BANYAN

Great milestone Glen, one which I thinks not only deserves that drink BUT also an extra Rum Issue (break out the Bundy). All looks great, nice job! cheers Pat

Hi Keith, OK, I'll be the "stick in the mud" . To me, while I agree about the aesthetics of the issue (ruins/denigrates the lines of that beautiful hull), I tend to model my subjects true to the period/time I have selected for the model. If you have selected 'as built' then leave them off, but if you have selected a more current time, and they were fitted at that time, then I would include them. In the end though, the decision is yours, and you have to live with it. Enjoying your build, which is coming along as nicely, if not better than you previous high quality builds. cheers Pat

They are looking great Greg. cheers Pat

Greg, you have another calling in figure/figurine painting They look great. cheers Pat

Very nice work Keith, she is coming along very nicely. If there isn't too much (boxes, shelves and hanging tools) on the walls, would a couple of simple hinge-up (kept open with a stick ) windows/opening be suitable to show off some of the interior? They could be small and allow some ventilation/cooling with a cross-flow in real life, while allowing more glimpses of those very nicely crafted engines in the model? Gotta watch those slip hazards mate; hope all is good. cheers Pat

Agree, so close to a pier (solid - not open with piles) that any speed on the vessel will create a pressure wave which in effect will serve to push the vessel back off the pier. Slow speeds in shallow water are also a necessity other wise the stern will sit (be sucked) down. Also agree that the postures of the crew (and the seagulls) do not support a vessel at speed (sufficient to create such a splash). If anything ripples rather than splash? Would you (the crew) also be wanting to disturb such contaminated water with such a splash? Sorry if this all sounds 'negative' but it is such a wonderful diorama, that I believe that it should not be open to later criticism if entered for judging, if the story does not reflect the scene? cheers Pat

Sorry to hear, its bad enough having the back pain yet alone not being able to do much modelling Hope things improve rapidly for you Pat

Great progress, and a major milestone achieved John. Those sails are looking good. cheers Pat

What a stunning finish Keith, worth every one of those 14 coats. cheers Pat

What a great touch; some very 'noice' detail you are adding to this model Greg. cheers Pat

She looking great Keith, some lovely detailing there. I am enjoying watching her progress - the yard supervisor must be happy with the build cheers Pat

It's always good to take a break and simply soak in your accomplishments. You've done a grand job with her so ENJOY cheers Pat

Stunning work Ilhan, that looks terrific. cheers Pat

A bit of both is my guess Haiko. I have seen/heard pictures and discussions where the decks were put in and the hatches cut in later (with the deck fully planked or roughly left vacant in the hatch area but still needing to be cut to size if that makes sense), and where the deck plank were put in around the hatch coaming. cheers Pat

Nice work on the jibs John, she will be a great looking model when you finish your restoration. cheers Pat

A very effective outcome Greg; looks great - a top-notch diorama. cheers Pat

You're doing a great job with that rigging Bob, coming along very nicely. The supervisors must be happy? My biggest issue with tools is that 'I am a neat freak' and I store everything away as soon as I finish with it, often forgetting just where . It sometimes takes me longer to find 'that' tool than doing the job. cheers Pat

Sorry to hear about your back problems Vossie, best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. Makes you wonder why some of these companies do not pack their items better. I understanding making savings where possible, but packaging is one area that proper packing would negate the costs of replacements etc. Hope it all is still in alignment? cheers Pat

Best wishes for a quick recovery Keith, sorry to hear about the bung wing. cheers Pat

Hi Haiko, I'm a bit of a late comer to your build party, apologies mate. Your build to date looks great, a nicely aligned skeleton and the planking is going on very well. Look forward to seeing you progress. cheers Pat

That is looking really good Keith; just the right amount of grime. cheers Pat

Hi Eberhard, this may be excuse you need to get that 3D printer you have hinted at cheers Pat

That is some excellent work mate. Those thimble are just the right size, look good and the served line looks very realistic for a newly served line/rope. cheers Pat

Thanks @wefalck and @Jim Lad, appreciate the feedback and information. Just to clarify/add to my initial info. I should have provided all of this yesterday - sorry): 1. The lithographs show the main fore-and-aft sails laced to the boom (In the rigging warrant these are termed the foresail, mainsail and the spanker). 2. All masts were fitted with a single boom and two different gaffs (one for main sails, and one for the trysail) - all were lifting gaffs with the luff seized to sliding hoops. 3. Being a Barque and a steamer, the contemporary authors advise that the trysail was not triangular, but rather a smaller version of the main sails (quadrangular) and were laced to a wire (vertical) jackstay, but used a shorter gaff. 4. As best I can determine the storm sails were the same quadrilateral rather than triangular (staysail) shape. These also used the trysail gaff, but were laced to a wire (vertical) jackstay. 5. A sheet pendant associated with a sheet tackle is listed against the fore and main booms only (not for the spanker). 6. Boom sheets (guys) are listed against all booms. 7. Brails are listed against the fore and main sails (NOT the spanker). 8. The lithographs show that all of the main fore-and-aft sails had reefing nettles (3 bands) and the rigging warrant lists reefing pendants with reefing tackles. These were worked using reefing combs fitted aft, on either side of each boom. Notes: The above sail outfit is confirmed by their listing in two stores survey reports reported in December of 1858 and 1860. The advice about sail shape is from Nares, Burney and Kipping all writing in the mid to late 1850s and early 1860s. From your advice and the above, I have deduced (assumed) that: A. The primary fore-and-aft sails were used in fair weather and all were laced at both the foot and the head. B. The correspondence from the ship's designer informs that the primary fore-and-aft sails were intended to be used in conjunction with light courses (these were slightly smaller than typical square lower sails, and used No.2 canvass). Sometimes only the fore course was used (based on the imagery, log entries etc.) C. The trysails were for moderate to heavy weather/winds (heavier canvass) and were loose footed. Brails used with these. D. The storm sails were for very bad weather/storms (heaviest canvass) and were also loose footed. Brails were also used with these. E. As there is NO sheet pendant/tackle (only boom sheets/guys), I am assuming that the spanker, trysail and storm sail for the mizen were all laced and did not require brails.

Hi all, I am trying to ascertain why Brails are listed in HMCSS Victoria's Rigging Warrant against the fore-and-aft sails. Based on the imagery (2 x lithographs which have proven very accurate) the foresail, mainsail and spanker were all laced to both the boom and the gaff. These sails were also gaff hoisted and lowered (worked). However the Rigging Warrant lists peak, throat and foot brails against that mast for the fore-and-aft sails. Additionally, she was outfitted with trysails and separate storm sails. The authors writing in this era (mostly Nares, Lever, Luce and Burney) suggest that these latter sails were loose footed. One last point, no sheet pendant or sheet tackle is listed against the spanker. I am therefore assuming that all sails on the mizen mast were laced to both the gaff and boom (no square sails as she was Barque rigged). Having no experience with sailing larger vessels (bigger than a whaler ) I hope some of you more experienced people may offer a little advice. Would a sail laced to both the gaff and the boom need brails, especially noting the lifting gaff? If the trysail and storm sail were both loose footed, but laced to the gaff (a different slightly smaller gaff than used with the fore/main sails etc.), do they require brails to control it, especially when tacking? I am assuming that with a loose footed sail, along with the sheet, these will have helped shape the sail, but I am confused with a stated purpose (by the above authors) that they were also used for furling. As the gaff will have been lowered, and the sail gathered in and furled by men on the deck (at the boom) when furling, how would these assist furling? Am I correct in assuming that if no sheet is provided for the spanker boom/gaff, the trysail and storm sail will also have been laced to the boom on the mizen? I have established how they were rigged, so I am basically trying to determine which fore-and-aft sails required brails, and how they work for those sails if required. many thanks Pat