Glenn-UK

Main Yard Sheet and Clew Line This was an interesting and time consuming task to complete. I started the process by making the double block arrangement which are joined together and a separate line with a toggle is passed through one of thimbles on these blocks. These blocks were then secured to the main yard and the free end was then passed through one of the yard blocks before it was taken down to the deck level. The free end was belayed to the bitt rack located on the gun deck. The line with the toggle was fed though a hole on the hull and then belayed to an internal cleat located under the gangway. This was very tricky to complete due to the access. The final task was to run the rigging from the other block. One end was secured outside the hull using an eyebolt. The other end was fed through the hull and then belayed to an internal cleat.

You are correct, many thanks.

Mizzen Yard Topgallant Sheet and Clew Line I have now added the topgallant sheet and clew lines to mizzen mast. I thought I would document the process I followed to complete this task. I started with adding a toggle to the clew line. The toggle is simply a small length of thread which had been stiffened by CA glue. A simple knot (as shown on the plan sheet) was used to secure the toggle to the clew line. This is shown in the photo below, noting the toggle is longer than required and will be trimmed once the topgallant sheet has been attached. Next I created a loop in one end of the topgallant sheet line, as shown below. The loop will be pulled tight over the toggle before the excess thread is trimmed. The completed join between the clew line and sheet is shown below. The clew line was then fed through the block on the topgallant yard and then the free end was taken down to the poop deck ready to be belayed. The topgallant sheet line was then fed through two blocks on the topsail yard and was then taken down to the poop deck to be belayed. Once the topgallant sheet and clew lines were adjusted they were belayed. I started with belaying the topgallant sheet to the bitt rack. The topgallant clew line was then belayed to one of the mizzen mast shroud cleats.

Mizzen Topsail Sheet and Clew LineOnce again it has been to warm to spend much time in the shipyard sauna. All I have managed to do is to add the mizzen topsail sheet and clew line. The photo below shows the arrangement. I started the process by making the topsail sheet line and adding the single block on the end via a loop and toggle arrangement. Once this was done I secured one end of the mizzen topsail clew line to the topsail yard and then fed it through the single topsail sheet block and then through another block located on the topsail yard before it was taken down to deck level. The mizzen topsail sheet was then fed through two blocks on the crossyard jack and then taken down to deck level. After adjusting the rigging the topsail sheets were belayed to a pins on the poop deck bitt rack. The topsail clew lines were then belayed to mizzen shroud cleats.

Yard Lifts and Yard Tackle We are enjoying a nice heat wave in the UK at the moment. My shipyard is in our conservatory (as can be seen in the photo below) and is it like working in a sauna at the moment so I am only able to work in there for short periods of time before resorting to garden and snoozing in the sun. After a couple of days work all the yard lifts have been installed and belayed. I failed miserably to take any decent photos. The following photo is the best of a bad bunch. I have added some yellow arrows to indicate the yard lifts. There are two options with how to display the yard tackles for the fore and main yards. I have opted for the following option. All the yard tackles have now been rigged but they have not been belayed. The next photo shows the yard tackle in situ.

Driver Gaff I actually was able to spend a couple of hours in the shipyard today, early morning before our grandparent duties started. I was able to install the Driver Gaff, noting there is still a little bit of belying work required. As with the Driver Boom I followed an usual process as detailed below. Step 1 The first rigging that was added, but not belayed, was the gaff halliard. I opted to rig this first due to the redistricted access and I found it much easier to do with the driver gaff lower down the mizzen mast. The inter-block rigging would be adjusted once the peak halliard and parrel beads rigging had been run in. Step 2 The next rigging item I ran in was the peak halliard, and again this was not belayed. With the peak and gaff halliard in place the driver gaff was positioned on the mizzen mast and the parrel beads were added. Step 3 It was the a process of adjusting the various rigging. Once I was happy with the how the driver gaff was looking I belayed the gaff halliard. Step 4 Next I added vang pendants but again these have not been belayed as yet. Here is a photo of the Driver Gaff. The next photo shows the gaff halliard rigging. I did take the free end of this rigging down to the deck on the wrong side of the catharpins (yellow arrow). This will not be updated as I only noticed this after I had belayed the rigging and it will not be noticeable once the Indy rigging is completed. The next set of photo's shows the peak halliard rigging, as shown by the yellow areas. The final photo shows the vang pendants.

Topgallant Yards & Driver Boom Over the last few days I have added the three topgallant yards and the driver boom. I just have to add the driver gaff before moving on to completing all the yard rigging. I am not sure when I will be able to do this as my wife and I have grandparent duties over the next couple of days but hopefully this will be completed by early next week. Please see a couple of photos of the current build status. The Indy is massive compared to the IJN Yamato and the incomplete Speedy. In the next photo I have shown the parrel beads and topgallant yard tye where the topgallant yard (mizzen) is secured to the mast. The next photo shows the belaying of the tyes. As can be seen in the next photo the belaying is via a two block arrangement. One block is secured to the end of the tye. The other block is secured to the platform via an eyebolt. The free end of the inter-block rigging is belayed to one of the topsails shroud cleats. I went about adding the driver boom as follows. I started by adding the boom topping lifts to the driver boom and then feeding them through the two single blocks located on the rear of the mizzen platform. Next I added the parrel beads to secure the driver boom to the mizzen mast. Next the boom sheet rigging was added. Once that was completed I then added the double blocks to the end of the boom topping lifts. Another pair of single blocks were seized, complete with a hook on one end. These blocks were then hooked to eyebolts located next to the mizzen mast and the inter-block rigging was then added. The final task was to add the guy pendants. The photo below shows the driver boom secured to the mast with the parrel beads. The next photo shows the boom sheet rigging. The next photo shows the boom topping lifts being fed through the platform blocks. Next photo shows the belaying of the boom topping lifts. The final two photos shows the guy pendant rigging, noting only one side has been completed so far. The excess thread has not, as yet, been trimmed in the second photo. The first photo also shows the boom topping lifts secured to the driver boom.

Many thanks. Brig Adder is my current plan for my next build.

Thanks Kevin, hopefully you'll return to your Indy before too much longer.

Thanks Chris. Looking forward to my next project which will be another one from your ever expanding fleet.😁

Many thanks. Indy is a beast compared to all my other builds😁

Thanks Jim.

It has been a productive last few days with several little tasks completed. To start this post I have included a picture of the current build status. I still have to add the 3 off topgallant yards and the driver gaff & boom to the Indy. There is still quite a few weeks work left before the Indy build is completed. Spritsail Yard I have now rigged the spritsail sheet, spritsail clew line and braces which completes all the rigging for the spritsail yard. I am very pleased with how this aspect of the build now looks. The next photo shows the spritsail sheet and spritsail clew line rigging. This was probably the hardest aspect of the spritsail yard rigging. The next photo shows the flying lead block on the spritsail yard. The braces natural thread starts on the foremast stay and after it has been fed through the spritsail yard's flying lead block it is then fed through a couple of blocks sited on the underside of the crosstress. The brace is then belayed to the rail on the forecastle, as shown below. Crows Feet I have added the crows feet rigging to the main and mizzen mast, noting I had added the crows feet to the fore mast a few weeks ago. The first photo shows the rigging required for the euphroe which is secured to the stay with 2 x 2mm single blocks. The completed main mast crows feet is shown on the next photo. I used a locking slip knot once the rigging was completed. The next photo shows the mizzen mast crows feet rigging The final three photos shows the belaying of the fore, main and mizzen topsail jeers.

Nice work so far. I echo Theo's comment below which is the rational I normally apply to my builds when I have made an error: but in the end it is you who will look at it the most so the question is how much does it bother you.

Topsail Yards and Tyes Over the last few few days I have been adding the topsail yards to the fore, main and mizzen masts. After each yard was pined to their respective masts they were secured with a parrel bead arrangement. I added a small loop to one end of each thread which pass through the upper and lower holes on the parrel bead / spacers. With the parrel bead arrangement in position I did apply a little bit of wood glue to hold them in place before completing the rigging. The threads were wrapped around the yard and the free end(s) were then fed through the loop(s). The threads were then pulled tight around the yard and tied off. As can be seen in the photos below I will need to touch up the paint on the parrel bead spacers. Mizzen Mast Parrel Beads Main Yard Parrel Beads Foreyard Parrel Beads I did not notice until I took this photo that I had made an error in that the spacers are the wrong way round. I have no plans to correct this error. Topsail Yard Tyes The next task was to add the topsail yard tyes. As can be seen from the next photo there are a number of processes required for the fore and main topsail yard. The mizzen yard is not as complicated as there is only one tye required. The first task was to add the rigging between the yard central double block and the blocks fitted to the underside of the upper crosstrees. Not sure why the thread is in the foremost top block hole in the photo below as it should be in the bottom block hole. This will be corrected. I think I have the same problem with the main topsail yard tye double block which will be corrected also. I have just noticed the right-hand block has split and is held together by the block seizing. Once that rigging was completed the double blocks were added to the free ends as can be seen in the next photo. I decided to make up the inter-block rigging next. This consisted of a small length of thread secured to an eyebolt and the other end secured to a thimble on a single block. A longer length of thread was secured to a thimble on the other end of the single block. This is shown in the next photo and is now ready to be added. The eyebolt was then secured to the channel and the inter-block rigging added, as shown in the next two photos. The final task was to belay the free end, once all the rigging had been checked.

Belaying Main Mast Jeers, Truss Pendants and Nave Line I have been away for a few days so I was only able to return back to the shipyard this afternoon. The first task was to belay the main yard rigging for the Jeers, Truss Pendants and Nave Line. Jeers The rigging between the double block assembly was carefully adjusted and the free end was then taken down to the deck level. According to the rigging plans the jeers should be belayed through the holes on the aft main mast bitt posts. As can be seen in the photo below access to this bitt rack is very limited. Chris did tell me that: "these jeers are a problem for models, as they are fixed in a very awkward position on the main gun deck. I see nothing wrong with 'cheating' and tying them off in a more convenient place - that's what I'd do!" Jim provided me with some additional advice: "Remember that if you can't easily rig to a certain point, then don't worry about rigging to an alternative point either in the vicinity or in the 'flow' of the line. I've tied more things down to the shroud cleats that the plans show, and relocated other rig points which allowed me to safely access via tweezers and crochet hooks etc. " Reassured with their excellent advice I opted to belay to the forward main mast belaying rack, using the hole in the bitt post before securing to the crossbeam, as can be seen in the next photo. Truss Pendants and Nave Line Each truss pendant were belayed to a double block. A second double block (for each truss pendant) was secured to deck eyebolts using a hook. The free ends of each inter-block rigging was then belayed to pins of the bitt rack. This arrangement is indicated by the yellow arrows in the next photo. The blue arrow shows the belaying of the nave line. The next two photos shows the truss pendant double block arrangement. The final photo in this post shows the nave line secured to the truss pendants.

Many thanks

Adding Main and Mizzen Main Yards to Indy I have now painted all the yards black and have started the installation process, noting I did install the fore mainyard a few weeks ago. Here is a couple of photos showing the Indy with most of the yards fitted. The topsail and topgallant yards have not been secured to the masts so they are little bit lopsided. Starting with the main mast yard I have added the rigging for the sling. The truss pendants have also been added but they have not been belayed. I have not added the jeers as yet which will be the next job. In the next photo the main yard sling rigging can be seen. The next photo shows the main yard nave line which has been added to the truss pendants. Again this line has not been belayed. The next photo shows the crossyard jack, which has been added to the mizzen mast. The next photo shows the crossyard jack sling rigging.

Yard Manufacture Over the last few days I have been shaping and then adding the various PE parts, cleats and footropes to all the remaining yards. The only task now remaining, before installation to the masts will be to paint the yards black. Please see the following set of photos. Driver Gaff This was an interesting dowel to shape. There are two flying lead blocks and a couple of blocks secured to the driver gaff via eyebolts, Driver Boom There was not a great deal of shaping required for the driver boom. The most time consuming task was to make the knotted footrope. Mizzen Topgallant Yard This was a nice simple yard to make with a central section which tapers down to each end. Mizzen Topsail Yard I had a bit of a brain fart when adding the footrope stirrups and initially drilled the holes in the wrong place, as you will see in the attached photos where these holes have been filled. I will adjust the position of a couple of the footrope stirrups so they are vertically aligned. Crossyard Jack I had the same brain fart with regards to drilling to stirrup holes. I will also need adjust the position of a couple of the footrope stirrups so they are vertically aligned. Main Topsail Yard I did add thin planking trips to the central octagonal section. Main Yard I did add thin planking trips to the central octagonal section.

Yard Production Time for a quick update. Over the last few days I have been making the various yards required for the Indy. This is still very much work in progress. As I am also watching the live broadcast of the Post Office Inquiry hearing my time in the shipyard is much reduced. My progress to date is as follows: a) All the various rigging blocks required for all the yards have been prepared and are ready to be added b) All the various PE parts have been gathered and chemically blackened. c) All the fore yards have been completed. The main foreyard has been installed and the fore topsail and topgallant yards are ready to be installed d) All the main mast yards have been shaped and are ready to be painted and fitted out with the rigging blocks, PE parts and cleats. e) Dowels for the mizzen mast yards, boom and gaff have been cut to size and are ready to be shaped. The following is a picture of my Indy with the Fore and Main yards attached. The next two pictures show the fore topsail yard pinned on the mast but not secured. The next picture shows the fore topgallant yard pinned in place but not secured. The following two photos show the mainyard pinned in place Next two photos show the main topsail mast pinned in place. The final photo is the main topgallant yard pinned in place.

Hello Iran I suspect different modellers will have different methods / opinions. I tend to WOP all deck levels. Hope that helps Glenn

Preparation Blocks for Yard, Booms and Gaffs One of the more tedious and time consuming tasks for me is preparing the various blocks (and thimbles) in readiness for adding to the various yards, booms and gaffs. I still have 8 yards, 1 boom and 1 gaff to make and these will require a total of 93 blocks / thimbles to be added. I decided to prepare all the various 93 blocks & thimbles before I start work on shaping the dowels for the yards, boom and gaff. I have been doing this in short bursts over the last 5 days. I still have a few more blocks to prepare before this task is complete. As I have slightly modified the processes I use to seize the blocks so I thought I would share my current method for the braces and double block arrangements. Braces These blocks extend away from the yard with a single length of black thread, typically 0.75mm or 0.5mm. I start the process by holding the required block, a 4mm single block for this post, in the quad hands. I then wrap a short length of 0.25mm black thread around the block and secure it in place with a simple cross over knot. This is shown in the photo below. Next I start to make a second cross over knot and pass a length of 0.75mm black thread in the gap, as can be seen in the next photo. The 0.75mm black thread is then held in place with a reef (square) knot and the threads are then held in quad hands ready to have the seizing added. I do use beeswax on the threads and once the seizing has been added I use a hairdryer to melt the wax before the ca glue is added. I add the seizing (0.1mm black thread) using a series of simple cross over knots, 8 on the underside and 8 on the top. In the next photo the 8th top cross over knot has been formed and is ready to be pulled tight. A touch of ca glue is added to the seizing and the excess thread is trimmed. The final task is run a micro drill through to make sure the required rigging thread can be fed through. The block are now ready to be installed to the yard. Double Block Arrangement There are some double block arrangements to be secured to the each end of the various yards. I started the process with the outer block, which is a single 3mm block in the photos below. A length of 0.25mm black thread is wrapped the 3mm block and then secured in place with a reef (square) knot, as shown in the photo below. The next (inner) 4mm single block is held in the quad ands and the 3mm single block is then positioned behind it. A simple cross over knot is used to hold the two blocks in place as can be seen in the next photo. The free thread ends are then held in the quad hands so the seizing can be added, using 0.1mm black thread. Once the seizing is complete (using 8 x under and 8 x top cross over knots) a touch of ca glue is added to the seizing and then the excess thread is trimmed. The double block assembly is now ready to be installed to the yard.

With my Indy build I had left off fitting the hammock cranes with the intention of fitting them once the rigging was complete. However as the rigging progresses I realised access was going to be an issue, especially after I had fitted the shrouds and back stays so I ended up fitting them.

Foremast Crows Feet Rigging Over the last couple of days I have been working on adding the crows feet rigging to the foremast. The first task was to add a 2mm single block to the top forestay. The next task was to add another 2mm single block to the euphroe. Next up was to rig the two blocks. I found it useful to use a clamp to hold the euphroe whilst adding the inter-block rigging. Before I started to add the crows feet rigging I did map out the required path. I also calculated the required length of thread. I opted for a generous 2.2m length but in the end a length of 1.8m would have been sufficient. It was then a case of following the required path as the rigging was added. I have added a few photo's taken of the work in progress. The rigging is now complete and the free end is ready to be tied off. once I have adjusted the required and applied some tension. I used a slip knot to secure the free end. The crows feet rigging is now complete.

Belaying Foremast Jeers, Nave Line and Jeers I spent some time looking at plan sheets 15 to 19 to check the various belaying points for the foremast rigging. With reference to the Fore Mast (Aft) aka Main Topbowline Belay Pin Rack I ended up allocating the belaying assignments as shown in the photo below, noting I included the plan sheet belaying reference as an aide memoir. I did note in Longridge's book the inner tricing line is shown belayed to one of the shroud cleats, so I might revert to that option when I get round to adding that rigging. The next photo shows the Nave Line which is linked to the truss pendents and then dropped down to the deck via a single block attached to the rear of the fore platform. The next photo shows the jeer blocks and sling The next photo shows the fore mast (aft) belaying rack, after the various rigging ends had been belayed. The unused belaying points will be used for the inner tricing line and the outer & mid main course bunt lines. The next two photos shows the truss pendants double block belaying arrangement. In the next photo the jeer can also be seen being fed through the lower left hole in the bitt pin.