EdT

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 318 – Running Rigging Continued
 
It's been at least a few weeks since the last post.  Apologies.  Work is proceeding, but a lot is repetitive.  The first picture shows some straightening of footrope stirrups, in this case on one of the completed foremast yards.
 
 
The stirrups are straightened by hanging weighted clamps, then soaked with dilute dark glue.
 
The next picture shows the tangle of running rigging lines on the deck aft of the main mast. 
 

 
These excess lengths are being left until all the lines are adjusted for tension.  This makes for a mess and some tangles among lines, but this is preferred to rerunning an entire line if it has been cut short and later removal from the pin is required.
 
The next picture shows the lower topsail yard on the mizzen that has just been set.
 
 
The buntlines and upper topsail sheet tackles have been rigged.  The tackles are hooked to the rim of the top and tied off to themselves.  The chains for these run through the sheet block, under the yard, and through the cheek blocks with the short lengths above the yard tied off to the jackstays.  The sheet chains for the lower topsail yard are as yet unconnected to the clewlines.  The port chain is hanging vertically while the one on this side is draped on the lower yard.  These will be the next lines rigged.
 
The next picture shows the mizzen topmast stay and the running rigging for its staysail.
 
 
There were three staysails on each mast.  The halyard is tied off to the stay at the top, then run down along the stay to a block, then back to another block at the top of the stay, then directly down to the deck.  At the lower end, the downhauler is tied to the lower block, then runs through a lead block and down behind the top to belay on the foremast fife rail just forward of the cabin – the most difficult belaying point to reach at this stage on the model. 
 
Work has finally begun on the yard braces, the last major rigging task.  The braces for the fore royal and skysail have been run and are shown in the next picture.
 
 
Braces are left until last to permit access.  Outboard lines are a major obstacle.  For some weeks now I have been regretting the early running of lower yard bowlines and crojack braces.  The black pendants on the royal braces makes those more visible, as opposed to the small, light-colored lines that attach directly to the ends of the skysail yard.  The next picture shows the running parts of the royal braces at the top of the topgallant stay.
 
 
The lines run from the yard pendant blocks, through the two blocks on the stay, through single blocks lashed to the royal shrouds, then down to the deck.  The other single block under the stay is for its staysail halyard.  Next is another picture of the braces on the two uppermost fore yards.
 
 
 
The main skysail stay is also shown running down to its termination in the topgallant crosstrees.  The rigging aft of the fore topmast crosstrees is shown in the last picture.  As may be seen, the rigging is very dense and running each new line without fouling is an issue.  Two or three reruns are often necessary.
 
 
This picture also gives a good view of the "no-sails" staysail halyard and downhauler rigging at the lower end of the stay that is typical of staysail lines.  The halyard block and the downhauler are fixed to a shackle tied off to the stay.  This shackle would be attached to head of the staysail before hauling it up the stay.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 318 – Running Rigging Continued
 
It's been at least a few weeks since the last post.  Apologies.  Work is proceeding, but a lot is repetitive.  The first picture shows some straightening of footrope stirrups, in this case on one of the completed foremast yards.
 
 
The stirrups are straightened by hanging weighted clamps, then soaked with dilute dark glue.
 
The next picture shows the tangle of running rigging lines on the deck aft of the main mast. 
 

 
These excess lengths are being left until all the lines are adjusted for tension.  This makes for a mess and some tangles among lines, but this is preferred to rerunning an entire line if it has been cut short and later removal from the pin is required.
 
The next picture shows the lower topsail yard on the mizzen that has just been set.
 
 
The buntlines and upper topsail sheet tackles have been rigged.  The tackles are hooked to the rim of the top and tied off to themselves.  The chains for these run through the sheet block, under the yard, and through the cheek blocks with the short lengths above the yard tied off to the jackstays.  The sheet chains for the lower topsail yard are as yet unconnected to the clewlines.  The port chain is hanging vertically while the one on this side is draped on the lower yard.  These will be the next lines rigged.
 
The next picture shows the mizzen topmast stay and the running rigging for its staysail.
 
 
There were three staysails on each mast.  The halyard is tied off to the stay at the top, then run down along the stay to a block, then back to another block at the top of the stay, then directly down to the deck.  At the lower end, the downhauler is tied to the lower block, then runs through a lead block and down behind the top to belay on the foremast fife rail just forward of the cabin – the most difficult belaying point to reach at this stage on the model. 
 
Work has finally begun on the yard braces, the last major rigging task.  The braces for the fore royal and skysail have been run and are shown in the next picture.
 
 
Braces are left until last to permit access.  Outboard lines are a major obstacle.  For some weeks now I have been regretting the early running of lower yard bowlines and crojack braces.  The black pendants on the royal braces makes those more visible, as opposed to the small, light-colored lines that attach directly to the ends of the skysail yard.  The next picture shows the running parts of the royal braces at the top of the topgallant stay.
 
 
The lines run from the yard pendant blocks, through the two blocks on the stay, through single blocks lashed to the royal shrouds, then down to the deck.  The other single block under the stay is for its staysail halyard.  Next is another picture of the braces on the two uppermost fore yards.
 
 
 
The main skysail stay is also shown running down to its termination in the topgallant crosstrees.  The rigging aft of the fore topmast crosstrees is shown in the last picture.  As may be seen, the rigging is very dense and running each new line without fouling is an issue.  Two or three reruns are often necessary.
 
 
This picture also gives a good view of the "no-sails" staysail halyard and downhauler rigging at the lower end of the stay that is typical of staysail lines.  The halyard block and the downhauler are fixed to a shackle tied off to the stay.  This shackle would be attached to head of the staysail before hauling it up the stay.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 318 – Running Rigging Continued
 
It's been at least a few weeks since the last post.  Apologies.  Work is proceeding, but a lot is repetitive.  The first picture shows some straightening of footrope stirrups, in this case on one of the completed foremast yards.
 
 
The stirrups are straightened by hanging weighted clamps, then soaked with dilute dark glue.
 
The next picture shows the tangle of running rigging lines on the deck aft of the main mast. 
 

 
These excess lengths are being left until all the lines are adjusted for tension.  This makes for a mess and some tangles among lines, but this is preferred to rerunning an entire line if it has been cut short and later removal from the pin is required.
 
The next picture shows the lower topsail yard on the mizzen that has just been set.
 
 
The buntlines and upper topsail sheet tackles have been rigged.  The tackles are hooked to the rim of the top and tied off to themselves.  The chains for these run through the sheet block, under the yard, and through the cheek blocks with the short lengths above the yard tied off to the jackstays.  The sheet chains for the lower topsail yard are as yet unconnected to the clewlines.  The port chain is hanging vertically while the one on this side is draped on the lower yard.  These will be the next lines rigged.
 
The next picture shows the mizzen topmast stay and the running rigging for its staysail.
 
 
There were three staysails on each mast.  The halyard is tied off to the stay at the top, then run down along the stay to a block, then back to another block at the top of the stay, then directly down to the deck.  At the lower end, the downhauler is tied to the lower block, then runs through a lead block and down behind the top to belay on the foremast fife rail just forward of the cabin – the most difficult belaying point to reach at this stage on the model. 
 
Work has finally begun on the yard braces, the last major rigging task.  The braces for the fore royal and skysail have been run and are shown in the next picture.
 
 
Braces are left until last to permit access.  Outboard lines are a major obstacle.  For some weeks now I have been regretting the early running of lower yard bowlines and crojack braces.  The black pendants on the royal braces makes those more visible, as opposed to the small, light-colored lines that attach directly to the ends of the skysail yard.  The next picture shows the running parts of the royal braces at the top of the topgallant stay.
 
 
The lines run from the yard pendant blocks, through the two blocks on the stay, through single blocks lashed to the royal shrouds, then down to the deck.  The other single block under the stay is for its staysail halyard.  Next is another picture of the braces on the two uppermost fore yards.
 
 
 
The main skysail stay is also shown running down to its termination in the topgallant crosstrees.  The rigging aft of the fore topmast crosstrees is shown in the last picture.  As may be seen, the rigging is very dense and running each new line without fouling is an issue.  Two or three reruns are often necessary.
 
 
This picture also gives a good view of the "no-sails" staysail halyard and downhauler rigging at the lower end of the stay that is typical of staysail lines.  The halyard block and the downhauler are fixed to a shackle tied off to the stay.  This shackle would be attached to head of the staysail before hauling it up the stay.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 318 – Running Rigging Continued
 
It's been at least a few weeks since the last post.  Apologies.  Work is proceeding, but a lot is repetitive.  The first picture shows some straightening of footrope stirrups, in this case on one of the completed foremast yards.
 
 
The stirrups are straightened by hanging weighted clamps, then soaked with dilute dark glue.
 
The next picture shows the tangle of running rigging lines on the deck aft of the main mast. 
 

 
These excess lengths are being left until all the lines are adjusted for tension.  This makes for a mess and some tangles among lines, but this is preferred to rerunning an entire line if it has been cut short and later removal from the pin is required.
 
The next picture shows the lower topsail yard on the mizzen that has just been set.
 
 
The buntlines and upper topsail sheet tackles have been rigged.  The tackles are hooked to the rim of the top and tied off to themselves.  The chains for these run through the sheet block, under the yard, and through the cheek blocks with the short lengths above the yard tied off to the jackstays.  The sheet chains for the lower topsail yard are as yet unconnected to the clewlines.  The port chain is hanging vertically while the one on this side is draped on the lower yard.  These will be the next lines rigged.
 
The next picture shows the mizzen topmast stay and the running rigging for its staysail.
 
 
There were three staysails on each mast.  The halyard is tied off to the stay at the top, then run down along the stay to a block, then back to another block at the top of the stay, then directly down to the deck.  At the lower end, the downhauler is tied to the lower block, then runs through a lead block and down behind the top to belay on the foremast fife rail just forward of the cabin – the most difficult belaying point to reach at this stage on the model. 
 
Work has finally begun on the yard braces, the last major rigging task.  The braces for the fore royal and skysail have been run and are shown in the next picture.
 
 
Braces are left until last to permit access.  Outboard lines are a major obstacle.  For some weeks now I have been regretting the early running of lower yard bowlines and crojack braces.  The black pendants on the royal braces makes those more visible, as opposed to the small, light-colored lines that attach directly to the ends of the skysail yard.  The next picture shows the running parts of the royal braces at the top of the topgallant stay.
 
 
The lines run from the yard pendant blocks, through the two blocks on the stay, through single blocks lashed to the royal shrouds, then down to the deck.  The other single block under the stay is for its staysail halyard.  Next is another picture of the braces on the two uppermost fore yards.
 
 
 
The main skysail stay is also shown running down to its termination in the topgallant crosstrees.  The rigging aft of the fore topmast crosstrees is shown in the last picture.  As may be seen, the rigging is very dense and running each new line without fouling is an issue.  Two or three reruns are often necessary.
 
 
This picture also gives a good view of the "no-sails" staysail halyard and downhauler rigging at the lower end of the stay that is typical of staysail lines.  The halyard block and the downhauler are fixed to a shackle tied off to the stay.  This shackle would be attached to head of the staysail before hauling it up the stay.
 
Ed

Lovely work, Frank.  Lovely.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 253 – Wooden Blocks
 
There are well over 500 blocks on the model, ranging from 15" in shell length down to 4".  These include triple, double, and single blocks.  Some will be iron strapped, some spliced to pendants, but most will be rope strapped.  "Strap" seems to be the American usage for the word "strop" so I will adopt it for this American ship.
 
Some of these blocks, in a range of sizes, will need to be fitted to the lower fore yard before it is installed.  To avoid getting into one-at-a-time, piecemeal work, some mass production was adopted.  So the next major task will be to make at least a substantial portion of the full requirement.  The few blocks installed so far were leftovers from a previous model.
 
At the outset of the rigging work a detailed "Rigging List" was developed to describe every line on the model, including its components.  From this, a count of blocks of each type of block was tabulated.  To that was added an estimate for studding sail blocks.  Those lines are not included on the list.
 
The blocks are being made from my best quality European boxwood – for hardness, strength, and color.  Whenever I dip into what I have left of this wood, I immediately get frugal about waste.  For the full supply of blocks, I sliced off a wood blank about 2" wide, 8" long, and slightly thicker than the shell breadth of the largest size, 15" blocks.  The first picture shows strips sliced from this plank for all the larger blocks – down to 9" singles.
 

 
Using the thickness sander, the 2" wide blank was first reduced in thickness to the shell breadth of the 15" blocks.  A single strip was then sliced from this at the single block width.  There are no 15" doubles or triples.  For the next size down, the 12" blocks, the blank was again reduced in thickness.  Adequate strips for triple, double and single widths were sliced off that – and so on.  This one blank may suffice for all the blocks.
 
The pictures below show work on the 12" triple blocks.  I was surprised at the number of these – about 25 as I recall.  Their use in triple-purchase tackles for topsail sheets account for most of these.
 
To mass produce the blocks to specified dimensions, a table of block dimensions for each size was used to produce a drilling pattern and sequence.  This was used to drill correctly spaced holes in each strip, starting with transverse holes at the ends of the shells to delineate length and also to provide a slight top and bottom groove to seat the strapping.  This is shown in the next picture.
 

 
Before drilling, a shallow groove was scraped along the strip on both outer shell sides.  This is a modeling convenience that helps in seating the straps, especially  the round copper wire "iron" straps that will be filed flat on the outside.  Scrapers for this were made by machine grinding a razor blade for each shell breadth. 
 
  The next picture shows the strip rotated in the vise for drilling of the smaller, 1½" (.022") sheave holes – six in each of these triple blocks.
 
 
 
All holes were located using the calculated spacings, set by the mill's calibrated wheels. In the picture, the center row has been drilled and one of the outer rows is in progress.  These holes are very close together, so sharp bits, short bit projection, high speed, and very light feed are essential.  Even at that, the entry point of the drill in these unmarked holes may vary by a few thousandths as may be seen in the next photo.
 

 
Next, slots were pared out between the sheave holes and the sheave curvature cut, using a small chisel as shown in the next picture.
 

 
The chisel width was ground to match the drill size and then downsized for each smaller size of block.  The next picture shows the strip after this slotting work.
 

 
A knife edge file was then used to mark all four faces at the separation points using the first-drilled, transverse holes as guides.  The blocks were then given a preliminary rounding with a barrette file while still attached as shown in the next picture.
 
 
 The next picture shows blocks being cut from the strip using a fine-bladed jewelers saw. 
 

 
Each block was then rounded to its final shape using a sanding strip.  The last picture shows the finished set of 12" blocks, including two with iron strapping and hooks.
 

 
The strapping on the two blocks shown will be blackened.  The single blocks to the left have not yet been fully rounded.
 
 
Ed

Lovely work, Frank.  Lovely.
 
Ed

Lovely work, Frank.  Lovely.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 184 – Case Base
 
First let me thank those of you who commented on the last post and all who have commented in the past.  Your thoughts have been very much appreciated.
 
Having started this log with the drafting of the plans, It seems reasonable to continue to the very end with the construction of the display case.  In this part I will discuss the base, which I needed in order to take final photos of the model for Volume II.
 
The case is designed so the model can be displayed on the base with the top removed.  The top will later be made, glazed with cell-cast Plexiglas® sheet.  The corner posts will be installed in square mortises in the corners of the base, screwed from the inside and will be removable..
 
In the first picture, the long wide 4/4 K/D cherry plank shown in the last part has been cut in two.  It will be edge joined to form the base panel.  This piece was left over from the material for the Victory case.
 

 
The pieces are oriented so the grain will hide the center joint line.  The faces to be joined are not quite straight and will need some work to fit neatly.  In the next picture the joint edges are being squared and straightened using a 22” joiner plane.  This long plane will straighten the edge, but care (and patience) is needed to make it square.
 

 
Finally after a fair amount of test fitting and planing the two pieces are matched and ready for gluing. 
 

 
Titebond dark glue has been applied to both edges in this picture and the pieces will next be positioned and held in place with pipe clamps until dry – as shown in the next picture.
 

 
This picture shows the top of the base panel.  It is still damp from washing the excess glue from the surface.  Most of the joint will later be covered with wood chocks to simulate a shipway of sorts. 
 
In the next picture the top panel has been cut to size and sanded.  Side rails have been molded and are being fastened to the top panel using corner pieces that will also hold the vertical case stanchions, plus glue blocks along the inside corners.  Since the inside corner pieces are glued on their end grain, they are also screwed to the sides.
 

 
The next picture shows the case posts being fit into the corner mortises.
 

 
These posts will later be cut to length and slotted to fit the glass.  Note in this picture that the side rails were rabbeted on the inside top edge to form the base slots for the glass.
 
In the next picture wood chocks for the shipway are being installed down the center.
 

 
 The blue tape defines the line for these and the pieces at the sides set the spacing.  In the next picture the model has been brought back to mark the holes through the base.
 

 
Holes were then drilled to accept the original bolts used to hold the model to the building board.  The model was then set up and aligned so the side supporting struts could be fitted and glued between extended chocks as shown.
 
In the next picture the base has been lightly stained and a polyeurthane wipe-on finish is being applied in several coats.
 

 
Finally, a picture of the model on the finished base.
 

 
Later, when I complete the case I will post that construction.
 
 
Ed

Martin, I do not intend to paint anything. We do not know what the original decoration was so this is all speculative. We do know that at the time, the Admiralty was cracking down on decorative carving and trying (we don't know how successfully) to eliminate it.
 
Yes Druxey, I agree on the open space. A few months ago I added some more water lilies. If I were doing these figures again, I believe I would also extend the arms of the figures just outside the ports up to the cap rail as in the original painting. I don't have the heart for that at this stage, although I may include a pattern for that pose in Vol2.
 
Attached photo taken in February.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 143–Stern Galleries 9–
Taffrail Figures Cont.
Posted 7/16/12
 
The work on the stern galleries continues. Progress seems slow. There has been a lot of rework. In the first picture the holes for the two chase ports are finally getting cut.
 
 

 
After drilling holes as shown, the rough opening was cut using a jeweler’s saw and the holes were refined to the line on the pattern with files followed by a sanding dowel.
 
The next picture shows the beading for one of the holes
 

 
These were turned on the lathe from a piece of flat stock glued to a chucked piece with paper between the pieces. The inner diameter was turned first to match the opening and the outer diameter turned to give the width of the bead.
 
At the same time work on the two figures over the stern windows was completed. The two are shown in the next picture picture as they near completion.
 

 
These are a later version of the same pose shown in an earlier post - with more relief – but they are still friezes, not fully sculpted figure like the quarter posts. They were carved stepwise together to help keep the similar.
 
The next picture shows the second figure being glued to the taffrail.
 

 
Before this step and after removal from the carving block the carvings were sanded on the back surface to a thinner depth and the back of the figures carved to add some relief. Starting with a thicker carving blank allows for some error and some flexibility in the amount of relief of each part of the pose. This can be seen in the next picture..
 

 
The back sides of the head, arm and leg in this view can be seen to be carved back where the meet the taffrail.
 
The next picture shows the inverted model at its current stage.
 

 
The aft windows of the quarter galleries have be reworked to incorporate a solid panel behind the simulated window grid. This seems to have been the most common practice for these windows.
 
The last picture is another view of the stern at present.
 

 
The central figure for the taffrail has not yet been added. There is also some additional “gingerbread” in the form of water lily carvings to be added, perhaps some additional bead rails and the name board.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 142–Stern Galleries 8–Quarter Gallery Windows
Posted 7/16/12
 
There were some comments on milling the windows. Milling these small pieces, for me at least, was the easiest part of the job – compared to assembling these and fitting them into the window openings. These later steps require a steady hand and that is a problem. The first picture shows the milling setup used to notch the pieces
.
 

 
The slotting saw blade is about 2” thick (.028”). The only one I had of this size was 4” in diameter, hence the oversize blade in the picture. Two-inch thick stock is held down in the jig with two screws with large round heads. The angle is set to the angle of the windows, in this case the quarter gallery windows. A small strip helps keep the wood tight to the jig, but many of the cuts required holding down the piece. Once set up the cutting of the slots was easy using the calibrated wheels to match the 9” x 10” size of the panes.
 
The next step is a bit more fun. The next picture shows a window being assembled.
 
 

 
In the next picture an inside grille is being fit into its frame.
 
 
 
 

 
This was done by sanding the frames until they just fit. The inside grilles were installed deep enough in the frame to allow a second grille to be fit over the glass – a piece of transparency film.
 
In the next picture the forward window with its glass and outer grille has been installed.
 

 
The outer grille of the second window is fit into place and slight differences between the inner and outer matching grilles are being filed out. Also, a slight bevel was put on the outer mullions at this stage. The outer grille was then removed, the glass fitted and the grille glued back in over it.
 
The last picture shows the finished quarter gallery windows.
 

 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 138–Stern Galleries 4 –Quarter Piece Figures
Posted 6/18/12
 
The ratio of hours spent per cubic inch of wood has been skyrocketing lately. The work is still being driven by the necessary construction sequence. As I mentioned earlier, I want to finish all the work that requires the hull to be upside down before returning to the detailing of the quarterdeck, so this meant doing all the stern detailing earlier than expected.
 
The first picture shows the stools and rim for the port quarter galleries being installed.
 
 

 
The next required timbers are the quarter pieces, which need to be in place before the quarter gallery windows are done. To do the quarter pieces I wanted to have the quarter piece figures carved so all this could be fit up together.
 
The next picture shows the final (I think) design for the quarter piece figures.
 

 
Several versions of these figures have been developed and some carved and fit up. In this picture, patterns for the figures for both sides have been pasted to pieces of European boxwood and the shapes cut out on the scroll saw.
 
There is no decoration plan for Naiad, so these figures are speculative. Naiads were fresh water nymphs so I wanted the figures to appear young and graceful. I looked at a lot of 19th century romantic artwork featuring mythological nymphs before settling on a design. In a previous post I showed an early version of the figures to be used toward the center of the taffrail. Those will be redone.
 
In the next picture these have been glued to a wood block with a layer of paper in between to allow them to be removed easily. Carving has begun. The plan was to carve these together to assure that they were at least similar.
 

 
This approach worked well. I had also made rough mockups of the taffrail figures using epoxy modeling compound. This was helpful in determining the amount of relief needed in various places on the figures. For the final carvings I started with the faces and if they looked Ok moved on to areas that needed to be deep. Both rotary tools and small carving tools were used.
 
The next picture shows one of the figures pasted in place temporarily on the starboard quarter piece to check for fit.
 

 
The figure is not finished, but the back has been sanded back to fit against the taffrail and post. The next picture was taken at the same time.
 

 
This picture helps give an idea of the proportions. I resized these a couple of times. There is a cap rail to be fitted on top of the taffrail. The figures hand will rest on this. The next picture shows the figure on the other side being fit in the same way.
 
 

 
The next picture shows the stern with both figures further along and pasted in place again. There was a lot of this back and forth.
 

 
In the last picture the figures have again been returned to the wood block for more detailing and polishing.
 
 

 
Hopefully the final refinements on these will get them to a finished state.
 
Once these are installed I will probably move on to all the windows. I’d like to do all these at once – rear and sides.
 
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 74 –Port Sills 2
Posted 5/7/11
 
 
The sills for all the ports on the starboard side were completed today and the hull given a pretty complete sanding to fair out the new pieces. The picture below shows these ports.. The quarterdeck ports are a mix of larger, deeper ports for the four 32 pounder carronades and smaller, higher ports for the eight 9 pounder guns carried on this deck.
 

 
The tops of the timbers still require some work in the area of the quarterdeck. First the recently added timbers and stubs need their tops leveled off. Also a decision needs to be made on which timbers to take to the full height. Naiads’s drafts show only the timbers framing the ports going to the full height and no “berthing up” of the quarterdeck, but by 1797 it is unlikely that she would have gone down the ways without these barricades. And if she did her captain would certainly have added them to protect himself and his crew on this very exposed deck. The drawings for the model and the model itself at this stage have them all going the full height so the final decision could be made later. A number of other frigate drafts show one intermediate timber going full height and one draft actually shows them all going full height.
 
The next picture shows the opening to the quarter galleries with a new timber on its top sill and this illustrates the work needed to level all these off. The pine spacers will be around for a while here to hold this fragile cantilevered structure from falling off.
 

 
The next picture just shows more of the quarterdeck ports. Framing these required some departure in the lines of the frames but all is in accordance with the original framing draft.
 

 
The next picture shows the ports in the waist and the four sweep ports.
 

 
The next picture is a view from below.
 
 

 
Hopefully the unsightly pine spacers at about the level of the wale will soon be gone.
 
The next picture shows the work done on the timbers in the forecastle area.
 

 
There is an opening at the height of the forecastle rail on each side for the two 9 pounders that round out the 38 gun battery. This did not require a sill, Also, there were two carronade ports on each side of the forecastle and these have been framed in above the first and second upper deck gun ports. The ports nearest the bow are the bridle ports and not one of the 14 on each side that count in making up the battery of twenty-eight 18 pounders on the upper deck. These were a late addition in the design and could be available as chase ports.
 
Naiad, like all the earlier 38 gun frigates suffered from too many guns on too short a deck. The earliest versions, the Minerva Class (1778) and Latona (1779) had a gun deck of 141 feet and room only for 14 ports in total and even these were pushed too far forward and aft. The Artois Class (1793), of which the best-known example is Diana, had a 146 foot gun deck but still only 14 ports. This enabled the first guns to be set back further but in this location were not good as chase guns. Naiad (1795) went to 147 feet and as an afterthought added the fifteenth port, which would normally not be filled, but could be if needed. Even at this longer length, Naiad was given to pitching. It would take a few years, but the best performing classes of 38’s would feature gun decks of well over 150 feet. (The dates are design dates.)
 
The last picture shows the full model from forward.
 
 

 
Those with good eyesight and a critical eye will notice a bit of a patch job on the timber framing the aft side of port 2. Replacing this entire timber would have been a very big job and all would have been covered by planking, so I am considering it a field repair of battle damage. So much for perfection.
 
In addition to the port work all the timbers on the forecastle have been cut down to final size on this side – unlike the forrest on the port side.
 
It is now time to move to the unplanked port side, where mistakes cannot be buried.
 
 
Ed

Sincere condolences, Pat.  A loss to the craft, for sure.
 
Ed

Beautiful work, Pat. 

Beautiful work, Pat. 

Beautiful work, Pat. 

Ship-shape and Bristol-fashion, Pat 👍  I like those bollards/bitts with the lips to keep the chain from wedging itself. Made a couple of those a few months ago and wonder, how you did them ?
 
Those compressors behind the capstan look a bit strange to me. They look more like the chain-stoppers that are usually found just behind the hawse-hole - you have one on her port side. These compressors are normally found above the chain-locker, to prevent the chain from slipping out, and have a horizontal lever the squeezes the chain against the pipe leading down into the locker. The lever is operated with a small tackle. Is this a different model ?

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 317 – Upper Yards - Main
 
On the fore upper yards, I attached most of the rigging, including the long lines of running rigging, to the yards before erecting the assembly of the pole mast with the royal and skysail yards mounted.  This was a bit of a mess, due to of the number of lines and also because many needed to be coiled to avoid tangle.  This left some kinked and fuzzy.  For the main upper yards pictured below, only the standing rigging, and not all of that, was attached at the bench.
 

 
In the picture, the royal stay and royal backstays go down at the bottom of the picture.  Standing lifts were installed over a grid to help level them.  I noticed later the missing footropes on the skysail.  These will have to be fitted later on the model.  Can't wait.  The next picture shows the above assembly erected on the mast.
 
 
Despite best efforts at the bench, the port, royal standing lift had to be removed and installed in place to level the yard.  Some loose ends need to be clipped off and the wire sheet chains are still on the loose.  The next picture is closer.
 
 
The next step was to run the falls from the two skysail sheet chains dangling below the center of the royal yard.  That has been completed in the next picture.
 
 
The upper arrow points to one of the skysail sheets.  These run all the way down to the main deck, passing through fairleads in the main top.  After belaying, these lines get a lot of tension adjustment to pull down evenly on the yard and make the standing lifts – lower arrow – taut.  To do this, I pull down on the fall with tweezers above the pin, then haul on the loose end.  No glue on the belaying point until all the lines are run and adjusted.  The next picture shows the fore and main upper masts.
 
 
The height of these masts is impressive – the main extends 180 feet above the deck.  The fore royal stay has been run in this picture.  The tension between that and the two backstays sets the straightness of the mast.  The last picture shows the lower end of the main royal stay.
 
 
The 4 1/2" stay descends from the upper left corner of the photo through a bullseye strapped to the main topmast head.  The loose ends of the splice between the masts have not yet been clipped off.  The free end of the stay is clamped taut above the picture so the seizings may be tied at the lower end where it is fastened to an eyebolt under the leathered stays.  The gang of stays and shrouds made this a difficult connection.  I had to resort to a hook to the barely reachable eyebolt.  A shackle on this would have made life easier, but too late for that.  Drawing/Rigging List revision is pending for those that follow.  An alternative sometimes used was to strap an eye to the top forward stay collar, but this would have had to be done before setting the collar.
 
Ed

Oh my, Doris.  You are a sorceress with paper.  It blows my mind.
 
Ed

Oh my, Doris.  You are a sorceress with paper.  It blows my mind.
 
Ed

Oh my, Doris.  You are a sorceress with paper.  It blows my mind.
 
Ed

Sincere condolences, Pat.  A loss to the craft, for sure.
 
Ed

Beautiful work on that winch, Pat.
 
Ed