Le Soleil Royal by EJ_L - FINISHED - Sergal - Scale 1:77 - 1669 Version

[EJ_L]

Another very productive week. Attached bolt ropes to the sails, leaving some slack to tie up the clews for rigging attachments. I also have set blocks on the spritsail, fore and main yards for the lifts, clews and braces. I will add the leech and bunt lines as needed as not all of the sails had these in this period, mainly the courses and topsails. Bending the sails to the yards will be up next starting with the spritsail and spritsail topsail. 

 

[Old Collingwood]

Very nice work EJ   I dont think I could attempt sail making.

 

OC.

[CDW]

Just now, Old Collingwood said:

Very nice work EJ   I dont think I could attempt sail making.

 

OC.

I agree with you OC. 

EJ did an outstanding job making the sails. Impressive work.

[EJ_L]

Thank you all for the nice compliments as well as the likes. 
 

Sail work continues and today the first sail is set on the ship. The spritsail is in place with her lines run though not secured yet. I did not want the sail to obscure the figurehead so I am leaving this one furled. Tomorrow I will work on the spritsail topsail. 

[EJ_L]

The spritsail topsail is on the ship, all lines are in place and free of fouling. Now to secure them and then onward to the fore sails. 
 

Im very happy with how the sails are progressing so far. If not for this site, I doubt I would of attempted to do this. All of the great build logs have helped me immensely. A specific thank you to Michael (md1400cs) whose Vasa build gave me a lot of guidance. 

Edited February 17, 2020 by EJ_L

[Old Collingwood]

Amazing work  - really nice EJ.

 

OC.

[EJ_L]

Just a quick update, both spritsail are secured in place and I am now fitting the fore sails. I bent all three to their masts this weekend and have finished adding all the clew, bunt and leech lines to the course along with their corresponding blocks. Now to start threading the lines and locating them to their belaying points. 

[popeye the sailor]

superb job with the sails and rigging E.J.  

[EJ_L]

Progress update on the sails, slow but gaining. There are some evenings when I spend an hour or two and may only have one rigged line to show for it. Lots of fitting, and refitting, adjusting and making sure the lines don’t foul each other. I am gaining ground and the nice part is that the main sails should go smoother as I will have the fore sails to reference. 
 

 

[EJ_L]

Tonight I finished the foresail running rigging except for the braces which will be installed after all the sails are rigged for easier access. I’ve learned a lot on this set of sails which I am hoping will allow for the main sails to go smoother and quicker as I will be basically reproducing what I just did. 

[EJ_L]

Main course sail in place, belaying the lines now then on to the main topsail. 

[EJ_L]

Main sails are in place and rigged. As with the fore sails, the braces will wait till other work is completed before I rig them as they just get in the way of any work on the interior. Now to work on the mizzen sails. The mizzen top will be similar to what has already been done but the lanteen will take some study. 
 

Once the sails are complete, there is not much left to build. Anchors and lanterns then she will be ready for a case. 

[Fright]

E.J. - Absolutely stunning job that are you doing! I am but a lowly pirate compared to your mastery

 

[md1400cs]

E.J, nice - close to closing - update. Lower furled sails are indeed "the answer" when adding sails IMO nice work....

[Bossman]

E.J, impressive model!  Great work on the sails. 

[EJ_L]

Thank you all for the kind words and likes. They always mean a lot and help keep the motivation going.

 

I had decided to keep the courses furled mainly for viewing purposes. I had made them large enough that I could have displayed them either way, but after viewing the ship with them set, I did not like how they blocked the view of a lot of other details. It was not so bad right now as I can spin the ship and get in close to see things, but I thought about it when she will be in a case and viewing will be restricted. Having the courses furled and a ship under topsails was not unheard of in reality and that would eliminate blockage of the deck details. I'm still debating on the lanteen sail. It is a unique sail that could prove interesting to have set, but I wonder if it will block too much as well. Will look at it both ways also but I have a feeling it too will become furled. 

[testazyk]

A real masterpiece--congratulations!

[Old Collingwood]

She is looking superb  perfection in every way.

 

OC.

[EJ_L]

Mizzen sails in place. I decided to go ahead and leave the lanteen sail set as it did not block as much as I though it would and adds an interesting focal point as it is a unique looking sail. I still have a few rope coils to make and then I will start running the braces. 

[Nek0]

Hello EJ, impressive work for a great result ! What a job on the carvings, congrats !!

[john_weiman]

Good Job

[BLACK VIKING]

Stunning work my friend 

stay safe 

Martyn 

[Snow]

Mate what  a beautiful ship  you have  definitely  done her justice 

Great workmanship 

Cheers  snowy 

[Fright]

EJ - You certainly have come a long way this ship. All of your sculpting looks wonderful. What a work of art you have with your dedication to modeling. She is beautiful!

[Old Collingwood]

Wonderful work EJ,   keep it up stay safe and try to keep busy mate.

 

OC.

[Ronald-V]

Stunning ship! You did a very good job at it🙂

[popeye the sailor]

WOW!  she's looking very nice     great job on the sails and rigging....the mizzen came out great as well!  not much more to go ........super nice!

[EJ_L]

Thank you all very much for the nice words and likes. As always, it means a lot that you are enjoying the build as much as I am.

 

I am moving along this week though I've had to slow down some as I ran out of belaying pins. The kit supplied ones were never going to be enough for all the additional rigging the sails added, but I had what I thought was a healthy supply of extras from other builds that I could use. It turned out that I was about a dozen short. To add insult to injury, I am also out of small diameter dowels which is what I typically make them from. I do however have plenty of toothpicks and so that is what the new pins are being made from. 

 

I did at least have the foresight to count up the number of blocks I still needed and managed to get those ordered a few weeks ago from Syren before Chuck was forced to close due to Corona19. For anyone who has not attempted sails before, be prepared to triple the required blocks for the rigging, and I am omitting several that would actually be used. The number of blocks and their various types that would be used in actual on these ships is incredible. I intend on trying to put together an inventory of parts that are on this model for the display case as I think that those numbers will be very impressive.

 

I should have some more pictures this weekend as I hope to have the braces complete then. I have the fore braces in place and am working the main mizzen fittings now. Running the rope is the easiest part once all the blocks and pins are in place. Mapping out that route though takes a while.

 

[Hubac's Historian]

The rig is really shaping up nicely, EJ.  I really like the trim of her sails, and the way that they taper up from the main course to the t’gallants.  Excellent work!

[Elijah]

EJ, she is beautiful! The sails are a very nice addition.