Sailcat

Hey, Kats, are you back live now?  I'm afraid I've lost track of where you were up to before "the great crash of '13"?
 
By the way, doing rope coils as you go isn't a bad idea.  You get to do just a few at a time, and it's far harder to miss one that way.
 
John

Sailcat,
 
Your build (or rebuild) of this kit is astounding. I love all the detail and life you're putting into her!
 
Harvey

Katz,
 
Its so good be watching you build again. Wish you well from here.  BTW what happened to the terrific shirts you used to wear?
 
BFN
 
Cheers,
Hopeful aka David
 
“there is wisdom in many voices”
 
Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted on kit build log.
Current: Sultana (MSW) Updating the build log and continuing on with the build
 
Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Thanks for persevering with completely rebuilding this great log, Kats!
 
John

John, Popeye, Hakan, Daniel, Kevin, Anja, Druxey, David, Tim, Tophog and Frank - Thank you all for looking in and for your kind words of support and encouragement 
 
Kevin - the issue with the mizzen pinrails is that there aren't enough pins for the lines yet to be affixed.  In this case the Braces are supposed to be belayed to the pins there and they're already full.  I plan to deal with this by 'doubling up' the necessary pins and likely only the 'knowledgable' will be able to notice the discrepancy.
 
Tim - I'm tying the ratlines to the shrouds using a method detailed in Dan Vad's HM Supply build log from times past.  I am not sure if he has reposted this one yet so I'll describe it for you.  Start by tying the ratline to the middle shroud using a clove hitch.  This type of knot holds well but is also 'loosenable' in case of a need for adjustment.  Continue out and leave enough 'slack' for the ratline to hang slightly.  On the outer shrouds I looped the line around the shroud and used a needle to 'splice' the end through the line and then seized it with thin white thread.  This method is time consuming but it provides good looking results.
 
Well, I can happily report that I am now able to get back in the saddle, if only for short periods of time.  So I started by reading a lot and catching up on everything I had forgotten in the time.  After this initial perusal I realized that it was time to attach the 'stanchion rails' fore and aft - the 'final part' of the Dame which I had been leaving off in order to facilitate rigging.  So before starting the last aspects of the fore-and-aft rigging I have taken the plunge and 'finalized' this last 'structural' part of the build.  And I've been taking photos ...
 
The aft stanchion rails being put in place.


 
The curved portion on the end is a scratchbuilt replacement ... I think it blends in nicely.

 
The fore stanchion rails and the mini-pinrail attached.


 
I still have to fill the seams, sand and paint over the joins.  But it feels really good to be back at it after these months of recovery.  And it feels good to be able to say, "Be back soon with more!" 

John, Popeye, Hakan, Daniel, Kevin, Anja, Druxey, David, Tim, Tophog and Frank - Thank you all for looking in and for your kind words of support and encouragement 
 
Kevin - the issue with the mizzen pinrails is that there aren't enough pins for the lines yet to be affixed.  In this case the Braces are supposed to be belayed to the pins there and they're already full.  I plan to deal with this by 'doubling up' the necessary pins and likely only the 'knowledgable' will be able to notice the discrepancy.
 
Tim - I'm tying the ratlines to the shrouds using a method detailed in Dan Vad's HM Supply build log from times past.  I am not sure if he has reposted this one yet so I'll describe it for you.  Start by tying the ratline to the middle shroud using a clove hitch.  This type of knot holds well but is also 'loosenable' in case of a need for adjustment.  Continue out and leave enough 'slack' for the ratline to hang slightly.  On the outer shrouds I looped the line around the shroud and used a needle to 'splice' the end through the line and then seized it with thin white thread.  This method is time consuming but it provides good looking results.
 
Well, I can happily report that I am now able to get back in the saddle, if only for short periods of time.  So I started by reading a lot and catching up on everything I had forgotten in the time.  After this initial perusal I realized that it was time to attach the 'stanchion rails' fore and aft - the 'final part' of the Dame which I had been leaving off in order to facilitate rigging.  So before starting the last aspects of the fore-and-aft rigging I have taken the plunge and 'finalized' this last 'structural' part of the build.  And I've been taking photos ...
 
The aft stanchion rails being put in place.


 
The curved portion on the end is a scratchbuilt replacement ... I think it blends in nicely.

 
The fore stanchion rails and the mini-pinrail attached.


 
I still have to fill the seams, sand and paint over the joins.  But it feels really good to be back at it after these months of recovery.  And it feels good to be able to say, "Be back soon with more!" 

The kit would have had me simply tie the lines to the ends of the boom/gaffs.  I dug out some 'leftover' ringbolts and modified the ends of the boom/gaffs to better reflect the 'real thing.'


 
The Gaffs with Vangs attached.


 
Attaching blocks to the Stays for the Fore and Aft Running Rigging.




 
And at this point I have 'caught up' to myself.  Soon after these photos were taken I suffered a slipped disc with accompanying sciatica and I am still recovering from that.  Thus I have not been able to continue rigging as I cannot sit for extended periods and to accomplish rigging requires just that.  This might have been more frustrating but the Great Crash gave me a focus to divert my creative need to rebuilding the Build Log.  Now that the Log has been restored I can focus on not going crazy waiting to continue the rigging.  

The kit would have had me simply tie the lines to the ends of the boom/gaffs.  I dug out some 'leftover' ringbolts and modified the ends of the boom/gaffs to better reflect the 'real thing.'


 
The Gaffs with Vangs attached.


 
Attaching blocks to the Stays for the Fore and Aft Running Rigging.




 
And at this point I have 'caught up' to myself.  Soon after these photos were taken I suffered a slipped disc with accompanying sciatica and I am still recovering from that.  Thus I have not been able to continue rigging as I cannot sit for extended periods and to accomplish rigging requires just that.  This might have been more frustrating but the Great Crash gave me a focus to divert my creative need to rebuilding the Build Log.  Now that the Log has been restored I can focus on not going crazy waiting to continue the rigging.  

The Main Royal Yard should have had a sheave hole for the Skysail sheets.  As I didn't notice this discrepancy until long after I had rigged it I started considering a cheat ... namely I'd glue the sheet lines to the Yard in a manner which 'faked' the look.

 
The Mizzen pinrails are full ... this presents an issue which I will discuss later ...

 
Silhouette shot.

 
More and more lines belayed to the pinrail.

 
Test fit of the Spencer Gaff.

 
Test fit of the Spanker boom and gaff.

 
Blocks for the boom sheets.

 
Blocks for the boom sheets and vangs.

 
Attaching the sheets and vangs.

Kevin - Thanks for the kind words 
 
We start this post with a view of the rigging in progress.

 
The pinrails start to get more crowded.


 
Lines and blocks.




 
Rope coils ready for placement.  Just for reference I use PVA diluted with a bit of ink and water, to 'fix' the upper loopover I use a touch of CA to hold it then it's locked with more PVA.

 
Starting to prep the Spanker boom.

The downhauls get belayed.



 
In 'reality' there would be a 'purchase' set up on the mast top for these lines.  But as the kit wasn't set up for that I chose to use rope coils to help disguise the inaccuracy.


 
Close up of the downhauls.

 
Making hanging rope coils is one thing, but for the 'flat' ones I used these tweezer end caps.  The conical shape allows for variable sizes if required.

 
More and more lines get belayed ...

 
The 'spiderweb' continues to form ...

 
Yet again 'faking' an 'eye' on a block to attach a line.

Using self closing long tweezers to brace a rope coil while it sets up.

 
I erred in the blocks I placed on the Yards in some cases.  Here is a shot (sorry it's blurry) of how I faked the second 'eye' on the end of a block in order to attach a clew line.

 
Main lower sheets 'draped' across the shrouds.

 
Lower sheet passed through the eye on the end of a clew block, then knotted.


 
Belaying the Clew lines.


 
Starting the downhauls for the Upper Tops'l Yards.

You can see the Clew lines with the Sheet running up to it and through the 'eye' on the end of the block.

 
A comparison shot of the wood blocks and the kit ones.

 
Sheets and Clews.

 
Main lower sheets wound round the winch drum.

 
Mizzen lower sheets run to the bitts.

 
Tying a Sheet block to a Clew block.

 
More lines belayed, more rope coils in place.

 
This is just the beginning yet I already felt confused by it all, lol.

 
Mizzen lower sheets belayed about the bitts.

 
Rope coils in place.

'Hauling up' the Royal Yards.


 
More and more lines get belayed.

 
Perspective angle.

 
The last Yard, being the Skysail, in place.


 
Close-up of Skysail Yard.

 
All Yards in place.

 
The production line to 'set up' the blocks for the next stage.

 
Sheets and Clew lines now appear.

Harvey, John & Popeye - Thanks for the kind words 
 
I'm still catching up at this point and I'm sad to say I have nothing 'new' to add yet as I'm still unable to sit for long enough to work on the Dame.  Frustrating, yes, but the coincidence in timing (slip a disc, the Great Crash occurs) makes me feel like some Greater Force is at work and I'm just getting caught in the undertow 
 
Here's some views of the Purchase for the Halliard.



 
A couple of reference photos, I think I used one of these on Facebook for a while ...


 
Attaching a 'single line' Halliard - I think is one of the Topgallant Yards.

 
A shot of the belaying point for the Purchase with rope coil in place.  I framed this to also give a nice view of the fife rail in the foreground.

 
The Cro'jack Halliard belayed - as mentioned before this is a single line Halliard.

 
A view of the Main Upper Tops'l Yard Halliard where it is belayed.

 
Here I was trying to mimic the angle of a photo of the real thing that I found on the Net.

The kit would have had me simply tie the lines to the ends of the boom/gaffs.  I dug out some 'leftover' ringbolts and modified the ends of the boom/gaffs to better reflect the 'real thing.'


 
The Gaffs with Vangs attached.


 
Attaching blocks to the Stays for the Fore and Aft Running Rigging.




 
And at this point I have 'caught up' to myself.  Soon after these photos were taken I suffered a slipped disc with accompanying sciatica and I am still recovering from that.  Thus I have not been able to continue rigging as I cannot sit for extended periods and to accomplish rigging requires just that.  This might have been more frustrating but the Great Crash gave me a focus to divert my creative need to rebuilding the Build Log.  Now that the Log has been restored I can focus on not going crazy waiting to continue the rigging.  

Harvey, John & Popeye - Thanks for the kind words 
 
I'm still catching up at this point and I'm sad to say I have nothing 'new' to add yet as I'm still unable to sit for long enough to work on the Dame.  Frustrating, yes, but the coincidence in timing (slip a disc, the Great Crash occurs) makes me feel like some Greater Force is at work and I'm just getting caught in the undertow 
 
Here's some views of the Purchase for the Halliard.



 
A couple of reference photos, I think I used one of these on Facebook for a while ...


 
Attaching a 'single line' Halliard - I think is one of the Topgallant Yards.

 
A shot of the belaying point for the Purchase with rope coil in place.  I framed this to also give a nice view of the fife rail in the foreground.

 
The Cro'jack Halliard belayed - as mentioned before this is a single line Halliard.

 
A view of the Main Upper Tops'l Yard Halliard where it is belayed.

 
Here I was trying to mimic the angle of a photo of the real thing that I found on the Net.

It would be kinda tough to measure out to 5 significant places.     When I was in Engineering the rule was:  "Measure with a laser inferometer.  Mark it with a piece of chalk.  And cut it with an axe."    

According to my wife, all I have are useless tools.

awesome work Sailcat, just awesome, great work on the decals too!! Who would've thought that wreck you started with would turn into a masterpiece !!
 
Frank

Hey Katz,
 
Just rejoined MSW and saw you are reposting your Cutty build log. Thanks, its a treasure trove for us all!
 
Will follow you from here.
 
Best wishes,
Hopeful aka David

she's looking great kats........you take care of yourself.....back problems are not good to ignore.   My admiral is disabled due to back problems.....I know how you must feel.   do a little at a time........don't rush.   don't worry about forgetting stuff......by now,  it's engrained into your memory......that is, if the ship isn't already built in your mind    always a treat to see!

Greetings
Here is a refurbished ship you may recognize , on a overcast day in Greenwich , keep enjoying your build DAVID

Producing 'home made' decals turned out to be involved but not impossible.  I first 'set up' the images using GIMP (a freeware version of Photoshop) and this involved lots of printing and checking.  Once I was satisfied with the 'templates' I then printed them onto 'printable' transparent plastic sheets (available at stationary and craft shops).


 
Because I was dealing with 'gold' and ink jet printers have issues with gold I chose to utilize the transparency and add the gold colour behind the printed image.


 
Scale view using a Canuck dime and (what else?) a Tic Tac.  For reference purposes - the 'surface' of the transparency where the ink jet ink was printed was 'sealed' with a carefully applied coat of clear matte.

 
Somewhere along the line I decided I wanted to include the bowsprit footropes.  At first I was worried but it turned out to be not too difficult, just touchy.  Here's the stirrups being 'tied on.'


 
"Seizing' the 'eyes' in the ends using needles.

 
Footropes passed through and then 'weighted' to create the proper hang effect.

David, Popeye & David - Thanks for your kind words and support     
 
And thanks for the photo 'Sid' David - it is an inspiration.
 
To continue with the reposting ... here are some views of the Fore and Aft standing rigging.


 
Attaching the chains aft ... these turned out nice.


 
Rigging lines in process, before dyeing and after in some cases.


 
Comparison of the sizes of the rigging lines.