HMS Pegasus by Blue Ensign - FINISHED - Amati/Victory Models - 1:64 scale

[Blue Ensign]

Topmast Tyes.

For those following TFFM there is a confusion.

ffm para 19.15 indicates a 14" single block for the yard tye. (as I had fitted)

19.24  second para indicates the tye passing thro' the aft sheave of the double tye block on the yard??

Re-checking, Steel indicates a single 14" yard block; I think David Antscherl has used the block requirements indicated in Steel, but followed the rigging arrangement given in Lees (p83) which calls for a double yard block and tyes suspended from the mast head.

This is a damned nuisance and presents me with a problem given that the yards are now fitted, together with served strops and secured parrels, both tricky time consuming operations.

 

However,

This is what Steel has to say.

TYE-BLOCKS lash at the topmast-head close up to the rigging, under the collar of the stay, as the lower ones; and the blocks on the yards lash under the fore part of the yard, as the lower ones, and reeve with a double tye, in large ships, and a single tye, like the lower, in small ones. The standing-parts of the double-tyes clinch round the mast-head, then reeve through the double-block upon the yard, and up again, and reeve through the block on each side the mast-head. The tie-blocks are then spliced in their lower ends, and connected by their haliards to a single-block, that is strapt with a long strap, with a hook and thimble, that hooks to a swivel-eye-bolt in the channel on each side: the leading-part comes in through a block lashed on each side; the foremost ones abaft the forecastle, and the after ones on the quarter-deck

 

As Steel has indicated single blocks in his tables I accept that he considers a sixth rate sloop is a small ship and with the narrative qualification above, for me it is sufficient reason to leave matters alone.

Furthermore  his tables specifically show use of a double block for vessels of 20 guns upwards, whilst this requirement is lined out in the table column for those of 18 - 14 guns.

Make of it what you will, but I am content to leave things alone.

Tyes - 4½" line / 14" thin double blocks.

I am using Syren 0.45mm line and 5mm blocks.

The first block is false spliced into one end,(which is easy to do) the line is passed thro' the block suspended below the trestletrees on one side, down thro' the yard block, back up thro' the  upper block beneath the trestletrees and the other block is spliced in. (not quite so easy)

It helps to draw the first block up as far as it will go to allow maximum working line to splice in the second.

When equalised the tye blocks should hang about level with the lower mast cap.

For the lower single block (14" (5mm)) there is a long strop,(0.45mm line) hook and thimble arrangement attached to a ringbolt in the Channels.

The hooks I made from eyebolts, and the  thimbles from flattened brass eyelets.

The overall length of the strops on my Pegasus worked out at 37mm  including hook and block.

Halyards

These are of 0.30mm scale line attached to the lower single block to make up the tackle with the Tye block, with the fall belayed to the rail.

The strop extends the block above the rail

The Starboard side strop hooked to the channels, it is secured around a thimble and false spliced.

I won't tie off the halyards for some time yet as they tend to block out access to the Quarterdeck.

B.E.

 

[Professor]

MUCHAS gracias, amigo.

[Blue Ensign]

Trouble with Fore Topsail Yard Tye halyards

Rigging can be a frustrating exercise particularly when  available sources conflict with each other, and things just don't look right.

 The Running Rigging plan of the ffm indicates the fall to the Tye Halyard attaching to the channels on a long strop adjacent to the belfry, inside and just aft of the sixth deadeye.

The kit plan shows a similar arrangement.

When I trial this arrangement it becomes quickly apparent that there is a tendency to chafe against the Fore top, Topmast shrouds, and Lower shrouds I work on the principal that if it binds or chafes the lead must be wrong.

I have moved the attachment ring as far back on the channel as possible, but even so the lines run very close to the top.

Lees says - close abaft and inboard of the second topmast backstay. (Pegasus only has one Topmast Backstay but this attaches to the stool aft of the channel.)

All the references I have looked at show the Halyard clear of the Fore top on contemporary models.

Even with moving the channel position aft the halyards pass very close to the aft side of the top and the Topmast shroud.

(The clip is to temporarily hold the Topsail yard down against the pull of the halyard.)

Lead of the halyard down to the channel.

One other fitting not mentioned in the ffm, but  noted in Lees, is a bullseye stropped to the Tye thro' and around the Topmast backstay for the purpose of reducing twist in the tye block given the long length of the tackle.

This also has the effect of holding the halyard a little away from the Fore top, which assists in modelling terms at least.

There are photo's (plates 32 and 39) in Lees book of a 20 gun ship model showing this feature.

This is a shot taken at the same angle as that in Lees book.

Lees says:

During all periods the block in the end of the tye was connected by a strop  to a loose bullseye on the Topmast backstay.(usually the second backstay from forward.)

The lower blocks of the halyard to the tye were always seized or hooked close abaft and inboard of the second topmast backstay, or the stay carrying the bullseye.

When the stay came to a stool the halyard block came to an eyebolt in the ships side, and when the stay came to the fore channels the halyard block was secured to an eyebolt in the channel.

This raises more inconsistencies as on Pegasus the backstay is on a stool but the halyard is on the channel according to ffm and the kit plans.

There is little room in that area on Pegasus to attach an eyebolt to the ships side abaft of the stay to take the halyard strop, although an eyebolt in the stool abaft the stay might work, but is not evidenced in any model I have seen.

The method as I have rigged it works, but there is always a nagging doubt......

 

Steel says:

The tie-blocks are then spliced in their lower ends, and connected by their haliards to a single-block, that is strapt with a long strap, with a hook and thimble, that hooks to a swivel-eye-bolt in the channel on each side: the leading-part comes in through a block lashed on each side; the foremost ones abaft the forecastle, and the after ones on the quarter-deck.

 

Fore and Main Topsail Yard lifts.

There are some variations in the arrangements of the Topsail yard lifts, but this is what Steel has to say.

LIFT-BLOCKS are strapt with an eye to the size of the yard-arm. The lift reeves through the lower sheave in the sister-block in the topmast-shrouds, and through the block on the yard-arm. The standing-part hooks to a becket round the topmast-cap, and the leading-part leads down the side of the mast, and belays to the dead-eyes in the lower shrouds.

This is the arrangement I have followed.

For the half hitched span around the topmast cap I have used 30mm 'tarred' line (133mm long) with a becket in each end.

The running end of the lift is fitted with a hook to attach to the span. The kit instructions show a toggle fitted into the end of the running lift line which fits thro'  the span eye to secure.

This is a valid alternative to a hook, but as I had some of Chuck's little 3mm black plastic hooks which are perfect for the job I went with them (the brass hooks are slightly bigger)

Having hooked into the span the lift runs down thro' the yard block, back up thro' the lower sheave of the sister block, and down thro' the top to belay at the lower shrouds.

I have opted for shroud cleats which are much easier to belay to than tying off at the rail. The downside is that attaching shrouds cleats is also a fiddly business.

Fitting the lifts also involves fitting the Fore and Main T'Gallant masts, as with the other topmasts no glue is involved but for the moment there is plenty of rigging work lower down.

I next attend to the Mizen Topsail Lifts.

There are eyes (or in my case False eyes) spliced around the yard arm) taken up thro' the lower sheave of the sister blocks and down to belay at the rail.

B.E.

[Baker]

Thank you for restart this buildlog.

I follow 

[Blue Ensign]

Main yard clue garnets

9" block(3.57mm) 2½" strop (0.31mm) Sheet block 14" (5.5mm) strop 4½" (0.57mm)

Tack 5½" cabled line (0.69mm)

The ffm indicates the use of specialised shoulder clue blocks. but Lees  says that the shoulder blocks were replaced with common blocks around 1773.(reason enough for me to not bother with making shoulder blocks)

The ffm however in neither narrative or rigging plan indicate the rigging of the clue garnets  on a model without sails.

The kit plans do however include these lines.

To rig the clue/sheet/ tack combo on a model without sails I have taken Lees approach.

The strop of the clue block is passed thro' the strop of the sheet block, and the wall knot of the tack is passed thro' the clue strop to secure the three together.

The standing part of the clue is timber hitched to the yard a few feet outside yard block. It is then taken down thro' the clue block combo back up thro' the yard block and down to belay at the Main Topsail sheet bitts thro the outer sheave.

I have used Syren 5/32 blocks to match the yard blocks.

A good time to fit these as access later will be difficult, even so temporary removal of the elmtree pumps is required to get to the bitt sheaves. Using the tack line to equalise the drop of the clue garnets these can be secured.

The Tack leads forward thro' the Chesstree sheave and thro' the fixed block which sits beneath the Fore Channel stool, to belay on the large forward cleat.

Tricky to get at now the brass decoration is in place, the end of the tack was stiffened with pva and then sliced at a long angle to provide a taper and is fed thro' the sheave.

The tack cannot be secured at this stage as it will get in the way of replacing the Pinnace on its spare topmasts which were removed to allow rigging access. Trouble is completing the tack and sheets will leave no room to replace the Pinnace, and with the Pinnace in place, belaying the Main Tack and Fore Sheets will be made somewhat tricky with much reduced access.

The situation is more complicated on my Pegasus as I have fitted gangboards between the QD and Foc'sle, not such an issue on those Swans without.

Just remembered in time before I fit the leech and Buntlines I have yet to do the Futtock ratlines, the bunts and leeches would have seriously impeded the process.

The vexed question of  Main course buntline leads.

There is an argument for leaving the bunts and leech lines off  a model without sails, such as will be the case with my Pegasus, but I like to see them.

For the purpose of a bare stick model the buntlines are  knotted and pulled up taut to the yard blocks.

Both the kit rigging plans and the ffm(22.9) indicate the buntline falls belayed at the Quarterdeck breast rail having passed thro' the yard blocks and the fore and aft blocks toggled beneath the Main top. Now this seems eminently practical, and an arrangement I followed.

However, had I put my brain in gear and double checked, I would have seen that contemporary sources suggest differently.

I would also have saved myself some considerable time in rigging the bunts.

Buntlines rigged with Leg and Fall blocks, and belayed not without a little trouble to the Quarterdeck rail.

This is what Steel has to say.

THE MAINSAIL

BUNTLINES reeve as for the fore-sail, and lead forward upon the forecastle

THE FORE-SAIL

BUNTLINES reeve through the *leg and fall-block, and through a double-block at the aft part of the top; then through a double-block under the fore part of the top, and through the blocks upon the yard, and lead down the fore side of the sail, and clinch to the cringles in the foot. The fall reeves through the leg-block; the standing-part makes fast round the breast-rail, and the leading-part through a sheave-hole in the breast-work, and belays round the rail.

Lees says:-

From 1680 main buntlines were taken forward being rove as follows:-

one end of the buntline was made fast to cringle of the sail, the other end rove thro' a block on the yard, thro' a block under the fore part of the main top, thro' one sheave of a *shoe block, back up thro' another block under the fore end of the main top, thro' another yard block, and down to another  cringle.

Thro' the other sheave of the shoe block a line was rove, both end being made fast to the fo'csle rails.

From 1773 two single blocks stropped head to head were used instead of shoe blocks.

* Note Steel refers to Leg and fall blocks, and Lees to Shoe blocks.

There is a difference.

The description by Steel in relation to the Mainsail buntlines, referring to the Foresail leads, gives the impression that they should lead thro' the aft blocks beneath the tops before coming forward to lead upon the Fo'csle.

Lees interpretation with the  buntlines passing thro' only the forward block beneath the Main top before leading to the Foc'sle, makes more sense.

So nothing for it but to unreove the buntlines and re-rig with the leads forward.

This arrangement will cross the waist area, so I think it better to rig the Fore yard buntlines first, which do lead up thro' the blocks beneath the top aft and belay at the Foc'sle rail.

This is not the first time I have been led astray by taking the ffm at face value.

note to self: check all sources before committing.

 

So having made a dog's breakfast of the buntline arrangements on the Maincourse, I'll see if I can make a better job of the Leech lines.

Leechlines

2" line = 0.25mmø at scale (0.25mm Morope)

Only one each side, again passing thro' the yard block and up thro' the outer sheave of the outer blocks beneath the top.

The ffm indicates belaying the Main course leech lines to the Topsail Bitts, whereas Steel says.....

LEECH-LINES reeve through the block upon the yard, and the outer end makes fast with a clinch to the upper bowline-bridle. The leading-part reeves through the double-block at the forepart of the top, and through a double-block at the aft-part of the top; a single block is turned into the lower end, and a whip-fall reeved through it. The standing-part makes fast to the breast-rail, and the leading-part through a block under the breast-rail, and belays round the rail.

Given the far more difficult belay to the barely accessible Topsail bitts, I have opted for the rail belay with a whip-fall/single block arrangement.

The line passes down thro' the lower shrouds, the whip and fall feeds thro' the block and the standing end is timber hitched to the rail with the running end passing thro' the sheave in the rail upright to belay.

A needle file is used to add some resistance to the coil during the belay process.

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

So Main Course Buntlines Mk11.

I have dispensed with the leg and fall blocks and replaced them with two common singles stropped together, an arrangement that came into play around 1773.

These lead forward down to the Foc'sle Belfry rail where they are belayed. The  running end of the whip passes thro' the sheave in the rail, the standing part is timber hitched adjacent to it.

When deciding on the position of the stropped together blocks, consideration must be given to hauling room. On a bare stick model with the buntlines hauled up to the yard block, the distance at least equal to the drop from yard to foot cringle must be allowed for.

This positions them about half way between Fore and Main masts.

Rigging them is one thing but getting the lines to lie without twist is  entirely another. The trick is to orientate the blocks and stiffen the seizing between the upper and lower blocks.

Lead of the Buntlines thro'  the forward blocks beneath the top.

(the outer line is the Leechline which runs to the Qtrdeck rail.)

Trying to get the coils right on the rail is a frustrating exercise, tight space, springy Morope, high risk of snagging existing belays, and having to manipulate the lines with tweezers in each hand.

Not quite there yet!

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Foreyard clue garnets

9" block(3.57mm) 2½" strop (0.31mm) Sheet block 14" (5.5mm) strop 4½" (0.57mm)

Tack 5½" cabled line (0.69mm)

These are part rigged now before the bunt and Leechlines get in the way of timber hitching the standing part of the clue line. 

Buntlines - Fore Course

Steel:-

THE FORE-SAIL

BUNTLINES reeve through the leg and fall-block, and through a double-block at the aft part of the top; then through a double-block under the fore part of the top, and through the blocks upon the yard, and lead down the fore side of the sail, and clinch to the cringles in the foot. The fall reeves through the *leg-block; the standing-part makes fast round the breast-rail, and the leading-part through a sheave-hole in the breast-work, and belays round the rail.

*Interesting that Steel writing in 1794 still refers to a  leg-block when Lees states with some certainty that two single blocks stropped together replaced the leg-block in 1773.

2" line = 0.25mmø at scale (0.25mm Morope)

Lines run from the inner yard block up thro' the inner sheaves of the fore and aft blocks beneath the top.*

Thence thro' the upper of the fall block combo blocks, back thro' the blocks beneath the top (outer sheaves)  and then to the outer yard block where it is passed thro' and knotted to secure.

*Note: The Middle double blocks below  the Fore top  take the (two) Buntlines.

The Outer double blocks take the Spritsail brace lines (inner sheave) and (Single) Leech line (outer sheave)

Inner single block (2.5mm) takes the Sprit Topsail brace lines.

Fore course Leech lines

Steel:-

LEECH-LINES reeve through the spritsail-brace-block, under the top, then through the block upon the yard, and the standing-part makes fast with a clinch to the upper bowline-bridle; the leading-part then reeves through a double-block, at the aft part of the top, and upon the forecastle.

Steel doesn't mention any use of a whip in relation to the Leech fall as he does with the buntlines but Lees does.

I can't imagine that the system would differ from the main course so I have fitted a block to facilitate the Leech falls as I did with the Main.

The Leech line belays to the Belfry rail, with the running part also passing thro' a sheave.

The whip fall belayed at the Belfry rails; the outer one is the Leechline, the centre one the Buntlines, the inner ones the fall to the Main course buntlines.

B.E.

09/11/2016

 

[Blue Ensign]

Checking the Main Sheets.

I recently fitted the Main Course Clue Garnets, but before  permanently tying off the running end at the Main Topsail sheet bitts, it is worth checking the lead for the Main Sheet.

The running end passes thro' the outer bitt sheave and is secured.

Checking the lead for the Main sheets.

According to Steel:-

SHEETS reeve through the sheet-block at the clues. The standing-part is seized to an eye-bolt with a thimble on the quarters. The leading-part leads through a sheave-hole on the same side under the half-deck, and belays to a range-cleat in the waist.

 

The kit plans: Show the standing part attached to an eyebolt fixed to the rail above the aftermost gunport.

The running end passes thro' a hole in the side above the standing part and belays to a timberhead.

 

The ffm in Vol 11 shows the eyebolt for the standing end of the sheet directly below the fixed block ( 12.25 / 12.28)

The standing part is  hitched to an eyebolt in the ships side below the aft fixed block in the waist. 1¼" dia  (0.5mm) 2⁵⁄⁸" in clear(0.94mm)

The running end passes thro' the fixed block and belays to either a cleat or timberhead forward of the fixed block.

 

According to Lees:-

Standing part  - eyebolt in side level with the Mizen mast

Running part - thro' a lead block seized to an eyebolt above and just forward of the standing part, thro' a sheave in ships side just forward of the QD break and belayed to a cleat.

 

My approach

Looking at the run of the sheet line; to take it directly thro' the fixed block presents a very sharp angle which also binds the line against a swivel gun post.

This arrangement looks awkward to me and for this reason the use of a lead block makes sense.

The following pics show a trial run of the leads.

The sheet block

Run of Main Sheet.

Having passed thro' the lead block the line passes thro' the fixed block atop the bulwark and belays to the timberhead.

The sheet lines are a length of Amati line, the actual lines will be fixed later in the build.

B.E.

10/11/2016

[Blue Ensign]

Yard Tackle Pendants and falls

I don't think the kit includes these as part of the rigging suite, and apart from the pendant itself, the tackle may not be shown on a bare stick model. However, they are an important item of rigging, and I like to fit them.

There are various ways to display the yard tackle pendants but I like to have them hooked to the futtocks with a degree of slack in the tackle line.

Lees has a good drawing of the Yard tackles in his book (p71) and there is a photo of the Medway 1742 (NMM) with the tackles loosely attached to the futtocks.

This is the look I like, but with perhaps slightly less slack in the tackle.

NMM model of HMS Medway 1742

These are not easy to get to hang naturally, and the use of diluted pva and small weights are necessary to give them a 'weighty' look.

The tackle falls consist of 2½" (0.3mm line). A 9" single block (3.57mm) is stropped with a hook at lower end of the fall.

The LT block and Pendant had previously been attached to the yard arm outside of the horses.

The Standing part is attached to the strop of the block, and leads thro' the pendant block, I allowed about 700mm of line for each tackle fall, and the excess line was coiled close to the block and hook at the Futtocks.

I have yet to fit the Tricing lines that support the LT block and the tackle block at the other end.

I will next attach the lower Fore and Main Yard brace pendants.

B.E.

13/11/2016

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Yard brace pendants

The ffm makes reference to the Lower Yard Brace Pendants being of served line (18.20 Vol IV), but makes no reference to the Brace Pendants to the Topsail Yards being of served line (19.19)

This is what Steel has to say:-

BRACE-PENDENTS have an eye spliced in one end to the size of the yard-arm, and a single block in the other end. The splices are served over with spun-yarn.

PREVENTER-BRACE-PENDENTS are spliced through the strap of the brace-pendent-block; served with spun-yarn over the splice; and are left the length of the service of the splice and length of the eye longer than the brace-pendent, with an eye spliced in the other end to the circumference of the yard-arm.

My reading of this is that the serving covers only the block and eye elements of the brace.

The Brace Pendants fit last over the yard arms and butt against the yard tackle pendants.

8" blocks ( 3.17mm) I am using Pear wood blocks.

3½"  line (0.44mm) I am using Syren 0.45mm line served with 0.1mm Morope for the spliced areas.

I have gone with a pendant length of one third of the yard length.

A little fiddly this, as the served line has to go around the fairly small block and have an eye formed in the other end, likewise served.

The eyes then simply fit over the yard arm.

So far so good.

Fore Brace Falls The Brace falls are of 2½" line (0.31mm)

According to Steel

FORE-BRACES reeve through the pendent-block; the standing parts make fast round the collar of the main stay, on each side, with a hitch, and the end seized. The leading part reeves through a single block, lashed on each side the main-stay-collar, close up to the rigging, then leads down, and passes through a sheave-hole in the bitts, at the fore part of the quarter-deck, and there belays. Brigs lead the same.

This differs from the ffm suggested arrangement - (2) 9" single blocks (3.57mm) on a span clove hitched around the Main stay below Crowsfeet tackle; Standing part hitched to Main stay below the Mouse, fall to Main sheet bitts, outer sheave, to belay at crosspiece.

There are a number of time related arrangements referred to by Lees for rigging the Fore brace falls, all pretty similar with effectively minor shifts in position for the standing and running lines.

This time I am going with the ffm arrangement, not least because using the Steel arrangement involves trying to feed the running end of the line thro' the bitt sheave from aft, a near impossible task now.

The kit instructions show the fall passing thro' lead blocks attached to eyebolts adjacent to the Main hatch before belaying at the bitts, this also is a method noted by Lees.

To rig the falls the two stay blocks are fitted in a span, (mine had a finished o/a length of 64mm) before hitching around the stay.

The standing line ends are clove hitched also around the stay just below the Mouse.

The lines run down to the bitts; managed to get the ends thro' the sheaves but there's only a short extension of the cross piece to the bitts and very little room to belay. Other stuff also has to go here according to the ffm. The biggest concern being the Main Topsail sheets.

This is an untidy stage of the build with an increasing number of loose ends as lines are rigged but not tied off.

This shot shows my approach to the Braces; I aim to get a slight degree of sag  to impart 'weightiness' to the lines.

 

I've a way to go yet before I achieve the result I'm after, and I won't tie off the running end at the bitts for the present.

I will next look at the Main Brace Falls.

B.E.

[donrobinson]

Hi B.E., so often in this hobby construction is followed by de-construction followed by re-construction and again you have mastered it. Thanks for taking the time and effort for doing so

[Blue Ensign]

Main Brace Falls

The Brace falls are of 2½" line (0.31mm)

Steel says:-

MAIN-BRACES reeve through a single block in the pendent; the standing part makes fast with a clench round an eye-bolt in the upper part of the quarter-piece; the leading part reeves through a snatch-block close aft upon the gunwale, and belays round a cleat on the inside.

SPAN FOR MAIN-BRACES has two legs, with a thimble spliced in the end of each leg, which reeves the standing and leading part of the brace, and the span makes fast with a half-hitch, and the end seized up round the mizen-shrouds.

Note: The span referred to above had not been introduced at  the time period of Pegasus.

Rigging the Main Brace is a little easier than the Fore Braces.

The Brace Pendant, served each end, is slipped over the yard arm.

I settled on 55mm for the length of the pendant excluding the strop, which is just over one third of the yard arm length.

Access for belaying is much more open.

The eyebolt for the standing end of the brace fall is fixed to the side. The line then passes thro' the brace pendant block, down thro' the fixed block (forward sheave) to belay at a timberhead.

I have opted for the fourth timberhead from aft, as this is clear of the steering lines. Again, no securing of the belay at this point, so I can slacken them off for access.

B.E.

21/11/2016

[Blue Ensign]

Continuing the Rigging of the Topsail Yards.

Topsail Clue and sheet lines.

Main Topsail Yard

One of the trickiest rigging exercises is fitting the combination of Clue and sheet lines to the Main Topsail Yard. Both lines link together and belay in the area of the crowded Main mast foot.

The sheet line in particular, a fairly substantial 4½"circ line scaling to 0.57mmø, has to feed thro' the inner sheave of the Main Topsail Bitts to belay.

Those working with the Pegasus/Fly kits will soon come to appreciate  the advisability of ensuring the sheave holes in the Bitt uprights are sufficiently large to facilitate feeding the sheet thro' from aft.

There is only a space of 15mm between the Bitts and pump covers, the Qtr deck rails impede access from above, and to further complicate matters other tackle is already in place.

I fiddled around with this for an entire afternoon with much under the breath muttering. I liken the process to threading an out of focus needle when you can't see the eye. 

When the end eventually does appear thro' the sheave, what a  relief, but ahead lies the problem of belaying the line where there ain't much to belay to.

 I used Morope 0.6mm line for the sheets, the standing end is knotted and passed thro' the strop of the clue block, before feeding thro' the large yard block at the yardarm, running behind the yard to pass thro' the Quarter block, and down to the bitts.

One of the benefits of the sheets is that they hold down the Topsail yards against the pull of the lifts and bunts.

 

Main Clues

8" blocks (3mm) 2" strops (0.25mm) 2" line hitched to yard 2' outside clue blocks.

I used Morope 0.25mm)

The hitched line passes thro' the clue block, up thro' the yard block, down thro' the top to belay at mainmast foot or Qtr deck rail opposite mast. This is a little easier to attach, and for expediency I simply knot it thro' the eyebolt at the mainmast foot without any fancy lashing. Fortunately it won't be seen with the elmtree pumps in place.

A lot of lines running down, a relief to complete this item of rigging.

Fortunately access to the Fore Topsail sheets is easier.

Using 0.6mm Morope, the 4½" line is belayed to the Fore Topsail sheet Bitts  thro' the inner sheave.

The Fore topsail clues also belay to the Fore Topsail Bitts on the cross piece.

Fore Topsail clues rigged, the sheet knot is held by the strop of the clue block.

I have to take rigging these lines very slowly, opportunities for snagging and fouling abound with the increasing number of lines already rigged.

Fore and Main topsail buntlines

The buntlines (2" line) are knotted and run thro' lead blocks stropped to the Topsail Tye block at the centre of the yard. From here they lead up to 7" blocks stropped to the middle Topmast crosstrees, and down thro' the top to belay at the lower shrouds opposite the mast.

The biggest issue with these is getting the lines to run cleanly down to the belay without fouling the multitude of lines passing thro' the top.

Just when I think I can belay to the shroud  cleat, I follow the line back upwards and find the lines are twisted around other rigging lines, always worth a final check before tying off.

Pegasus is now starting to look like a rigged ship.

Mizen Topsail Clues, Sheets, and Bunts.

 Clues 1½" (0.20mm) line 5" block (2mm)

belayed to eyebolt at foot of Mizen Mast.

Sheets 3" line (0.4mm)

belayed to forward cleats on Mizen Mast

I have used Syren 0.20mm line for the clues, and 0.4mm line for the sheets.

No bunts have been fitted on this yard.

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Fore and Main T'gallant yards

As a break from Topsail rigging I have turned my attention to the T'gallant yards. There will be some lines that will require centre line belaying so they are best tackled now.

Fortunately rigging to the yard is much simplified; Footropes (0.20mm)without stirrups, and only a couple of 2mm clue blocks.

The same can't be said for the yard parrels which scale to a very small size. The ribs are 2.4mm in length, and less than 1mm wide, and 0.5mm thick at scale.

 I don't like to see oversize parrels on models, and most kit provided arrangements are oversize, so a little bit of head scratching to work out a strategy.

I made the ribs individually out of Styrene strip 2.5mm x 0.75mm, forming the 'B' shape first, then drilling 0.4mmø holes, and then slicing them off the length.

Finally the ribs were painted black.

There are six rib and ten trucks in two rows for each T'Gallant yard on my Pegasus.

At this very small scale making them out of wood was a non starter for me, too many failures, and styrene is an easy medium to work with.

The trucks are tiny (2"ø (0.8mm) / 2½" (0.99mm) long)

For my first attempt I used my smallest seed beads which being of a pretty pink colour required painting.

Not a success when finished they looked twice the scale size and were discarded.

For my second attempt I used micro brass tubing of 0.8mmø cut into 1mm lengths. The difference can be seen  in the above photo.

Rigging upper yard parrels is a tiring business on the arms if it is done on the model, but with the T'gallants I think I can rig them off the model and slip them over the T'gallant masthead. and then give them a final tightening.

A suitably sized paintbrush handle acts as a surrogate T'gallant mast.

The Tye and Halyard

With the yard in place, (I did fit a small pin to assist fitting), the Tye is attached to the yard.

The Tye is led up thro' the sheave at the hounds, and  a 2mm block is spliced in. 0.25mm Morope was used for the tye.

For the Halyard 0.1mm line is used, the standing end is seized to the Tye block strop, and a tackle is formed with a 2mm block and hook arrangement fitted to an eyebolt  clenched to the starboard Trestletree in the Maintop.

So far so good:

This is what Steel has to say:- THE TYE reeves through the sheave-hole in the hounds of the topgallant-mast, and clinches round the yard in the slings or middle; then has a double-block turned in the lower end, and is connected, by the haliards, to a single-block lashed to the after-part of the lower trestle-trees, under the top: the lower end of the haliards belays round the cross-piece of the bits abaft the mast.

This presents me with something of a problem, I simply don't have access to the bitts aft of the Mainmast to belay the Halyard.

However, this is a light line so as a practical alternative I belayed the fall to the Quarterdeck rail.

Not easy to get clear photo's. but the halyard fall can be seen hitched to the  centre of the rail having passed thro' the sheave.

Even this was no easy task to complete as the tweezers constantly snagged the existing rigging. The end will be tidied up later.

The Fore T'gallant halyard will be a much easier task to complete.

Before I proceed further with the yard rigging I have to attend to the T'gallant shrouds and Main T'gallant stay which will be covered in the next update.

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Main T'gallant Shrouds and stay

There are two pairs of shrouds each side, the aft leg of the second pair extending down to the channels as the Main T'gallant backstay.

T'gallant shrouds/Backstays - 2½ line (0.31mm)

For the shrouds I used Syren 0.30mm line served with Morope 0.1mm line 20mm each side of the centre.

The shrouds pass thro' the holes bored thro' the cross trees and are seized to the Topmast shroud futtock staves.

I am very conscious during this task of the delicate nature of the crosstrees, a breakage at this point would be somewhat inconvenient.

I firstly secured the centre shroud each side being careful not to misalign the mast, then the foremost shroud followed by the aft shroud.

Light weights are hung from the shroud ends, which give the tension whilst the seizing is done.

The backstay deadeye set up I will leave until later.

Main T'gallant Stay 3" line (0.38mm) - Served over eye.

Steel's description:-

THE MAIN-TOPGALLANT-STAY reeves through a block fastened to the fore-topmast-head, has a thimble turned in the end of the stay, and sets up to a thimble in a span, made fast to the trestle-trees of the fore-mast, with a laniard cats-pawed to the top-burton-tackle, or a handspec: in small ships, termed a Spanish-windlass.

For the stay I used Morope 0.4mm line.

 The stay eye was formed over a mast substitute and served before dyeing.

Slipped over the masthead the stay runs forward to pass thro' a block (3.57mm) stropped to the Fore topmast head.

This has a strop sufficiently long to keep the run of the stay clear of the Foremast cap.

A thimble is turned in the end and the stay is secured by a lanyard to another thimble in a span which I had earlier attached to the Trestletrees of the Fore top.

Note: Whilst the narrative in 17.6 of the ffm Vol.IV is correct, the associated Standing rigging plan Insert#2 is erroneous showing the run of this stay to the Foremast head instead of the Fore Topmast head.

 

Rigging of the Fore T'Gallant followed the same arrangement, and was somewhat easier to do with a more open access.

Here the yard is in place. The horses, clue blocks, and parrel were attached off the model; the parrel was simply slipped over the masthead and tightened up.

The Tye can be seen passing thro' the sheave in the hounds.

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Main Topsail Yard Brace lead blocks - never too soon to attach

In considering the T'gallant brace runs, I also re-checked those for the Topsail yards.

Oh dear (or words similar)  the Main Topsail braces run to (2)single blocks in a span just below the Mizen mast hounds above the gaff and below the woolding.

This now presents a real problem in hitching the span around the mast because of all the lines already rigged.

How to proceed.

I firstly spliced a block into one end of a length of 0.45mm line, the line had to be taken around the Mizen threading it thro' the existing lines.

A simple overhand  loop retaining the blocked end of the span at the correct length was made and the line taken back around the Mizen.

Now the tricky bit:-

I used a smear of ca on the line at the matching length of span onto which the block groove was laid, and when set the line was brought up and over to secure the block, again secured with a spot of ca.

A false splice was then made threading the free end of the span line thro' the standing part around the block to form the splice to secure the block.

Resolved now but would have been so much easier to rig this span once the Mizen mast had been stepped but before any of the rigging had been started.

Something to note for future reference.

 

With the span for the Main Topsail yard fitted I can look at the brace falls.

 

The standing part is hitched to the span behind the blocks, leads to the brace pendant blocks on the yards, back thro' the span blocks and down to belay at the forward cleats at the foot of the Mizen mast.

 

At this point I also look at the Fore Topsail Brace falls.

These also require blocks in a span fitted around the Main Stay to take the lead; the first span sits just below the span for the Fore yard brace leads, a second also on the Mainstay sits above the break of the Foc'sle.

The brace falls are secured to the Mainstay just below the standing part of the Fore Brace falls, lead thro' the pendant blocks, back to the upper span, down thro' the lower span, to belay at the Foc'sle rail.

I used Morope 0.25mm line.

The fitting of these spans  are most easily done before the yards are fitted or any of the running rigging is attached.

 

Crossjack yard braces

The brace falls are unusual in that they cross each other, port to starboard and vice versa.

The standing part is hitched to the aft Main shrouds and the lead block for the line after it has passed thro' the pendant block on the opposite side is attached to the Main shroud below the standing part. The line leads down to belay on the Qtr deck rail aft of the Main shrouds.

These are a little tricky because as they cross, the lines must be clear of each other which means both standing ends and lead blocks are at slightly different heights port and starboard.

One thing that remains a slight puzzlement to me with the Cro'jack braces is  whether they sit one above the other entirely or whether one part of the falls passes between and below the falls of the other. I have passed the Starboard brace falls above and between the Portside falls.

I used 0.20mm Syren line for the braces falls and 3/32 single blocks for the leads.  13mm long strops for the brace leads.

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Lashing the Studding Booms

I have left the lashing of the booms perhaps a little too long but it certainly needs to be done now because the process will disturb the yards and may affect the other rigging.

Fore and Fore Topsail yard booms.

Main and Main topsail yard booms

Extended the booms beyond the irons the minimum I could get away with as it ultimately affects the size of the case.

I used Syren 0.20mm line for the purpose.

This is probably my last pre Christmas build update, so may I wish  all our members, and particularly those who have supported my build  a very Happy Christmas, and thank you all for sharing your technical skills and  providing the pleasure of your own wonderful builds.

15/12/2016.

B.E.

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Bowsprit and Jib rigging

Bowsprit standing rigging

The Bobstays were  fitted earlier so I resume the rigging with the Bowsprit shrouds.

The shrouds are served overall.

4½" line (0.57mm) with a 6" heart (2.38mm) at the outer end and a thimble and hook spliced into the inner end.

I used Amati 0.5mm line served with 0.1mm Morope.

Lanyards - 2½" line (0.30mm) I used Syren 0.30mm line.

Starboard Bowsprit shroud, the lanyard has been frapped, but is yet to be tied off.

Boomkins

The Fore Tack Block

14" single shoulder blocks for the Fore Tack (5.5mm)

I modified 5mm blocks as I did for the lower yard sheet blocks.

3½"(0.44mm)  served strops. I used Syren 0.3mm served with Morope 0.1mm line. A ring of served line was made for the strop.

These fit over the Boomkin shoulder first.

Aft Shroud

3½" line served. thimbles and hooks. I used Syren 0.30mm line served with Morope 0.1mm line.

 There is surprisingly a fair bit of work involved in this; an eye splice to fit over the boom end and a thimble and hook arrangement fixed to the hull, with the line served all over.

The served eye is formed first and the serving carried some way down the shroud.

It is then trial fitted to gauge the required length around the thimble at the other end, and the serving then completed.

Aft Boomkin Shroud before dyeing.

Portside aft Boomkin shroud fitted.

It took me several hours to complete the aft shrouds, getting the length right proved troublesome.

 

Boomkins ( fussing over the Fore Shroud)

The ffm (15.41) indicates the use of triangular ringbolts for the Fore shroud coupled with a 5" heart and lanyard.

I went to the trouble of making these.

Serving the Fore Boomkin Shroud.

I formed the triangular ring bolts from a bit of brass wire silver soldered at the joint, and then blackened.

The completed ring bolts.

This is quite a short shroud with an overall distance from cutwater to Boomkin of only 35mm.

A lanyard of 0.1mm line is secured to the strop of the heart to connect with the ring bolt in the head.

I found it very difficult making boxwood closed hearts as small as required(2mm)damned things kept breaking and then when I eventually fitted them I didn't like the look.

They seemed unwieldy and over-scale to my eye and it didn't seem logical to have an iron thimble/hook arrangement on the aft shroud, and this less efficient arrangement the other.

Steel's description

BOOMKIN-SHROUDS, to support the boomkins, have their after ends hooked to eye-bolts, one above the cheeks of the head, the other in the cutwater:

I couldn't find any other reference in my sources to use of a heart/triangular ring bolt, and Marquardt in his 18th Century Rigs and Rigging book indicates the use of the thimble/hook arrangement.

Seizing on this as a get out of Gaol card, I gratefully opted to follow this arrangement.

The completed Starboard Boomkin shroud, these proved as troublesome as the aft one in getting the length right.

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Jibboom

I have held off attending to this as long as possible as once in place it becomes very vulnerable as the model is turned this way and that during the rigging process, but the time has now arrived to run out the jib boom.

The boom is held in place by the crupper of 2" line, I used Morope (0.25mm)

The ffm IV 16.13 shows the cropper aft of the boom saddle, Lees shows it forward of the saddle - is this relevant? I don't know, but in practical terms it sits better aft of the saddle, so aft it is.

With the Jib boom fitted I can return to the Foremast and the Fore topmast stays.

Fore topmast stays

Steel writes:-

THE FORE-TOP AND FORE-TOP-PREVENTER-STAYS set up through the bees of the bowsprit, thus: A block with a sheave in it is fixed under the holes in the bees, on each side, through which the stay passes; then a long tackle-block is turned into the ends, which is connected by its fall to a single block hooked to an eye-bolt in the bow on each side, and is set up with a luff-tackle, cats-pawed to its fall. The luff-tackle fall leads in upon the forecastle, and is swayed upon by the men. When the stay is set up, the parts of the tackle are stopt together with a rope-yarn, and the fall of the long-tackle is passed through the eye-bolt and **** of the block alternately, till it is expended. The end is then made fast, round all the parts, with two half-hitches.

The drawings in Steel show the Preventer stays below the stay for both the Main and Fore topmasts on a 20 gun ship.

The ffm shows the Main Preventer stay below the stay, but the Fore topmast Preventer stay above the stay.

I have followed Steel and rigged the Preventer stay first, running to the port side bees aft sheave. The kit instructions show the arrangement I have used, but above the stay is also correct and is the more common arrangement according to some contemporary sources, and is the arrangement in the ffm

 According to Steel, having the Preventer stay below the Stay was only used in small ships and was so arranged so that a staysail could be bent to it.

A days work takes care of  forming the stays, with eyes and serving, and mouse making.

Stays run down to the bees.

Topmast Stay - 5" line (0.63mm) down to starboard bees - 14" sister block (5.55mm) opposite gammoning.

Preventer Stay - 4" line (0.50mm) - port bees I am using Syren 0.45mm line

Stay tackle set up

The ffm refers to a sister block, but I think a long tackle block was meant, which is what Steel notes in his tables.

Port side tackle for the Topmast Preventer Stay.

Starboard-side tackle for the Fore Topmast Stay

The tackle runs between the Long Tackle blocks spliced into the stay ends once they have passed thro' the bees, and a single block hooked to eyebolts at the bows.

I fashioned the LT blocks from boxwood, and used Syren blocks for the single.

The tackle falls are Syren 0.30mm line.

Of the yards only the Spritsail yard now remains to be fitted. I have made a Spritsail Topsail yard but I'm undecided whether I will fit it. The kit plans do include this spar, but for the moment it's back to the Jib boom.

 

The Jib boom fittings.

Traveller

Lees indicates the internal ø of the traveller ring as being 1¼ times the ø of the Jibboom.

The largest diameter of the boom on my Pegasus is 3.72mm which would give a scale ring of 4.65mm.internal ø

Lees gives the ø of the iron as between ⁵⁄⁸- 1¼"  depending on  the size of the ship. This would give a scale range of 0.25mm - 0.49mm.

On a practical modelling basis at 1:64 scale 0.5mm is the minimum diameter  of brass wire to both hold its shape and take silver soldering without melting the wire.

I formed the ring out of 0.5mm brass wire, and fabricated the shackle out of the same stuff. A brass hook was used for the jib tack cringle.

Assembled and silver soldered, the merest passing of the flame across the join is sufficient to form the joint. Anything more and there is the risk of melting the brass.

The completed traveller was then blackened.

These travellers were covered in leather to reduce wear on the jib and to simulate this I painted the ring with Humbrol Matt 29 enamel paint.

I had toyed with the idea of using some telephone wire  sheathing to represent the leather covering, but it proven too fiddly for me and risked pulling the ring out of true during fitting.

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Bowsprit Horses

This is a convenient point to fit these before any more clutter gets in the way.

They consist of 3" (0.37mm) line, eye spliced with thimble attached to eyebolts in top of bollard timbers, and according to ffm(15.16 ) the upper aft face of the Bowsprit cap; but then at (17.2) refers to eyebolts in the sides of the Bowsprit cap.

Just as well as on my Pegasus there is no room to attach eyebolts to the aft face of the cap particularly on the Starboard side where the Jack staff fits.

1" (0.1mm) lanyards to secure the horses.

I used Morope 0.4mm line for the horses, and 0.1mm line for the lanyards.

Staysail netting

This feature represents an interesting little exercise to test the eyes and levels of tenacity.

It is not covered in the kit instructions, but there again it is not a feature I have seen rigged on contemporary models.

Stretchers

I made these out of a bit of 1.5mm boxwood square stuff, which after drilling the holes for the horses to pass thro' was rounded and reduced in diameter.

The horses were rigged temporarily to facilitate this and check the position of the stretchers which are 25mm apart between the Fore preventer stay and Fore Topsail Preventer stay.

I considered forming my own netting for the staysail but at 1:64 scale decided it was a stretch too far for my eyes, tenacity, and patience.

My supply of old net curtaining was brought into service.

.

Cut on the diagonal  to produce the diamond pattern the edges were sealed with a spot of ca and then cut to size A length of 0.1mm line was glued around the edges  to facilitate securing to the horses.

With the netting completed the next task is to attach it to the stretchers.

I dyed the netting in strong tea to take the whiteness off.

Back to the horses - a thimble is spliced to inboard ends, and a 0.1mm lanyard is connected to the eyebolt in the timberheads.

These are now fitted.

The excess length of the horse line is tensioned thro' the cap to assist fitting the lanyards at the inboard end.

With the inboard ends of the horses attached, the stretchers can be threaded on, and laced along the horses.

A 'false' splice is made to attach the outer end horses. For the sake of simplicity I dispensed with the thimble and lanyard arrangement at the cap.

Not entirely authentic, but acceptable to me at this scale which works out at only 25mm long by 12mm wide.

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Jibboom Rigging

Horses

2½" line,(0.30mm) knotted at 2' (9.5mm)intervals, first knot 5' (23.8mm)from eye at jibboom end.

Horse lies around 3' (14.3mm) below the boom at the centre.

According to Lees the horses could be individually spliced around the boom end or cut spliced.

I have opted for separate splices, using 0.30mm Syren line with o/h knots at 10mm spacing.

Major pre-occupation in rigging the horses is getting a nice amount of sag. Once fitted the line is wetted down and painted with very dilute pva.

Some  wire 'weights' are used to maintain the sag until the line is dry.

Next over the jibboom end are the lines for guy pendants, again 0.30mm line is used. Fitted now to secure their place on the boom, but fitting deferred until the Spritsail yard is fitted.

An interesting little exercise now looms to make the collar that fits over the jibboom end to take the Fore T'gallant stay and Bowlines.

It is no mean thing to produce  a three thimble strop at 1:64 scale, served all over and neatly seized beneath the shoulder of the Jibboom.

The scale line is 0.30mm plus serving, but instinct tells me to  downsize to 0.20mm line with 0.1mm serving, if I am to produce something that doesn't dominate the jibboom end.

Steel indicates thimbles for the purpose, but Lees however, makes reference to a triple block at the jibboom end to carry the Fore T'gallant stay and bowlines.

Having trialled the three thimble strop trick I wasn't really satisfied with the look and decided to make a strategic withdrawal and opt for the triple block arrangement.

I am in good company as the superb contemporary model of the Sixth Rate Tartar of 1734 shows a block.

The final item over the boom end is a two thimble strop to carry the Spritsail yard lift.

Can't really avoid this one, but a two thimble job is considerably easier than a three and doesn't take long to make. Syren 0.20mm line served with 0.1mm Morope line does the job.

I can now move onto the final stay - the Fore T'gallant stay.

This is a 3" line (0.4mm Morope) served for a distance where the eye splice over the masthead is formed.

The stay passes thro' the Centre sheave of the triple block on the boom end, and a thimble is turned in, attached by a lanyard to another thimble stropped to the Forestay collar.

B.E

 

[Blue Ensign]

Jib Stay

This is what Steel has to say:

STAY reeves through the sheeve in the cheek-block at the fore-topmast-head from aft on the starboard-side, then through the hanks, and clinches to the traveller upon the boom: a double-block is then turned in the lower end, and connects by its fall to a single-block, lashed to the after part of the foremast trestle-trees, leads upon deck, and belays to the main-top-bowline bitts.

Lees suggests that for small ships the stay was hitched round a backstay deadeye on the Fore Channel stool, but otherwise a tackle.

The ffm also supports hitching the line directly around the deadeye  bindings.

Steel however, in his table of Sloop rigging, indicates a tackle set up (2) single 6" blocks.(2.38mm) Tackle falls (0.20mm)

I have taken the Jib stay to be part of the running rigging and have therefore left it undyed. The stay is of 3" line (0.37mm.) I have used Morope 0.4mm.

The line is spliced to the Traveller betwixt shackle and hook on the Starboard side...

leads up thro' the Cheek block at the Fore Topmast head, and down to the Starboard Fore channel stool.

At this point I rig the deadeyes to the Fore Topmast Backstay.

Just hitching the Jib Stay to the backstay didn't look right to me, at 3" circ it seems to warrant a tackle, and as Steel had included this in his table, it seemed rude not to follow his advice.

 

A block is stropped around the lower deadeye of the Topmast Backstay, a corresponding block is spliced into the jib stay to form a tackle which is expended around itself and secured.

The arrangement sits easy on my eye.

Jib outhauler 2" line 0.25mm

Steel:

OUTHAULER reeves through a sheave-hole at the outer end of the jib-boom; and clinches to the span-tackle of the traveller. *The other end has a double-block turned in, which connects, with its fall, a single-block hooked to an eye-bolt in the fore part of the bowsprit-cap, and the fall leads in on the forecastle.

* In his tables for Sloops Steel does not include a tackle for the Outhauler.

I attached the line to the traveller ring shackle, down thro' the sheave at end of jib-boom to belay at foc'sle.

I hitched the running end to the head of the Main rail on the Starboard side.

 

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Anchor rigging

The kit instructions for rigging the anchors contain very little information and what there is is both simplistic and inaccurate.

My completed anchors are covered back on Page 26 of the log, and I had attached the bowers to the cables some time ago. I am now looking at the rigging equipment to handle the anchors.

I start with the Cat Block 14" (6mm) double, iron bound, block.

The main problem in creating the iron work that bounds this block is that the centre consists of a broader circular section at the level of the coak/sheave pin.

Otherwise any convenient strip of brass would do.

I really didn't fancy trying to file down a strip of brass to form this central disc, given that the strapping at scale is only 1mm wide.

Fortunately the frets around brass etched parts provide a rich source of  brass strip, and I found some which were I think intended for brass stanchions which included a circular section

At this scale you could probably form the strapping out of thin black card including the coak around the centre.

The Cat block is secured to the Cathead by the Cat falls.(3" line (0.37mm).

 An eyebolt is driven into the Cathead on the aft side inwards of the sheaves. and the falls are spliced onto the eyebolt. I used Morope 0.4mm line.

Having rove thro' both block and Cathead sheaves the falls pass thro' a snatch block bolted to the planksheer just aft of the head of the Main Rail and so positioned to take the fair run of the cathead falls which are then belayed to the adjacent timberhead.

Note the position of the Snatch block and the angle of the Cat fall.

I was puzzled when I first rigged the cat falls to see that the line cut sharply aft across the Cathead in order to pass around the sheave of the snatch block.

Surely this can't be right?

On reviewing the layout it transpires that some years' ago I had fixed the snatch blocks too far aft butting against the forward timberhead albeit in accordance with the kit plans.

The position is covered in ffmVol 11 (11.36) and shows the snatch block forward edge close up to the head of the Main Rail.

No big job to carefully prize the snatch blocks off with a scalpel blade and re-position them.

This also involves moving the timber head as well.

Incidentally, the photo on p201 of ffm Vol 1V also shows the cat fall leads angled across the cathead on the Resolution model.

The re-positioned  Snatch block and timberhead.

Cathead stopper -  I was surprised to find that this line is not given a mention in the ffm, but... if one looks closely at the photo's in the colour plate section the stopper knot can be seen at the top of the cathead of the Resolution Model.

This is quite an important  piece of tackle that holds the anchor ring once the ring is released from the Cat hook.

I have seen several method of fitting the Cathead stopper.

i)Stoppered to an eyebolt in the Cathead.

ii)Passed thro' a vertical hole in the Cathead, abaft the sheaves, secured by a large stopper knot.

iii)Seized around the Cathead with an eye splice.

Having passed thro' the anchor ring the line is taken inboard and made fast.

Sometimes the stopper is taken via a groove in the end of the Cathead, or via a cleat on the Cathead side.

or in the case of the Ipswich model below where the line is secured around the Cathead, taken beneath the Cathead, to be secured around the head of the Main Rail.

The other end is taken thro' anchor ring and made fast inboard.

Wormed and parcelled all over.

The cathead stopper can be seen in this shot, in this case seized around the Cathead. Note also the position of the Snatch block.

I have decided to follow this arrangement.

Shank painter Chain

This is first referred to in Vol 11 of ffm (12.2) the chain is shown as fixed to the hull side about one third in from the forward edge of the Fore channels. The given length gives a scale length of 48mm at 1:64. This chain is used to secure the forward end of the anchor at the Cathead once the anchor has been catted.

I held off fixing the shanker chain until I was satisfied  where exactly on my model the anchor arms would lie, but the general rule is it is fixed to an eyebolt in the hull side or fore end of channel.

I used some 17 links per inch stuff which looks about right for the purpose.

4½" line for the shank painters(0.57mm) I used Morope 0.6mm.

 

The anchors aren't permanently fixed as yet and there may be some adjustment of the Shank painter.

For the present I will leave the Starboard Anchor hanging from the Cat hook while I attend to the growing number of loose line ends.

B.E.

 

 

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Anchor Rigging (Part two)

To re-cap

According to Steel a 300 ton Sloop of 14 guns would have carried five anchors:-

20cwt anchors (3)  7cwt stream  (1)  3cwt 2qtr Kedge (1)

The two bowers are attached to the anchor cables and held in place by painters secured to the timberheads both port and starboard. The port Bower is designated as the ‘Best Bower’.

The Starboard Bower is designated the ‘Small Bower’

Behind the Port bower on the channels will be secured the 7 cwt Stream anchor.

Behind the Starboard bower, the third bower designated as the ‘Sheet Anchor’ is secured along the Fore Channel.

The 3cwt Kedge Anchor will be lashed to the third bower. (Sheet anchor)

The three bower anchors despite their different designations are all the same size.

Here is the set for Pegasus.

 

I have now rigged the Bowers.

On the Starboard side I have hauled the anchor ring up to the cathead and secured it with the cat stopper.

The Cat block has been hooked to a strop secured to the anchor shank below the stock.

The Cat chain is hauled up and secured around a timberhead.

On the Port side the anchor is shown held by the Cat stopper, but I left the Cat block hanging free.

On the Port side The stream is secured to the Port Channels using 0.30mm line.

The sheet anchor and Kedge secured to the Starboard  Channels. I used Morope 0.25mm line to secure the kedge to the sheet anchor, and 0.6mm line to secure the sheet anchor to the Channels.

Starboard view

Port View

Head View

Outboard faces of the Cat Heads yet to be done, and therein lies another tale.

B.E.

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Adorning the Cat head

One of the decorative features on British ships of the 18th Century was a Lions head on the Cathead face, the origin of the name Cathead perhaps.

Many contemporary models don't show any decoration, others a simple geometric design. Lion head decorations as in the Ipswich model shown on page are a common depiction, and many have star designs.

The Question of Crowns

The kit provides nice brass etched crowns to decorate the cathead, but how authentic is that? Victory currently sports one on her Catheads but is that a Victorian adornment? The Royal Adelaide model (1828), in the Rogers Collection, has Star decoration, as does the model of Victory in her 1765, as built, depiction, by Wyllie.

L.G. Carr- Laughton in his excellent book Old Ship Figureheads and Sterns refers to 'Cat faces' but often 'Stars', particularly after about 1750, but says he has 'never met with a 'Crown'.

As for Pegasus the original Admiralty plans show a star shaped motif, which is also favoured in the ffm Vol 11.

So Stars it is.

Apart from using the etched crowns anything else is likely to present difficulties at 1:64 scale, well for me anyway.

The Cathead faces on my Pegasus are a mere 3.5mm square onto which the design must be fitted.

The Star design; I couldn't imagine carving out a design in an area as small as the Cathead face so I looked around for a simpler way of proceeding.

It struck me that using a base of boxwood strip for the Cat Head cap I could perhaps use styrene rod and strip to create a simple star design. Styrene is easy to cut, won't splinter, and is available in very fine strips.

A piece of 0.75mm ø rod was centrally fitted thro' the boxwood strip.

0.5 x 0.75mm strip was then used to form the star arms, eight in total around the central rod. I used ca to stick the sections together.

A scalpel and No 11 blade easily cuts thro' the tiny strips.

The eight pointed star formed

Once painted and fitted to the Cat head I think the effect is not half bad at this scale.

 

Starting to look a little more ship-shape on the Foc'sle, as the lines are tidied up, still a fair way to go thro'

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Main Stay - tackles.

MAIN-STAY-TACKLE-PENDENTS have an eye spliced in one end, and a double block in the other, and served with spun-yarn over the splices.

There are two tackles, one on a pendant over the Main Hatch, and one without over the Fore hatch.

I used Syren line for the tackles; 0.63mm for the pendant and 0.3mm for the falls. Pearwood 5mm double and single blocks to make the tackles, the lower single block is fitted with a hook.

The splicing, eye making, and hook attachments were done off the model and rigged on my test rig set up.

Attaching the tackles to the Main Stay is another task better done earlier in the build, makes it just a little easier.

Getting the tackles to hang right from the stay is another matter. To get them nice and taut they really need something to hook to. I have attached them to the lifting ring bolts in the Pinnace.

As an exercise this is rather like fishing, and it took me some time to hook the rings.

Unfortunately this does not provide the complete answer to taut tackles as any tension has the effect of pulling the stay out of alignment, and without tension the falls look unconvincing.

To counter the pull I use props to hold the stay in position whilst I attempt to adjust the tackle lines.

So far so good...

... but when the props are released however there is sufficient movement in the stay above the Fore tackle to slacken the lines. the lines are still not taut enough.

This is not a problem in relation to the aft tackle.

Several times I re-do the tackle which obstinately insists in twisting the wrong way.

To prevent the line bellying out spots of pva are painted on the inside of the lines where they exit the block sheaves.

Seems to have done the trick, at least for the present.

The free line end is attached to an eyebolt in the Fore deck facia in the case of the forward tackle, and an eyebolt in the Quaterdeck facia for the aft tackle.

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Anchor buoys

These are interesting little items often depicted on contemporary models and a nice little modelling challenge

39" long 15.5mm

19.5" wide 7.75mm

I couldn't be bothered to get my lathe out so I indulged in a spot of recreational whittling to form the Nun Buoys, Lime wood carves easily.

 

Using a length of 8mm ø dowel, I marked out the centres and ends and pared away with a scalpel and No 11 blade.

A little bit of shaping and sanding produces the basic shape.

These buoys were parcelled with strips of canvas and then served all over with line. An awkward shape to achieve this at model scale.

I drew the line at parcelling, but at this scale I considered winding the buoy with line feasible.

For this purpose I used Syren 0.20mm line.

As the line is wound around the buoy it is smeared with full strength pva to hold it in place.

The completed buoy is then dunked in Dark Jacobean wood dye to 'Tar' it.

 

The tricky thing about Nun Buoys is the arrangement of slings around them, another testy little exercise.

There are four served slings running from the ends of the buoy, two from the top and two from the bottom which are eye spliced around  two hoops of line either side of the centre of the buoy.

To simplify matters at this scale I insert stemmed eyebolts into each end of the buoy around which I can secure the slings, and attach the lanyard and buoy ropes.

I also think that serving the slings is a step too far for me given the short lengths and required eye splices.

Steel specifies 2½" line (0.30mm) for the slings, 2" line (0.25mm) for the lanyard, and 4" line (0.50mm) for the buoy ropes.

Attaching the slings, I use a spot of pva to bind the sling lines to the buoy down to the point where they will pass beneath the hoops.

Pva is also used to spot stick the hoop line around the buoy.

Rigging the slings.

Once completed the buoy is again dunked in the wood dye, looking suitably 'tarry' I think.

The buoy is hitched to the Fore shroud by its lanyard.

The buoy rope  (I used Morope 0.4mm line) is spliced to the bottom end of the buoy, the excess is coiled and the running end is hitched around  the anchor  arms and seized along the shank.

 

Starboard  buoy completed.

B.E.

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

The Spritsail Yard

Last of the yards to be fitted.

A small 'iron' thimble is made and is stropped with 0.3mm served line around the centre of the yard between the sling cleats. The lead thimbles for the jib guys are also fitted to the yard, and the clue blocks stropped.

Spritsail Halyard block - 7"(2.77mm)with 2½" (0.31mm) strop and hook.

I used a 3mm block/hook arrangement to connect to the thimble at the yard centre.  The hook was moused and for this I used 40swg wire, anything larger would have swamped the hook.

 

Clue line blocks

CLUE-LINE-BLOCKS are strapped, with two eyes, and are lashed through those eyes round the yard, three feet without the slings; the lashing to be upon the yard.

6" blocks (2.38mm) 1½" (0.19mm)served strops I used Syren 3/32th blocks.

Bob checks out the footrope arrangements.

Stirrups and Footropes

Stirrups (2" line) 0.25mm and Horses (2½"line) 0.31mm

I'm using Syren line 0.2mm and 0.3mm.

Once again there is a divergence of opinion:-

Lees says:

Stirrups: they were seldom fitted tho' there was a period from about 1719 to 1775 when, on large ships, two stirrups were fitted each side. before and after that period no ships had stirrups.

Footropes. usually only one footrope was carried, spliced around each yardarm, and seized in the centre to the halyard block strop.

Steel writes in 1798:

HORSES. The eye in the outer end is put over the yard-arm on each side, and stops against the cleats; the other end has an eye spliced in and seized to the yard three feet beyond the slings. The horses hang three feet below the yard. To keep horses more parallel to the yard, they are suspended at proper distances by ropes, called -

STIRRUPS, two or three on each side the slings, having a thimble or eye spliced in their lower ends. They hang three feet below the yard, through which the horse reeves. The upper ends are opened and plaited, to lie flat to the yard: they have three turns round the yard, and are nailed. A flemish horse is used at each arm of the yard, having an eye spliced in each; one eye is put over the bolt in the yard-arm, the other seized within the cleats.

In his tables Steel shows for Sloops both stirrups and horses for the Spritsail, and just horses for the Spritsail Topsail

The ffm follows Steel's arrangement, and so have I, but I am puzzled by the Lees view which seems so time specific, and Lees was in the unique position to have access to all available contemporary records, including Steel, and access to all the contemporary models in the NMM.

 

With all of the fittings on the yard it is time to Attach the Spritsail Yard.

The yard is held beneath the Bowsprit by the slings, but trying to rig the slings and control the yard at the same time is a little tricky.  It helps to pin the yard which allows the sling to be more easily fitted, and holds the yard in the correct position.

The Slings.

These comprise a fairly hefty line of 3½" served overall. I used Syren (0.44mm) line served with Morope 0.1mm line which was also used for the seizings.

I trialled the required length to make the sling including an eye at one end before serving.

The thimble and 'moused' hook for the halyard can also be seen in this shot.

The line is doubled and passed around the yard on the Starboard side between the sling cleats, up over the Bowsprit, with the eye end passing beneath the yard on the Port side, and the running end passed thro' the eye and hauled taut.

Seizings are then applied above the yard each side, and the running end to itself.

I can now complete both the Standing Lifts and the Spritsail yard halyard, and complete the Jib guy pendants.

Spritsail yard halyard

The fall of the halyard caused me some considerable head scratching.

What possible use would a halyard be with the yard sling stropped to the bowsprit, and contained between the jib saddle, woolding hoops, and the Bees, allowing virtually no movement of the yard.

The ffm has the fall belaying at a timberhead just forward of the cathead and behind the foremost swivel post on the Starboard side. (the kit version has no timberhead at this position)

 Steel refers to:-  the fall leads in upon the forecastle, and belays to the rack over the bowsprit. (A rack is a board with belay pins set into it nailed on the bowsprit.)

This arrangement which I've not seen, seems too late for Pegasus.

There is a reference in Marquardt's 18th-Century Rigs and Rigging quoting Röding:- the hauling part can even be secured at the tackle because the spritsail yard itself is not raised or lowered while the vessel is at sea; for precisely this reason the yard is now usually hung on a solid strop; these days a halyard is seldom used.

I note that in the ffm the Resolution model shows the halyard falls frapped around the tackle.

This is good enough for me.

The Halyard tackle, frapped and secured.

I next attend to the Standing Lift

Steel says.

THE STANDING-LIFT has an eye spliced in one end, and lashes to the yard one-fourth from the slings; the other end has a thimble spliced in, and is set up with a laniard to a thimble spliced in a strap that goes round the bowsprit within the bees.

The ffm indicates that the standing lift is eye spliced around the yard at about the third quarter. I believe this puts the lift too far out on the yard.

I have placed the standing lifts in accordance with Steel, one fourth out from the slings.

The standing lifts are hooked to the Bowsprit Cap with a thimble/ lanyard arrangement.

Jib Guy Pendants

Steel:

GUY-PENDENTS are put over the jib-boom, the same as the horses, and the inner ends reeve through a thimble, on the quarters of the spritsail-yard, and turn into the strap of a double block, with a throat and round seizings, which is connected, by its fall, to a single block, that hooks to an eye-bolt, near the cat-head, and leads in upon the fore-castle.

These were eye spliced over the jib end in the previous phase.

The falls can now attached.

8" single blocks,( 3mm)the inner one with hook and thimble.

Falls of 1½" line (0.20mm)

An eyebolt needs to be fitted in the forward side of the Cathead to take the tackle block. Tricky to drill this hole at this stage, not easy to manipulate a pin vise in the space available. A micro drill needs to be ca'd into a longish length of dowel so the job can be approached from the opposite side.

Jib guy pendants.

Tackle hooked to eyebolt in forward face of Cathead, and the fall belayed at timberhead.

B.E.

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Completion of Spritsail rigging

Spritsail Yard (running) lifts

2" line (0.25mm) I used Morope line.

One of the easier ones to rig, a simple false splice around the yards against the Horses, up thro' the thimbles on the Jibboom end.

and down thro' the outer sheaves of recently fitted Bowsprit saddle, to belay around the timberheads.

Brace pendants - 3" (0.40mm) served and tarred line / 9" (3.57m) single blocks / 8' long (38mm)

I used Syren 0.3mm line served with Morope 0.1mm line.

Always interesting and a little tricky making served pendants with an eye one end and a block the other, involves several little serving exercises.

A completed pendant.

Braces.

2½" line (0.30mm) I used Syren line.

Testy little rig this, a long line clove hitched at the centre around the Fore-stay below the Mouse, taken thro' the pendant blocks on the yard....

... up thro' the inner sheave of the forward outer block below the Fore top...

.... and now the testy bit; feeding the line end thro' the inner sheave of the corresponding aft block on the Fore top.

The line is then taken down to belay on the Fo'csle rail.

The Braces need to be rigged together to equalise the tension.

 

Spritsail Yard Clue lines

CLUE-LINES reeve through the blocks upon the yard, and bend or reeve through a block at the clue of the sail, and lead in upon the forecastle.

1½" line (0.20mm)  6" blocks (2.38mm)

I added cleats to the top of the Breasthook to take the clue line belays.

 

Sheets

Steel specifies single sheets for the Spritsail; for double sheets the standing part is hitched around first deadeye strop on fore channels, or maybe to the same eyebolt as the Fore sheets.

3" line is specified(0.37mm), I am using Syren 0.31mm.

Getting your head around the run of spritsail sheet is a bit tricky with differing arrangements at differing times, but for a sixth rate this is my interpretation.

The single sheet line has a wall knot in one end which passes through the clue block strop and leads aft through the lower of the fixed block sheaves below the sheave for the Fore sheets.

 

This is another line that needs to hang with a degree of slackness to look good, and the line is dipped in very dilute pva and wiped thro' before fitting.

This is a long line and to keep it tidy and clear of the sea it runs thro' a thimble which is triced up to the Fore shrouds.

Once in place the line is re-wetted and light weights attached to form an even slackness.

This is a process that will continue for a while, with re-wetting. and smoothing.

A fair amount of time will be spent tweaking the lines before I'm entirely happy.

Have decided not to fit the Bowlines, might be overegging the custard with a bare stick model.

Besides, some of the lead blocks would now be very difficult to rig at this stage, particularly in relation to the main and Mizen sails.

B.E.

25/01/2017

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Tidying up the Foc'sle.

For the past few days I having been trying to sort out the confusion of lines around the Foc'sle.

There are a lot of loose ends now that need securing, and looking ahead a little there is the perennial problem of sufficient belaying points.

I note that the Belaying plan (Plan#3) of the ffm Vol IV shows 10 cleats conveniently placed around the inner bulwark of the bows between the Bowsprit and Cathead, but what is not shown is the Breast hook which fits over the Bowsprit and is bolted to the bow timbers which would preclude cleats in the position shown but presumably they could be fitted to the face or top of the Breast Hook.

The Breast hook can be seen in this shot.

Steel specifically mentions a pin in the breast hook to take the Fore T'Gallant bowlines.

Bowlines are a feature I am thinking of adding even tho' mine is a bare stick model, in this case they are simply hitched to their respective yards before running to belay points.

The Foc'sle is just about tidied up now and the T'gallant Backstays have been rigged.

 In a final crowning to the mastheads the trucks are added.

The photos

Tidying the line ends

Belaying to the Belfry rails is a test of patience, so many lines to snag.

Fore T'gallant backstays on the stools now secured.

Lead of the Fore Tack, something that is causing me some confusion at present, not yet ready to be secured.

Truck at Foremast head

....and at the Mainmast head; Main T'gallant back stays yet to be secured.

Coming together now I think.

 

B.E. 31/01/2017