Jim Lad

Seems a reasonable price if it's original and genuine. John

Hello Django, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. John

Just take it one bit at a time, Greg. You need to be able to get the derrick higher or lower - achieved with the topping lift. You need to move the derrick from side to side - use the outboard guy and the span. Maybe you need to make the whole rig a bit safer to use - make sure the preventer is rigged on each derrick. You will ceretainly need to raise and lower goods of some kind - hook on the runner and away you go. John

Greg, Everyday cargo gear is quite straight forward (heavy lift gear can be a bit more complex). First, there is a topping lift (called a span in your second illustration), which lifts the derrick to the required height and then holds it in position. There a several ways of operating this - the most common I came across was a 'monkey face' - a triangular face plate - shackled to the topping lift with a tackle (single blocks) and a chain shackled to the other two eyes of the plate. The running end of the tackle ran through a block on deck and to one of the winch drum ends when the derrick was being raised or lowered. when at its working height the chain was shackled to an eyebolt at the foot of the mast and the tackle let go. The derricks were usually operated in 'union purchase - both derricks operating together; one centred over the hold and the other over the side. The slew of the derricks was controlled by the outboard guys (slewing guy pennant in second drawing) which were shackled to eyebolts on the bulwark capping with a cleat for the running end close by on the bulwark. The span (schooner guy in second drawing) connected the two derrick heads and ran to a cleat (anywhere convenient back near the derrick heel). The preventer guys shown in the second drawing may or may not have been rigged, depending on where the ship was operating. They were required in Australia but not in most of the far east or Europe. The preventers were a single heavy wire shacked to the derrick head and, once the derrick was in its working position, the lower end was shacked to an eyebolt on the bulwark capping using a preventer stopper as in the image below. The idea of the preventer was to act as a safety wire in case the outboard guy carried away under load. Finally there are the runners - the wires that run from the winch drums to the cargo hook via the derrick cargo blocks. in union purchase the two runners are shackled to two eyes of a 'monkey face' and the cargo hook is shacked to the third eye (the mouth?). And you're all ready to load or discharge cargo. when at sea derricks were always stowed. i have done one short voyage with derricks 'flying' but not a good idea. In most jurisdictions a ship was not allowed to sail until the derricks were properly stowed. If this isn't as clear as I think it is or if you need any more detail - yell! John

Welcome home! John

Hello Don, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. That's a very nice looking dinghy you've built. John

Håkan, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. The good was in her life; the peace will come in time. Yes, the moulded width is athwartships; sided width is fore and aft. John PS: Steer clear of balsa (except for packing a space full)

Hello John, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. John

Just catching up, Greg. She's looking really first class. John

That planking's coming along very nicely, Håkan. John

Hello, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. John

hello, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. John

Hello tim, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. John

Hello, and a warm welcome to the forum. John

In my opinion, a vessel the size of the sphinx would certainly have been fitted with a binnacle - an essential piece of ship's equipment. It may very well not show up on plans simply because it was a usual fitting and ond would have been taken out of store and lashed down forward of the wheel during final fit out. John

Hello, and a warm welcome to MSW from 'Down Under'. John

Hello David, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. John

G'day, Ray, and a warm welcome to the forum from down in Sydney. You've got some very nice looking models there. John

Hello Aurelien, and a warm welcome to MSW from 'Down Under'. John

Hello BG, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. That's looks like a very nice model you're building. John

Hello Charlie, and a warm welcome to MSW from 'Down Under. You certainly live in a beautiful part of the world. John

A very nice start on that planking, mate! John

Hello Eugene, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. John

Hello Mike, and a warm welcome to MSW from 'Down Under'. John

Hello Botra, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'. John