Great Republic 1853 by rwiederrich - FINISHED - four masted extreme clipper

[rwiederrich]

17 minutes ago, druxey said:

Of course SilkSpan wrinkles with water-based paint, Rob - unless you pre-stretch it like watercolor paper. That solves the problem. See that booklet I referenced earlier.

This is the kind of information I'm talking about.  Hints, techniques, and processes.

I will get my hands on one...thanks.

 

Rob

[hollowneck]

Rob,

Thanks for your compliment, pleased to help. Convincing looking sails in proper scale, are not easy to replicate accurately. Same goes for water!

 

The publication to which I'm referring is not a newsletter but is the "Nautical Research Guild's Journal," which is printed quarterly for members (and now posted online — go to: www.thenrg.org). The NRG is the owner of this forum and I recommend looking into an NRG membership which will give you access to the quarterly.

 

Sail on.

Ron

 

[rwiederrich]

Thank you Ron..very much...I'll look into it.

 

Spent some time working on the GR  made and installed the upper topsail..but first I had to finish the topgallant sheet downhauls.....here are a few images.

[rwiederrich]

Next I spent some time making the upper topsail.  Cutting, banding and painting...and adding the reef points.

[rwiederrich]

Some of the sail mounted and being bent...

[rwiederrich]

A few more.  I still have the buntlines to finish installing and their blocks and tighten up the reef tackle.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

There are lots of lines and I'm not half finished.....

[rwiederrich]

I finished up the buntlines....later I'll address the upper topsails downhauls that afix to the yard band eye bolts.

 

Some fine adjustments till I begin making the lower topsail.

I think it is coming along nicely.

 

Rob(thanks for all the likes)

[BANYAN]

She's looking great Rob; keep at it you will be finished before you know it

 

cheers

 

Pat

[rwiederrich]

Thinking this through....I've decided to make both the lower topsail and the main course...but not attach them at this time.  My plan is to remove the main yard so as to facilitate the addition of the main shrouds and ratlines.  I would have to swing the yard out of the way and if the lower topsail's sheets are fixed...the yard will not move.

So its best to just leave them both off for now and follow the assembly steps I have outlined.

 

One problem(and it was brought up in Ed's log), is that of arm fatigue when rigging the top yards(and sails in my instance).  If memory serves me, I recall it was an issue with my last clipper.  With fatigue comes mistakes and even damage.

 

By following my method I believe I will keep most of the complex rigging down low and near the deck where I can rest my arms/hands on nearby bench work or sturdy fixtures.

 

I will have to identify the location of belaying pins and drill all the holes for them in the weatherdeck rail before I step any masts.  Which brings me to that very subject.  Since the GR had no bulwarks  nearly all of her sail and yard control rigging had to be belayed at the rail after it was purchased by one of six crab winches.  I think I might employ 3 of these winches to purchase the main braces.  A process not typically modeled on the average clipper.

 

Thank you for the fine compliment and encouragement.. and thank you everyone for your likes.

 

Rob

Edited November 5, 2018 by rwiederrich

[popeye the sailor]

poking my head in here Rob and marveling over the progress you've made.........very nice indeed!  mast and sails look superb.........just hate to be you  when it comes time to terminate all those lines    I know few folks that do it this way........I'd be too concerned I'd lose track.   very well done!

[rwiederrich]

Thanks Popey.  I decided to work each mast first..then step it.   First time for me as well.  but it seams to be working out for me.

 

Here are some new images...I finished up the top sheet purchases and the upper topmast downhauls.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

The downhauls are a slightly heavier line then the rest of the running rigging.  As I progress down the mast, I'll slightly increase the diameter of the line as heavier members are supported.  The sail rigging(Bunt, clews) will remain the same.

 

I began making the lower topsail...it and the main course will be made together.

I think I only have the lower topsail lift left..before I'm finished and I can step the mast.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Spent a little time this evening finishing up the lower topsail lift.  

[rwiederrich]

I then built the lower topsail.  I used a cake makingers flower forming ball tool to form the leading edge of my sails.

 

I then added the buntlines

[rwiederrich]

I temporarily set up the lower topsail to get some perspective.

[rwiederrich]

I went a bit looney and set up the main course....just for fun.

 

This isn't the actual main course..but it is a facsimile.

Edited November 9, 2018 by rwiederrich

[rwiederrich]

Enough of the Tom foolery.   I finished up all the additions I am going to do to the foremast...so it was time to step the mast in place..first a test fit.

[rwiederrich]

Then when everything was right....I removed the mast...placed the mast boot...applied the glue, placed the fife rail then glued things into place.

 

I purposefully did not glue the fife rail down at this time in case alignment issues arose.

 

Now, I'll wait till things are good and solid before my next step.

 

Do I begin the mainmast...or should I finish rigging the shrouds on the foremast...while everybody is removable..so I have plenty of room?

 

I might just do that...pull out all the other masts and focus on the shrouds and finding homes for all the line.  I'll need fairleads on the shrouds anyway before any lines find belay pins.

 

Rob 

[michael mott]

Nice looking sails Rob.

 

Michael

[rwiederrich]

6 hours ago, michael mott said:

Nice looking sails Rob.

 

Michael

Thanks Michael....I've spent years developing the right (from my point of view) look using paper.  They still have a natural translucency, but are not unduly wrinkled or opaque.

Plus they are easily and quickly made, with very little fuss.  I back lit them to demonstrate the natural look of them.

 

Rob

[Dowmer]

Rob,

If it was me I'd rig the shrouds while there is plenty of room and no real interference.  Plus it might help with arm fatigue not straining around obstructions etc.  But either way its looking great.

[rwiederrich]

4 hours ago, Dowmer said:

Rob,

If it was me I'd rig the shrouds while there is plenty of room and no real interference.  Plus it might help with arm fatigue not straining around obstructions etc.  But either way its looking great.

Yeah...Dowmer...I think I might just rig the shrouds and get the foremast secure... before moving onto the next.  Having the most room aft will be quite beneficial.  

 

All these sails really require loads of control rigging and I can tuck that all away nicely after the fairleads are installed on the shrouds.

 

I'll work on that tonight.

 

Rob 

[GMO2]

Do you have a tutorial on your technique for making these sails from paper.They are really nice looking,and I have wanted to add a few to the C.W. Morgan I'm starting to rig.

[rwiederrich]

31 minutes ago, GMO2 said:

Do you have a tutorial on your technique for making these sails from paper.They are really nice looking,and I have wanted to add a few to the C.W. Morgan I'm starting to rig.

GMO....the only tutorial I have is the images I posted....AND any information your require...I can personally tell you...walk ya through it stuff.

 

If you need any assistance just ask, and I'll be more then happy to walk you through it.

 

First...you need a piece of paper(Copy).  Draw on the scale panel lines for your scale.  Remember to draw both sides...  Making sure they are over the top of one another.   Then make double sided copies of the *Master* blank.  This will be your starting point.

 

Rob

 

[rwiederrich]

I removed the tape that held the rigging and now I am aligning and separating them to prep them for, either belaying or fixing them with blocks and their purchases.  The lower topsail yard halyard needs its purchase rigged too.

First I had to drill and mount a number of belay pins on the main weather deck rail.

[rwiederrich]

Next..I had to decipher the lines and determine their belay locations.

I then fixed the halyard to its proper padeye at the base of the mast.

 

I want to get some of these lines that will be belayed to the spider rail and fife belayed so they are out of the way when I begin to rig the shrouds.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Spent a bit of time this morning on the GR..had to sift through the tangle of lines to run them true to their belay points.  Many will still have to wait till the fairleads are on the shrouds to be run true.

[rwiederrich]

While I am at it I drilled many holes for the padeyes for the lifts...not to mention the douzens of belay pin holes on the rail(that was tiring).

 

Little bit of progress.....

[druxey]

...and, order begins to emerge from chaos!