Rigging for Dummies

[Kurt Johnson]

Is there a modern book of the explanation of rigging and it mechanics, sort of an Rigging for Dummies or Period Ship Rigging for ye Very Mentally Challanged? Biddlecomb is kind of a chore. Some thing like this is gonna do that. I’d like to get a very basic understanding and then read Biddlecomb.

 

Kurt

[yamsterman]

hi kurt

it might be worth having a look at  "rigging;period fore-and-aft craft"  by lennarth petersson   and also "rigging period ship models" by the same author.

the descriptions are mainly pictorial which is very helpful for a beginner.

you can then read biddlecomb and steel and it may not be such a chore.

hope this helps.

 

cheers....mick

[mtaylor]

Try zu Monfeld's "Historic Ship Models"... gives a good overview of this without being too specific.

[Kurt Johnson]

I’ll try that. Thanks. I actually have a copy buried somewhere. I’m trying to figure why certain rigging the way it was or what it does not how it was rigged.

 

Kurt

[JerseyCity Frankie]

It’s surprising there isn’t a simple but comprehensive book that would cover the basic list of running rigging anyone would be likely to find on any sailing vessel and how each line works. It’s honestly not THAT complex on the surface.

[Gregory]

Keep in mind, you don't really have to know why/how about  every line on a ship.  As the number of masts and sails increase, you have

the same basic principles repeated over and over. 

 

Just pick a mast and a type of sail; main, top, stay, spanker, etc., and the basic principles, with a few exceptions will always apply.

 

This is not to say there won't be variations among countries and periods, but a 'lift' , a 'brace'  a 'shroud' or whatever, won't really change that much,

because the work to be accomplished will be the same.

Edited January 11, 2018 by Gregory

[Kurt Johnson]

That’s what I thought. I think I’m reasonably mechanically inclined. I’m looking for an understanding of why something is done, so I know that something I model would make sense and would actually be able to do the job intended. It would just give me a much greater sense of accomplishment, then just recreating something that I haven’t the slightest idea how it works or what it does.

 

Kurt

[popeye2sea]

It's really very simple.  Everything in the rigging needs to get to or be fixed in to position in three dimensions: up/down, right/left, and forward/back.  Now put a rope on everything such that it pulls in those directions (down is mostly taken care of by gravity).  If the object is heavy add a way to multiply the force (block and tackle).  Try not to foul or tangle the lines.

 

There, I just described 99% of the rigging for all ships!

 

Sounds silly but it's true.

 

Regards,

 

[capnharv2]

Another book, if you're interested in the how and why of rigging, is Seamanship in the Age of Sail. I've found it to be very interesting and useful

[Kurt Johnson]

I found my copy of zu Mondfeld and it looks like it will do the trick!  Thanks.

 

Kurt