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

[egkb]

Hi B.E. brilliant Build as usual..   Regarding the Bowsprit and it's Shrouds.. I rather suspect in the real world the Shroud on the Anchoring Side (if you follow) would have been loosened off and hauled up out of the way of the Anchor and its associated rigging/cable during Anchoring operations..  Hope this makes sense..

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Eamonn, It's always difficult  to understand what went on back in the eighteenth century, particularly as a non sailor from the 21st c.

 

I scoured my reference sources looking for clues that may explain why things were as they were, and Harland in particular (Seamanship in the age of sail) covers the raising and dropping of the anchor in detail, even down to the sequence of commands, with no reference  to clearing the shrouds.

 

In terms of the model, it just looked odd to my eye so I couldn't leave it alone. 🙄

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

Edited February 29, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[Blue Ensign]

Great pics Spy, thanks for the info.

I note that the Bowsprit shrouds on which the Bosun is sitting don't interfere with the raising operation, which was my main concern with the model set up.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

 

[Mirabell61]

good evening B.E.

 

youve been doing an excellent job on your cutter Alert, very nice details and a nice clean rigging....

 

Nils 

[stuglo]

Beautiful work. I will certainly consult it as I intend to start a similar build soon. 

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Nils, good to hear from you.

@ stuglo - thanks for looking in,  I hope it serves to assist rather than confuse, I have drifted quite a way off piste relative to the kit instructions, and I often confuse myself.🤔

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Ha, ha,  Spy, I daren't stop now I might not have the momentum to pick up again.

 

Fiddling with tiny blocks and strops this morning, spending half the time on my knees searching  the floor before my canine assistant finds them.

 

That would be ok but it's finders keepers as far as he is concerned.

 

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 76

 Jib Rigging – what’s that all about

 

Jib Outhauler

 

This is variously called the jib sheet (Kit Instructions), outhauler, or inhauler running aft, according to which drawing you look at in the Alert Book.

 

4657

I call it the jib outhauler; attached to the traveller and runs thro’ the sheave in the Bowsprit end.

4651

 It passes thro’ a single block attached to the cutter stem before belaying to a timberhead adjacent to the Cathead.

 

Jib Halyard

 

To fit or not to fit on a model without sails.

I have seen jib halyards fitted to many bare stick models both contemporary and modern.

 

4650

The Alert book shows the tack of the jibsail attached to a jib tackle hooked to the traveller ring.  

The peak is attached to the halyard which passes thro’ a block at the masthead above the Fore-stay and then down to belay.

 

Unfortunately, how and where it belays is left to our imagination.

 

The kit arrangement has the tack attached to the outhauler which passes thro’ the ring atop the traveller. The peak passes thro’ a block as with the Alert book, and belays abaft the mast to the winch bitts.

Without sails it suggests the outhauler is toggled to the ring.

 

 

Steel has a lot to say about the jib halyard rigging.

 

MAIN-JIB-TACK is clinched through the swivel-eye in the traveller on the bowsprit, then reeves through a sheave-hole in the end of the bowsprit, and through an iron-bound-block, hooked and moused to an eye-bolt in the side of the stem near the water, and then brought to the windlass over the bow, and hove out; then stopt and belayed round a timber-head.

 

 

 HALIARDS reeve through the block lashed to the head of the sail, and through the block on each side the masthead. One end has a treble-block spliced or turned in,and connects by its fall to a double-block, that hooks to an eye-bolt in the deck on one side, and the other end belays to an eye-bolt opposite.

 

DOWNHAULER makes fast to the head of the sail and leads upon deck.

 

INHAULER makes fast to the traveller and leads in upon deck.

 

 

This is a lot more rigging in terms of tackles than suggested by either the kit or the Alert Book, but he is writing in 1794 presumably about the modified cutter rig.

 

According to Steel;

The halyard is 5” c line (0.63mm ø) 14” blocks ((5.5mm) tackle fall 3½”c line (0.44mm ø)

The kit indicates 0.5mm line and a 3mm block. No tackle is shown, with the halyard simply secured to the winch bitts.

 

4654

I fitted a 4mm block in a strop above the stays, I rigged a jib tackle as per the Alert Book and hooked it to the traveller rig.

 

4656

Using Syren 0.63mm line for the halyard I seized one end to the jib tackle and the other end passed thro’ the lead block at the masthead.

 

I am now presented with a dilemma as to how to proceed.

 

The Halyard is a long fairly hefty line, would it really be worked without tackles at the deck level?

Annoyingly in all the photo’s of contemporary models the detail of the lower halyard rigging is obscured or missing.

 

Marquardt offers a glimmer of hope referring to (the halyard)

might also be  rigged single, being bent to the head of the jib and reeving through a block at the masthead upon deck, where a double block was turned or spliced into the end and a fall connected this to a single block hooked to an eyebolt.

 

 

I have rigged up such an arrangement.

 

4660

I can’t really attest to its validity, but my inclination is that it’s perhaps preferable to simply hitching it to the winch rail.

 

 

4659

As far as I can see there would be a corresponding arrangement on the Port side for the Fore-sail Halyard.

 

I’ll let that percolate for a while and see if I’m happy to let it stay.🤔

 

 

B.E.

03/03/2020

 

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Spy, I’ll take a while to digest all that.

My thinking is that the jib sail was a large affair, on a substantial line, set flying, without a jib stay, quite a thing to haul on without the benefit of a tackle.

The outhaul didn’t seem to have a tackle, neither did the inhaul, but I’m quite comfortable with the rigging of those.

It is the halyard belay that was giving me a headache, but Steel indicates one was set up, the question is exactly how.

Incidentally on my Cheerful build which I didn’t rig, the halyards are shown as simply belayed to the mast cleats, but that would be the easy option😉

 

B.E.

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post 77

Rigging around the sharp end resumed.

 

 

Changing my mind about the Foresail halyard.

 

The Foresail is bent to the Forestay using hanks. The kit arrangement has the halyard tackle running between the halyard block and a block secured beneath the Forestay collar and down to the winch bitts.

4727li

For the purposes of display I have hooked the tackle to an eyebolt in the stem, run it thro’ the stay block, and down to belay.

This is a lighter line than the halyard used for the jib, (I have used Syren 0.30mm)

 

This is what Steel has to say.

FORESAIL

 

Bends with hanks to the stay.

 

HALIARDS reeve through a block, lashed underneath the collar of the stay at the mast-head, and a block lashed to the head of the sail: the standing-part makes fast round the mast-head, and the leading-part comes down upon deck.

 

 

Unlike the jib arrangement Steel makes no mention of a falls tackle.

On this basis I have decided against fitting a deck tackle.

 

4728(2)li

The kit instructions indicate the belay at the winch cross piece, and the arrangement is also shown by Petersson (Rigging period fore and aft craft) except he has the belay to a pin on the portside rack. (not an option on Alert)

So, the winch cross piece it is, and I imagine in that position the winch could be used to assist the hauling.

 

Bowlines

 

I have followed the Alert book arrangement for the Topsail Bowlines using 3mm blocks separately stropped behind the cranse.

 

4721(2)li

Note: - only a double block for the Topsail Braces. I decided not to fit a T’gallant Stay on the basis that a) Hawke doesn’t have one, and b) the drawings in the Alert Book which show the stay are at variance with the narrative by Peter Goodwin.

 

 

The kit rigging has the Bowlines simply secured to the yards. I’m not sure that they are a required feature on a bare stick model, but they do help stabilise the yard so I will fit them.

 

In practice the bowlines were attached to the sails by bridles which should be reflected on the model if fitted with sails.

 

The Hawke model only shows bowlines attached to the Topsail.

 

 

Harland, (Seamanship in the Age of sail) in discussing the Bending, loosing, and furling a sail refers to Bowline bridles being permanently fitted to each topsail and kept with the sail.

 

However, there are examples of contemporary 18^th c models with the bridles attached to the yards. The Atalanta model is one example, the Ipswich another.

Lees, (Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War) comments:

When models are not fitted with sails the bridles are timber hitched to the yard a little inboard from the yard arm cleats.

 

 

So, the choice is to simply hitch the lines around the yard or make up the bridles and attach those instead.

 

The pedant in me draws me towards fitting the bridles despite the additional work involved.

 

04713

A little fiddly to set up and match each side, one of the main problems is getting the bridles to hang naturally, and for this I weight them and paint with diluted pva.

 

04719

Port side Topsail bowline and bridle in place.

 

It helps to rig temporary aft running braces to the topsail yard to assist with the tension of the bowlines. (I don’t have a tye or parrel to haul against)

 

4718(2)

The diluted pva has done its work, the bridles remain untwisted.

 

4724(2)

Topsail Bowlines and braces in place.

 

I quite like to have a little natural sag in the bowlines and I will be working towards this effect.

 

The Alert Book indicates brace pendants to the Topsail yard, but these are not reflected on the Hawke model, or for that matter on the Roger Cole model of Alert, whereas he does show brace pendants on the aft running braces.

 

Brace pendants were a feature of yards of this era, but I wonder if given the fairly small size of Alert, and the deeply gored Topsail, this was deemed unnecessary.

 

I decided to simply splice the Topsail braces to the yardarms.

 

Square sail Bowlines

 

The Hawke model does not show these fitted, but Steel mentions them.

SQUARE-SAIL OR CROSS-JACK

 

Bends similar to a ship’s main or fore course.

 

BOWLINES reeve through a sheave in the double-block on the bowsprit-end, and on the bridle at the sail, the same as a ship’s. The leading-part comes in upon deck, and belays round the bitts.

 

 

I think that Steel writing in 1794 may be referring to a later arrangement and set-up for the Square sail than operated with the old cutter rig.

 

The kit also shows bowlines fitted to the square-sail, leading thro’ a double block in the stem and to the bitt rail on the windlass.

 

Marquardt mentions *Bowlines set up to the Square-sail, thro’ a double block at the end of the Bowsprit and belayed on the bitts or cleats on the inner bowsprit.

 

T’gallant sail Bowlines

 

Included in the kit instructions, but not mentioned by Steel, or evident on the Hawke model.

 

Goodwin also says that: -* Bowlines and bridles were omitted from the T’gallant and Square-sails as both were generally set flying.

 

With Goodwin this is another case of the words and drawings being at odds with each other. Drawings H6 and H7 indeed show bowline bridles.

 

I am going to stick with the Hawke model example and omit bowlines from both Square-sail and T’gallant sail, but it is evident there is wriggle room on the approach to take.

 

 

The Topsail yard rigging will now be tweaked to hold the yard steady, not such an easy task given that the yard is not secured to the mast.

 

 

B.E.

07/03/2020

 

 

Edited March 7, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Spy, as my old Dad would say, it looks even better to a blind man on a galloping horse. 😉

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 78

What to do with the T'gallant yard

 

From a modelling perspective this is the most difficult yard to secure.

 

It would be simple enough to pin the yard to the mast, add braces and Bowlines and think nothing further about it.

 

I may well come back to this option if all else fails.

 

All the evidence I have read on Cutter T’gallants is that they were set flying.

 

3302a(2)

The Hawke model clearly has no control lines to the T’gallant sail, beyond the Halyard and sheets; no parrel, no lifts, no braces, no bowlines.

3303a(3)

With a sail bent it is secured by the halyard and the sheets alone, but without a sail there is nothing to stop it swinging around on its halyard.

 

Marquardt writing in The Global Schooner states that:

During the Eighteenth Century t’gallant yards were generally set flying and rigged only with a halyard and occasionally single braces.

 

 

 

Harland refers to T’gallant and Royal sails being bent to the yard at deck level and taken up with the tackle already attached.

 

 

This would indicate that without sails the yard wouldn’t be in position and would be lowered and lashed perhaps to the shrouds.

 

 

Harland has a lot to say about sending light yards up and down.

He describes that on ships in harbour it was almost a sport to regularly run the yard up and down, partly as a training exercise for the more arduous conditions at sea, but grace and speed in carrying out the exercise was an important feature.

 

He describes the procedure for raising and lowering but it relates to a T’gallant with both braces and lifts, which are used in the process, but which are absent in the simplified rig of a cutter.

4720(2)

The more I read the more I am thinking that having the bare stick yard in position does not represent a realistic situation.

 

In modelling terms having it there does perhaps balance the look of the model and indicate the use of a T’gallant, so I am undecided which way to go.

 

4734

When not in use it should be more realistically stowed against the port side shrouds, but the question then arises how the yard was secured, was the Halyard still attached, and what tackle was kept with it.

 

4738

It would be simple enough to seize the yard to the fore shroud, but I don’t think that is enough.

 

As a non-sailor, I struggle to understand the mechanics of how these things were done, particularly on procedures in place 250 years ago.

 

I need to get my head around the detail given by Harland, and how it would relate to a cutter, but purely for aesthetic reasons, if I don’t like the look I’ll probably go back to plan A.

 

(just run it up without canvas for practice Guv’nor)

 

4742(2)

So, Gromit what d’ya think.

 

Sometimes I look back with fondness on those novice days, happy to assemble kits with a mind uncluttered by such detail.

 

Hey Ho

 

 

 

B.E.

08/03/2020

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[DelF]

I think I’ll keep mine uncluttered 🤪, though it’s entertaining and enlightening to follow your thought processes and research!

 

Derek

[Blue Ensign]

There's the Roger Cole model , and of course the contemporary Hawke model, which forms the basis of everything that followed in terms of old style cutter rigging.

In this instance rigging the T'gallant with sails is an easier option in terms of securing the yard.

 

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

It's only the T'gallant at issue, simply because it is set flying, and doesn't have the  usual control lines that would otherwise remain in place once a sail was removed. eg  lifts. parrels, braces etc;

My understanding is that it was sent up and down with the sail attached as required.

 

This old style cutter rig does seem  unwieldy with that square sail arrangement, little wonder it was replaced with a more standardised rig, using the fore and aft sails supplemented by a larger Topsail,  and for light winds  maybe a T'gallant when a long pole head was fitted.

Later style of rig

 

Much easier to rig a cutter with the more familiar Topsail only arrangement as was evident around the mid 1780s

 

B.E.

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

It's an issue that you will have to decide on when you get around to rigging your Alert model.

If you include sails, no problem, if you build her as  bare stick, will the sailor in you let you have the T'gallant yard raised and swinging about without a sail bent.😉

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 79

 

Spread-sail yard braces

 

These are fitted with pendents and lead aft.

4754

I am using 0.45mm line for the brace pendents with 4mm pendent blocks, and 0.3mm line for the braces.

4752

I am following the kit arrangement with the standing part hooked to an eyebolt, and with the fall passing thro’ a lead block at the stern quarter to belay around the aftermost timberhead.

4749

These are the last of the main rigging lines to be fitted; just as well as I used the last of my 0.3mm line to complete the job.

 

Fitting is not the same as completing as the process of tweaking the lines millimetre by millimetre, to square and balance the yards will continue, but I don’t think I have any more lines to put into place.

 

There are some ‘necessary’ ropes to put on and the Anchor tackle to fit, but completion of the build is now in sight.

 

On the subject of braces I almost hesitate to mention that I have just noticed that the Hawke model seems to have both aft and forward running braces to the Topsail yard, but I’m not going there.

 

Later rigged models do show both fore and aft rigged braces to the Spread-sail yard, and these are mentioned by Steel.

I fitted these to my first cutter model, with the later rig arrangement.

 

4747(2)

4755(2)

T’gallant yard.

 

I have decided that I prefer the look of the yard in place, regardless of actual practice. To my eye it gives the model more balance somehow.

A small pin secures the yard to the mast.

 

4760(2)

The square-sail yard is sitting there secured only by its halyard and kept in position by the Topsail sheets. All the evidence would suggest that it would in practice be raised from deck level with the sail attached, but no other tackle is indicated.

 

Roger Cole has added aft running braces to his model, but the Hawke model has none.

 

As Alert is an example of an old-style rigged cutter it would seem perverse not to include the Square-sail yard in the place it would operate, so there it sits; better hope the wind doesn’t get up.

 

4765(2)

Makes me very nervous when I see that Bowsprit with all the long rigging lines, need to be very careful now.

 

4757(2)

At some point I will need to add the Flag halyards, when I get around to making the Ensign.

 

I didn’t follow the kit rigging instructions to any great extent but I did run thro’ them at this point to see if there was anything I had missed.

 

4746

Not sure what this block is for, no rigging attachments seem to go to it, and it doesn’t appear in the Alert Book.

 

 

 

Moving onto the closing stages.

 

 

 

B.E.

10/03/2020

 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[ccoyle]

1 hour ago, Blue Ensign said:

Not sure what this block is for, no rigging attachments seem to go to it, and it doesn’t appear in the Alert Book.

That's in the neighborhood of where the mainsail sheet is belayed.

[Blue Ensign]

Not on a fore and aft rig, the Main sheet is  belayed in the stern, and the square-sail sheet some  distance forward, at least in the kit rigging plan.

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

I've mentioned set flying T'gallants quite a bit during the rigging of my Alert, but I think this is taking it too far.

Hawke Model 1777

 

I wouldn't like to be the one to recover that sheet.!

 

 

B.E.

 

[mcpwilk]

I think that flying in this context means that the t'gallant was attached by each clew to the topsail yard, probably by sheets! One of the illustrations in the Anatomy of the Ship book on Alert suggests that in heavy winds a triangular t'gallant was set.

 

Mike

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Mike, I don't think I  have picked up any reference to use of a triangular T'gallant, which illustration are you referring to?

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 80

 

The Anchors

 

I had an initial look at the anchors back in Post 47, at that time it was clear to me that while the anchors were ok the kit provided stocks did not pass muster.

3987(2)

4783

Boxwood replacements were made, using the Alert book drawings.

 

 

The white metal anchors are nicely formed, the only modification I did was to drill thro’ the shaft for the ring.

I did need to tweak the anchor shaft a little so that the stock sat square to the arms. Holding the square in a vice and a gentle turn on the arms brought everything into line.

 

 

According to Steel the Anchor ring would scale to an 8mm outside diameter, with a 0.9mm thickness of ring.

 

I thought the provided kit item a little on the small side and by virtue of its pe origins lacked a round profile. I replaced it using 1mm ø brass wire.

 

4774

I chemically blackened the white metal anchors using Carr’s Black for Brass; this doesn’t always work, but in this instance it did.

 

4769(2)

I used Morope 0.4mm line for the ring puddening, and 0.1mm line for the four seizings.

 

4786(2)

To represent the iron bands, I took my usual approach of using slices of heat shrink tubing.

 

4788(2)

Saves all that fiddling with Brass strip and silver solder.

 

 

Fitting the Anchors

4792

Clinching the cable to the ring, a tricky business at the best of times.

 

 

Starboard Sheet Anchor.

 

04794

Awkward things to position without fouling other items.

04797(2)

04798

The anchor is secured by the Cat stopper and Shank painter.

 

 

Port anchor

 

04801

These anchors do look large for the model, but they are scaled to size.

 

04804

For display purposes I decided to leave the port Bower hanging from the Cat block.

 

I am undecided whether to complete the Stream and Kedge Anchors, but I can defer that decision until later.

 

I can now carry one and finish dressing the anchor cable.

 

 

B.E.

14/03/2020

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[VTHokiEE]

24 minutes ago, Blue Ensign said:

To represent the iron bands, I took my usual approach of using slices of heat shrink tubing.

That’s a splendid idea, what size tubing do you use and do you have brand recommendations?

[Blue Ensign]

Hi VTH,

I bought a small box of mixed tubing a few years ago, probably off e-bay, but a search for heat shrink tubing should bring up a load of suppliers.

 I found tubing of between 3mm - 10mm  diameter the most useful, a little tubing goes a long way.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[Voyageur]

That looks great! Good idea with the heat shrink tube.

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks for looking in Voyageur,  well worth having some heat shrink tubing in your modelling supplies box. 🙂

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 81

 

A question of Ensigns

 

I like to add an Ensign to a model it adds a splash of colour and making flags and getting them to hang realistically is an interesting exercise.

 

One thing that has puzzled me in relation to the Hawke model is the Union flag at its peak.

We know that the rigging of Hawke is original, but a question mark hangs over identification of the model.

 

There is no Naval cutter named Hawke listed, and perhaps the absence of a Naval Ensign is another indicator.

 

The NMM has described it as a Revenue cutter.

 

Revenue cutters did have their own ensign dating from 1694 – a Red Ensign defaced with a ‘castellated gateway’ badge. (1707-1784)   

 

Alert, however, was certainly a Naval Cutter and an ensign is appropriate.

 

Alert was attached to the Squadron commanded by Admiral Augustus Keppel, Admiral of the White, so a White Ensign it is.

 

Unusual in modelling, Roger Cole in his build of Alert goes into some detail about flag sizes.

 

Alert would have carried a complement of five different size ensigns or flags ranging from her number one, down through number four, plus a Jack.

 

 In size, the fly of the number one was generally about equivalent to the molded beam of the vessel, the hoist was 5/9ths of the fly at this time.

 

 The other ensigns were proportional and stepped down where the hoist of one became the length of the fly on the next smaller ensign.

 

The Jack was equal to the canton of the largest ensign.

 

https://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/Cole.htm

 

 

Given that the beam of Alert was 25’10” (The fly) the hoist would be 14’ 4” quite a large flag for a cutter.

At scale this would be 123mm (fly) 68.26mm (hoist)

 

Using these proportions, I scaled out the ensigns;

 

The Number one or Battle Ensign does look huge in relation to the model, but the Number two looks a tad small for the model display purposes.

 

No 1 - Battle Ensign

 

No 2 Ensign – General Service

 

No 3 – Storm Ensign

 

No 4 – Harbour Ensign.

 

Jack

 

Many contemporary paintings show the Union flag with a narrower diagonal white cross representing the Scottish saltire. The ground of the flag is also shown as a much darker blue.

 

I have adopted this design which I prefer to the broader white cross and brighter blue ground of many of the commercially available Ensigns.

 

 

The trick now is to reproduce this as a viable Ensign which will be the subject of my next post.

 

 

B.E.

20/03/2020

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Blue Ensign

[Beef Wellington]

Good choice BE, there was a less standardization of the flag of St Andrew, with colour even varying significantly today.  Going with your selection will give a more period feel right off the bat.  Interested to see how you tackle this.

 

The proportion of the size of the Jack is interesting and seems odd.  Given this would only be flown in harbor/at anchor, it seems way oversized compared to the Harbour Ensign.  I'm assuming both would have been flown from a staff (?)

Edited March 21, 2020 by Beef Wellington

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Jason, Roger Cole did say that he wasn't entirely sure about the Jack being the size of the canton of the largest ensign, but I think there was  a fair bit of leeway in flag sizes and on models the eye is probably as  good as anything.

On square riggers there was the facility to have staffs for harbour display, even when the driver boom came into use, and a staff for the jack was usually attached to the Bowsprit cap.

Not too sure about cutters and the like; on Alert I suppose a staff heel could be  fitted on the aft deck with a bracket on the transom,  but I will fit it to the gaff.

 

Post 82

Making the Ensign

Making your own Ensign frees you from commercial restrictions.

 

This is the pattern I have decided upon.

For sizing I have settled on 86mm x 54mm which equates to a size of 18’ x 11’4”

My primary objective is to have an Ensign that suits my eye on the model.

 

The Ensign is made from Modelspan tissue, overpainted to reduce the transparency.

4810

The Modelspan is stretched over a frame and painted with diluted pva.

4813(2)

The modelspan is then taped over a word doc image of the flag.

481(2)

Run thro’ the printer the image is transferred to the Modelspan.

 

4815(2)

The image is insufficiently strong at this point so it is taped over polythene for overpainting.

The White Ensign is perhaps the most difficult choice because the white ground is not sufficiently white. Red and Blue Ensigns reproduce better.

4816

The Ensign has been overpainted on both sides.

 

 

The next stage is to attach the halyard connection, I am using 0.1mm line. The excess on the hoist is simply folded over the line and glued.

This is a schematic of one I made a while ago.

 

04840(2)

04841(2)

The Ensign is pulled and rolled into shape before raising to the Gaff peak.

4858(2)

 

This post marks the nine month point of the build.

 

B.E.

21/03/2020