Glenn-UK

Adding the futtock staves, catharpins and futtock shrouds to the foremast shrouds turned out to be more difficult and complicated that I expected. Rigging the shrouds was a fairly straight forward task. The futtock stave did not appear to be that complicated but I soon ran into problems when adding the catharpins with unwanted twisting of the shroud. After several attempts to get it sorted I finally managed to get it looking passable so was able to add the futtock shrouds. The completed lower foremast shroud rigging is not great, 2 of 10 at best as can be seen from the photos below. As far as I am concerned the task is now complete and will be acceptable once the rest of the rigging is complete. I hope to do a bit better when I start to rig the main mast shrouds, futtocks, etc.

Thanks for this. I have just tried the clove hitch method on a test piece, looks better and seems to be more manageable. I will try this on my actual shrouds and I report back in due course. Donnie's YouTube method replicates what is illustrated in Lennarth's excellent rigging book and I have concluded it is too complicated for me for the time being.

I'm not very happy with how the shrouds are looking. It is clear I'm not very good at this rigging lark. I have now taken the decision to start again. I need to practice how to seize the shrouds around the deadeyes neatly, I was getting better when I did the one on the right in the attached picture. The problem I have is wrapping the seizing around the shroud without it unwrapping and looking a mess. They make it look so easy on the YouTube videos. I think I will use black thread as used in Donnie's video's rather than natural.

Having two Glenn's is bit confusing. I am really glad I pre rigged the mast now I've started the shrouds as it will make the rigging easier I think.

I have finally started with adding the shrouds. I used a brass jig to set the gap. Deadeye seized to shroud. I by in large followed the method shown in Donnie Driskell YouTube video for ths task. As the shroud line was tensioned when the lanyard was added the top deadeye ended up a tad lower than I would prefer. The bottom edge of the shroud deadeye is about level with the top of the bulwark capping. I'm undecided as to leave as is or to start again, but I currently edging towards leave as is.

Hi Nice work. I did trim the wales to fit the side timbers. I did mess around with the positioning to make I was happy with the look, I have attached a couple of pictures.

I have now started work on rigging the Fore Mast. I was going to follow the instructions and start with adding the shrouds, which is standard practice. When completing the fore mast tops I fitted the 18 blocks, a mix of single 3mm and 4mm doubles. When studying the rigging plans I noted that these blocks would be used for the mast stays, lifts, sheets, clews and the spritsail yard braces. Furthermore access to 14 blocks of these blocks may be tricky given that would be located on the underside of the fore mast top and would be partly obscured by the shrouds. Therefore I decided to add the 0.1 and 0.25mm natural thread in these blocks, before adding the shrouds. As noted by the "Other Glenn" in an earlier post my Foremast now looks like a shaggy Christmas tree as can be seen in the photos below. I now believe I can fix the fore mast in place and start adding the shrouds. Before tiding up the threads. After the threads have been tided The blocks that are dangling over the stanchions are the two double blocks that that hang lose and they are (I believe) the two mast stays (or tyes). I have included the single 3mm single blocks in this rigging stage so they are ready to be fixed to the main (lowest) yard. Adding the 0.25mm thread through 3mm single blocks is a bit of a challenge but is doable with a bit of care and patience. My method was to a) Apply beeswax to the thread b) Stiffen the end of the thread using ca. c) Make a diagonal cut across the stiffened end to made a pointed end.

Looking very nice indeed, well done on your work to date.

I have been working on the foremast today making sure everything is ready before I start adding the shrouds. I realised I had not added any of the hooks and eyebolts to the deck. I drilled the holes and fitted them as per the plan sheet. If I had my time again I would pre drilled the deck assembly before it was fitted. Doing it after all the deck items had been fitted made it a bit tricky but I did manage it without incident. I also glued the cannon balls in place. Before I started the shrouds I noted that the Fore Top assembly required 16 off block adding. I decided to complete this before gluing the Fore Top assembly to the lower fore mast. I thought I would share my current method to rig these blocks. I did try the method shown on J Brent's YouTube video which I think is a great method but I could not seem to get to grips with it. I don't think my method is the best or correct method but is one that works really well for me. Step 1 - I check the holes in the block are clear, using a 0.5mm micro drill bit. Step 2 - I place the block in my reverse action tweezers and add the black thread, carefully positioning the half hitch knot to one end of the block before adding a touch of ca glue. Step 3 - This is where I could do with a second set reverse action tweezers, which I have now ordered. I hold the block in one set of tweezers (with a croc clip as these are not reverse action). I hold the black thread ends fairly taut using my reverse action tweezers. I then add the whipping using some natural thread, I normally try to whip the thread 3 or 4 times. Finally I add a touch of ca and trim away the excess natural thread. Step 4 - I thread both ends of the black thread the eyebolt (in opposite directions) and secure with two half hitch knots, one either side of the eye bolt. I add a touch of ca before trimming away the excess thread. As you will note from the following picture I'm not very good at taking photos.

Thanks, I'm not very good at this rigging lark but there seems quite a bit to do. I will be much happier once the shrouds and ratlines have been completed as that aspect be very time consuming.

I think you are right, particularly with some of the small blocks (3mm). I did find it easier to get the thread started and I had better visibility and room to manoeuvre.

I have now completed the installation and rigging of the spritsail yard. The task really tested my patience at times, due to my poor rigging skills. I thought it would it good idea to pre rig the all the external 3mm single blocks. This is shown in the first two photos below. After I had fitted the spritsail yard to the bowsprit I noticed that the clue lines should have been rigged using a natural thread. I removed the pre rigged black thread and then re rigged in situ using a natural thread, it was not as bad as I thought. The next two pictures shows the clue lines rigged but not belayed, but I do have the lines under tension. Finally I belayed the three lines using the method shown in J Brent's YouTube video. It was without doubt the most difficult aspect of this rigging phase for me. I can always add the belay loops, as shown in J Brent's YouTube video at a later stage. It is really satisfying to note haw much more secure the spritsail yard became once the clue lines had been rigged and belayed. The following two photos below shows the completed Spritsail Yard rigging. Next I plan to move on to adding the Foremast shrouds.

I am not very good a rigging, but I have made a start and I'm fairly happy with the result. I started with the gammoning, this turned out to be quite a fun task, the only tricky bit was I had to be careful when passing the thread through the bow rail assembly. I also added the banding, cleats, blocks, boarding pike and hatchet racks to the foremast Finally I completed the bowsprit stays. I was not looking forward to tackling this task as everything is quite small and densely packed. However it was nowhere near as bad as I feared. In terms of the method each stay was fitted as follows: a) I cut a length of black thread and fixed a deadeye at one end, ensuring I left a small gap so the lanyard thread could pass through for whipping on the stay thread. b) I checked all the deadeye holes were clear using my 0.6mm drill bit. c) I loosely secured the stay at the hull. d) I completed the lanyard rigging and adjusted the tension and position of the stay's deadeye. e) Once I was happy I completed the whipping of the lanyard. I have included a couple of pictures of the work in progress and one of the completed bowsprit stay rigging.

I have made a bit more progress today. I have made and fitted the two boomkins, these parts are shown on plan sheet 4, as shown in the picture below I then completed the bowsprit assembly and started with the rigging, as can be seen on the two pictures below. The following picture also shows the yards, booms and masts The next task will be to add the gammoning and then to fit the bowsprit stays. Once that is complete I will install and rig the spritsail yard. Once this is complete the next task will be adding the shrouds. Fun times ahead.

Welcome back David. It is looking really nice.

I now have completed the basic manufacturing of the yards, sorry for the poor quality of the photos. I plan to add the various cleats, eyebolts, etc. prior to painting and installation to the fore and and main masts, as dictated by the rigging process. I just have the main and driver booms left to shape which should not take too long. I hope to start the rigging process later this week, starting with the gammoning of the bowsprit. The first picture is work in progress on a yard, in my mini lathe. The second picture shows the completed yards on the plan sheet.

It is only a fry fit to make sure the crosstrees fits after I had squared the 8mm dowel. It will be the other way once the blocks have been added and it has been glued in place

A bit more progress today with the Fore Topmast and the Fore Topgallant masts.

Today I started work on the Fore Mast. I decided that the first part to work on would shaping the 5mm square section for the crosstrees assembly. I used some ideas I had seen on the "John Build Iconic Models" YouTube channel with regards to marking and removing the excess wood. With reference to the picture below I started with two lengths of masking tape. Each tape was cut to 26mm which is the approx. diameter of the 8mm dowel. I then added a centre line to the tape and marked 4mm either side of the centre line and 4mm from each edge. The tape was then wrapped around the dowel at the top and bottom edge of the 5mm square area. I then drew lines on the dowel so I had a reasonable guide to how much wood needed to be removed. I started by making a cut to the approx. depth at the top and bottom with my saw so I would have a neat edge. Using my sharp craft knife, in conjunction with a sanding stick, I removed the excess wood. I positioned the dowel in my mini vice so that I had to stay above the top of the vice jaws when cutting and sanding. I continued with this process until I was happy I had a 5mm x 5mm square section, as shown in the two pictures below. To make the 5mm circle for the end cap I did toy with the idea and using a small section of 5mm dowel and fixing to fore mast with a pin and glue. I rejected this and using my mini lathe with some sandpaper I had soon reduced the dowel to 5mm . I then marked the position of the cheeks, and using my craft knife and sanding stick removed the excess wood. I was reasonable happy with the end result. Once completed I dry fitted the crosstrees, cap and cheeks and I was happy that everything fitted together OK, as shown in the final two pictures.

I have had a good morning as I finally completed adding all the blocks and deadeyes to the bowsprit. I thought I would share my method, which may not be the best (or indeed correct) but it worked well for me. To start with I looked at the requirement, and began to ponder how I could replicate the multiple deadeyes (and blocks). I watched the J Brent YouTube videos a few times for ideas, which I found really helpful and something I will use but it did not really address this requirement as shown in photo below. I started with cutting a length of thread which I then ran through my beeswax block a few times. After that I positioned the first deadeye in my tweezers and added a touch a ca glue and attached the thread centrally, as shown below. I then wrapped the tread around the deadeye and secured with another touch of ca. I then added the next deadeye and moved it down the length of the thread to the correct position, checking the position by test wrapping it around the bowsprit, as shown in the pictures below. The final picture is the completed bowsprit, dry fitted to the hull. I will now start work with making the fore and main masts, yards and booms.

Progress has been slow, partly due to me enjoying the sunshine in the garden and partly due to nature of the current phase of the build. I have now completed the Spritsail Boom, you will note I have added a pin ready for when spritsail boom is fixed to the bowsprit and a couple of the eyebolts could be better positioned, but it looks Ok to the naked eye. I have also started to add the blocks and deadeyes to the bowsprit.

Great answer Chris. I will continue to use the kit supplied belaying pins

Hello Richard I bought the Proxxon DB250 Micro woodturning lathe a few years ago. It seems to do the job Ok.

I would normally rig the cannons. I was not too sure about the PE belaying pins but will try using them. I do have some wooden belaying pins which I could possible use if necessary.

I'm still working on the bowsprit assembly. I have now manufactured the flying jibboon and spritsail. It has been a lot of fun using the mini lathe to get the correct tapering. The picture below shows the bowsprit, jibboom and flying jibboom dry fitted to the hull. It was a bit difficult to add the spritsail to the dry fit but I did manage to take a picture. I will add the cleats, deadeyes, blocks, eyebolts, etc. to these items before moving on to the manufacture of the fore mast and main mast and their associated yards and spars. I think this will take quite a few days. With Spritsail Without Spritsail