ancre La Créole 1827 by archjofo - Scale 1/48 - French corvette

[archjofo]

 

Hello dear colleagues,

I wanted to provide an additional explanation about the braided stirrups.
In various publications I was able to read how the braids were looped and secured around the yards, but I have not yet found a picture of it. According to these descriptions, I implemented it for my model at the main topgallant yard and now quickly made a drawing at Eberhard's @wefalck request.
I think it might have looked like this:

Of course I can't be absolutely sure about this.

 

Edited January 29 by archjofo

[archjofo]

Hello,

Based on Eberhard @welfalck's advice and further consideration, this seems to be the better and probably correct solution for attaching the stirrups.
The reverse arrangement ensures better drainage of rainwater. I have now also found an illustration of this in "Rundhölzer, Tauwerk und Segel"  by K. Schrage.

[archjofo]

Continuation: Equipment of the fore topgallant yard – Vergue de petit perroquet
As announced a long time ago, I started to equip the fore topgallant yard. In principle it is the same rigging elements and accessories as the main topgallant yard, just with reduced dimensions.
In this respect, I don't want to repeat myself and let the pictures speak for themselves.

The double blocks for the royal sheets and the single cluelines are also a little smaller.

Here is a direct comparison of a quarter block for the main top gallant yard with those of the fore top gallant yard. Unfortunately, at this size you can already see some irregularities.

In the next photo I show, among other things: an already made strop for a double block with my scale man, which I've been neglecting a bit lately. Actually a loyal companion at the model building yard for more than 10 years now.

And here's another picture of the stirrups. On the one hand you can see the unraveled rope and on the other hand the finished braided plating.

 The sheets are connected to the cluelines in the usual way when no sails were attached.

 Finally, here is a picture of the entire fore topgallant yard, but still without lifts.
 
Sequel follows …

Edited March 29 by archjofo

[Thukydides]

Fantastic work.

 

I was wondering, are these braided stirrups just a feature of French rigging or would the english have done something similar?

[archjofo]

 

@Thukydides

Hello,
Certainly I can state this with absolute certainty for the French. I found this in Contemporary Technical Literature from 1829 by F.A. Coste.

As far as I know, it wasn't just the French, the English also had this type of stirrup.

[Gregory]

You should put together a book with your rigging technique.  I would buy it in a heartbeat.  Meanwhile, your log is a frequent visit for me.

 

While I would be hard pressed to duplicate your work, a goal would be to get a similar look..

[Keith Black]

2 hours ago, Gregory said:

You should put together a book with your rigging technique.  I would buy it in a heartbeat.

  It would be well worth every penny and one of those books that becomes worn rather quickly. 

[archjofo]

@Gregory

@Keith Black

Hello,

thank you very much for your kind words.
 

 

Musée national de la Marine in Paris

Today I have to get the following off my chest.
As you all know, the Musée national de la Marine in Paris reopened its doors some time ago after many years of renovation and modernization. Our forum colleague Eberhard @wefalck reported on this with impressive photos.
I actually planned to visit the reopened museum later this year and in particular to view and photograph my "object of desire", the original model of "La Créole", in order to, among other things, to explore unclear details of the upper rigging.
After his first visit, Eberhard indicated that he was not sure whether “La Créole” could still be seen in the permanent exhibition.
After contacting the museum, I was informed that this was indeed the case and that the "La Créole" had ended up in storage, like many other models. When I asked if it would be possible to take a few photos of the upper rigging (topgallant yards and royal yards), I was referred to the restorers. A very friendly restorer then went to the depot especially for me and took a whole series of pictures of the rigging.
Regardless of the fact that these recordings are very valuable for my project, I am shocked by the fact that this beautiful model has now become the victim of a new museum education.
Apparently the aim is to reach a wider audience. The German Museum is also apparently following this trend. As I found out, for example, the beautiful 74 model after Boudriot by our forum colleague Robert @tarjack can no longer be seen in the permanent exhibition.
Is this the future of cultural-historical and artistic creation?

Here is a picture from the depot of the Paris museum, where the "La Créole" will now eke out its future existence alongside many other models.

It almost looks like a prison, which makes me a little sad. Previously proudly presented in the permanent exhibition, published with glossy photos, among other things, by J. Boudriot and now in the depot without protection. Hopefully the air in the depot is dust-free.
I'm still hoping that one of the restorers will remember the model and fix the already partially dilapidated rigging.

[hollowneck]

3 hours ago, archjofo said:

Is this the future of cultural-historical and artistic creation?

Sadly, yes; the same situation prevails with nautical museum exhibitions being curtailed in the U.K. and in the U.S. Not a new trend but a continuing one. Many museums are struggling to keep their doors open.

[dvm27]

I was fortunate enough to have visited the Museum just before it closed. I felt it was one of the best museums I have ever visited. Had the same thought about the Science Museum in England in the late 70's. At least I am fortunate to be so close to the Annapolis Museum where ship models take center stage thanks to a generous grant from an earlier class.

[mtaylor]

It seems that almost all museums are headed towards "minimal" displays of artifacts in favor of computer screens and "immersive" things like videos.   So it's just not naval ones but many aircraft museums along natural history ones are doing this.  Not sure the whole reason but some is probably due to damage by visitors wanting to "touch" them.   Pretty sad, IMO.

[Keith Black]

12 hours ago, mtaylor said:

Not sure the whole reason

 Mark, it's probably the cost of display maintenance. There doesn't seem to be as much money being donated to museums these days and reduced attendance. Folks don't feel they need to go to the museum because Mr Google is right there waiting to guide them through whatever interest was put in the search box. 

Edited April 10 by Keith Black

[Tony Hunt]

On the topic of museums, I recommend a visit to the Naval Museum in Madrid if you can get there. It still has a superb display of models of all types and sizes. A wonderful place.

[wefalck]

Absolutely. Here my personal selection: https://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/madrid/madrid.html

 

The building inside is also congenial.

[Nipper]

I don't want to clog up Johann's wonderful build log by continuing the comments on museums, but it is all about money. 

 

And the continual dumbing down, like you see on TV documentaries, where the makers are attempting to catch the interest of a generation used to stimulation from fast moving images.  So many museums are having to reduce their displays and focus instead on eye catching and interactive exhibitions to catch the interest of young people - and let's hope they are successful in this. 

 

In some museums, I've found, a room that may once have been cluttered with many artefacts has been transformed to highlight a single object, surrounded by supporting information to truly bring out the object's importance and relevance to historical record.  Done well, this is brilliant, as long as specialists like us have an opportunity to get into the storerooms to see what we want to find out about.  And again, this is about money, in order to finance a museum's cataloguing, storing, and archiving costs.

 

Nipper

 

[CiscoH]

do you know if Mr Tarjack is still building model ships?  if its the same person he hasnt updated his royal caroline bone ship in several years

[wefalck]

Sure, he is still active, but indeed hasn't made much progress in recent years on the bone-model. Perhaps, because he is rather busy as the editor of the LOGBUCH, the quarterly of our German equivalent to the NRG.

[archjofo]

 Continuation: Equipment of the mizzen topgallant yard – Vergue de perruche 
After a short creative break, we continue with the equipment of the mizzen topgallant yard. The equipment and rigging elements basically correspond to those of the fore topgallant yard, but again with correspondingly smaller dimensions. The mizzen topgallant tye is also equipped with a hook. At around 4 mm long, this is even smaller than the hook for the tye of the fore topgallant yard. Of course, the eye splice couldn't be missing either. With a rope with a diameter of 0.35 mm (2x3 Japanese silk thread - rope in the original ø 17 mm) this is a difficult matter, but after some practice it is definitely doable. It just looks better and corresponds to the original design.
As already described several times, I use an injection needle as a hollow spike for splicing, with a diameter of 0.8 mm for the thin ropes.

 
In the next picture you can see the mizzen topgallant tye with the double strop and the thimble already tied on to guide the simple clueline.

 
Sequel follows …

[druxey]

Just amazingly neat splicing and plaiting! 

[archjofo]

@druxey

Hello,
I'm glad you like it. Thanks !
I would also like to thank everyone else for the LIKES.

 

Continuation: Equipment of the mizzen topgallant yard – Vergue de perruche
After a suggestion from model building colleagues, I secured the mousing of the hook for the tye with a thinner three strand rope with a diameter of 0.15 mm that was specially made for this purpose.

We then continued with the quarter blocks (clew lines and sheets), which are among the smallest double blocks on the model.
For the block ropes I used ropes with a diameter of 0.25 mm, which were served with silk yarn.

The last two pictures show the arrangement of the quarter blocks with the truss already attached.

Up soon …

[François de Saint Nazaire]

Dear Johan,

I was very impressed by your model, your approach, and your knowledge. I responded to your last post because I am currently working on the rigging of the main yard for the Granado (Bomb vessel's kit by Jotika). In the book (AOTS by P Goodwin), they mention quarter blocks for footropes (see picture).

What is the difference between a quarter block and a double block (french translation "poulie de bas-cul" by David H. Roberts )? What is the function of quarter blocks? Are they also used for footropes ?

 

Again "Bravo votre corvette est magnifique"

[tkay11]

2 hours ago, Jorez de Saint Nazaire said:

What is the difference between a quarter block and a double block

Romme's 1813 dictionary says: "Plusieurs poulies tiennent leur nom des usages auxquels elles sont destinées. Ainsi , les poulies de retour, quarter block, sont celles qui ne servent qu'a changer la direction d'un cordage tendu; et celles de  conduite sont seulement placées sur la direction pour la conserver sans l'altérer".

 

Roughly translated this means "Many blocks take their name from their intended use. Thus, quarter blocks are those which only serve to change the direction of a taut rope; and conduction blocks are only placed to preserve the rope's direction without altering it".

 

I think a double block is just that - a block with two sheaves side by side.

 

As always, this is only my understanding, subject to correction or addition.

 

Tony

[archjofo]

 

Perhaps I might add, basically there are quarter blocks with one disc, so-called single blocks, and with two discs, so-called double blocks.
In the lower yards, the quarter blocks were large single blocks to guide the sheets. The clew lines were managed in separate blocks.
In the topsail and topgallant yards, quarter blocks were arranged as double blocks to guide the clewlines and sheets together approximately in the middle of the yard.
Since the clew lines are usually thinner than the sheets, these double blocks usually also have different disc gates. Therefore, these blocks are also called thick-and-thin blocks.

[François de Saint Nazaire]

Thank you very much for your explanations and references (Romme's dictionary).

So, perhaps the use of quarter blocks for footropes is a mistake?

[jfhealey]

Johaan - would you post a few photos of the whole ship as she stands - as distinct from close ups of your extraordinary rigging? This truly is a remakable build. One for the ages.

best wishes

Fred 

[archjofo]

Hello,

A while back, I captured some general shots of the model. It remains under a dust cover while I´m outfitting the yards. Regrettably, I don't have any recent pictures available right now.

 

 

[archjofo]

Continuation: Equipment of the Cross Bramrah – Vergue de perruche
A moment of inattention results in the following:

 At the broken point the mizzen topgallant yard is just 1.9 mm in diameter. Annoying, but gluing is not an option.
Sequel follows …

[jfhealey]

Oh dear! That must be hugely upsetting. I know, however, you will sort it out one way or another. 

[druxey]

That is such a pity. I do understand why you would want to re-make the spar. At least a topgallant has fewer parts attached than a lower yard!

[dvm27]

We've all been there Johann! At least, hopefully, you can reuse all the fittings you've made. I'll wager these took a lot longer than fabricating the yard.