HM Cutter Alert by Blue Ensign - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1:64 scale

[Blue Ensign]

Good job I put them on opposite sides then Frankie. 😉

 

B.E.

[Rustyj]

Hi B.E. Great workmanship and explanations!

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers, Rusty👍

 

Post 65

 

Main-Stay (Part Two) – lower end attachment.

 

 

The Mainstay at its lower end is attached to the stem using a large five-hole deadeye.

In the kit this is provided by a three- part self-assembly wooden version.

0256(2)

I would suggest that a simple jig using steel pins is made to ensure hole alignment during assembly.

 

It would have been nice to have this deadeye made in a nice wood, Box or perhaps Pearwood, but it hasn’t come up too badly with a coat of wipe-on.

I was tempted to use the very nice Boxwood version produced by Chuck for the Cheerful model, but it was just a tad too large.

 

In setting up the Mainstay, this is how Steel describes it.

THE STAY Sets up with a dead-eye, turned into the lower end of the stay with a running or Flemish-eye, and with a laniard, reeved through the holes in the dead-eye, and through holes bored through the head of the stem.

 

This looks like the arrangement shown in the Alert Book.

The kit instructions show a simple seizing.

 

 

The Hawke model

Not particularly clear but there seems to be throat seizing atop the deadeye with the running end loosely taken around the stay and presumably seized again.

 

The Science Museum model shows the usual deadeye stropping arrangement with a throat seizing and with the running end seized to the stay.

 

I note that Chuck has also opted for this arrangement on his Cheerful model.

I also opted for the arrangement as shown above, if nothing else the seizing is an easier job than forming an eye and seizing to the deadeye strop.

 

Lanyards.

 

Steel lists a 4” circ line for the deadeye lanyards which scales to 0.5mm ø line.

The kit indicates a 0.25mm line which does look a little thin for this jumbo deadeye.

 

I tried two options to check what suited my eye best.

 

4435

4436

Lanyards rigged with Morope 0.6mm line

 

Morope is very fine line with great definition to show off this prominent feature of the cutter rigging.

 

04444

04442

Lanyards rigged with Syren 0.45mm line

 

Syren is excellent natural fibre line but it doesn’t have quite the pure definition of the Morope but is perhaps a little more in scale.

Syren. Morope, Morope, Syren, decisions, decisions, I used to be decisive but now I’m not so sure. 

 

When it comes to rigging the lanyard the kit arrangement is straightforward, but it seems a bit odd to me that the standing end is secured by a knot at the stem rather than the deadeye.

I have opted for an alternative method whereby the lanyard is knotted at the deadeye in the usual way and having passed thro’ the sequence of deadeye and stem holes and will be hitched around the stay and seized to the standing end of the lanyard.

At this point I thought I would test fit the Bowsprit to check that there was no fouling of the Mainstay lanyard, fortunately not, but I did have a panic moment thinking whether the Bowsprit would fit thro’ from aft given that I hadn’t checked it since fitting all the deck clutter.

 

 

Part three will cover the Preventer stay attachment.

 

 

B.E.

05/02/2020

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[Blue Ensign]

Hawke doesn't look as clean as that Dirk 😉.

 

I have a strong leaning towards the Morope for this particular lanyard, what size line did you use?

 

B.E.

 

[DelF]

I suspect you’ve considered making your own rope, and if so I wonder why you decided against it? I find it quite straightforward with Chuck’s Rope Rocket and you've got almost infinite options in terms of diameter, strands, lay etc. 
 

I appreciate that it is much simpler and quicker to buy rope, but making one’s own is much easier than some scratch building tasks (eg block making) and can be very rewarding. 
 

Just a thought. 
 

Derek

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks for the insight Frank. 👍

 

Hi Derek, making my own rope has never really interested me, particularly now you can get such nicely made stuff. Same with fittings,  I only make things where I can't get a good quality  fitting such as supplied by Chuck.

 

Thanks Dirk. 🙂

 

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post 66

 

Preventer Stay (Part Three) – lower end attachment.

 

For the Preventer Stay Steel indicates 9” deadeyes and 3” circ lanyards. (0.4mm ø at scale)

THE PREVENTER-STAY sets up with a laniard, reeved through the holes in the dead-eye in the lower end of the stay, and another dead-eye in an iron-bound-strap, bolted on the fore part of the stem.

 

I was surprised to see Steel referring to deadeyes for the Preventer stay in his 1794 work, as all the cutters I have seen either have hearts or thimbles.

 

The Alert book shows hearts, and the Kit instructions a thimble and lanyard arrangement hooked onto the stem.

Hawke model

The Hawke model shows the stay secured to a single thimble strapped to the stem.

 

Not least because I happen to have them, I have opted for Chuck’s closed hearts, but also hearts had been widely used for stays on ships of this period.

0297

5mm Syren Hearts, spot on.

 

0298

For the Lanyard I have attached some 0.4mm Morope.

Can’t get them to look completely right until they are pulled taut and seized.

 

0299

The lanyards won’t be tied off until the Bowsprit has been fitted and the yards raised.

0296

 

Moving on to that tricky business of yards.

 

 

B.E.

06/02/2020

[Blue Ensign]

Post 67

 

Thinking about securing the yards.

 

Everything I’ve read about cutters of this period suggests that the yards were not secured to the mast by use of parrels or truss pendents, which presents the modeller with a real problem as the yards will need to be secured if only temporarily to get the rigging in place.

The kit gets around the problem by the simple expediency of having a parrel or truss on every yard and gluing and pinning the yards to the mast.

 

I have been here before, albeit back in the 1980s with my first cutter build.

0307(2)

0304(3)

A later spec cutter but even so no trusses, parrels, or pins were used in the building of this model.

0305

I wish I could remember how I approached this job, but it long preceded such things as ship modelling forums.

0303(2)

The yards are however perfectly secured in position by a combination of the braces and Bowlines.

 

Hawke model mast detail

I cannot detect any sign of a truss or parrel on the Hawke model.

 

I am starting with rigging the Spread-sail yard, but before I can even consider raising the yard the tackle blocks need to be attached, starting with the yard Tye block.

0309

This is a tricky little beggar, a 4mm single block with a served stropping formed into a ring that fits around the centre of the yard.

It is by trial and error that the size of the stropping ring is determined using unserved thread to confirm the size.

Two other blocks need to be attached at this stage; the Topsail sheet fall blocks, hanging below the yard just outside the slings.

 

0312

 Raising the Spread-sail yard.

0314

I need to have this yard in place so that I can consider the practicalities of raising the Square-sail yard on a horse afore it.

 

B.E.

09/02/2020

[Old Collingwood]

Fantastic - precise work.

 

OC.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 68

A Horse for the Square-sail yard.

 

 I first considered the horse back in post 51, but now I need to fix the attachment point towards the top of the mast.

 

Steel lists a ‘horse down the mast’ associated with the Crossjack yard (which for our purposes is the Square-sail Yard.)

For the method of fixing I am following the narrative and drawings contained in Eighteenth Century Rigs and rigging by Marquardt.

Figure 88 in the book shows the set up on a cutter mast pre 1800.

The Horse has an eye splice at the upper end lashed to masthead.

0313

My interpretation is to use an eyebolt at the masthead to which the horse will be attached.

The Lower end is set up with deadeyes and lanyard to an eyebolt in the deck forward of the mast.

0311

The deadeye set up afore the mast, I used 3mm deadeyes, and 0.63mm ø Syren line to represent the 5” circ Horse and 7” deadeyes.

Model of Surly 1806

Altho’ a later period, a horse is still shown altho’ by this time it probably carried the Spread-sail yard, as the Square-sail yard had had mostly been dispensed with.

 

At this point I can now play around with the Square-sail yard.

 

The central yard tye block is required and an aft facing thimble thro’ which the horse will run.

0320(2)

Iron thimble attached to Square-sail yard.

 

With the tye block attached the yard can be raised on the horse.

0327

Raising the yard on the horse.

 

0326

0330

The Square-sail yard is hoisted over and above the Spread-sail yard on the horse.

 

B.E.

10/02/2020

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post 69

 

A slight diversion to consider horses (or Footropes as they are commonly called)

The kit does not indicate the fitting of Footropes to any of the yards.

The Alert book indicates them only for the Topsail Yard.

 

Hawke Model

The Hawke model doesn’t show any.

 

Alert Model by Roger Cole

Roger Cole omitted them from his model.

Irving Kingman doesn’t refer to them, but I can’t see from the limited photo’s whether any are fitted.

Science Museum Model circa 1785

The Science Museum model of a later rigged cutter shows them, but by this time with the Topmast forward and the Square yard out of fashion, it makes more sense.

 

This is just the latest of the rigging conundrums associated with this cutter build.

 

The Spread-sail yard does not carry a sail in this configuration so footropes would be unnecessary. They are rarely seen on the Cro’jack yards of square riggers for the same reason.

 

I would think that the Square-sail yard may well have been set up from the deck, raised and lowered as necessary on the horse.

 

The Topsail Yard is probably the most likely for the fitting of footropes, but why so many models without them?

 

The T’ gallant yard is a fairly small affair, each yard arm only a scale 15’. Would this be fitted with horses, again I don’t know, but I lean towards leaving them off.

0339

The yards are now all raised, albeit swinging around on their tye tackles.

 

Despite the forgoing thoughts about footropes I can’t quite dismiss from my mind that there’s something missing from the set of yards. 🤔

 

B.E.

12/02/2020

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post 70

 

Anchor cables

 

I have already had a dabble at setting out the anchor cables using temporary line but with the deck relatively free, now is a good time to set the anchor cables in place.

 

The sizes of anchor cables are not given in Steel’s rigging tables altho’ the associated ropes are.

 

I am aware of two methods of determining cable size.

As per Lees:- 0.62 of the diameter of the Mainmast.

An alternative calculation:- cable circumference = ½” for every foot of a ships beam.

 

How does this relate to Alert:

Alerts Mast is 20” ø x 0.62 = 12.4” circ. which equates at scale to a line of 1.56mm diameter.

Alerts beam is 25.5’ x 0.5 =12.75” circ.  which equates to 1.6mm diameter.

 

The kit indeed provides *1.6mm line, of excellent quality, and equating to a 12½” circ cable.

The 36” length is more than adequate to provide the option of full lengths to run the deck and down the main hatch.

 

Following the arrangement as per Harland (Seamanship in the age of Sail) the cable is taken three time around the barrel with the turns off the top with the inboard end kept to the outer end next to the bitts.

 

This does highlight an issue; the cable looks somewhat large for the windlass barrel and covers up the outer Handspike holes.

4466

I checked the line with my electronic calipers and it is closer to *1.8mm diameter which perhaps explains the over-scale look.

This is quite frustrating as I do like the quality of the provided cable.

 

The Alert Book indicates an 11½” cable which scales to 1.45mm ø

I have some Morope 1.5mm ø line which looks to my eye a better scale for the anchor cable, particularly when I do a visual check of cables on other models.  

 

I have decided to go with Morope.

I have added ‘normans’ to the barrel to secure the cables; there is insufficient room for this using the kit cable.

Apart from any historical reference, having a fixed point makes it easier to shape and drape the cables.

 

0342

The kit provided cable is on the Starboard side and the smaller Morope on the port.

0343

From the Starboard side the difference in line size is clearly apparent.

0351

One advantage of Morope is that it is fairly soft which helps shaping and draping.

4475

Leading aft and down thro’ the Main Hatch.

 

In the kit instructions the cables are shown to go below decks via two holes just in front of the main hatch.

They are not mentioned by name but they are Navel pipes, not something I think are appropriate to ships of this period.

4472

4474

The cables secured to the normans.

I will now attend to the drape, using very diluted pva.

 

B.E.

14/02/2020

[Old Collingwood]

Looking superb  - so much dedication.

 

OC.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 71

A small diversion

I’m awaiting a fresh supply of Morope 0.1mm line, in my opinion the finest stuff for small line seizing there is. No other 0.1mm line comes close to it.

While I wait, I can attend to a few outstanding details.

 

Mast Hoops

Finally got around to making the mast hoops, I didn’t really like the thin etch brass versions, and initially I was in two minds whether to fit them.

 During my Cheerful build I recognised that the centres of the Syren laser cut mast hoops would come in for hoops of a lesser size should the need arise.

4480

Well the need has arisen by my belated decision to add these as they do provide added interest to the build.

The hoops were drilled out and filed to size, the main downside is having to cut them to retro fit to the mast.

 

4486

A tricky business with the yard halyards in place but at least they’re not glued to the cleats, so the tension is easily re-adjusted.

4496(2)

 

Shroud cleats

Alert doesn’t have pin racks along the bulwarks, possibly because there are none 😉, but etched shroud cleats are provided.

4484(2)

Syren 5mm  Boxwood shroud cleats before fettlin'

I prefer to use these, I think they will hold better to the shrouds than the thin etched kit versions.

I could have as an alternative legitimately fitted a shroud rack with belaying pins and may still do so depending on how the shroud cleats go.

 

Thinking about a stand,

My preference is for a stylised keel block arrangement with cradle support of minimal dimensions but sufficient to support the model.

4500

The Bohler makes quick work of cutting the blocks.

 

4501

The cradles are cut from some 1/16^th Boxwood sheet, and the keel blocks from some 8mm and 5mm Walnut square stock.

 

4502

Setting out the alignment of the supports, the blocks will need to be individually fine tuned to fit beneath the keel, but this can wait until later once I decide on the permanent base.

 

B.E.

19/02/2020

[MEDDO]

I have always liked that type of display stand.  Good work on the mast hoops

 

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Michael 🙂

 

Post 72

 

Time for a general tidy-up

 

Over the past few days I have been attending to sorting out some of the rigging jobs and tidying up lines.

4507

The running backstay tackles have been completed with hooks to attach to the iron hull plates.

4513

The Stay and Preventer stay lanyards are now in place.

 

 

Topsail Yard

 

In addition to the centre tye block, standing clew line blocks are required.

 

4514

The given 3mm blocks indicated in the kit instructions are about right for size at scale.

 

The kit shows a truss to secure the yard to the mast. Apart from the historical evidence indicating to the contrary, such a fitting would need to be quite slack to allow movement of the yard.

 

On a model however, it would help stabilise the yard and make rigging easier.

I fitted the halyard tackle with a 0.20mm line running down to the deck to belay on a port side mast cleat.

 

4517

At the yard arms are the two T’gallant sheet blocks also 3mm.

Secured around the Topmast head above the Topsail yard are blocks in a span for the T’gallant sheet falls.

 

The Alert Book once again has contrary information; drawing H6 shows blocks in a span, whereas Drawings H9 and H22/1 (close detail) indicates thimbles in a span.

4519

It looks to me that the Hawke model has thimbles so I will go with those.

It is easier to do this before the mast cap is put into place, that way the span can be formed off model and then slipped over the masthead.

 

Completing the T’gallant mast and Yard

 

 

04531

A sheave has been added to the mast for the yard halyard and a truck made for the top.

The mast can now be set in place. It shouldn’t be necessary to glue either mast or cap if the fit is correct.

 

T’Gallant Yard

This is a simple affair which apart from the central eye spliced tye has no other fittings before the yard is raised.

The only controlling lines are the Bowlines running forward to the Bowsprit end which will hold it square but there are no aft running lines to counter the forward pull.

 

Without the benefit of trusses and pins, stabilising the yards becomes a delicate balancing act.

 

04516

The first thing to fix are the topsail sheets and clews. Attaching the sheets holds the spread-sail yard down whilst the clews pull the topsail yard down and counter the pull of the sheets on the spread-sail yard.

 

Even at this stage the yards are held square to the mast, but the later addition of braces and bowlines will secure any lateral movement.

 

The T’gallant yard is the most difficult yard to stabilise.

I may have to resort to a small pin to hold it against the mast to get the required tension on the Bowlines.

 

Boom sheet

So, I can finally set the Boom topping lift I now need to attend to the boom sheet tackle, to counter the pull of the lift.

 

04504

For this I am using 4mm double and single blocks coupled with 0.45mm line for the tackle falls.

 

The shroud cleats have now been attached.

 

04510

Tricky little beggars to get in place inside the shrouds, I hold them in place with pva and then add the lashing.

 

04535

Before I make any permanent attachments to the cleats I need to attend to the rattlin’ down otherwise I will be working around lines running inside the shrouds which is not ideal.

 

04524(2)

04526(2)

Starting to look a little more ship shape now, but there’s still a way to go.

 

B.E.

21/02/2020

 

Edited February 21, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[Blue Ensign]

Post 73.

 

Rattlin’ down

 For this I am using Syren 0.20mm ø line equivalent to 1½” circumference.

 I have opted for a 13” spacing (5mm) which should result in around 35 lines across the shrouds.

4559(2)

I simply can’t be doing the little eye fastenings to the outer shrouds at this scale but clove hitches are used on shrouds 2 and 3.

Altho’ the Alert book shows wooden shroud battens (Sheer poles) above the deadeyes I’m not convinced they were generally in use at this time so I have omitted them.

4564

4570

My very experienced Topman old Bob having previously served with distinction on both Pickle and Pegasus, has come out of retirement to check out the ratlins.

 

4573

You can tell from the soles of old Bob’s feet that the ratlins have been freshly tarred, altho’ you’re only likely to find him in this position when he’s overdone it with the grog ration.

 

On the subject of tarring the ratlines the kit instructions suggest colouring the lines post fitting using stain or India ink.

This is a very bad idea, stain the line before you use it.

 

The knots are painted with diluted pva and close-trimmed using a scalpel blade.

4565(2)

Looking at the photo’s I may have to fiddle with one or two of the ratlines but the main objective to avoid any distortion to the shrouds has been achieved.

I can now feed the yard and sail lines thro’ the shrouds to belay, and continue with the rigging.

 

B.E.

23/02/2020

 

 

[Moab]

B.E... I wish I could “fiddle” as well as you! I’ll keep trying...Moab

[Sailor1234567890]

Why is the upper yard abaft the mast? And on that note, why is the topmast abaft the lower mast? I know that was done in some ships but I thought it wasn't until much later that it happened. Beautiful work on her so far B.E., you're truly a master at your craft. 

Cheers,
Daniel

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks for looking in Moab, I have to do a lot of fiddling to correct what the camera sees and my eye doesn’t, sometimes I have to re- fiddle the fiddle. 🙄

 

Hi Daniel, Thank you for your kind words.

The T’gallant yard is just swinging free on its halyard  at the moment, it will be the last yard to be fixed.

Regarding the topmast, the earlier cutters had it abaft the masthead, but once the rig began to be  standardised around the mid 1780’s it was set before the masthead, and use of the  square-sail declined. We don't really know exactly how Alert was rigged, but the rig has been copied from the contemporary model of Hawke of 1777.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

 

[Sailor1234567890]

Cool. Thanks. I didn't know that. Thought topmasts abaft were exclusively in the realm of big ocean carriers later in the 1800s in the age of the split tops, the brace winches, patented topsail reefing systems, and Bentink courses. 

[Jonny 007]

Superb craftsmanship and something to aspire to.

Thank you for taking the time and posting such a detailed build log.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading through it.

 

Cheers,

Jonny

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Jonny, glad you like it. 👍

 

B.E.

[Sailor1234567890]

You should look at doing HMS Speedy next. Looks awesome. 

[Blue Ensign]

I agree it looks a fine model sailor, but room for ship models  is getting scarce.

I already have twelve models around the house and have yet to find a spot for Alert.

 

For my next project I will be building Chuck's wonderful Queen Anne's Royal Barge, which is what I would have been doing had I not been seduced by  Chris's Alert.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 74

Detailing the Bowsprit

I have not wanted to fit the Bowsprit too early because it is an exceptionally long spar requiring a large turning area.

4605(2)

So easy to knock as the model is turned about if the mind is concentrating on a particular task.

The main detailing is at the outer end, but before much of it can be done the Bowsprit does need to be in place.

A sheave needs to be cut a little way behind the cranse to take the traveller inhauler, but this is better done before the sprit is fitted.

4607

The sprit is put into place from aft and is secured by the two iron fids thro’ the bitts.

It’s always better to be able to remove a spar should a ‘catastrophe at sea’ occur.

 

The kit provides a brass etched Cranse iron and traveller ring in simplified form. These are referred to as the Bowsprit outer and inner rings in the kit instructions.

I’m not too keen on the Cranse ring as it looks too thin in profile.

4604(2)

I replaced it with heat shrink tubing fitted with eyebolts.

 

The top eyebolt has a *treble block fitted to take the T’Gallant stay (centre) and the Topsail yard Braces port and Starboard.

Once again, the Alert book has drawings at variance. H1 shows the T’gallant stay leading thro’ a single block attached to the cranse whereas the detail drawing H20 shows the treble block arrangement.

 

*Whether a T’gallant stay should be fitted is also questionable.

In the book narrative it is suggested that only when the T’gallant mast was fitted afore the masthead were Forestays, Backstays, and shrouds introduced.

3302a

It is interesting to note that the Hawke model has neither stay or backstays fitted to the T’gallant.

What can be seen here are only the Topsail braces and Bowlines leading to the Bowsprit end.

 

The Kit Traveller ring is too tight to run the length of the bowsprit and is set I suspect at the position to rig the jib-sail.

4603

Again, it is rather thin in profile and I replaced it with a silver soldered version made from some 1mm wide brass strip.

The ring atop the traveller has the jib inhauler attached and takes the hook for jib sail (Alert Book)

 

Bowsprit shrouds

For these I am using Syren 0.63mm ø line, and a 4mm block and hook tackle with 0.3mm line for the lanyards.

4605(3)

The tackle end of the shrouds hook to an eyebolt in the bow above the wale, the kit has this placed just aft of the first port.

 

4606

At this point I need to at least temporarily rig the anchors to check that none of the tackle is fouled by the shrouds before I drill for the eyebolt attachment.

Anchor rigging in the kit is a fairly simplified arrangement which obviates any issues which may present if the associated tackle such as the Cat Block and stoppers are added, and the anchors are displayed other than lashed atop the rail.

 

I will return to the bowsprit once I have checked this out.

 

 

B.E.

27/02/2020

 

 

 

 

[DelF]

Superb work, as always.

 

That's one heck of a bowsprit B.E.! It almost looks out of proportion until you look at the Hawke model - the addition of the sails makes the whole set-up look just right. I don't suppose you're thinking of adding sails, are you? 😀

 

Derek

[Blue Ensign]

I'm a confirmed bare stick man Derek, unless the model is set in a waterline diorama; but I've been there, done that, doubt I will re-visit the dio-sphere, once was enough for me.😃

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[Moab]

Love those sails...Moab

[Blue Ensign]

Post 75

I have diverted from rigging the Bowsprit to fit the Cat Block and tackle to the catheads so I can assess the relative position of the anchor gear in relation to the Bowsprit shrouds.

 

Cat Block

This is traditionally a substantial iron bound block with hook used to raise the anchor.

4615

Steel indicates a 12” block which scales to 4.8mm. I have gone with a 4mm block, 5mm looked just too large in relation to the Cathead.

The ‘iron’ strapping is applied to the block and a hook inserted.

 

Cat Tackle

The tackle which runs between the Cathead sheaves and the block comprises 3” line. I have opted for Syren 0.3mm line.

This is attached to an eyebolt beneath the Cathead, rove thro’ the sheaves and belayed inboard to a cleat on the Cathead upright.

With the Shroud held in position as shown both in the Alert Book and the kit instructions, a problem is immediately highlighted.

4610

As can be seen with the Starboard anchor the whole arrangement sits behind the shroud and the anchor could not be worked without fouling.

 

4617

On the Port side the situation is the same except the angle of the shroud which is less due to the offset Bowsprit, is closer to the anchor.

Cheerful model

To confuse matters this shot of the Cheerful model does show the anchor tackle inside of the shroud lanyards, but the anchor is much smaller than on Alert, and looks to slip easily between shroud and stem.

 

Moving onto a stowed anchor

4621

This is a mock-up with the anchor in the only stowed position available. For the purpose of the exercise the anchor is a Caldercraft version which is close to the kit anchor size.

 

4619

In this shot the anchor ring is still attached to the cat hook, but the stopper is also deployed.

 

The Stopper, a heavier line, I used 0.63mm, is used to secure the anchor ring. It is knotted on one end, passes thro’ an eyebolt on the forward side of the Cathead, thro’ the anchor ring, thro’ the snatch block on the aft side of the Cathead and is secured to a timberhead.

4628

In this shot the Cat hook has been detached and the anchor ring is held by the stopper. This would be the normal arrangement once an anchor had been raised.

 

4626

With the anchor stowed the original position of the shroud connection just doesn’t work. The least impracticable position seems to be between the hawse hole and the Cathead bracket.

 

Time to see how the re-positioned shrouds work out.

4630(2)

The anchor cable running inside the shrouds is not an issue.

 

4633

This is the unprepped kit anchor which I will use but the stock will have to be replaced.

These anchors do look large for the model, but they are of the given scale dimensions.

With the re-positioned shroud the anchor can be displayed hanging from the Cat block.

4634(2)

That Bowsprit is some spar, they should have named the cutter Narwhal.

4635

I think the shrouds look ok in this position, the Alert book drawings are not very helpful, but the photo’s of Hawke do appear to show the shrouds closer to the position above.

4637

I suppose I could have winged it and simply lashed the anchors to the rail as per the kit, but for those with eyes to see, letting go of the anchor would have been very interesting.

 

 

B.E.

28/02/2020