Lashed to the shroud on Main Mast Lower Block for the Dory Tackle Large Hook and belaying point along the main rail The Full View of the Dory Tackle 2. Making the Flag and Flag Halliards – The kit provides a nice cloth Canadian Maple Leaf flag. There’s just one problem…this flag was not adopted by Canada until 1965. Bluenose I sank after striking a reef off the coast of Haiti in 1946. It never would have flown the current maple leaf flag. The Canadian Red Ensign was the flag flown by Bluenose I. So, I made my own cloth flag as follows. a. I downloaded an image of the Canadian Red Ensign and inserted it into PowerPoint. Since the flag needs to be two sided, I used PowerPoint to invert a copy of it. The kit provided Canadian Maple Leaf Flag! Looks nice, but historically inaccurate! Canadian Red Ensign inserted into PowerPoint b. Then I printed this page onto an iron-on t-shirt transfer sheet. I ironed one side onto a piece of unused sail cloth from the kit. After it cooled, I ironed on the other side. This is what I purchased… c. I cut out the flag from the cloth remnant. I used a pencil to roll the cloth a little to give it some curl! I used a small 3/32” block to hold up the flag halliard on the main gaff. The other end is belayed on the cleat on the main boom. I think it turned out pretty good! d. I cut a couple of more long lengths of the 0.008” tan thread and strung them through the holes in the trucks on the top of the fore and main masts. I belayed these halliards to their respective sheer poles. No flags are attached to these that I could find anywhere. Flag Halliard through Truck Flag Halliard belayed to Sheer Pole 3. Making the Display Base and Nameplate – The FINAL step is making the baseboard and mounting the ship! I purchased a nominal 3-foot x 8-inch x 1-inch premium red oak board. I cut off a 2-foot section. I used a round over bitt and ran it around the board with my router. After sanding it smooth, I stained it with the same Minwax cherry I used on the deck. A couple of coats of wipe-on satin polyurethane completed the board. a. A few weeks ago, I ordered a brass nameplate. I saw in someone else’s build log a cool looking wood block for holding the ship’s nameplate on the base board. I decided to try this rather than laying it flat on the board. b. I was really nervous about mounting the ship to the baseboard. When I drilled the holes in the keel about 20 months ago, I had a problem fitting the brass pedestals on the keel. The keel was too wide. I did a bunch of sanding at the time but, it was still a super tight fit. I just moved on and figured I would deal with it later. Later is now here! I was also worried about how the two differently sized pedestals would work with the pilot holes. I figured this would cause the pedestals to have to make a slight angle between the board and the ship! c. I was able to use a small hammer to force the pedestals the final 1/8” onto the keel. The paint got a little scuffed, but is barely noticeable. Test #1 passed! d. I had laid out the holes for the baseboard and made them with the drill press before staining. Now it was time to mount the ship to the board with the screws. Amazingly the pedestals basically self-adjusted as I drove the screws in! Test #2 passed!! I think the base and nameplate turned out really well! BLUENOSE IS COMPLETED! I will do a final posting with a bunch of pictures from all angles around the ship. I couldn’t have done it without the encouragement, support and advice from my Model Ship World community!! Thank You Everyone!

Making the Balloon Jib Sail The Balloon Jib Sail is the last sail to be made. It is positioned above the other 2 jib sails. It is very similar to the Jib Sail in its construction. 1. Make the Sail – The same procedure is used to make and sew the sail. The strip seams have the same “V” shaped pattern as the jib sail. It is made using the same procedure as the other sails. 2. Pre-rig the following parts before attaching the sail: a. Halliard (Top Corner) i. Strop an S-hook to the upper end of a 1/8” single block and an open loop on the bottom end of the same block for seizing the halliard rope ii. I measure, cut and attach the halliard to the bottom of the block at this time iii. Strop another 1/8” single block to a split ring for the top sail corner b. Sheets (Aft Corner) – there are 2 sheets, same as the jib sail. Measure, cut and attach the 0.021” black ropes for the pendants to a split ring for the aft sail corner c. Tack (Bottom Forward Corner) – Measure, cut and seize a tan 0.008” rope to a split ring for the tack d. Downhaul – make sure you pre-rigged a 3/32” single block to the first ring on the bowsprit. Measure, cut and attach a 0.008” tan line to the top corner split ring of the sail e. Sew the 3 split rings to their respective corners Below: The pre-rigged Balloon Jib Sail, including the Hanks 3. Hanks – Attach the hanks at each cloth strip stitch point. I made another batch of split rings for these hanks. 4. Install Balloon Jib Sail to Stay – The balloon jib stay was only temporarily shackled to the very first ring on the bowsprit a long time back! The balloon jib stay was already seized during pre-rigging. I set up this stay to help hold the masts in their position up to this point. I first removed the temporary brass rod pin that I used to hold it in place. a. Thread the balloon jib stay rope through the hanks on the sail b. Insert the mini-bolt and nut on the shackle. I use a drop of CA glue to lock the nut onto the bolt and then trimmed off most of the excess bolt after the sail was completed 5. Balloon Jib Halliard – Hook the block with the S-hook to the eyebolt on top of the foremast. Lace the tan halliard rope down to the block on top of the sail, back up to the upper block and then belay at pin #14 Below: The Balloon Jib Halliard blocks at the top of the fore topmast. Also, note the Downhaul seized to the split ring 6. Balloon Jib Sheets – There are two Balloon Jib Sheets; one on the port side and the other on starboard. The sail can be rigged to be on either side, depending on the wind. On my ship the port side hangs loose and the starboard side is pulled tight to hold the “clew“ corner down (lower aft corner). a. The tight sheet is on the starboard side. A 0.021” black line is seized to the split ring at the clew corner of the sail. It forms a pendant to which a 1/8” single block is seized on the other end. b. A 0.021” tan line starts at the eyebolt just aft of the pin rail on the starboard railing with an S-hook. It runs through the block and back down to belaying pin #40. c. The loose sheet is on the port side. The pendant runs over the jib sail before getting loosely connected exactly the same as above. Use belaying pin #41. Below: Two Balloon Jib Sheets seized to the split ring on the lower aft corner of the sail Below: 1/8” block at the end of the pendant for the “tight” sheet on the starboard side Below: View of the entire lower tackle for the Balloon Jib Sheet. Notice the “loose” port side sheet in the background behind the Fore sail Below: S-hook on the starboard railing for the Balloon Jib Sheet Below: Aft tackle end of the Balloon Jib sheet belayed at pin #40 on starboard rail Below: The “loose” sheet on the port side is draped over the jib stay 7. Balloon Jib Tack – The Tan 0.008” line that was seized to the sail corner ring is seized to the same ring as the balloon jib stay on the other end. Below: The Tack seized to the lower sail corner. Next pic, the Balloon Jib Stay and Tack line both seized to the same shackle at the tip of the bowsprit 8. Balloon Jib Downhaul – This rope was already attached to the split ring at the top corner of the sail. The downhaul runs down to a 3/32” single block attached to the eyebolt at the end of the bowsprit. I attached this block during pre-rigging a while back. From the block it runs down the bowsprit, thru the fairlead at the tip of the bow and is belayed at pin #1. This line is left a little loose. Below: The Balloon Jib Downhaul block S-hooked to the eyebolt at the tip of the bowsprit Below: The Balloon Jib Downhaul (Port side) runs through its fairlead and is belayed at pin #1 Below: The completed Balloon Jib Sail All the sails are now installed. Below is a picture of my Bluenose with all the sails!! There are only a few remaining tasks before the ship is finished. 1. Install 4 Dory tackles, 2. Install the flag halliards, including the Canadian flag and 3. Mount the ship on the base, which I've been working on already. You can see it on the table behind the ship in the above pic.

Making the Staysail The Staysail is the largest of the topmast sails. An interesting, short pendant is used for a fairlead between the throat halliard and the tack lines. 1. Make the Sail – I needed to make a lot of adjustments to get the Staysail to fit in the space between the fore and main masts. I attached the paper template to the stays with plastic clips to hold it in place and marked and trimmed the adjustments a little at a time until it fit according to the blueprint plans. The strip seams run parallel to the longest (aft) side. The Staysail was made using the same procedure as with the other sails. 2. Next step Pre-rig the following before attaching the sail: a. Split rings are required for all 4 corners of the sail. As with the other sails, I attached them to their blocks or seized ropes first, before sewing them to the sail itself. b. Halliard (Aft-Top) uses 0.021” tan rope i. Use an S-hook to attach a 5/32” single block to the eyebolt on the forward side of the main topmast ii. Seize the halliard line to a split ring for the sail iii. Sew the split ring to the sail iv. Thread the line through the 5/32” block and prepare a long hook to seize on the lower end later c. Throat Halliard (Forward-Top) i. A 5/32” single block should already be pre-rigged to the spring stay bail on the fore mast head ii. Seize the 0.021” tan throat halliard line directly to the split ring for the sail throat iii. Sew the split ring to the sail d. Tack Rope (Forward-Bottom) i. Seize the 0.008” tan tack rope to a split ring and sew it to the tack corner e. Sheet Rope (Aft-Bottom) i. Attach a 1/8” single block to a black 0.021” rope to make the upper pendant ii. Seize the upper pendant to split ring iii. Make-up the lower tackle for the sheet with a 1/8” single block stropped to an s-hook on one end and an open loop on the other. iv. Seize the 0.021” tan tackle line to the open loop end f. Make-up the short black pendant rope for the halliard / tack combo using one of the extra 1/16” x 1/16” fairleads that were cut for the clew lines. Thank goodness I made two extras. One of those is lost in the carpet somewhere! Below: Making the Pendant that pulls the throat halliard toward the tack Below: The completed Staysail pre-rigging 3. Staysail Halliard – A more complex halliard was used for racing, but a very simple one was used for fishing. Since I’ve been outfitting my Bluenose as a fishing ship, I decided to use the simpler rigging. a. The tan 0.021” halliard rope is seized to the split ring on the Head (top) corner of the staysail. The halliard runs up to the 5/32” single block that is S-hooked to the eyebolt on the main topmast. b. The fall from the block has a long hook attached to the end. This is hooked to the sheer pole on the main mast. Seize this to the halliard after setting up the rope on the ship to get the right length! Below: The Staysail Halliard rigged at the top to the main topmast Below: The lower end of the Staysail Halliard is seized to a hook that is attached to the sheer pole 4. Staysail Throat Halliard and Tack combo – The staysail throat halliard and the tack are interconnected by a short pendant. a. The throat halliard is seized to the split ring on the Throat (forward upper corner). It is laced through the 5/32” single block on the spring stay bail and then through the fairlead at the tack corner of staysail. b. The 0.008” tan tack rope is seized to the split ring at the tack (forward lower) corner of the sail. Use the Driftwood thread for this line. It runs directly to belaying pin #9 on the port side of the fore mast. c. A short pendant made out of 0.021” black rope is also seized to the Tack corner of the staysail. Make a fairlead from a short piece of 1/16” brass tube. The pendant keeps the halliard pulled close to the tack. d. The .021” throat halliard is ALSO belayed at BP#9 on the port side of the fore mast. Below: The upper view of the Staysail Throat Halliard Below: The Staysail Throat Halliard runs through a “fairlead” that is tied to the tack split ring with a pendant. Note the Tack Rope seized to the same split ring 5. Staysail Sheet – 0.021” black rope is seized to the clew (aft lower) corner split ring. My sheet is set up on the starboard side due to the sail position. a. Upper Pendant – This 0.021” black line forms a pendant about half way down to the deck. A 1/8” single block is seized to the bottom of the pendant. b. Lower Tackle – Tan 0.021” line is seized to a 1/8” single block at the railing. The lower tackle starts at the lower block, which is S-hooked to an eyebolt at the railing. Then it runs to the upper block, back down thru the lower block and is belayed at #38, which is right next to the eyebolt. Below: Staysail Sheet upper black pendant is seized to a block that has a tan line for the lower tackle laced through it Below: Staysail Sheet lower tackle is belayed at the starboard railing Below: The finished Staysail completes the three topmast sails. View from Starboard and following pic from Port Only the Balloon Jib sail remains!

Making the Fore Topsail The Fore Topsail is almost identical in its construction to the main topsail I just completed. It is a bit smaller, there are fewer mast hoops and there are supposed to be 2 sheets & 2 tacks. The main topsail was never switched when tacking. The fore topsail was switched from one side of the ship to the other after tacking. 1. Sewing the Sail – Make the Fore Topsail using the same process as with the main topsail. Make sure to bring the curved area further away from the mast than I did. Mine was crowded too close to the mast which makes the rigging difficult to work on and for displaying the ship. 2. Pre-rigging Steps – I pre-rigged the following parts before attaching the sail: a. Prepare 4 split rings for the rigging in the 4 sail corners [Head, Clew, Tack & Throat] b. Seize three 3/32” single blocks to the Split Rings for the Head, Clew & Tack corners! These are for the Clew Line, but are easier to attach to their split rings now c. Prepare the blocks and lines for the fore topsail halliard the same as was done for the main topsail i. Attach a 1/8” single block to a split ring for the top of the sail ii. Strop a 1/8” single block with an S-hook on one end and an open space for seizing the halliard iii. Measure & cut the tan 0.021” rope required. Seize it to the upper block. Sew the ring to the sail iv. Lace the rope through the block with the ring and then the block with the S-hook d. Prepare the blocks and lines for two fore topsail sheets at the Clew corner (aft). I had already pre-rigged these 4 blocks when I made the fore gaff i. If still necessary, pre-rig two 1/8” single blocks for the tip of the fore gaff and two more for the eyebolts under the fore gaff jaws ii. Measure & cut two lengths of tan 0.021” rope. Seize these both to a split ring. Sew the ring to the Clew corner of the sail e. Prepare the Tack by seizing the measured amount of 0.008” tan line to a split ring & sew to the tack corner of the sail f. Follow the exact same procedure as discussed for the main topsail to prepare the fairleads and clew line Below: The pre-rigged Fore Topsail is ready for installation 3. After loosely tying the halliard and sheet to hold up the sail, tie the Mast Hoops similar to the main topsail. 4. Complete the install of the Fore Topsail Halliard. The fall is belayed at pin #15 (P) together with the Clew. Below: Fore Topsail showing the halliard blocks; the upper block for the clew line and its fall running down toward the deck,; also some mast hoops 5. Both Fore Topsail Sheets start at the ring on the sail a. The tight sheet runs thru starboard side block at the end of the gaff, runs across the gaff to the starboard eyebolt at the jaw. The fall is belayed at pin #20 (S) on the main rail b. The loose sheet is supposed to go from the ring up & over the main topmast stay. I need to apologize to all of the historical purists out there, I thought this looked really bad! In the interest of aesthetics, I decided to run it directly thru the port block at the end of the gaff and then thru the gaff jaw port side eyebolt. I left it semi-loose and belayed at pin #19 on the port rail. Below: Fore Topsail sheets with their blocks at the end of the fore gaff. Clew line & block at sail corner 6. The Fore Topsail Tack was seized to the ring on the bottom corner of the sail. The fall is belayed at pin #10 (S). I only attached 1 tack. Below: Fore Topsail lower tack corner and the tack line seized to the corner split ring 7. The Clew Line starts at the split ring located at the lower corner of the mast hooped edge of the sail above the curved section. It runs through the fairleads and the 3/32” blocks in 3 corners of the sail. It ends at the block on the very top of the sail and the fall runs straight down the port side of the main sail where it is belayed to pin# 15 (P) Below: The completed Fore Topsail

Making the Main Topsail I decided it’s time to move on to the topsails. That includes the Main Topsail, Fore Topsail and Staysail. I still have the Balloon Jib Sail to complete, but I’m saving that for last. The Fore and Main Topsails have very similar rigging. They are both attached to their respective masts using Mast Hoops. 1. Sewing the Sail – The Main Topsail was made using the same sail making procedure as with the others. I wanted to make sure that I sized the sail so there is enough room for the rigging in the top two corners. The sewing is a bit more complicated by the fact that there is a curved portion in the lower forward portion of the sail. In hindsight, I wish I had brought the curve out further away from the mast. I felt that the lower masthead was a bit crowded (more so with the fore topsail). Below: Tracing Paper outline of the Main Topsail taken from the plans & Plain Paper version 2. Pre-rigging Steps – I pre-rigged the following parts before attaching the sail: a. Prepare 4 split rings for the rigging in the 4 sail corners [Head, Clew, Tack & Throat] b. First, seize three 3/32” single blocks to the Split Rings for the Head, Clew & Tack corners! These are for the Clew Line, but are more easily attached to their split rings now Below: Seizing the tiny 3/32” blocks to the split ring using David Lester’s “Figure of Eight” method c. Prepare the blocks and lines for the main topsail halliard at the Head corner (top-forward) i. Attach a 1/8” single block to a split ring for the halliard ii. Strop a 1/8” single block with an S-hook on one end and an open space for seizing the halliard on the other end. This block hangs on the eyebolt on the top ring of the main topmast iii. Measure & cut the amount of tan 0.021” rope required. Seize it to the block with the S-hook. Sew the ring to its corner of the sail iv. Lace the rope through the block with the ring and then the block with the S-hook d. Prepare the blocks and lines for the main topsail sheet at the Clew corner (aft) i. Remove the pre-rigged 1/8” single blocks from the tip of the main gaff and the eyebolt under the main gaff jaws ii. Measure & cut the amount of tan 0.021” rope required. Seize this rope to a split ring. Sew the ring to the Clew corner of the sail iii. Lace the rope through both of the blocks with the S-hooks e. Prepare the rope for the Tack by seizing the measured amount of 0.008” tan line to its split ring. Sew to sail 3. Pre-rigging the Clew Line a. Three 3/32” single blocks should already be completed as per step 2. b. b. Cut 9 fairleads that are 1/16” long from 1/16” OD brass tubing [I made 20 at the same time so I had enough for the Fore Topsail, plus a couple of extras] Below: Cutting the tubing. Blue tape is used to mark the length required. Pic #2 – The prepared fairleads c. Tie a 0.008” thread size line around each tube. I set up my helping hands for this step d. Applying a dot of CA glue to the thread. Be careful not to glue the tube to the jig wire!! e. Tie the clew line fairleads between the corners. I spaced 3 evenly across the top edge, 4 on the bottom edge and then 2 below the curve Below: Using needle & thread to insert the fairlead tubes into the sail and tie them on. They are supposed to be set on the Port side, according to the plan f. Run a long length of the tan 0.008” thread starting from the forward throat split ring and exit at the head corner at the top Below: The fully pre-rigged Main Topsail is ready for installation 4. Install the Main Topsail Halliard and Sheet, loosely at first, to hold the sail up for tying the mast hoops. a. The halliard starts at the upper block S-hooked onto the mast, then laces through the block on the sail and then back up again. The fall is belayed at pin #37 (P). Below: Main Topsail Halliard. Note the block & fairlead for the Clew Line b. The main topsail sheet starts at the ring on the sail, runs through the block at the end of the gaff, runs across the gaff to the eyebolt under the gaff jaw. The fall is belayed at pin #32 (S) on the main rail. Below: Main Topsail Sheet runs through the block at the end of the main gaff Below: Sheet runs across the gaff to the block under the gaff jaws. Note the tan Tack Rope attached to the bottom of the topsail. 5. Tie the Mast Hoops to the sail, similar to main and fore sails. Approximately ½” between hoops. Below: Tying on the mast hoops Below: Mast hoops finished 6. The Main Topsail Tack is seized to the ring on the bottom corner of the sail and runs straight down the starboard side of the main sail. The fall is belayed at pin# 24 (S) on the fife rail. 7. The Clew Line starts at the split ring located at the lower corner of the mast hooped edge of the sail above the curved section. It runs through the fairleads and the 3/32” blocks in the 3 corners of the sail. It ends at the block on the very top of the sail and the fall runs straight down the port side of the main sail where it is belayed to pin# 33 (P) Below: The completed Main Topsail. View from port side. Pic #2 view from starboard

Hi Allan, Thanks for the tip. This is my first build. I did my best with the materials provided in the kit. I'm curious just to see how you can make a sail without any sewing! I just completed sewing the last sail, so it's too late for this build.

Hey All, Shout out to Per, Dave (CPDDET), Bob H, Dave (Dave_E), Todd, Jonathan, Dan & Jim! Thanks for all your encouragement! That really means a lot to me. I am getting close to finishing and it's pretty unbelievable. June 15th will be 2 years since I started this project. I'm hoping to be done around that date or at least by the end of the month! Thanks & Best regards, Ed