Jim Lad

Popeye, Russ and Bob (Rafine) - Thanks very much for your encouraging words.

Adeline - They're actually single backstays, but set up with a variation of the double Spanish burton tackle, which gives a mechanical advantage of 8 times.  I think, as you say, that that's an indication of the weight of canvas she carried!

Augie - the forestay set up is really unusual.  I first thought that the stay must run over a sheave between the bowsprit (offset to port) and the stem, but there isn't any space for it there.  After much studying of the plans and an equal amount of head scratching, I decided that it actually ran through the stem.  As the knee that it's lashed around is right on the centreline that makes sense as it gives a straight lead for the lashing.

Bob (Cap'n'Bob) - we have to use spiders here.  The rigging fairies won't come to Australia as they're too scared of the spiders!

John

Well, the spiders have started work in earnst now.  The lower shrouds, forestay and running backstays are rigged, but not yet finally tied off, although that can be done anytime now.  Next job, I think, will be to rig the boom as I won't be able to get to the parrel once a little more rigging is done around the mast.  Then it'll be on to the ratlines - only one lower mast to do.

Here are some pictures of where we are now.

First, a few general views of the model.  I think she's finally starting to look like a real cutter with the backstays rigged!

The unusual arrangement of the backstays.  These are very like the backstays that Petersson shows in his book 'Rigging Period Fore and Aft Craft', but are pretty unusual for the period judging by the contemporary models that I've seen.

The inboard end of the backstays, showing the details as shown on the plans, which confirm the backstay arrangement as shown in the painting.

The very unusual lower end of the forestay.  This is shown in detail on the plan, so I have to assume that it's as rigged.  The plan shows four turns of the laniard secured by four hitches, so my stay has (you guessed it) four turns and four hitches.  I think I'm going too far!!!

John

Nice work, Danny.  That's a fascinating way to make the pintles, by the way.

Waht have you been giving the rigging spiders to drink?  Obviously it's far too strong!

John

Good grief - thinbles now!  There's no end to the products churning out of your blacksmiths shop, Michael!

John

Augie, at 1:48, the Cheerful could carry my Stag as the ship's launch!

John

Still enjoying the lovely cabinetmaking, Gary!

John

Andy,

Why not just do it by hand?

John

Oh my; she's looking brilliant, Augie!

Shovelling snow and planting tomatoes?  And some people say that Australia is a strange place!

John

Gotta say - the new style loop looks very nice, Michael!

John

Stay safe, Gil.  Don't try and dance with the bears!

John

Very nicely done, Danny!

John

Some photos of the problem area might help, Michael, but in general the best way to get that sharp bow is by shaping the stem post to the correct profile and letting the planks into a rabbet cut into the stem.

John

Steve,

Thanks for the 'heads up' on that one.  I'll set the hard drive to record.

John

Bob,

Your styrene with melt and then catch fire at about the same time your wood does (catch fire, not melt).

And yes, you do need help - like the rest of us - but not from a chemist.  Have you thought of consulting Dr. Per?    

John

Good on yer, Sjors!!

John

Robbyn and Meredith - thanks for the support, ladies!

Mark - I couldn't believe it when I saw that I'd only pinned 6 of the chain plates.  I hope I haven't forgotten anything else!  

John

Just a small update on the Stag.

I had some extra time at the museum yesterday so I was able to get a little more done - not much, as it's school holidays here and the museum was crowded, but I was able to at least get a start on rigging the shrouds.  No photos today as I didn't have the camera with me, but I promise to have updated photos next week when I'm in.

The really funny thing was that when I started to check the first port pair of shrouds for length, the chainplate pulled free as soon as I put a little weight on the deadeye!  When I checked I found that I'd forgotten to pin the two forward chainplates on the port side!   Boy, did I feel a dill!!!  Thankfully this sort of oversight is easily rectified and all is now well (for the time being, at least)!

John

Nice to see that you're reconstructing your log, Jeff!

John

Nicely ring bolted Popeye!    You can never have too many attachment points on deck.

John

Tom,

Hot enough not to melt the syrene!   

The heat will soften the styrene and make it easy to shape - I think Andy's suggestion of hot water would be the best method of heating the sheet for an application such as this.  Maybe Andy can give some more practical directions.

John

That's an excellent method of ensuring accurate railings Ilhan!

John

 

John, I was sure that you had seen the log on the old site

Yes, quite possibly, Bob.  There are so many fine models here that you sometimes lose track - call it old age!  

John

That looks a very nice little figure - and I mean little if that's a No. 11 scalpel blade in the photo.  How big are these nuts?

John

Just catching up, Bob.  That's one very pretty yacht and will make a fine model!

John

Best of lick with the desktop, Michael.  In the meantime - just keep making shackles!

John