BANYAN

Nicely constructed whiskers Denis; but, as John said - take some care these are just begging to be snagged cheers Pat

Hi folks, My long-awaited copy of the CSS Alabama: Anatonomy of a Confederate Raider arrived a couple of days ago. Great book with some excellent belaying and rigging/sail plans for a Barque rigged ship. As she is relatively contemporary with Victoria, I am using the Alabama belaying plan as the basis for Victoria's rigging and belaying plan. There will be some difference in the plan based on the size of the ship, different design aspects (bow / sprit) etc. I am also using the internal arrangements plan of HMS Harrier (1860) to identify some cleat/belaying pin locations and leads; as well as using the arrangements shown for HMS Immortalite (1860) and HMS Warrior (1862) for some guidance. I have two immediate issues I wish to clarify and hope someone can assist me in deciding a likely arrangement for the bow related rigging and belaying points. Victoria was barque Rigged. First, I need to devise a likely arrangement for belaying the running ends of ropes passing through the bulwark timbers at the bow. The attached graphic extracts (Immortalite and Warrior) and my drawings for HMS Victoria show some of the arrangement alternatives. In drawing the likely arrangements for Victoria I need to account for the much more sharply angled junction of the bulwark timbers at the bow and the fact that her jib had more of itself exposed above deck than the other ships. Other drawing also show the use of metal (iron) straps in thejunction of the bulwark timbers to provide strengthening and support. My current concept is that the jib will have need some substantial support at the bow also hence the use of the bow block (as I have called it - please advise proper name?). As with the other ships I will use the fairleads through this bow support block, but I remain open to any of the three belaying options shown in the three graphics below, or a fourth as used in HMS Harrier: 1. Pins in a rack fitted athwart the roughtree timbers at the bow (second preference) 2. Cleats immediately below the fairleads. 3. Cleats on the bowsprit (in line with the fairleads) 4. Cleats on the bulwark timbers (similar as those leading away as shown in the Immortalite graphic and similar to HMS Harrier) I have selected the bowsprit option as there are only 6 ropes (three each side) for me to worry about and this provides a direct lead (no chafing of the ropes as they would be subject to some abrading if the led is angled away. One thing that has ne puzzled though is that these graphics show 9 fairleads and lines; whereas, the Alabama only has three each side - what is missing? Open to ideas/suggestions. I know that any would be OK but I am looking for the most likely. Secondly, I am trying to identify what line/rope would have been lead via the whiskers on the cathead? Any assistance greatly appreciated. cheers Pat

Hi Greg; why weather it? if it was only painted black for its last mission it would not have had time to weather? The deck replacement piece looks great! cheers Pat

Many thanks again all. I am now confident the author was referring to fairleads on the shrouds rather than a lead for the shrouds. I have yet to determine which running rigging would have been led through these but should be able to do so using the belaying /pin plan cheers Pat

Great techniques for the decoration Dave; they turned out great! She is looking good and you seem top have achieved a nice even coat of black. cheers Pat

Hi Thanasis and Frank, Many thanks for your contributions to the discussion and building a much clearer understanding of rigging practices. cheers Pat

Glad to see you progressing Mark. That's quite a bit of char to clean off, or are you painting them? WRT the front ports, I am not sure of this, but weren't they there so the forward two guns could be manoeuvred and used in that position as sort of bow chasers? That would then allow enough room - Even if not true - agood enough story to explain their absence cheers Pat

Hi all and thanks for looking in and the comments. Mark T, thanks for that pointer - I will try through them. Mark P - thanks and I agree, that is why I thought it so strange. I think your interpretation may be exactly that. I will have a look at the legend to see which 'running ends' of ropes might have need of a 'fair' lead to secure them properly at the pins without fouling other ropes. That should prove a good pointer to the likely candidates. HMCS Victoria had steel wire shrouds which alone would make fairleads unlikely, so the idea of a shroud fairlead truck (see John's earlier comment and my response below) to create a 'fair' lead for running rigging to belay points is most likely what the author was inferring. John, thanks again; I actually used a couple of those on the Endeavour and should have clicked - Marquardt calls them shroud fairlead trucks. I think you may be right and it is these trucks using a slightly different terminology. Now to to determine their correct positioning which will be governed by where the 'running end' of the rope is to be lead from S.Coleman - many thanks mate, these are shroud cleats but I very much appreciate the input. cheers Pat

Keep you going....? Make you go nuts more like it - good luck with the folding. At least you have the right weather to be doing this cheers Pat

Further to my last, I am also trying to contact the author "Andrew Bowcock" but have had no luck trying - I have tried Chatham Publishing but they either do not exist anymore, or changed emails. If anyone can provide contact details, or put the author in touch with me it would be greatly appreciated. cheers Pat

Thanks John, As you can see from the extract, I am not sure whether he refers to leads for other ropes fitted to the shroud, or to lead the shroud itself? In other parts of the drawings, he usually references whether a rope passes through a lead etc, and he does not reference these other than on this drawing. I have checked Lees, Marquardt and Falconer with no luck so far. An internet search brings up all sorts of things but nothing for a fairlead on the shrouds??? cheers Pat

Hi all, While researching a likely /representative rigging and belaying plan (Barque Rigged) for the HMCS Victoria, I came across the terminology "fairleads" in reference to some of the shrouds. The terminology/discussion from the CSS Alabama: Anatomy of a Confederate Raider by Andrew Bowcock, infers that the lower shrouds were led through fairleads (possibly to clear, or lead, the shroud clear of the roughtree rail, rather than fairleads attached to the shrouds for other rigging. Is this device/rigging technique familiar to anyone? regards Pat

Very nice work Dan, she is looking very much a grand lady of the sea already. I like the way you steadily build up the surfaces; makes an excellent base for the final coats. cheers Pat

Keep plugging away Sjors, you'll see the end of the decoration painting before you know it cheers Pat

Not long Dave cheers Pat

Oh wow - very nice Denis - glad you could find some more time to progress her. That is one truly work like trawler! cheers Pat

Nice progress Phillip, even at 1:100 she is a might big model (with plenty of planks). cheers Pat

Thanks for the pointer Bob; great videos. cheers Pat

Master of the understatement you are Denis Only a little done - I would like to see what you could achieve on a good day's work then She's coming together nicely; great work cheers Pat

Great info and discussion on rigging here Ed and et al. This is what is so great about this site; and thanks for hosting the discussion in your thread/log Ed. cheers Pat

That looks great Greg, she sure has some great detail for this scale. Your paint scheme is also adding a 'sinister' look making her look all the more the massive battleship she was. cheers Pat

Some great progress there Denis; she is looking mighty fine already. WRT to those 5mm pins, they looks a bit fat in the handle; will you be reducing them? cheers Pat

Nice details Greg; looking really good. cheers Pat

Thanks Phillip, kitbag stowed and hammock lashed in the forward berthing space cheers Pat

Just found this build Phil, sorry to crash the scene so late - hope you don't mind me tagging along. I am building HMCSS Victoria (1855) which had some common equipment etc to Warrior - see my log at: I will be very interested to see how you approach a couple of items such as the catheads which have a much sharper than usual angle of rise. You have made a great job on what you have completed on a very interesting build (and large) cheers Pat