RMC

In making up the crows feet for the main stays, the fragility of the euphroes supplied in the kit again became apparent. The first couple of holes towards the bow leave virtually no material around them for support.  Touching the euphroe is enough to bend it - bend it a couple of times or so (and it's hard not to) and it will break.
Consequently I decided to make replacements for the main and mizzen. This time I used a Dremel drill press to make the holes (something I should have done with the fore stay euphroe).  The results are quite good. They are far sturdier than the kit euphroes and very close to their dimensions.  If here is a choice between authenticity and practicality, in this case I think the kit got it wrong.
 
Making the euphroe for the main.

 

 

 
The resulting crows feet have turned quite well after all the trauma. Here the thread has not yet been made off. I will give it a day or so to settle in before making any necessary adjustments.
 

 

 
 

In making up the crows feet for the main stays, the fragility of the euphroes supplied in the kit again became apparent. The first couple of holes towards the bow leave virtually no material around them for support.  Touching the euphroe is enough to bend it - bend it a couple of times or so (and it's hard not to) and it will break.
Consequently I decided to make replacements for the main and mizzen. This time I used a Dremel drill press to make the holes (something I should have done with the fore stay euphroe).  The results are quite good. They are far sturdier than the kit euphroes and very close to their dimensions.  If here is a choice between authenticity and practicality, in this case I think the kit got it wrong.
 
Making the euphroe for the main.

 

 

 
The resulting crows feet have turned quite well after all the trauma. Here the thread has not yet been made off. I will give it a day or so to settle in before making any necessary adjustments.
 

 

 
 

The fore and fore preventer stays are now finished; snaking, and crows feet done. The main and main preventer stays are snaked (?) and the crows feet will be finished over the next couple of days. Here are some photos of progress.
 
Lashing of the fore stay. I don't known if this is correct, but it seemed the most obvious way to do it.

 

 
The mizzen stay - not a very good photo.
 

 
Snaking the main and main preventer stays. I have used Arthur's method which was surprisingly easy (I am a highly reluctant knot tier ) and effective (as expected ). It is however quite difficult to see what is going on. Consequently I hung a sheet of paper over a piece of thread tied between the fore and main topmasts to highlight the two stays and show the process more clearly.
 

 

 
Snaking the fore stays.
 

 
This is what it all looked like before the crows feet for the forestays.
 

 
The crows feet for the fore stays turned out to be a small disaster. One of the holes in the euphoe through which the thread passes was partially blocked. In attempting to unblock it (I used a pin as I don't have a drill bit small enough), I made the hole too large and the euphroe was hanging together by a thread  - but not for long . I made an attempt to salvage it (sticking fine electrical wire along top and bottom) which almost worked and possibly would have if the damage had been somewhere other than the second hole.
 
Here is the sad result (I would have painted it, had it worked ...)

 
I then tried some of the same brass from which the euphroe came to make another.  The brass proved too hard for the drill bit which kept slipping from the spot. By this time I was not rejoicing. Fortunately I then remembered that I had a little copper strip of a similar thickness and width of the euphroe. Here is the result of a rather fraught process.
 
This is the copper strip in process - the holes are a bit wonkey, and further apart than I wanted.
 

 
The finished ersatz euphroe - a bit longer than the original.
 

 
The crows feet after the drama. The new euphroe doesn't appear to be noticeable, though the smaller, original euphroe for the main stays may look a a bit odd. I'll worry about that when I get to it.
 

 

 

 
 

The fore and fore preventer stays are now finished; snaking, and crows feet done. The main and main preventer stays are snaked (?) and the crows feet will be finished over the next couple of days. Here are some photos of progress.
 
Lashing of the fore stay. I don't known if this is correct, but it seemed the most obvious way to do it.

 

 
The mizzen stay - not a very good photo.
 

 
Snaking the main and main preventer stays. I have used Arthur's method which was surprisingly easy (I am a highly reluctant knot tier ) and effective (as expected ). It is however quite difficult to see what is going on. Consequently I hung a sheet of paper over a piece of thread tied between the fore and main topmasts to highlight the two stays and show the process more clearly.
 

 

 
Snaking the fore stays.
 

 
This is what it all looked like before the crows feet for the forestays.
 

 
The crows feet for the fore stays turned out to be a small disaster. One of the holes in the euphoe through which the thread passes was partially blocked. In attempting to unblock it (I used a pin as I don't have a drill bit small enough), I made the hole too large and the euphroe was hanging together by a thread  - but not for long . I made an attempt to salvage it (sticking fine electrical wire along top and bottom) which almost worked and possibly would have if the damage had been somewhere other than the second hole.
 
Here is the sad result (I would have painted it, had it worked ...)

 
I then tried some of the same brass from which the euphroe came to make another.  The brass proved too hard for the drill bit which kept slipping from the spot. By this time I was not rejoicing. Fortunately I then remembered that I had a little copper strip of a similar thickness and width of the euphroe. Here is the result of a rather fraught process.
 
This is the copper strip in process - the holes are a bit wonkey, and further apart than I wanted.
 

 
The finished ersatz euphroe - a bit longer than the original.
 

 
The crows feet after the drama. The new euphroe doesn't appear to be noticeable, though the smaller, original euphroe for the main stays may look a a bit odd. I'll worry about that when I get to it.
 

 

 

 
 

I had trouble in finding how to tie off the lashing to the heart. Petersson was no help and and I couldn't find anything on the net whiich gave me a clue. I settled on putting a loop on one end of the lashing, putting the rest of the thread through to hole in the heart and threading it though the loop. Here is the the loop (before cleaning it up a little).

 
This is a side view showing the loop. I don't know if this is correct, but it works and with so many other pieces of rigging which will eventually be around it, it is unlikely to be noticed - I hope.
 

 
Again, the only way I could stop the lashings overlapping each other, was to glue them in place one at a time using a small bulldog clip on the end of the thread to supply tension.

Finally, finished.

 

 
Progress on the ratline front. The ratlines for the fore mast are now finished. While I am becoming a little quicker and a little better at it, doing a couple more masts is not an inspiring prospect.
 

Work on the stays is now quite advanced. All the mouses are complete  and all that needs to be done is to attach the various blocks and related rigging. However almost all this needs to be done on the model, and it looks to be a fairly daunting series of jobs.
 
Here are  the main stays
 

 
and how they will eventually be fixed.
 

 
The mizzen stay
 

 
and roughly how they will all look.
 

 
I have now started rigging the bowsprit. I am following Petersson - using collars for the forestays. One is complete (below).  The photo shows what appears to be bubbling of the paint. It hasn't.  The photo was taken in full sun and perhaps this caused the appearance.  Very odd.

 
Doing all of this has enabled me to avoid  as much as possible doing the ratlines.  Only a couple of thousand-odd knots to go. I can't bring myself to actually count them.  Here is progress, such as it is.
 

I don't know about others, but I don't find the new website very user friendly. Perhaps it's just me.
 
I would really like some advice concerning my question regarding satin Vs matt paint.

The bowsprit is now mounted. I have delayed this as long as possible.  It's one more invitation to bump and destroy. I had quite a bit of trouble finding the correct way to gammon the bowsprit. The plan was singularly unhelpful - to me at least.
 
 The only thing that seemed clear  is that there is a loop formed at the end of the gammoning which goes around the bowspprit and then the rest of the gammoning  is wound around it in some mysterious way. I eventually found a reference to the process on this website under masting and rigging.  It showed some photos taken from an unnamed book which did prove helpful. If anyone would like a photo of the photo, let me know.
 

 
Here is the gammoning partially completed,
 

 
and completed.
 

 
How the bowprit looks at the moment:

 
I can see a copy of my guide in the background of the following photo. I'm not sure if I have the gammioning right, but it looks OK and it's not going to be changed now.
 

 
 

The main and main preventer stays are now attached. Lashing the hearts proved quite awkward. The holes in the hearts provided for the lashing were circular which made it difficult to keep each strand from overlapping previous strands. It would have been far easier to file flat the surface where the lashing was to go. By the time I had figured that out it was a bit late. I solved the problem of the strands wanting to overlap each other by gluing each strand (50:50 PVA) individually  - doing one, waiting for the glue to dry, doing another .......
 
Here is a photo of the lashing for the main stay partially done.  The line is held taught by a weight on the end (a pair of spring tweezers).
 

 
The lashing (almost) complete.
 

 

 
 
The lashing for the preventer stay in progress:

 
and how it all looks at the moment.
 

 

The main and main preventer stays are now attached. Lashing the hearts proved quite awkward. The holes in the hearts provided for the lashing were circular which made it difficult to keep each strand from overlapping previous strands. It would have been far easier to file flat the surface where the lashing was to go. By the time I had figured that out it was a bit late. I solved the problem of the strands wanting to overlap each other by gluing each strand (50:50 PVA) individually  - doing one, waiting for the glue to dry, doing another .......
 
Here is a photo of the lashing for the main stay partially done.  The line is held taught by a weight on the end (a pair of spring tweezers).
 

 
The lashing (almost) complete.
 

 

 
 
The lashing for the preventer stay in progress:

 
and how it all looks at the moment.
 

 

The main and main preventer stays are now attached. Lashing the hearts proved quite awkward. The holes in the hearts provided for the lashing were circular which made it difficult to keep each strand from overlapping previous strands. It would have been far easier to file flat the surface where the lashing was to go. By the time I had figured that out it was a bit late. I solved the problem of the strands wanting to overlap each other by gluing each strand (50:50 PVA) individually  - doing one, waiting for the glue to dry, doing another .......
 
Here is a photo of the lashing for the main stay partially done.  The line is held taught by a weight on the end (a pair of spring tweezers).
 

 
The lashing (almost) complete.
 

 

 
 
The lashing for the preventer stay in progress:

 
and how it all looks at the moment.
 

 

Lashing collars - help needed.
 
I have looked fairly extensively over this website and elsewhere, and cannot find the method by which collars are lashed to the bowsprit.  I have thought of putting a half hitch on one loop and winding thread through the other, then making a few turns through both loops, finally tying off with another half hitch.  I guess this would work, but it doesn't seem to be very satisfactory. It results in a couple of loose ends for a start.
 
Does anyone have suggestions?  Here is the problem ...
 
.
 
Here is some progress on the bowsprit. The fittings are now complete. As has so often been the case, I have appropriated one of Arthur's ideas with the bees. I remembered I had some fittings left over when I used parts of Cornwall Model Boats carronades to modify the ones provided in the kit. Included were two little brass rollers that I have now used a sheaves in the bees (?). Perhaps the brass is a bit obvious and I may end up painting them brown, but the idea seems to have worked. But if I need two more there will be a problem ......
 

 
I hope I have now fixed all the dead eyes that need to be fixed on the bowsprit.. (If I haven't, please let me know.)  From the plans, I found it a bit difficult to figure out just what is going on, and I'm not all that confident that I do have it right.  Doing all of this off the model is likely to be easier than waiting until the bowsprit is mounted.
 

 

 
This how things are working out.
 

 
In the meantime, the ratlines march on.
 
 

Work on the stays is now quite advanced. All the mouses are complete  and all that needs to be done is to attach the various blocks and related rigging. However almost all this needs to be done on the model, and it looks to be a fairly daunting series of jobs.
 
Here are  the main stays
 

 
and how they will eventually be fixed.
 

 
The mizzen stay
 

 
and roughly how they will all look.
 

 
I have now started rigging the bowsprit. I am following Petersson - using collars for the forestays. One is complete (below).  The photo shows what appears to be bubbling of the paint. It hasn't.  The photo was taken in full sun and perhaps this caused the appearance.  Very odd.

 
Doing all of this has enabled me to avoid  as much as possible doing the ratlines.  Only a couple of thousand-odd knots to go. I can't bring myself to actually count them.  Here is progress, such as it is.
 

Work on the stays is now quite advanced. All the mouses are complete  and all that needs to be done is to attach the various blocks and related rigging. However almost all this needs to be done on the model, and it looks to be a fairly daunting series of jobs.
 
Here are  the main stays
 

 
and how they will eventually be fixed.
 

 
The mizzen stay
 

 
and roughly how they will all look.
 

 
I have now started rigging the bowsprit. I am following Petersson - using collars for the forestays. One is complete (below).  The photo shows what appears to be bubbling of the paint. It hasn't.  The photo was taken in full sun and perhaps this caused the appearance.  Very odd.

 
Doing all of this has enabled me to avoid  as much as possible doing the ratlines.  Only a couple of thousand-odd knots to go. I can't bring myself to actually count them.  Here is progress, such as it is.
 

Work on the stays is now quite advanced. All the mouses are complete  and all that needs to be done is to attach the various blocks and related rigging. However almost all this needs to be done on the model, and it looks to be a fairly daunting series of jobs.
 
Here are  the main stays
 

 
and how they will eventually be fixed.
 

 
The mizzen stay
 

 
and roughly how they will all look.
 

 
I have now started rigging the bowsprit. I am following Petersson - using collars for the forestays. One is complete (below).  The photo shows what appears to be bubbling of the paint. It hasn't.  The photo was taken in full sun and perhaps this caused the appearance.  Very odd.

 
Doing all of this has enabled me to avoid  as much as possible doing the ratlines.  Only a couple of thousand-odd knots to go. I can't bring myself to actually count them.  Here is progress, such as it is.
 

Work on the stays is now quite advanced. All the mouses are complete  and all that needs to be done is to attach the various blocks and related rigging. However almost all this needs to be done on the model, and it looks to be a fairly daunting series of jobs.
 
Here are  the main stays
 

 
and how they will eventually be fixed.
 

 
The mizzen stay
 

 
and roughly how they will all look.
 

 
I have now started rigging the bowsprit. I am following Petersson - using collars for the forestays. One is complete (below).  The photo shows what appears to be bubbling of the paint. It hasn't.  The photo was taken in full sun and perhaps this caused the appearance.  Very odd.

 
Doing all of this has enabled me to avoid  as much as possible doing the ratlines.  Only a couple of thousand-odd knots to go. I can't bring myself to actually count them.  Here is progress, such as it is.
 

Well Alan, the next  time I'm exposed, I'll certainly use a less powerful camera.

Work on the stays is now quite advanced. All the mouses are complete  and all that needs to be done is to attach the various blocks and related rigging. However almost all this needs to be done on the model, and it looks to be a fairly daunting series of jobs.
 
Here are  the main stays
 

 
and how they will eventually be fixed.
 

 
The mizzen stay
 

 
and roughly how they will all look.
 

 
I have now started rigging the bowsprit. I am following Petersson - using collars for the forestays. One is complete (below).  The photo shows what appears to be bubbling of the paint. It hasn't.  The photo was taken in full sun and perhaps this caused the appearance.  Very odd.

 
Doing all of this has enabled me to avoid  as much as possible doing the ratlines.  Only a couple of thousand-odd knots to go. I can't bring myself to actually count them.  Here is progress, such as it is.
 

I have taken Jdieck's advice and started on the fore and main stays. This means that I will have to finish rigging the bowsprit, so I will have plenty to occupy me while (almost) avoiding the ratlines. The lops of the forestays are now done.  Serving the loops with their mouses (sic?) proved to be rather fiddly and the result could have been better. At least I have learned a few things and I hope to do a better job on the main stays.
 
Here is the mouse for the fore stay.  The end with the greater taper was done with a pencil sharpener (thanks Arthur).  With hindsight I should have made a greater taper on the other end. It would have made it easier to serve.
 

 

 
Here is the loop that fits around the mast, served and with the mouse.

 

 
The following photos show the fore and fore preventer stays loosely fitted around the mast. Things are obviously very crowded indeed and it is difficult to see just what is going on. It all looks like a bowl of demented spaghetti. Attaching the yards is going to be quite a job.
 
 

 

 
Here are the stays looped around the mast and all the previous rigging (jeers, shrouds etc.).  Is this correct?
 

 

 
I would have preferred to have the loops slightly larger, but the result is acceptable.

 
 
 
 

I have decided to use a truss pendant to mount the crossjack to the mizzen mast. As Arthur pointed out, the plans are ambiguous in their treatment (two drawings; two different methods). I have also followed Peterssen and hope it turns out alright in the end.
 
The idea is simple: make a loop on the end of the thread, the length  of which will reach roughly to the deck; make a second separate loop with an eye through which the length of thread passes, and on the end of which is a double block. This will eventually lead to a single block attached to one of the channels towards the stern  (I haven't decided where just yet).

 

 

 
With ropes going every which way it is difficult to see what is going on, but I hope these give the general idea.
 

 

 
This shows the block on the end of the pendant, roughly where it will eventually  be when the whole thing is finally fitted.
 

 

 
I think my next step will be to put on the ratlines, something to which I have not been looking forward.

I have taken Jdieck's advice and started on the fore and main stays. This means that I will have to finish rigging the bowsprit, so I will have plenty to occupy me while (almost) avoiding the ratlines. The lops of the forestays are now done.  Serving the loops with their mouses (sic?) proved to be rather fiddly and the result could have been better. At least I have learned a few things and I hope to do a better job on the main stays.
 
Here is the mouse for the fore stay.  The end with the greater taper was done with a pencil sharpener (thanks Arthur).  With hindsight I should have made a greater taper on the other end. It would have made it easier to serve.
 

 

 
Here is the loop that fits around the mast, served and with the mouse.

 

 
The following photos show the fore and fore preventer stays loosely fitted around the mast. Things are obviously very crowded indeed and it is difficult to see just what is going on. It all looks like a bowl of demented spaghetti. Attaching the yards is going to be quite a job.
 
 

 

 
Here are the stays looped around the mast and all the previous rigging (jeers, shrouds etc.).  Is this correct?
 

 

 
I would have preferred to have the loops slightly larger, but the result is acceptable.

 
 
 
 

I have taken Jdieck's advice and started on the fore and main stays. This means that I will have to finish rigging the bowsprit, so I will have plenty to occupy me while (almost) avoiding the ratlines. The lops of the forestays are now done.  Serving the loops with their mouses (sic?) proved to be rather fiddly and the result could have been better. At least I have learned a few things and I hope to do a better job on the main stays.
 
Here is the mouse for the fore stay.  The end with the greater taper was done with a pencil sharpener (thanks Arthur).  With hindsight I should have made a greater taper on the other end. It would have made it easier to serve.
 

 

 
Here is the loop that fits around the mast, served and with the mouse.

 

 
The following photos show the fore and fore preventer stays loosely fitted around the mast. Things are obviously very crowded indeed and it is difficult to see just what is going on. It all looks like a bowl of demented spaghetti. Attaching the yards is going to be quite a job.
 
 

 

 
Here are the stays looped around the mast and all the previous rigging (jeers, shrouds etc.).  Is this correct?
 

 

 
I would have preferred to have the loops slightly larger, but the result is acceptable.

 
 
 
 

I have taken Jdieck's advice and started on the fore and main stays. This means that I will have to finish rigging the bowsprit, so I will have plenty to occupy me while (almost) avoiding the ratlines. The lops of the forestays are now done.  Serving the loops with their mouses (sic?) proved to be rather fiddly and the result could have been better. At least I have learned a few things and I hope to do a better job on the main stays.
 
Here is the mouse for the fore stay.  The end with the greater taper was done with a pencil sharpener (thanks Arthur).  With hindsight I should have made a greater taper on the other end. It would have made it easier to serve.
 

 

 
Here is the loop that fits around the mast, served and with the mouse.

 

 
The following photos show the fore and fore preventer stays loosely fitted around the mast. Things are obviously very crowded indeed and it is difficult to see just what is going on. It all looks like a bowl of demented spaghetti. Attaching the yards is going to be quite a job.
 
 

 

 
Here are the stays looped around the mast and all the previous rigging (jeers, shrouds etc.).  Is this correct?
 

 

 
I would have preferred to have the loops slightly larger, but the result is acceptable.

 
 
 
 

I have taken Jdieck's advice and started on the fore and main stays. This means that I will have to finish rigging the bowsprit, so I will have plenty to occupy me while (almost) avoiding the ratlines. The lops of the forestays are now done.  Serving the loops with their mouses (sic?) proved to be rather fiddly and the result could have been better. At least I have learned a few things and I hope to do a better job on the main stays.
 
Here is the mouse for the fore stay.  The end with the greater taper was done with a pencil sharpener (thanks Arthur).  With hindsight I should have made a greater taper on the other end. It would have made it easier to serve.
 

 

 
Here is the loop that fits around the mast, served and with the mouse.

 

 
The following photos show the fore and fore preventer stays loosely fitted around the mast. Things are obviously very crowded indeed and it is difficult to see just what is going on. It all looks like a bowl of demented spaghetti. Attaching the yards is going to be quite a job.
 
 

 

 
Here are the stays looped around the mast and all the previous rigging (jeers, shrouds etc.).  Is this correct?
 

 

 
I would have preferred to have the loops slightly larger, but the result is acceptable.

 
 
 
 

I have taken Jdieck's advice and started on the fore and main stays. This means that I will have to finish rigging the bowsprit, so I will have plenty to occupy me while (almost) avoiding the ratlines. The lops of the forestays are now done.  Serving the loops with their mouses (sic?) proved to be rather fiddly and the result could have been better. At least I have learned a few things and I hope to do a better job on the main stays.
 
Here is the mouse for the fore stay.  The end with the greater taper was done with a pencil sharpener (thanks Arthur).  With hindsight I should have made a greater taper on the other end. It would have made it easier to serve.
 

 

 
Here is the loop that fits around the mast, served and with the mouse.

 

 
The following photos show the fore and fore preventer stays loosely fitted around the mast. Things are obviously very crowded indeed and it is difficult to see just what is going on. It all looks like a bowl of demented spaghetti. Attaching the yards is going to be quite a job.
 
 

 

 
Here are the stays looped around the mast and all the previous rigging (jeers, shrouds etc.).  Is this correct?
 

 

 
I would have preferred to have the loops slightly larger, but the result is acceptable.