rybakov

Post One Hundred and two
 
Foc’sle stuff cont’d.
 A day spent fitting small sections of planking to suit the cut-away plan. Each one requires tapering to suit. Not difficult but time consuming.

2627
The tricky part is the eight or so strakes that will require  joggling into the margin planks
 
As an update from my previous post I have found a contemporary model of a large Frigate (Diana) 1794 which indeed does show a hook at the Foc’sle.

 
As the razeed Indy plan also details this feature albeit at a slightly higher level, I grasped the nettle and removed those two uprights either side of the bowsprit.
Necessary  to fit a hook.
 
The bulwark spirketting was clamped into place and given the heat treatment.
I didn’t find it necessary to wet the wood.

2615
One potential issue is that the spirketting sits some 3mm above the outer bulwarks towards the fore end, including the top hole for the ring bolts.
I can’t imagine how this has come about, all the other reference points seem to be correct.
I resolved the issue by carefully shaving the bottom edge of the spirketting to bring things into line.

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With the spirketting glued into place, small additional pieces were required to be added, cut from matching fret.

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There is an untidy area where the topside planking meets the stem at the bow that could use a little fettlin’.
It is mostly hidden once the Bowsprit is in place, but that’s no reason not to sort it.
 

2618
A simple job to tidy up the plank ends and slot in a filler piece.

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A bridging piece is now fitted over the top of the Bowsprit opening. The capping rails will eventually cover this.
Still a lot of cleaning up to do but getting there.

I can now work the hook and finish off around the bowsprit area.

2625
 
This is the second hook I am working on, tricky little beggar to get a good fit, and I may well end up with a third.
 
B.E.
02/11/2023
 
 
 
 
 

Thank you, Allan
I’m not sure, my main concern is to improve authenticity where I can, given the kit limitations. The fore end of the kit is solid to provide a strong block to build the hull, which is perfectly ok as Chris designed the model to be fully planked which would hide all this raw stuff.
 

2106
As you can see on the photo the carlings end in mid air, and the Bowsprit step was originally fixed further forward, I moved it back to its proper position between the Bitt posts.
The way I’ve designed my planking layout is to hide this stuff, a sort of smoke and mirrors job, but I can’t hide those posts fully open to view.
Before I started to look in depth at this issue those two bulkhead extensions either side of the bowsprit looked odd to my eye, and I couldn’t find anything similar on contemporary models of large frigates of the time.
The problem is that these Razees are anomalies, and you won’t find a hook on the foc’sle of specifically built frigates- as far as I know.
An interesting little exercise ahead.
 
B.E.
 

Thank you Mugjie, Ron, and Allan, much appreciated, and thanks  for all those 'Likes'
 
Post One Hundred and Two
 
Planking the Foc’sle
This is the most difficult deck to plank by reason of the sharp curves to the bow.

2607
The Margin plank will need to be 7mm in width to cover the rough edges and bulkhead tops, and the severity of the curve  rules out using strip.

2609

2610
It is simpler to cut out the margins from 1mm Box sheet on the scroll saw, and then tweak to shape.

2612
The main advantage of cutting out the margins is that there is no stress in conformation against the bulwark.
 
In thinking about the Foc’sle, questions come to mind.
 
Should there be a Bowsprit step over the deck area where it passes through?
 
Those two posts either side of the Bowsprit look awkward, what are they for? They don’t seem to align with the knighthead tops that are fitted separately on the capping rails.
 
They may of course just be a simplification of the kit design and construction for practical purposes rather than any actual feature, and there’s no indication to remove them as with the other bulkhead tops.
 
The Adm Plan of the Foc’sle indicates a ‘hook at the height of the foremost Port cills. The kit has a couple of pin racks in this area.

2614
Foc'sle of the Razeed Indefatigable
 
This would have been the Upper gun deck before she was razeed and to fit a hook seems reasonable in this area, but those posts preclude such a fitting and would require at least reducing in height, becoming in effect supports for the hook.
 
I’m not really convinced by the present arrangement, and I’m minded to fit a hook.
There is no indication of an open space between the Foc’sle bulwarks above the bowsprit  but I need to ponder on it before I do anything too drastic.
 
In the meantime I can progress some of the deck planking
 
B.E.
01/11/2023
 

 

Post One Hundred and one
 
Poop deck
As with the other decks I have left very little planking to be done.
My aim is to maximise the view of all that wonderful detail that Chris has provided in the cabins below.

2591

2592
With the sub-deck modified and secured, planking can begin. I start with the margins using 5mm strip.

2597

2599
The remaining planking is straightforward, the worst part fitting some (26) 15mm tapered lengths along the taffarel.

2604

2605
I have taken the pre-caution of fitting an acetate cover for the poop to keep the worst of the dust out whilst the build continues.

2601
Whilst I’m on a roll I think I will carry on and plank the Foc’sle and Gangways.
 
B.E.
31/10/2023
 

I do not generally like painting on my models; I know that in reality, on this model, the lettering and the various decorations were painted, but I decided to give my model a certain style, certainly a personal one, and I will try, if I can, to make the decorations with boxwood bas-reliefs
Meanwhile, the model is ready for the exhibition in Pisa next weekend:





 
 

Post One Hundred
 
QD planking cont’d
I next fit the Margin planks using 6mm x 1mm Box. This covers the rough edges where the bulkhead tops still show.
Fortunately, the curve is soft enough to allow an edge bend even with timber this broad.
For the remaining planks I followed the etched design on the sub-deck as far as possible. This involves a degree of taper as the strakes run aft.
Three days works sees the completion, and I’m  fairly content with the result.

2575

2551

2554

2569

2580

2584

2585
Still work to do, deck scraping and tidying up before the inner bulwarks are fitted.
 
At this stage clearing dust and debris from the Upper deck is a constant issue.
At least with this amount of open space, I can get to remove it.
 
B.E.
28/10/2023

So what do we do with the Heller kit’s quarter galleries? They are kinda problematic, after all. Modelers have had a tough time deciding which version of the Soleil Royal the Tanneron model represents, and some think it’s the first 1669 version because of the open balconies on the quarter galleries. Warships from 1660s had open balconies as a matter of course. Nice . . . but complicating that analysis is the fact that quarter galleries on French warships were often built over the aft-most gunports. In times of war there had to be a way of opening those ports, and the practical solution seemed to be making the quarter gallery panels removable. To back this up, there are pictures of French warships from the 1690s that show open balconies, even though closed quarter galleries had been dictated by the Navy administration back in 1674. 
 

 
So—first version? Maybe so and maybe not. 
 
The Tanneron model is pretty obviously not the 1689 rebuilt version, because there are big discrepancies between the model and the Bérain drawings of the rebuild. Others modelers—like me—think Tanneron’s model is the second Soleil Royal, built in 1693, based on the layout of the gunports and the resemblance of the model’s quarter galleries to a drawing from the Library of Cherbourg which is labeled as belonging to the Soleil Royal but is definitely not the Bérain version.
 
Here's the Cherbourg  Library drawing.
 

 
And here are the similarities to Tanneron's model—
 

 
So where did this drawing come from? When did it come from? Can we tell from context? How do we know it wasn’t from some earlier version of the Soleil Royal? To answer that, we need to go back and look at the development of quarter galleries on French warships over a period of 35 years.
 
The Soleil Royal was one of the first 100+-gun three-deckers built by the French navy. In the 1660s, realizing the need for bigger and better warships, Louis XIV’s ministers attempted to jump-start their shipbuilding program by hiring Dutch-trained shipwrights like Laurent Hubac, builder of the first Soleil Royal, and even by buying Dutch-built ships. Dutch shipbuilding at that time was the most advanced in the western world. Their ships had elaborate decorated sterns, but didn’t have much in the way of quarter galleries. The Courtesan of 1666, below, was one of the Dutch-built French ships. This is the kind of ship design the French emulated. The drawing is by Willem van de Velde.
 

Courtesan
 
Laurent Hubac’s first Brest-built ships had similar abbreviated galleries, like the 1669 la Reine (ex-Royal Duc). It had an enclosed middle-deck gallery (where the officers’ heads were) and an open balcony above it. (These are more drawings from Willem van de Velde . . . .) The first Soleil Royal was built that same year.
 

la Reine
 
Royal Therese, built in Toulon in 1669, shows the same idea.
 

Royal Therese
 
No drawings survive from the first Soleil Royal, but ship historians like Jean-Claude Lemineur were inclined to reconstruct the ship using the same principle.

This went on for another five years, including ships like 1671’s le Terrible below, another one of Laurent Hubac’s ships. This shows that Hubac-built ships from both before and after the first Soleil Royal had abbreviated galleries. If I was making a conjectural drawing of the first Soleil Royal, I'd be making notes.
 

le Terrible
 
In 1673, the rather arbitrary decision from Paris was promulgated, advising shipbuilders that henceforth, quarter galleries would be built with all balconies enclosed, like on English ships. At the same time, the stern balconies were supposed to be reduced—in many cases, making the middle deck balcony into a false façade. I’m sure this didn’t settle well with the conservative Dutch-trained shipwrights. Surviving drawings show a lot of halfway measures, like the 1680 rebuild of the 1668 Dauphin Royal, where the upper gundeck balcony was given a little Moorish castle, but the middle gundeck balcony was left open.
 

 
The next decade more or less corresponded with the arrival of chief decorative designer Jean Bérain, whose plans for sterns and quarter galleries made them look like little multistory Paris palaces or wings of Versailles. Here is le Furieux of 1684, built in Brest, and le Fleuron of 1689, built in Toulon. 
 

le Furieux
 

le Fleuron
 
Of course, there’s also Bérain's drawings of the proposed rebuild of Soleil Royal.

 
By the time the second Soleil Royal was built in the early 1690s, the dormers of Bérain’s quarter galleries had taken on a definite dome shape, like on the Saint Philippe of 1693 and the Swedish Konung Karl of 1694. Notice that the Konung Karl sports twin-tailed mermen on the balconies very similar to those in the Cherbourg Library drawing of the Soleil Royal. Interestingly, it looks like all the stern balconies had depth, just like ones in the Cherbourg drawing. In that and other details, I would judge the Konung Karl quarter galleries closest in style to the ones from the Cherbourg Library. 
 

le Saint Philippe
 

Konung Karl
 
The Soleil Royal II was built in 1692–1693, one year before the Konung Karl. In other words, the KK drawing was probably made during the time the SRII was under construction.
 
So—back to the Tanneron model. Yes, the model’s quarter galleries have open balconies, like the early French three-deckers. The problem is that it has too many balconies, plus upper works—dormers, domes, panels, and false lights— that just weren’t a thing on 1669 French warships. From the design and the detailing, the closest stylistic matches we have are the 1690s Bérain designs. I think the Cherbourg drawing came from a 1690s ship and so, by deduction, from the Soleil Royal II. This, I think, was the prototype for the Tanneron model.
 

At the start of this post, I outlined the differences between the Tanneron quarter galleries (copied by Heller) and the Cherbourg drawing. I really wanted to redo the galleries to closer match the drawing. This didn’t sound radical at first. Lots of Soleil Royal modelers open up their QGs by carving away the relief panels which seem to have no relation to anything on real French warships. While doing the necessary styrene surgery, I planned on fiddling with the proportions a little—maybe give the QGs new, more accurate dormers. I had already extended the stern by 3/16”, intending to expose two of the three gunports incorporated into the QGs. I made some Photoshop sketches, showing my choices for opening up balconies.
 

 
I decided to leave the upper gundeck gallery open, like in the second photo. That would give some added interest to the QGs and still give the 1/100 officers some privacy when they visited their heads.
 
First, I had to finish the stern balconies and glue on the stern plate. I noticed that the balconies stuck out too far—four feet. I trimmed them back to 3 feet, similar to the surviving drawing. Had to trim the knees, too. The middle deck balcony was supposed to be a false balcony anyway, so it got trimmed the most—it’s only 2-1/2 feet wide.
 

 

 
Oh—and I hated the sunflowers on the middle deck balcony. I checked—and yeah, they were considered official symbols of le Roi Soleil—but I had never seen sunflowers on any drawing of a French warship. On Bérain’s drawings, they were supposed to be cartouches (architectural oval frames), sometimes with Louis’s monogram, sometimes empty.
 

 
Stern lights were affixed with Testors’ canopy glue. I thought the white cames (lead between the panes) looked cool. 
 

 
Time to take a deep breath and glue on the stern.
 
Now for the quarter galleries. With razor saw and x-acto knives, I carved up the kit’s quarter galleries. Having embarked on an orgy of destruction, I never paused to take photos. Everything usable was trimmed out and set aside—besides the balconies and columns, that included all the figures, faces, and foliage. Then I could start Frankensteining everything back together again.
 

 
I decided to keep the "drop" from the bottom of the galleries. It hid the waste chute, after all, but I trimmed it and repositioned it to keep it out of the way of the lower gundeck's furthest aft cannon.
 

 
An important feature of the middle gundeck balcony was the mermen.
 
Tanneron had placed them below the balcony and turned them into winged, garland-draped fairy figures. I wanted to put them back on the balcony where the drawing said they belonged, and also return them to being split-tailed tritons. For a first try, I attempted to repurpose the fairy figures from the kit, giving them fish-tails instead of garlands, and new bearded faces taken from the QG's quarterdeck level. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that the figures were about 50% too large to fit comfortably on the balcony.
 
This was a genuine moment of frustration. What to do? Carve new figures from scratch? Too bad I’m terrible at it. I have never felt competent making 3-dimensional sculpture. Should I check to see if the kit had any other figures I could use to make castings? Sure—but the answer was nope. Anything around my hobby desk? The house? Nope and nope. Go to the hobby store and see what I can scrounge for new figures? That sounded like a plan. Drink beer afterward? Even better.
 
So a trip to the hobby store led me to a set of 1/72 Nexus plastic figures labeled “Ancient Life.” Are they supposed to be used for games? I don’t know. I don’t care. Looked promising. The set contained a number of bare-chested males with arms spread. Perfect. I cut them off at the waist, added fishtails and beards carved from scrap styrene, and I had my two split-tailed tritons. Excelsior.
 

 
I glued on the first four balconies. Paper templates told me where the columns were going to go and what size the panels and false lights needed to be. I was making progress—or so I thought.
 

 
But the columns and panels weren’t lining up with anything. There should have been some vertical elements on the balconies that met the columns. Plus, the sunflowers were bugging me again. Before too long, I called a halt and went to find another beer. Then I ripped away the new balconies plus the stern middle deck balcony, and started over again.
 
This time I built the balconies from scratch using Evergreen sheet and strip styrene. This time, the balconies and panels had their connecting vertical elements. All the sunflowers got deep-sixed in favor of blank cartouches. Happier? Yeah. 
 

 
For the quarterdeck balcony, I had made a lot of little castings of the diaper-pattern balusters from the stern with mold putty and 5-minute epoxy. I cut them apart and assembled them with more strip styrene into railings.
 

 
The false dormers and lights above the railings were made with more sheet and strip styrene.
 

 
It took me a while to stare at the Cherbourg drawing and figure out what was painted on the side panels of the dormer—swords and olive branches. War and peace. All righty then. I painted on the foliage and cut the swords from scrap strip styrene.
 

 
Tanneron’s (and Heller’s) QG domes had the same elements as the ones in the Cherbourg drawing, but Tanneron carved them in a way that I don’t think would have been acceptable in Louis XIV’s time. The king’s beaming face was small and secondary compared to the giant cornucopias Tanneron carved surrounding it. One thing Baroque art teaches you—the king is never to be shown as being of lesser importance. That feature needed to be fixed.
 
The new domes with the smaller cornucopias and the Sun King’s large radiant countenance were made with sheet styrene decorated with small sections salvaged from the kit’s QGs. The showers of fruit and foliage coming from the cornucopias were cut and shaped from the originals. The domes' lanterntops are two stacked bead caps from the local craft store. Since all this involved Louis’s smiling autocratic face, I gave the domes a coat of Vallejo 70.996 gold. As planned, the golden dormer-tops perfectly complimented the gilded Apollo frieze on the stern. Longue vie au Roi. 
 

 
I was pretty much done with the stern and quarter galleries, but there were still other details and figures to add. Does anyone really want to hear about how I tore off and rebuilt the lower quarter galleries a third time? I thought not . . . . Next time, I'll discuss the figures in detail, and French ship carvings in general. And you'll see the discourse on deck furniture and belaying plans that I had promised, but didn’t get to today. Stay out of trouble 'till then. Remember, if it isn't Baroque, don't try to fix it.
 

 

Thanks Dave and Popeye, and for the likes. I haven't been in the workshop too much lately because of the holiday, but I did promise a few photos of the inside view of the futtock shroud extensions and Bentinck shrouds. So here they are:



I am going to give those lashings a coat of stain when I do the topmast shroud deadeye lashings, so they won't be so stark.
I have also added the mizzen shrouds and catherpins. The shrouds are wrapped around the futtock staves and lashed to the shroud underneath the stave. The plans show the catherpins straight from side to side, but the first shroud is even with the mast so unless the futtock staves stick way out forward there is no way I could see to get them straight, so they are angled back a little.


I have also tied all of the ratlines to the fore and main futtock shrouds but have not fixed the knots yet.

After that, I will finish up the breast stays and start on the topmast shrouds and deadeyes.

Had a great Father's Day weekend. My wife and I took a tour around Boston harbor Saturday afternoon to view the tall ships which are in town. Saw the Bluenose II and the Pride of Baltimore II, as well as about 20 other large and small sailing ships. Yesterday my son took me out for ice cream and mini golf. But, I did manage to get some time in the shop too, so here is what I have been working on.
 
Bentinck shrouds - The futtock shrouds are usually wrapped around the futtock stave and seized to the lower shrouds on most ships of this period. On the Constitution, however, the futtock shrouds end in a loop that is lashed around the futtock stave and shroud, into a futtock extension on the other side of the shrouds. These extensions have loops on both ends and go through a bullseye at the top of the Bentinck shroud. The Bentinck shrouds have bullseyes on the lower ends that are lashed to a similar bullseye on the waterway. There are a lot of parts to these that require a lot of seizings to make. I think I can do a seizing blindfolded now. Also, all of these lines are served, so I started by serving a long length of black line for the shrouds and extensions. I then seized the bullseyes to the larger shroud lines, and then served them the whole length. I had to drill out the hole in the upper bullseyes so I could get three served lines to fit inside the hole. Note my large spool holder attachment for the Syren Serving Machine.

I stropped the two lower bullseyes with hooks, seized in a lashing line, and hooked them into eyebolts I had placed in the waterways months ago:
Here are the extensions being added to the shrouds. I made a loop on one end, threaded them through the bullseye, then seized the loop on the other end. I used some tick marks on the top of the card to get them the right length, or as close as I could get. The first picture shows them before I trimmed the loose ends of the seizings. I kind of cheated with the middle extension. it is supposed to be seized to the futtock stave, but instead I seized it to the bullseye, which was a lot easier, as I could do it off the model.

The futtock shrouds have a hook on one end, to hook into the stropping of the deadeyes on the fore and main mast tops. The other end is a loop, and I seized a lashing line into each loop.

Here are all the parts ready to install (except for the two bullseyes with hooks that I had already installed). Notice how there is a range of sizes for the futtock shrouds, so the loops end up at roughly the same distance from the futtock stave.

I installed these by first lashing the center futtock shroud to the center extension, then lashing the two bullseyes at the bottom of the Bentinck shrouds. I adjusted the two lashings until I got the spacing right, then lashed the rest of the futtock shrouds to the other extensions. The lashings go diagonally across the futtock stave, which of course I did not do with the first set, and got to redo them. Once they were all lashed I did a final adjustment then tied off all the lashings. I have left the lashings uncut for now in case I need to redo these, but I will fix the knots with some glue at some point and cut off the excess. Here is the starboard main futtock shrouds and extensions. I didn't get a picture of the extensions from the other side of the shrouds, but I may include one in a future post.
And the bottom of the Bentinck shrouds:
I still have the port main side to do, but i have most of the pieces ready for them. I will then make and install the mizzen futtock shrouds, which are more traditional and do not use the Bentinck shrouds. As always, thanks for you interest.

I finished rigging the jibboom, which included rigging the spritsail yard. It has 8 bullseyes on it to direct lines from the bowsprit to the bow pin rail and cathead. Here is a shot while I was installing them.To get them to be parallel with the yard, I first ran a line around the bulleye and seized it, then while the glue on the seizing was drying I twisted a 90 bend at the seizing. After the glue dried the excess lines now ran at 90 degrees to the bullseye, so I just tied them to the yard with an overhand knot and fix it to the yard. I stropped other blocks with loops that fit over the yard arms for the lifts and braces.

I added the footropes and one side of the parrel line to hold the yard to the bowsprit, then carefully slid the yard between the second and third bobstays to get it into position. I thought I was going to have to undo the lashing on the third bobstay, but I am glad I waited to try this first. I then tied the other end of the yard parrel. At this point I was able to add the lines from the jibboom that go to the blocks and bullseyes on the cathead, and the martingale stays which are seized to the dolphin striker. I still have a few loose ends to cut and the jibboom footropes to add in this picture, which I have done since I took it. I also tightened the lashing on the starboard fixed guy, which is the line that has that funny bend at the tip of the jibboom.

I am finding these electronic test clips invaluable for rigging. Here I am using them to mark the location of the next knot to tie in the jibboom footrope, as well as providing a handle on the other end of the line. They are perfect for holding two lines together while seizing them, and for forming small loops around, as I am doing for the futtock shrouds.

And that is what is coming. I have all of the fore futtock shrouds made and the 2 Bentinck shrouds. Now I need to make the extensions that fit in the loop of the Bentinck shrouds.

Time for an update. I have all of the topmasts installed with their associated bits & bobs on the caps and crosstrees. Many of the blocks will be installed with hooks, but I have stropped them and installed the eyebolts for them. Some blocks are installed directly on eyebolts.

In order to continue the bowsprit rigging on the jibboom, I need the sprit sail yard. I made it on the lathe from some round dowel, since it is mostly round. Here I have stained it and am in the process of painting the yard arms black, which is the color scheme i am using for the lower yards. In order to install this spar with the footropes installed, I need to remove the lashing on the third bobstay, which I installed a while ago. Not a big deal, but one of those mistakes that I should have anticipated. I also need to install the sling holding this yard to the bowsprit while installing the yard, as it has seizings on both sides of the bowsprit.

The other task I have been doing is getting all of the blocks ready for the rigging. I am using the kit supplied blocks and I thought I would show how I am cleaning them up. I start by using a small file to knock back the corners of the squarish blocks, so they are more oval. I do this in two dimensions so the edges are rounded too. Here you can see the kit supplied blocks on the right and a filed block to the left of those and in the cap.
I then turn these in the block tumbler shown below. I got this from Model Expo a few years ago and beefed up the insides a bit.
I run the tumbler on the dress press at about 1200 RPM or 1/4 of the speed of the press, for a few minutes. While it is running, I hold the container up so there is good contact of the sandpaper inside with the bottom of the cup.
Here is what the blocks look like out of the tumbler. There is quite a bit of sawdust inside and I am always surprised that there is anything left in the cup when I open it. I just picture everything inside turning to dust.
I then stain the blocks using a dedicated cap using an old paint brush. I dip the brush in stain and roll the brush around within the blocks until they are covered on all sides. Here the blocks are the left have been stained and the blocks on the right are waiting for their turn.
I also needed some sister blocks for the lower yard rigging, so I made some out of 1/4 by 1/8 inch basswood. Unfortunately I did not take pictures during the process, but I will describe it. I first drilled two lines of evenly spaced holes along the length of the wood strip, then used a round file to make grooves on each side between the line of holes for the top and bottom sheaves. I sanded the edges round, then cut the individual blocks from the wood strip. I cut these so they were fairly thick, then thinned them down on the disk sander. I also used a file and sandpaper to get the final shape on each one. I used a triangular file to make the stropping groove around each one, then tumbled and stained them like I did the other blocks. Here they are just before staining.
Next up is to finish and install the sprit sail yard, then on to the futtock shrouds on the other masts.
 

Thanks Rob, and for the likes.
 
I have finished the ratlines on both sides of the lower shrouds and tied on the futtock staves. It is nice getting to this point in the build.

I next did some more bowsprit rigging. I had made this jibboom traveller a few months ago, modeling it off what Chuck made for his Syren build. Before installing it, I seized two small blocks to it for the jib downhaul and tackle, and the two inner fixed guy lines.
I then slid the jibboom through the bowsprit cap from the back, and slipped the traveller onto the jibboom. The jibboom was not sitting flat into the saddle, so I filed out the hole in the cap a bit until it did, then glued it to the saddle.


I had made this bracket to fit over the saddle before, so I just glued it in place.

I seized eyes into the ends of two lines for the fixed inner guys and added them to the end of the jibboom, and seized two bullseyes with loops for the martingale stays and slipped them over the end of the jibboom.

This is as much as I can do on the bowsprit until I make and install the bowsprit yard. Before that I am going to work on the mast caps and install the topmasts.
 
 

As promised, here is the jig I started doing the ratlines with. It worked pretty well, but the spacing was a bit uneven with it.
I then switched to graph paper as a guide, which is how I have always done ratlines in the past.
I tied all of the fore port ratlines before fixing any of the knots. I then started fixing every fifth line, which corresponds to the ratlines that start at the swifter. Once these dry I will fix the intermediate ratlines. I left one ratline off about 1 1/2" below the top for the futtock stave. I split some3/64 x 3/32 " strips to make 3/64" square strips for the futtock staves. I painted these black.
 

Well. my approach for the snakes between the fore and main stays worked out nicely. I basically just tied the snake lines to the stays with clove hitches, weaving the snakes back and forth. It may be hard to see in these photos, but I like the end result.

So now I am adding the ratlines. Here are few to start, but I have about half of the fore port ratlines tied on this morning. I have not fixed any of the knots yet, so I can adjust as I go.

I am using two 5/32" wide wood strips that I clamp at each end as guides, as well as graph paper behind the shrouds as guidelines. I get some pictures of those tomorrow.

Thanks Rob and Popeye, and the likes.
 
I finished the mizzen stay and preventer stay. These were a little tricky because with the bullseyes they had to go through on the main mast, the serving of the bullseye at the bottom end had to be done in place. I did these, then did the loop at the top for the mouse on the main stay, but the top loop first on the preventer stay.

At the bottom, I already had the eyebolts in the deck for the bottom bullseye for these, so I stropped them with hooks that I just hooked into the eyebolts after threading the lanyards through the bullseyes, tightened them up, and tied off the lanyards to themselves.

Now to add the sheer poles to the mizzen shrouds.

Well I am back from a week's vacation in St. Lucia. What a beautiful island. The trip was a Christmas present to our two kids, as one last vacation together before they start their own families. It was great!
 
But, now it's time to get back to work. I finished up the main shrouds and have added the mizzen shrouds. Here is how the main shrouds and deadeyes came out:

And the mizzen so far. I still have to add the sheer poles and tie everything off.

And here is some overall shots so far. The masts are in good alignment so far.

As always, thanks for the interest, comments and the likes.

OK guys, you convinced me. I tried a couple of different stains last night and did not like the look of the lighter ones, so I went all in and used Dark Walnut. They are a nice rich dark brown now, and as a bonus the deadeyes are darker too which look more like the real ones. Here is how it looked right after I stained the lines.

And here is how they looked after they dried overnight. I was a little worried that the lines would get stiff, but if they did it was not very much.
I am very happy with the result. Thank you for getting me to change this. Keep those suggestions coming....
 

Post Ninety-nine
 
Quarterdeck planking
Back to deck planking, and an activity I quite enjoy. I am using mainly 4x1mm Boxwood, and some broader strips where the layout dictates.

2514
As with the Upper deck the centre line fittings of hatch/ladderways and Capstan step are fitted before planking.

2518
The fittings were designed to sit atop the planking so have been raised by the depth of the planking to compensate.
 
In addition to the hatchways there are grating sets that represent the covers for the Top-rope and pump scuttles and sit flush to the deck.
I have some reservations about the Top rope scuttles being represented by gratings, they are generally shown as closed boards, without framing, and with lifting rings attached.
This is how I will display them.
 
The deck planking layout requires some careful thought.

2519

2520
A tricky part is planking around the scuttles. To this end blank scuttle templates are temporarily fixed in place to run the planking to, and the specific parts used to check.

2524

2525

2526
The centre line section completed, I will now move onto the outer strakes and Margin planks.
 
B.E.
26/10/2023
 

 

Post Ninety-eight
 
The Drops re-visited
I couldn’t resist playing with the Drop blanks, and even with a touch of rounding look better to my eye than the resin equivalent.
 
The originals had to come off the model despite the time and effort put in, but one should always be prepared to take a step back and indulge in a spot of light de-construction if you're not satisfied.

2501

2504
I think it’s something to do with the forward curve of the ‘ball’ and the more substantial appearance that at least to me suits the proportions of the Quarter Gallery better.

2506

2510
It will all look a lot better once the galleries are completed and the mouldings added.

2511
Hopefully, this is the end of the ‘Drop’ saga, I will leave the finishing until I return to complete the galleries.
 
Movin’ on
 
B.E.
24/10/2023
 

Post Ninety-seven
 
Sorting the ‘Drop’
So, this is the aspired to effect.

2461
This is the Adm plan but the kit plan is much the same.

2479
I continued to tweak the drop to receive the ball.
I am trying to avoid the effect of the ball seeming to sit directly beneath the level line of the Finishing.

2488
Starboard side
Fiddling around with this stuff surely messes up the surroundings, but that’s to be expected.

2490
Port side
The ball surface suffered a little on this side during the paring but I’ll sort that later.

2491

2494

2496
2496
There is a lot of cleaning up to do in the stern area, but now the drop issue has been resolved in my mind I will move onto the Quarterdeck planking.
 
Ahrrrrg.😒
Having moved on and looking for something else I came across these little items that look suspiciously like ‘Drops’.

2498
These are parts 51 on the 3mm pear sheet, mentioned in the index, but not in the Gallery construction pages or the prototype build section 636.
Perhaps Chris decided to replace these blanks with the resin item.
 
Still, they are the correct shape to fit beneath the Finishing, and I wish I had found them earlier.
I may have to re-visit the Drops, but even if carving the ball is not fancied, the upper part could be used in conjunction with the resin ball.
 
B.E.
23/10/2023
 

some progress:
 





I found these letters, but honestly, they don't excite me too much..... I will try to make them in boxwood.
What do you  think about?

With the main yard I tried out the first blocks on the ship, and I really got into it with the hearts on the bow.

In the meantime it has developed further. It's amazing what a large amount came together for the standing rigging alone. Here is a family picture.



The special blocks were the most fun. Here are some in the foreground.



First the Sisterblocks, in German with the crisp name "Stengewantblocks", just try to speak that out loud.





Of course, the test assembly here on the main mast was exciting ...



... also with the matching ropes.



And also cute the smaller version on the mizzen mast.



Long tackles blocks are used to stiffen the fore topmast stay and its preventer stay.









I'm also supposed to pass this in between the guys at the heads. Will also be exciting again.

XXXDAn

Elsewhere, people asked whether the net in front was not a hindrance and whether it would not make more sense underneath, as is the case today.

So I simply made some pictures that I don't want to withhold from yo 🙂

Here without the jib boom



And here with









You can see some things well.

- The wings of the bee give our little sailor a good foothold, which also explains the slanting position, which makes it easy to support oneself.
- The net is not particularly in the way, as you have to fish around the bowsprit cap in front of it anyway.
- The inner jib lands immediately in the net when it is brought down and does not lie over the spars. If it is stowed properly and successively when lowering, the standing area of our seamen also stays accessible.
- When the sail is stowed, the jib boom can still be moved.

What is also true, of course, is that this small net has evolved into the jib net we know today, where it has been reversed, because today you stand in the net and the sail rests on the boom. Even when stowing a medium-sized sail like the Hendrika, it takes a lot of strength to reach around and underneath the downhaul to fasten the sail. What was it like with the big sheets?

And the all-clear was also given elsewhere: In the literature, instead of the net, you always see two battens as a boundary at the top and bottom, connected with a zig-zag rope running lengthwise. Druxey gave me the hint that this was only a very short-term intermediate development stage that was very quickly replaced by the net. Thank you for that!

Sorry, so I don't have any more demolition for you today ....

XXXDAn

Post Ninety-six
The ‘Drop’
Is that fancy little decoration that sits below the lower finishing.

2461
In earlier times this was a more fancy affair than that adorning  Indy.

2439
Chris has provided a resin version which at first sight I thought would save a lot of scrap wood and an excess of murmurings on my part.
However, the resin drop is described as ‘generic’ in the manual, and attractive as it looks it seems to be the wrong shape to fit the Lower finishing.

2458

2459
It is at its broadest where the finishing tapers towards the forward part of the gallery, and any width reduction threatens the lower ball decoration.
 
I snipped away at the part but could not get something that looked right either in terms of the kit plan or the official Adm plan.
(as above)


031
My shipyard assistant gave it close scrutiny and was not too impressed either, so we both failed to see how this could possibly work.
I think the issue is that the part instead of curving downwards to meet the ball, is shaped outwards beyond the width of the lower edge of the finishing.
If it needs to be cut away to the point of destruction, there seems little point in having it.
 
Still, this is classed as an advanced kit so I should be expected to handle this sort of thing.`

2472
Using 6mm x1mm Boxwood I laminated four strips together and started to shape a replacement that better reflects the plan.

2467
The ‘ball’ was cut away from the resin part and thinned down a little from the back.

2468
I’m getting there but not happy yet.
I need to fine down the drop attachment to allow the ‘ball’ to sit a little higher up the wale.
I think I’ll be playing around with this for a while yet.
 

2474
On a brighter note the stern gallery looks superb, and it all lines up as designed.
 
At this stage I’m starting to get a frisson of excitement about the build. 
 
B.E.
22/10/2023
 
 
 
 
 
 

Post Ninety-five
 
Galleries cont’d
The outer patterns for the gallery mullions are a perfect fit. Again, I dry heat bend them to conform to the shape.

2436
One must get inventive to hold the parts in place. I find these sectioning clips a great aid to modelling.
 

2447
For the finishing outer pattern, I found it necessary to pin to hold the part in place until the glue set.
At least the gap has now gone.
 
The next tricky element of this section is shaping of the laminated roof and lower finishing of the Quarter Gallery.

2442
The roof requires a sharp clean chamfer on the front edge, a bevel on the aft edge to meet the transom, and a sharp angled edge on the fore side.
This is done in a series of steps, mark, sand, re-mark, and check.

2443
The completed items together with the means of achieving it.
 
The lower finishing requires careful shaping to avoid it looking like a lump of stuck on the bottom. The detail is shown on plan sheet 6.
The parts fit neatly between the Upper finishing and the Black Strake.

2450

2451

2454
With the part in place the shape can be roughed out in pencil. Initially I am not inducing any taper from top to bottom, concentrating on getting the width and curve to match the lower counter.

2453
A degree of taper is then introduced.

2455

2456
Still held in place with double sided tape at this point but getting close to the completed shape.
Fairly satisfied with progress, but there may be trouble ahead.
 
B.E.
21/10/2023