Glenn-UK

Mizzen Topmast Catharpins I have completed the work for the mizzen topmast futtock staves and catharpins. I really do not like doing the futtock staves and catharpins, but there are a necessary evil and it is only a few days work. With the futtock staves in place I work out the required length of the catharpins and using the required thread add a thimble to each end. I usually end up making a few threads so I can select the best fit. The next task is to add the catharpin to the futtock stave. I use fly tying thread to secure the catharpin to the futtock stave. This is the part I really detest as the flying tying thread is really thin and it is very difficult to see what I am doing. Testing my patience to the limit the first side of the catharpin is in place. It is now a matter of repeating the process and after a few frustrating hours work the task is complete. One mast complete two more left to do, such fun!!!!!!!

Topmast Futtock Staves Adding the Futtock Staves is one of my least favorite tasks, the only task I think I detest more is adding catharpins which will be my next job. Initially the quad hands did not seem to a possible tool to aid this task. Thankfully the Sphinx's parts box came to the rescue, as can be seen in the next photo which shows the arrangement I used to hold the brass rods in place as I added the seizing. For the seizing I am using fly tying thread. The next photo shows all the futtock staves in place. I will trim the staves to the required length once I have installed the catharpins. The next photo shows a close up of the main topmast futtock stave. The futtock stave and thread will be painted black. The next photo shows a close up of the fore topmast futtock stave. The next photo shows a close up of the mizzen topmast futtock stave.

Topmast Shrouds All the topmast shrouds have been fitted and their associated lanyards rigged. For me this is a major milestone completed in the build process, I really like how the Sphinx now looks as can be seen in the next two photos. I tried really hard to get the deadeyes to look even. I did redo a few deadeyes when I was not happy with how they looked once the lanyards had been added. They are still not perfect but they as good as I can get them at the moment, and are so much better than my previous builds. Next up will be to fit the futtock staves followed by the catharpins and ratlines. There's still quite a few more weeks work left before the build is complete. My next project, after the Sphinx, will probably be the Erycina.

Hello Bjorn I do like to find out the purpose of the different rigging elements. I also find it very beneficial to plan ahead and to check the rigging paths shown on the plans. I have only downloaded the pdf build manual from Vanguard's web site. I do not have a pdf copy of the plan sheets, sorry for the confusion. All the best Glenn

A truly awesome build

Main Topmast Shrouds I have been away for a few days enjoying the delights of Derbyshire with the family. One of our favourite places to visit in this area of the UK is Chatsworth House. For our American friends Chatsworth is the home of the Duke of Devonshire (Cavendish family). Kathleen (Kick) Kennedy (sister of JFK) married into the Cavendish family and she is buried in the local church cemetery along with all the generations of Dukes of Devonshire family. On my return to the shipyard I started work on adding the shrouds for the main topmast. In the first photo all the shroud lines have been attached to the main topmast and are now ready for the deadeyes. I am using my trusty jig to set the distance between the deadeyes. The first shroud deadeye has been seized in the photo below and seems to be set to the correct spacing. I have started thread the starboard side lanyards. Fingers crossed when the lanyards are tensioned the 4 top deadeyes will be at a similar level. I will add the deadeyes to the port side shrouds before I start to tension all the lanyards.

Topmast Burton Pendants Today I have detailed the method I use to make and fit the burton pendants for both the main and fore topmasts. Each of these pendants comprise a 2.5mm block thimble seized to a length of 0.5mm black thread. When I started to rig the Duchess of Kingston I tried to make a serving machine but I decided it was not fit for purpose. Thankfully the time and effort was not wasted as it became a seizing thread dispenser which is shown in the photo below. It currently houses reels of black and white flying tying thread and a reel of 0.1mm natural thread. The photo below also shows a dish where the excess thread ends up once removed. The small strip of yellow tape is where I add small drops of ca gel. I then dip a small metal pin in the ca gel to apply to the knots. The metal pins case can be seen just above the reels of seizing thread. To start the build process I wrap a length of 0.5mm black thread around the thimble and then hold it in place with the quad hands. I am not sure how I managed before I bought the quad hands. I then cut a length of black flying tying thread from my seizing dispenser and proceed to add a series of half hitch knots, 4 to the bottom and 4 to the top. The following photo shows this process where I am about to finish adding one of the bottom half hitches Once I have completed I add a touch of ca gel to the seizing and trim the excess seizing thread. However it can seen in the photo below that the seizing is not tight up to the thimble. Please note I had not removed the excess seizing thread when I took the next photo. Therefore to complete the process I simply take the two free end of the thread and pull them in opposite directions which will pull the seizing tight to the thimble as can be seen in the next photo. It is then a simple task to trim the excess thread which completes the work for the thimble end. The other end of the burton pendant thread will require a loop which goes around the topmast. With the loop created I hold it in place with the indispensable quad hands. Using 0.25mm black thread this time I start to add a series of half hitch knots, as can be seen in the following photo. The next photo shows the completed seizing. The excess seizing thread is ready to be trimmed. The burton pendant is shown below, but there is still a bit more work required before the process is completed. From a bit of experimentation I decided the distance between the thimble and the loop seizing should be around 20mm. It is possible to move the thread through the loop seizing to achieve this, as can be seen below. Next the loop is placed over the topmast. I then pull the free end of thread which tightens the loop around the mast, and retains the 20mm distance between the thimble and seizing. I do like to leave a small amount of slack in the loop. The final task is to remove the remaining excess thread and the job is finally completed as can be seen in the final picture of this post.

Concluding Post on Fore and Main Yard Lift Blocks Following on from my last two posts I have now completed all the work related to both the main mast and fore mast yard lift block. The completed blocks were attached to their respective masts using a basic clove hitch knot which I have found to be the best way to secure blocks to masts and yards. The following picture shows the main mast yard lifts in place, noting there is hole above the endcap which has been drilled to accept the locating pin on the main topyard. The following picture shows the fore mast yard lifts in place, noting there is hole above the endcap which has been drilled to accept the locating pin on the fore topyard. I should really fill the top of the endcap where the foremast come through. I would need to buy some more wood filler as I have run out. I thought I would conclude this post with a picture of the Sphinx on the work bench where she now waiting for the both the main and fore topmasts burton pendants and shrouds to be added.

Following on from my last post I eventually opted to use black fly tying thread for the final seizing. With a bit of experimentation I decided on approx. 1cm of seized thread between the 5mm block and the mast. After a trial fit of the completed yard lift block assembly I am now very happy with the end result. I just need to complete the modifications the other three double block yard lift assemblies, one more for the main mast and two more for the foremast yard lift. It is a bit fiddly and difficult to see when using the very thin black fly tying thread for the seizing over the black thread wrapped around the block. It takes a bit more time and patience to get the job done but it is well worth the extra effort.

Main Yard Lift Double Block Manufacture I thought I would share the method I have used this morning to make the 2 off main yard lift double block assembly. These block assemblies are both fastened around the main topmast, sited just above the end cap. Each double block assembly comprises a 4mm and a 5mm single block. When checking the rigging plans I noted that 0.25mm natural thread will be used when these blocks are rigged with the double blocks located on each the end of main yard. The first task is to make sure the holes in the blocks will take the required thread therefore I run a suitably sized micro drill through the holes as can be seen in the photo below. Starting with a 4mm block I hold it in place using my quad hands. An approx. 20cm length of 0.25mm black thread is then wrapped around the block and the two free ends of the thread are held in place also with the quad hands. This arrangement is shown is the next photo. I decided to use some black flying tying thread for the seizing. For the seizing I am using a series of half hitch knots. The first one is place on the underside, the second is placed on the top side. In the picture below I am in the process of adding one to the top side. In total I add 4 off half hitch knots to the top and 4 off half hitch knots to the underside. Once the seizing is completed I add a touch of CA gel to the seizing and trim the excess thread. As can be seen in the photo below the seizing is not, as yet, tight up against the block. The seizing can be moved tight to the block by simply pull the two free thread ends in opposite directions. Next a 5mm block is held in the quad hands and the thread, complete with the 4mm block, is wrapped around the block. The free ends are the held in place with the quad hands. This arrangement is shown in the next photo. The 5mm block is then seized. I decided to use some 0.1mm natural thread for this. In the next photo I am in the process of adding the second half hitch knot to the top side. In total I added 4 off half hitch knots to the top and 4 off half hitch knots to the underside. After a touch of ca gel is applied to the seizing the excess thread is trimmed and the two free ends are pulled in opposite directions to ensure the seizing is tight against the 5mm block. After around 45 minutes of effort I have completed both double yard lift blocks for the main mast. The double block arrangement can then be added to the main top mast. I have made a trial fit, as can be seen in the photo below. I need to increase the distance between the 5mm block and the main top mast as it is clearly to close to the end cap. I have three option to solve this: a) Remove the 5mm block seizing and then redo with 0.1mm natural thread with around 10 off top and 10 off bottom half hitch knots. b) Leave the existing seizing in place and add a few more op and bottom half hitch knots, maybe using the fly tying black thread. c) Remove the 5mm block seizing and then redo with black fly tying thread with around 10 off top and 10 off bottom half hitch knots. I will probably try method b) first but I am tempted to revert to method c.

Gaff Halliard After completing the mizzen topmast shrouds I decided to complete the Gaff Halliard rigging. This required two lengths (approx. 100mm) of 0.5mm black thread rigged to the end of the mizzen gaff. I then made up two 3mm single blocks with a thimble (eyelet) on each end. The two free ends of the black thread were attached, via the thimble, to their respective blocks. Two lengths of 0.1mm natural thread was then attached to the thimbles at the other end of the blocks. Next I seized to further 2 off 3mm single blocks, adding a rigging hook to one end of each block. The two rigging hooks were fed through the two outer most eyelets on the inner stern fascia panel. It was then a simple case of rigging the 0.1mm natural thread from the upper blocks through the lower blocks and then back up and through the top blocks before being belayed to the outer most cleats on the inner stern fascia panel. Next I will making up and securing the main and fore mast double yard brace block assemblies. Once that is done I plan to add the main and fore top mast shrouds lines

I did find the Amati clips a useful tool when I was doing the first planking.

Mizzen Top Shrouds - WIP Work has been slow on the Sphinx build over the last few days as the weather has been really nice so I have been spending some time in the garden. We have also spent time looking after our grandchildren which is always fun. I have now added the two crossjack lift blocks to the mizzen top mast, which are shown in the top right hand corner of the picture below. I have also started to add the mizzen topmast shrouds. The starboard side is complete and the lanyards just need tying off. When looking at the following picture I have just noticed that the rear deadeye strop has broken free and is not now flush with the platform. This is a tad frustrating but I am not planning to remove the shroud, reseat the strop and to then redo the shroud line as this may also impact of the futtock shroud rigging. I am also reasonable happy with the alignment of the shroud deadeyes. As can seen in the next picture I only have one shroud left to do on the port side. The final shroud line has been fitted and just need to have the deadeye and lanyards adding.

Nicely done, she looks great

It is a great kit and well worth the expenditure when funds are available.

Mizzen Gaff Parrel Beads / Trucks Today's task was to fasten the mizzen gaff to the mizzen mast. In theory this was going to be an fairly straightforward activity but maybe a tad fiddly. Many thanks to @James H, @DelF and @Blue Ensign for their help and guidance. Of course I managed to make this a far more complicated task with a few mistakes which really tested my patience. I am not sure of the correct technical term, parrel beads or parrel trucks. I will stick with parrel beads. With a short length dowel held in the quad hands I placed a number of parrel beads on some thread to see how many would be required. I decided that I would need 9 x parrel beads. This arrangement is shown in the photo below. I then fed a length of 0.1mm natural thread from the underside of the mizzen gaff yolk. I added a knot to the end of the thread to stop it coming through the yolk. I then added 9 parrel beads to the thread, as shown in the next photo. I applied a coating of wood glue to the jaws of the mizzen gaff yolk and then added it to the mizzen mast. The pin held the mizzen gaff in place. The free end of the parrel bead thread was fed back through the other hole in the yolk and was held under tension with a clamp. The tensioned thread can be seen in the next photo. Using a tip from @Blue Ensign I added a length of thread to the other end of the mizzen gaff to help hold it at the required angle. The next photo shows the clamping arrangement. The red clamp is holding the parrel bead thread in place and the reverse action tweezers hanging beneath the main mast platform is holding the other thread under tension. Once I allowed time for the glue to cure the clamps were removed. I then added a slip knot to the parrel bead thread end and pulled it tight up to the underside of the mizzen gaff yolk. I then added the jeer thread to the timble on mizzen gaff as shown below. Everything was coming together nicely. As I started to feed the jeer thread through the two blocks I realised there was a problem. The plan sheet indicated that a 4mm double block was required for the jeer block on the mizzen gaff. However this only needed to be a single block. I decided to leave the double block in place and completed the jeer rigging. I was happy with the end result however disaster struck when I trimmed some of the excess thread as I managed to cut through one of the jeer rigging lines. Therefore I took the decision to remove the jeer and parrel bead rigging and to release the mizzen gaff from the mizzen mast. I was then able to replace the 4mm double block with a 4mm single block. After a couple more hours I had completed the rework. The next photo shows the completed jeer rigging. The next photo shows the jeer rigging belayed. Next I moved on to adding the gaff halliard rigging. This was straightforward task. The gaff halliard rigging is shown in the next photo. I have not belayed the free end which will be done once the correct tension has been applied.

Hello Allan Many thanks for your comments. The belaying pins are supplied with the kit. I know from other discussions I have seen on MSW Chris's belaying pins are more representative to scale compared with some of the more robust looking belaying pins supplied by other kit manufacturers. I am not sure which thread Chris uses but I know some is from Guttermann. Glenn

Mizzen Gaff When deciding on the next build task I realised I had not made the mizzen gaff. The mizzen gaff started life as a length of 3mm down. One end required a taper down to 1.8mm and is fitted with an eyebolt. The other end required a taper down to 1.5mm for the yolk. The yolk has a sanding line to allow a chamfer to be added so the mizzen gaff will sit at the right angle. I did add a pin, suitably angled, which will hold the mizzen gaff in place. There are also 8 cleats required which have been added. The picture below shows the completion of the first stage of the build process. The next picture shows a test fit of the mizzen gaff. There are a number of blocks to be added to the mizzen gaff. As per part of my normal build process I made a set of notes showing the blocks required and the rigging thread required, as can be seen in the next picture. As always I like to check the rigging thread will pass through the blocks. The top three blocks in the picture below are 3mm single blocks on a length of 0.25mm natural thread. The bottom three blocks (2 x 3mm single and 1 x 4mm double) are on a length of 0.1mm natural thread The next picture shows the mizzen gaff being held in the quad hands. The 4mm double jeer block and the two mizzen top gallant braces have been added. I also used two strips of 1mm yellow tape for the banding around the yolk. The next picture is simply a close up of the two mizzen top gallant braces And a close up of the The 4mm double jeer block. You will note I have a small length of thread in the thimble on this block, which was done to make sure the thread could be threaded. Next I added the gaff halliard block, as shown below. A clove hitch knot was used to secure the gaff halliard block to the mizzen gaff. Finally the two blocks for the mizzen topsail braces were added. The completed mizzen gaff was then painted black and test fitted once again to the mizzen mast. I just have to add the parrel beads and the job will be completed.

Top and Topgallant Masts Over the last couple of days I have been working on top and topgallant masts. I spent a bit of time checking the masts would fit through the caps. Once I was happy with that I then checked the FID's could be slotted in. The upper platforms were glued to the topmasts. Once that was done it was a case of painting the various mast sections and end caps black. In the following two pictures the top and topgallant masts have fitted to the Sphinx, but they have are not glued in place. I have started in seize the various blocks required for the top and topgallant masts so they can be added as and when required during the rigging process. I have been studying the rigging plans and the next logical step would be to add the shrouds, lanyards and ratlines for the topmasts. I may decide add the braces for the main, fore and mizzen yards before that however as I do like to work from bottom to top. I also like to check the rigging thread size required for a block can be fed through the hole before it is seized. When a thread does not seem to fed through the block hole I will run a suitably sized micro drill through which does the trick. Mizzen Topsail Tye's When checking the rigging plans I noted there are two blocks required for mizzen, main and fore topsail yard tye's. These blocks which are fastened to the topmast crosstrees which are on shown the right hand side of the picture below (mizzen mast with only one of the two blocks shown). However when looking at the rigging for the mizzen topsail yard tye's, as shown in the next photo it would appear the thread is fastened to the crosstrees and then fed through the block on the mizzen topsail yard and then taken back up and fed through the hole in the mizzen topmast and then taken down to be belayed via another double block arrangement. Therefore the mizzen topsail tye's blocks seem to be redundant. Both the fore and main topsail tye's are rigged through blocks fastened to the crosstrees.

A good start, enjoy the rest of the build

Crossjack Yard Completed, Foremast Jeers & Spritsail Braces Belayed Work is now complete with the installation of the Crossjack yard on to the Mizzen mast. The first task was to add the truss pendant using the same method as detailed in previous posts as can be seen in the picture below. After the truss pendants were fitted I added the stay. I forgot to take a picture before I added the crowsfeet, but I did take one after. I then added the crossjack sling. The crossjack sling is a length of black thread which has a thimble eyelet on one end. The thread is looped around the top of the mizzen mast and held in place by two cleats. The free end is then fed through a block on the crossjack yard before it is fed through the thimble and seized to complete the loop. I have taken a photo of the sling in place which is shown below. The final task was to add the crowsfeet. I am reasonably happy with how they look and I have made a much better job compared with both the fore and main mast. Before moving on to adding the topmasts I decided I should belay the foremast jeers and spritsail yard braces. The jeers were carefully taken down to the deck level and after checking the rigging plans were belayed the the fore bitts crossbeam. The spritsail and top spritsail yard braces are belayed to the belaying pins located on the forecastle breast beam rails. The next picture shows both the jeers and braces belayed. And to complete this post another picture of the Sphinx, noting I have a wonky starboard lantern.

Many thanks.

Thanks, slow and steady at the moment. I am pleased with the build so far. It is far from perfect but so much better than my previous builds. Still a few more weeks work ahead. I am thinking about building Erycina next.

Mizzen Mast Crossjack Yard WIP The crossjack yard was fairly easy to taper in my mini lathe especially when using my recently acquired set of Proxxon wood turning chisels. The yard started life as a length of 5mm dowel. I started by making the octagonal central section. This was done using a mini file to create the various flat edges. Once that was done I moved on to the tapering each end down to 1.8mm which did not take too long at all. With the crossjack yard nicely tapered I added the 6 cleats. I also drilled a hole and added the supporting pin. It was now time to add the various blocks. I started with the crossjack yard lift block which, once seized, was attached to the crossyard yard using a clove hitch knot, which ran either side of the brass pin. Next I added the two jeer blocks. As with the lift block the two jeer blocks were secured to the crossjack yard with clove hitch knots. The two sheet / tack blocks were then added to each end of the yard. Each sheet / tack block arrangement comprised a 4mm single and a 3mm block which were seized together and then secured to the yard using a clove hitch knot. All that is left is to add the two brace blocks and to then paint the yard black which will be done tomorrow morning. The following two pictures shows the crossyard jack in position on the mizzen mast. I really like the first picture. I also took a few pictures of the Sphinx. After reviewing the various pictures taken, most of which were deleted, I could not decide which one of the remaining two to include in this post. In the end I decided to add them both.

Main Stays, Jeers, Crows Feet The first task this morning was to add the lanyards for the main and preventor stays. For some reason I really struggled with the preventor stay lanyards. I should have added a few more turns therefore the end result is not brilliant but I can live with it. When I started work on the main stay I realised I had made an error with the position of both stays over the main mast. I managed to sort it out with a bit of fiddling and then added the lanyards. The completed stays look Ok. I then moved on to belay the main yard jeers. This was quite an easy task to complete. I adjusted the rigging between the blocks and then belayed to the bitts on the gallows. Once I was happy with the rigging of the jeers I completed the belaying process and trimmed the excess thread. As it was time for lunch I thought I would take a few pictures of the current state of play. The first one shows the main yard with the stunsail boom yards in place. I do need to finish painting both the stunsail booms black. I thought I would try an upward looking picture of the Sphinx and I really like how it turned out with the next two photos. After lunch I started work on the main mast crows feet which did not turn out too bad. Tomorrow I will turn my attention to manufacture of the crossjack yard for the mizzen mast. I have already made a start with the central octagonal section. I have also checked and made sure the different threads will pass thought the crossjack yard blocks.