yards before sails?

[Mike Dowling]

I feel sure this has been asked many times but, is it best to fix the yards to the masts before adding the sails or attach the sails to the yards first?

[JerseyCity Frankie]

The quick answer, in my view anyway, is to dress the yards as much as you can prior to installation. Getting in close to the mast with your hands and tools will be tricky once the shrouds and stays are rigged. 

[amateur]

Sails to yards first, without doubt.

 

Jan

[Mike Dowling]

Thank you both. I know I have done this before but I had forgotten how to do it!! 

I think by 'dressing the yards' you mean attaching all the pulleys etc in which case I have done all that and they will be ready to go on. I feel sure that by attaching the sails to the yards first that part is easier and that means all the running rigging is done with the sails on which I guess makes sense.

 

[Thunder]

I am the reverse of this, I really struggle to hold the yard whilst dressing it so fit to the mast and then fit all blocks and finally sails.

[wefalck]

Check out Michael Mott's build logs, he describes a neat gadget to hold yards etc. for fitting out. I think it would be near impossible to do a good and clean job fitting out the yards when up - apart from a stiff neck and strained muscles in the arms ...

[Snow]

Yeah mate 

I agree fit out all rigging and blocks first i find it makes life easier

Cheers snowy

[Mike Dowling]

We may be at cross purposes here. I have put all the blocks etc on the yards so they are done. I have yet to do the standing rigging on the ship but I can't remember or know if it is better to attach the sails to the yards first and then attach the yards to the masts fully loaded as it were.

[GrandpaPhil]

I am doing that right now.  I like to have all my yards, gaffs and booms done, including sails and blocks, before I attach them to the masts.  It makes life easier.  

 

Then it just becomes the plug and play of the model ship world.

Edited May 27, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[keelhauled]

I couldn't imagine rigging the yard and then bending the sail.  Might just be me, but I'd never be able to successfully accomplish this maneuver.  Not unless it was a VERY big model or I had a very very small helper! 

[rwiederrich]

I don't know...On my current build of the Clipper Great Republic...I preferred to install all the yards on the mast first..then rigged all the blocks and then installed the sails.  I found it actually easier then rigging the yard prior to install.  The main benefit was once the yard was installed I could glue the sail at the right billowed angle...supporting it from the mast.

 

Rob

[Ulises Victoria]

Everything in the sails first, then to the mast.

 

 

 

[rwiederrich]

17 hours ago, Ulises Victoria said:

Everything in the sails first, then to the mast.

Every application can have a different process....  in your application of furled sails...I agree.  Adding the sails and its associated blocks to the yards prior to fixing to the mast is a preferred method.  Easy, repeatable and efficient.

However, in my application, I required the sails to be billowed and that billow needed to originate at the sails origin...where it is bent to the yard at the jackstay.  Not to hang limplessly as in drying or in a doldrum, but naturally as if in a stiff breeze.

 

My technique, required the yard to be firmly fixed to the yard so the sail, when positioned properly, could then be supported and glued in its correct attitude.  A vary hard thing to do if the sail was first bent to the un- mounted yard.

 

Rob

[wefalck]

Some people use mock-up masts for this purpose - you can mess around without the fear to drop anything onto the deck or do other damage to the model. It can bring the yard also closer to the working surface, so that one does not need to work with lifted-up arms for too long periods of times.

[rwiederrich]

4 hours ago, wefalck said:

Some people use mock-up masts for this purpose - you can mess around without the fear to drop anything onto the deck or do other damage to the model. It can bring the yard also closer to the working surface, so that one does not need to work with lifted-up arms for too long periods of times.

Exactly! 

In my case, I removed each mast from the ship and rigged the sails off ship....Kinda the same principle as rigging the sail on the yard prior to installing the yard to the mast.

It just dawned on me, that scale has a lot to do with what technique one may employ as well.

 

Rob

[Mike Dowling]

Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me that there is a mixture of opinions expressed here which is interesting. My failing memory seems to think that I may have tried both methods. I seem to remember that attaching the sails on the fixed yards on the model was quite a headache and broke off a few bits whilst trying. So I am very tempted to sew the sails to the yards and then put them on. Thank you all for your contributions.

[rwiederrich]

On ‎6‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 2:12 AM, Mike Dowling said:

Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me that there is a mixture of opinions expressed here which is interesting. My failing memory seems to think that I may have tried both methods. I seem to remember that attaching the sails on the fixed yards on the model was quite a headache and broke off a few bits whilst trying. So I am very tempted to sew the sails to the yards and then put them on. Thank you all for your contributions.

I wouldn't say you were wrong.  Different techniques require different  situations...scale and modelers ability to name a few. Not to mention trying to furl a sail on a yard is tough OFF the mast...let alone being brave enough to attempt it on a mounted yard.

I agree that adding furled sails and their associated blocks and rigging to the yard prior to the yard being installed makes the greatest sence...as in ease and less damage induced.  On the other hand, my latest clipper it was far easier to install the billowed sails to the fixed yards, while the mast was off the model.

A perfect example of how techniques and ability contribute to what we conclude is the *easiest*.

 

Sometimes we are not even talking about the same thing.  A mounted furled sail in NOT the same animal as a mounted billowed sail.

 

Rob

[GrandpaPhil]

I’m getting ready to attach sails to yards, after I finish sewing them and I billow them.  I’ll be attaching them with the yards off the model.

 

I’ll let you all know how it works out for me.