Glenn-UK

Many thanks Alan

A few days away will be nice

Backstays I have now completed all work related adding the various backstays. Here are a couple of photo's showing the current build status, they are not great photos. The next photo shows the fore mast breast backstay. The next two photo's show the shifting backstays and the topsail and topgallant backstays The final photo shows the entire lower foremast with shrouds and backstays fitted. My wife and I have booked a short holiday for next week so I'm not expecting to make too much progress before we depart.

Main mast breast and shifting backstays, main topsail mast back stay and main topgallant mast backstay After a few days work all the various backstays required for the main mast, the main topsail mast and main topgallant mast have been rigged and belayed. I am very pleased with how the Indy is now looking. Moving forward the next few days will be spent adding the various backstays for the fore mast, the fore topsail mast and fore topgallant mast. I have attached a photo of the completed main backstays. The next two photos show the completed breast backstays, which have now been belayed to one of the main shroud cleats. The photo shows shifting backstay and the topsail and topgallant backstays. The next photo shows the belaying of the shifting backstay to a belay pin The final photo is a close up of the shifting stay eyebolt and block

Main Breast Backstay Installation Following on my last post I thought I would share the method I used to install the main breast backstay. With reference to the photo below I started by wrapping the backstay around the main topgallant mast and adjusted the height of the block seized to the end of the backstay to the required height. Once I was happy with the position I used a clamp to hold the backstay in the required position. Maybe I should have seized it to the main topsail mast rather than the main topgallant mast but I am happy with what I have done therefore there is no need for anyone to comment on this aspect / error. The eyebolts were dry fitted to the main channel, and clamps were used to hold them in place. In the next photo the inter-block rigging has been added so that the lower block position could be checked with regards to the final belaying point, which is one of the shroud cleats, 2nd one in from the right as indicated by one of the yellow arrows. Once I was happy with how everything looked the inter-block rigging was removed and then the backstay was seized, as shown by the yellow arrow. Next the two eyebolts were glued in place. I did trim and then bend the excess eyebolt material under the channel. The inter-block rigging was then added and the backstay was tensioned. I will belay the rigging to the shroud cleat later on in the rigging process. The un-belayed end of the rigging thread is indicated by the yellow arrow.

Mizzen Mast Backstays I seem to have spent quite a bit of time in the shipyard but there is no much sign of any real progress. I am currently working on adding the various backstays and the preparation work is quite time consuming. I have moved the Indy to a different work area which allows me all round access which is much better when adding the rigging. The down side is it not possible to take good photos due to the open backgrounds. I started with the mizzen mast and this was the best photo showing the mizzen topsail and topgallant backstays. Taking close up pictures is not such a problem and the next photo shows the upper mizzen topsail mast platform where the topsail backstays are positioned and dropped down through the rear crosstrees. And now a photo showing the backstay deadeyes. Main Mast Breast Backstay The fore and main breast backstays are quite involved, each requiring a three block belaying arrangement. In the next photo I have shown the two upper blocks. The next shows all three blocks and this backstay arrangement is now ready to be installed. However before I do this I need to make up the other 3 breast backstays arrangements.

Stays and Preventors I have finally completed adding all the stays and preventors for the mizzen, main, and fore lower, topsail and topgallant masts. The sprit topmast and flying jibboom have also been added to the bowsprit. I am reasonably happy with how the Indy is looking at the moment. There is still a few more months work ahead required to complete the build. The first photo shows the Mizzen mast. The next photo shows the belaying arrangement for the mizzen topsail and topgallant stays, located on the main mast lower platform. I did have to redo the mizzen topsail stay as I was not very happy with the end result after I had added the mizzen topgallant mast stay. The next photo shows the main mast stays The next photo shows the main topsail and topgallant stays belaying arrangement on the foremast lower platform The next photo shows the belaying on the main topsail stay and preventor at deck level. The next photo shows the foremast stays The top gallant stay and flying jibboom stays are fed through the dolphin striker, as shown in the next photo. The fore topsail stay and preventor are taken through the bees, as shown in the next photo. Some close up detail of the sprit topmast and flying jibboom arrangements in the next couple of photos. The next photo shows the fore topsail preventor and flying jibboom belaying arrangement at the bow. There is a similar belaying arrangement on the port side bow for the fore topsail stay and fore topgallant stay,

Congrats on completing a superb build.

Enjoying your progress. I think the Brig Adder will be my next build once I have completed the Indy in a few months time. I really like the look of the curved bow.

In answer to your question, I have no idea.

Main and Fore Topsail Mast Stay Belaying Blocks As indicated in my previous post the belaying of the main and fore topsail mast stays are via a blocking arrangement, as can be seen in the photo below. The smaller lower block requires a thimble and hook adding. The upper section consists of two blocks, with a thimble added to the larger top block. In the ensuing text and associated photos I have detailed the method I have used to make this blocking arrangement. The lower block This is a single block with a thimble at the top of the block. A hook is seized to the bottom of the block. To start this process I took a length of 0.5mm black thread and wrapped it around a metal rod which was held in the quad hands, as shown in the photo below. Using some 0.1mm black thread to add the seizing i was able to create the required thimble, as can be seen in the next photo. The block was then placed in the quad hands and the thread was then added. In the next photo the block is now ready to be seized. Once the block was seized, one of the thread ends was cut away and the hook was then threaded on the remaining thread end. This is shown on the next photo. The thread end was then clamped to the side of the block. I have shown this arrangement in the next photo and the hook is now ready to have the seizing applied. Once the hook has been seized the excess thread can be removed. The next photo shows the completed block. The double block This is a more complicated arrangement as it consists of two block seized together with a thimble on the top of the larger block. I started with a length of 0.5mm black thread which was secured to the smaller lower black with a simple cross over knot, as can be seen in the next photo The two blocks are then held in the quad hands and the seizing is added. One of the free thread ends was then removed. The thimble is formed by holding the thread to the side of the block, as shown in the next photo. Once the thimble has been seized the excess thread is removed. The completed double block is shown in the next photo. The first set of blocks for the topsail stays is now completed. I will now repeat the above process to make three more blocking sets.

Topgallant Shrouds I have now added the shrouds to the fore, main and mizzen topgallant masts. Fore topgallant mast shrouds Main topgallant mast shrouds Mizzen topgallant mast shrouds The topsail and topgallant stays have also been added but have not been belayed. This will be my next task and there is quite a bit of work required in belaying these stays with the blocking arrangements. I have attached a couple of examples.

Possibly, not shown on the build plans. I am content with what I have done.

Topsail mast, the topgallant mast will slot in square hole between the stays.

Topgallant Yard Lift Blocks I spend the last couple of days adding the all the shroud cleats. When looking at the plan sheets with regards to the topgallant shrouds I noted that I need to add blocks for the topgallant yard lifts as these are sited between the first and second topsail shrouds. It makes sense to me to fit these before the topgallant shrouds are added. In the first photo below I have shown the arrangement I am using for these blocks. The large loop can be passed over the top of the topsail mast. The block is used for the topgallant lift and the bottom end is then belayed to one of the topsail shroud cleats. The next photo shows the arrangement is place.