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cdrusn89

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Everything posted by cdrusn89

  1. cdrusn89
    Sorry, forgot a hit the Tab key by mistake. Anyway, I started using clove hitches but after a few (two I think) I started using a clove hitch only on the first shroud (typically on the left since I am right handed) and then switch to overhand knots for the other four shrouds. I started using 50/50 glue/water on the joints but shifted to straight white glue. The 50/50 was taking to long to dry and tended to go places I did not want (like on the deck/channel). So far I have six rows done but not "finished" (excess line cut off). By my count only 18 - 20 rows to go UGH! And then there are three more lower shroud sets and two more Top Sail and Top Gallant shrouds. I think I will find something with no ratlines for my next kit - maybe the Endeavour in 1/35 scale. Here is where I am on the port main ratlines. PS, I may decide to redo the third one up - the line broke and I tried to "save it".
  2. cdrusn89
    Thanks Jonathan. I am working what is prob ably my least favorite task - ratlines.
  3. cdrusn89
    Thanks Javlin. Added the futtock shrouds and ratlines as well as the block and line for the Fore Course and the block for the Top Sail brace on this side. For anyone who does this on Niagara (or really any square rigger with futtock shrouds) be sure to attach the necessary blocks (and lines - in this case the Fore Course Brace bitter end is seized to the forward most main lower shroud) before you rig the futtock shrouds. It is much harder to get the blocks where they need to be once the futtock shrouds are in place. It would be close to impossible (absolutely impossible for me) to get these blocks in place after the futtock shroud ratlines are there. Here is the port side futtock shrouds and associated "stuff". I need to be a little more sparing with the glue it would seem although things always look worse in the pictures than in real life - at least that's my story and I'm sticking with it.
  4. cdrusn89
    Continuing to work the main mast. Got the port side lower shrouds and sheer pole (not really a pole on Niagara - rectangular cross section). Not as neat as I would have liked - will hope to do better on the Fore mast. Got the main sheet rigged and belayed - made up a rope coil form the extra line - even remembered how to do, it from all the coils I made for the guns - seems like a long time ago.
  5. cdrusn89
    Added the Spanker Gaff and associated halyards and vang and vang tackle. Also working on installing the rest of the lower shrouds. Getting close to my favorite part (NOT) ratlines. Here is a view of the gaff, the belay points for the vang tackle (line going over the rail) and the throat halyard (last pin on pin rail) and the mast block for the peak halyard.
  6. cdrusn89
    Scott/Javlin - thanks; I am starting to wonder if this rigging ever ends. All my previous builds were schooners - may go back to them after this. Worked the port side pin rails and spanker boom. Added a few lines (staysail halyards, braces - those are the lines wrapped around toilet paper tubes you see in some of the photos) to make life easier when I get further along. Counted and there are 16 more blocks that need to be added to various places (mostly to shrouds) for the braces. I have the ones that are on the yards but need to get back in the block stropping business.
  7. cdrusn89
    Slowly adding the lifts, sheets, bunt lines, leech lines, etc. to stbd pin rail abreast the Main Mast. Port side is next. Debating on whether to add the spanker boom and gaff now or wait until the bowsprit and Fore mast are aboard.
  8. cdrusn89
    More rigging on the Main file rail and cleats on Main Mast. More work outside too but we will not talk further about that. Another cruise tomorrow so no shipyard work until we return on Friday.
  9. cdrusn89
    More outside work (in Florida, in June) detracting from ship rigging time. Anyway I got all the deadeyes stropped to their shrouds and rigged the lanyards on the forward and aft most shrouds on both sides. Checked the main mast alignment again - still okay. Rigged the course lift tackle and course truss to their pins (for the record I decided to leave the belaying pins the factory brass finish - adds a bit more color to the deck areas) and added a pre-made rope coil of the correct size and color (mostly tan, I had planned on using both Syren tan and light brown pretty evenly but never got around actually doing it). Here are the main mast course lift tackle and course truss on the starboard side. More outside work tomorrow - hopefully early, before it gets REALLY hot.
  10. cdrusn89
    GrandpaPhil and Steve, Thanks for the info. Bowsprit should go before the Fore mast. It is ready for installation and I may do that next in between assembling the Fore mast and rigging the Main mast running rigging. Need things to do while glue dries.
  11. cdrusn89
    In spite of some difficulties getting the shrouds min the right order I managed tom get the port side deadeyes rigged to their respective shrouds and not pull the mast out of alignment. So far so good. Work the Starboard side tomorrow and consider the next step to get the mast stabilized enough get the running rigging attached.
  12. cdrusn89
    So here is my "daedeye gauge" mounted on the port side abeam the main mast and the first deadeye stropped to the forward most shroud - the one that is served its entire length.
  13. cdrusn89
    While trying to build a gauge for locating the deadeyes for the main lower shrouds I encountered some difficulties. According to the plans it is just under 12mm between center holes of the deadeyes. However, I am using somewhat bigger deadeyes than are shown in the plans and if I use two deadeye widths as the gauge for the nominal distance (although I have seen both two and three suggested in various books) the distance is close to 18mm. 12mm is clearly too close for this size deadeye so I am going to build my gauge (as suggested by Srodbro in a previous response on this blog) using 18mm as the nominal spacing. Hopefully this increase will not have unforeseen consequences later.
  14. cdrusn89
    I have reviewed most of the Niagara build logs (at least the ones labeled "FINISHED") and have not found a consistent methodology for getting the rigging completed. My experience (and this is largely confined to two masted fishing schooners not square riggers) is the getting the belying pin racks populated after the shrouds are completed and the ratlines hung is a major problem (at least for me). Too many things in the way of getting you tweezers (regardless of shape and size) where they need to be. So my plan is to only rig the forward and after lower shrouds after the main mast are is raised. Once most of the running rigging (especially that which belays at the pin racks behind the shrouds (which is everything that does not go to a fife rail pretty much) I will rig the rest of the lower shrouds and back stays. Then the ratlines. We will see if the pain of doing the ratlines with the running rigging behind the shrouds is worth it. I am planning on working from aft forward, following a similar methodology except that the standing rigging between the masts will be done before the running rigging and shrouds/ratlines. Bowsprit will be last. Does this make any sense???
  15. cdrusn89
    Space Saver
  16. cdrusn89
    I got the Royal Clew Lines belayed at the sheer poles and moved the main Mast assembly to the hull. Before I set the mast I hooked the tackles for the Course Yard lift to the eyebolts inside the fife rail - one less thing to try and fit in with the mast coat in the way. Once I had the mast in place I checked the rake using the file folder template I made from the plans. As best I can tell it is pretty close and I made the tendon on the mast a pretty snug fit fore and aft so if the mast notch in the center bulkhead was at the correct angle then so is the mast. Then I used my laser level to check the mast and course yard for straight and square. As the pictures show it looks pretty good. At this point the mast is being support side to side by the forward shroud on each side clamped to the forward deadeye. I am tempted to pour CA all over the base of the mast and call it done but that would be very difficult to undo later if required.
  17. cdrusn89
    Working on cleaning things up and tying things down that can be tied down now. Finished belaying the Top Sail Reef Tackle and used a few of the rope coils left over from the guns. Wanted to get the mast coat for the main done so I don't forget to include that when I put the mast onboard. I looked through some of the other Niagara logs and think they were generally painted flat black (simulating tar I assume) so I did also. Here is a look at the maintop with the Top Sail reef tackle and Top Gallant halyard in the center. Although difficult to see the Royal Halyard is secured to the sheer pole on the port side with a coil of rope hung from the pole. Am working now to get the Royal clew lines secured to the sheer poles as well. When that is done and the mast coat paint is dry we are headed to the hull.
  18. cdrusn89
    Spent the rest of the day adding more lines to the main Mast: Course yard lifts, clews, four buntlines and two leech lines and a Royal clew I somehow forgot. Except or terminating some of the lines with blocks (Course yard lift, Top Sail halyard to name two (actually four, two each) that come to mind) I think the Main mast is almost complete "off the hull". I have to move it "on the hull" or make another mast holder so I think I will move it to the hull when the block terminations are done and I have checked for missing lines one more time. It will be interesting to see the mast finally "on the hull", hopefully tomorrow.
  19. cdrusn89
    Moving right along now that the Royal yard is mounted. Got the course yard installed and the halyards (one on each side) and the truss/sling lanyard wove. Top Sail clew lines added and Top Sail Reef tackle added but not "belayed to itself". I am waiting to complete most of the lines that can be installed here before belaying these as there are more than a few lines which influence the "tilt" of the Top Sail yard. More clew and bunt lines to run for course yard next. Then a final run through to see what I've missed than can be done with the mast off the ship.
  20. cdrusn89
    Royal Yard back in place. Now have three yards, the hard one remains. I added clew and bunt line to the Top Gallant and Top Sail yards although they are knotted off at the fairlead or block since there are n o sails. I debated for sometime whether or not to include the blocks and lines for these. I am putting a piece of tape on the end of each line with the pin number where it belays. I also now have the first complete piece of running rigging. The Top Gallant halyard and tackle are now "DONE". I am going to finish the Royal halyard too before I start on the course yard.
  21. cdrusn89
    Since I had to redo the Main Royal yard a bit after yesterday's "incident" I took the opportunity to make the fixed lift exactly the correct length. Originally I had just sort of guessed at it when I was outfitting the yard. I am working on the parrel now and will have this in place today. Then on to the Main Course".
  22. cdrusn89
    Tragedy strikes on the first day of year two of my Niagara build. While tensioning the TG yard halyard the TG mast broke at sheave (aka hole) where the halyard passes through the mast. Must have been a weak point in the wood - I was not pulling that hard. Anyway I was too distraught to take any pictures. Since the TG masts are the same both Main and Fore, I got the Fore one and was able - so far - to get it in place. I will have to adjust the TG shrouds and remount the Royal and TG yards but I think the real issue I making another TG mast. I am not sure I have the right size yellow cedar (all the masts were made from square section yellow cedar left). Once I get the main mast back where I was I will have to take a look. So here is the Main Mast with the Top Gallant and Top Sail yards in place. The Royal yard is going to need some additional repairs before it can go back on the mast. Nothing a few hours at the workbench won't fix but that delays the Course yard and building the new Fore Top Gallant mast a bit more.
  23. cdrusn89
    So today was the first yard arm day. I got the Royal and Top Gallant yards mounted on the main mast. Here are the two yards as installed. The lines running from the Royal yard are the brace lines - probably could have left those off (similar to the Royal back stays). Another for the "lessons learned" file.
  24. cdrusn89
    It is amazing what you can find out when you actually "READ the MANUAL" as I just did for my Canon EOS 60D. Turns out fixing the depth of field issues was not that hard. Just need to know how to control the lens aperture - which now I do. So here is a picture of the aft TG shroud going behind the sheer pole and secured to the Top Mast shroud. Yea, I need to clean up the glue residue. Considering using "India Ink" to attempt to darken/dull the line. The 50/50 water/white glue mix and the CA can make it appear shiny or lighter than it should.
  25. cdrusn89
    On to the Top Gallant mast. Sandwiched the mast into the hole on the upper top and just as with the Top Mast there was not enough room with the stays passing through so I decided on the Fore Mast I will put a place holder for the Top Gallant mast on place before I rig the stays. Maybe there is a way to route them around the mast rather than through where the mast should be. So I got the sanding sticks out and put a taper on both side of the bottom 1/2" of the Top Gallant mast so it would wedge itself into the space provided. I drilled holes (or actually redrilled the holes that I put there in the mast top assembly process - they got filled with paint) in the spreaders for the Top Gallant shrouds. I ran the shrouds through the holes and put a 2oz weight on each one and left them while I ate lunch. When I came back I put a spot of m edium CA where each shroud met the spreader and then took a nap. That fixed the shrouds above the spreaders. I put the small sheer pole at the very top of the Top mast Shrouds, just below the lower block entrained between the first two shrouds. The plans say the TG shroud goes around the pole and then is tied off to the Top Mast shrouds. There is not enough room and the loop around the pole IMHO would look really out of scale. So as a compromise I ran the shroud behind the pole and then tied it off along the Top Mast shroud. A picture would be worth a thousand words but I am having a hard time getting a good. I just got the Canon EOS 60D for Dummies book. Hopefully I can figure out what I am doing wrong. Anyway I got the TG shrouds tied off, the TG sheer poles and the ratlines done on both sides. I guess it will be time to start mounting yard arms tomorrow!

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