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Attachment of Ratlines to shrouds


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Good Morning all,

 

My current build is HMS Liverpool is 1:96 scale.  The model will have a full rig.  The prototype way to attach the ratlines is by clove hitch.  However, I came across a Shop Note is the first volume of NRG Shop Notes, that sowed the ratlines for scales 1:96 an smaller.  The reason being that a knot for that scale would look too large.  Basically, you knot he ratline on the outermost shroud and then, with a very small sowing needle, pass it through and around each of the other shrouds and then tie it off on the opposite shroud.

 

First, have you ever done it that way, and second, whether you have or haven't, is that an acceptable method.  Doing it by sowing it in would save a lot of time.  I'm not interested so much in saving time.  I'm interested in fidelity of scale.  All opinions and comments welcome.

 

Thanks,

 

Tom 

Tom Ruggiero

 

Director Nautical Research Guild

Member Ship Model Society of New Jersey (Past President)

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I have not used that method but it seems very tortuous to me. At 1:96 scale the line should be at 0.1mm diameter, and have a clear differential to the shroud line.

 

My approach would be to trial both a clove hitch and a simple overhand knot and choose which I thought looked the best.  It may be that at 1:96 scale the overhand knot may look neater.

 

I tend to use the overhand knot at smaller scales, it is my preferred method of choice for scales down to around 1:150

 

B.E.

Edited by Blue Ensign
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Good Morning Blue Ensign,

 

Thanks for the quick reply.  I was frankly thinking along the same lines, but since there was a Shop Note, and I'd seen the same method described in the instructions for an old Model Shipways kit, I wanted to put it out there for discussion.  By the way, any idea what ensign was carried by HMS Liverpool in 1778?

 

Thanks again,

 

Tom

Tom Ruggiero

 

Director Nautical Research Guild

Member Ship Model Society of New Jersey (Past President)

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Yes, that's the one.  The second of its class and the first to have cable gear raised one deck as well as the pumps etc.  Sank in a storm in Long Island Sound in a storm.

 

Thanks,

 

Tom

Tom Ruggiero

 

Director Nautical Research Guild

Member Ship Model Society of New Jersey (Past President)

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Ensigns can be a tricky issue Tom.

 

At the time Liverpool was serving in the American Station Vice Admiral Richard Howe was in Command. It would follow but not exclusively that ships of his squadron would wear his colours. The question is was Lord Howe, Vice Admiral of the Red, White, or Blue? I'm not sure, and the info I have doesn't  mention this fact.

 

If you can find some contemporary paintings of the naval engagements around 1778 this may show the Ensign colours.

 

I don't think anyone would gainsay you whatever Ensign colour you use provided it isn't the 1801 version.

 

I will be using the Red Ensign on my Pegasus, which was heading for Newfoundland when she was lost in 1777.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

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Thank you very much.  You simulated some further thought, I believe that somewhere there is a painting of the evacuation of the Royal Governor and his family from Williamsburg Virginia.  HMS Alfred was the flag ship of that squadron and Liverpool was a part.  I seem to recall that Hahn has it in his book about Alfred, but it is in black and white.  I'm sure that I can google it to get a look at the color version.  Thank you very much for the input and good advise.  Do you have any photos of Pegasus?

 

I will post phots of Liverpool somewhere but I don't think that this thread is the correct place.

 

Best regards,

 

Tom

Tom Ruggiero

 

Director Nautical Research Guild

Member Ship Model Society of New Jersey (Past President)

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Tom,

 

That's a viable method.  The best thing is as B.E. pointed out... do a test and see which looks better to your eye.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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I did find a painting by Robert Cleveley who was an eye witness at the time of the war, and served aboard the Asia as Clerk to the Captain.

His painting The Occupation of Newport  appears to show the British ships wearing the White Ensign.

 

Here's the link.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=The+invasion+of+Rhode+Island+1776&hl=en&biw=1344&bih=720&site=webhp&tbm=isch&imgil=Z2s-ScLsU8jJBM%253A%253BcbZkZQl7q4-2JM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fen.wikipedia.org%25252Fwiki%25252FBattle_of_Rhode_Island&source=iu&pf=m&fir=Z2s-ScLsU8jJBM%253A%252CcbZkZQl7q4-2JM%252C_&usg=__31uR3SrjjSHMASyy1AWWM1HDLlw%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjF_8P10IrSAhXlKcAKHUvkCQMQyjcIPQ&ei=z16gWIXcG-XTgAbLyKcY#imgrc=ZROkdfV977raoM:

 

There is a colour print of this painting on the cover of a book I have called Navies and the American Revolution 1775 - 1783 (Chatham Pictorial Histories)

and the painting clearly shows a White Ensign on the ships right and centre.

 

ps: you will find many photo's of my Pegasus build on my log - click on the link below my name.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

 

 

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Her Wikipedia page gives her fate as being sunk in Jamaica Bay Long Island. This is on the Atlantic side of Long Island and actually within the Burrough of Queens New York City, not in Long Island Sound. Only nine miles away from where I sit in Jersey City! This proximity makes me want to build her too since it's my home waters and also a place I love, Jamaica Bay is a tidal inlet between Coney Island and Rockaway Beach. Everyone will remember the Ramones song Rockaway Beach! I'm very curious to know now just what the hell she was doing in those very shallow waters. For context, if you motored out of New York harbor and went out to sea under the Varanzano Bridge, then hugged the shore on your left side, heading Easterly, you pass first Coney Island then the mouth of Jamaica Bay, the Rockaway Inlet.

Edited by JerseyCity Frankie

  

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B.E.

 

On the same website that you sent me to for the Occupation of Newport, I found a color painting of "Battle of Fort Washington", fought on the Hudson in 1776.  It definitely is a White Ensign.  Thank you sir, for the lead.

 

Best Regards,

Tom Ruggiero

 

Director Nautical Research Guild

Member Ship Model Society of New Jersey (Past President)

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