Question on line size for lacing for small craft

[DonInAZ]

For  small craft such as a skiff, is the line used to model the lacing (of the main sail to the mast) supposed to be visibly lighter than other lines like the downhaul and sheet lines?  I'm a little new to this so forgive me if my terminology is off.

Thanks,

Don 

Edited February 17, 2020 by DonInAZ

[Bob Cleek]

It depends upon the way it was done on the full-size prototype. Generally, the size of the line used is that appropriate to the job. Generally, a luff lacing line will be smaller stuff than a sheet or a halyard,

Edited February 17, 2020 by Bob Cleek

[Roger Pellett]

Sheets for small craft in particular have to be larger than “necessary” to provide a comfortable size to grip. 

 

Roger

[allanyed]

Hi Don,

My apologies, and I hate to do this, but have to start with a couple questions regarding your question.   What approximate size, era, nationality are you referencing? You mention skiff, but is it truly a flat bottom boat like a skiff or some other type of small boat such as a ship's boat?  If you are working on something like a ship's boat from yesteryear the following may be of some help.  

The line sizes varied with the size of the boats themselves.  Examples of long boat, yawl, and pinnace standing and running rigging sizes for British ships can be found in Mays' The Boars of Men of Way. A couple examples - Main sail halyards for a  longboat of about 30 feet had a 2" circumference where as a longboat of about 21 feet on a fifth rate was 1.5" circumference.  Same sizes applied to the sheets.  But, the jib halyards for a 31 foot long boat was 2" circumference and  the sheets were 2.5" circumference.  For a 21 foot long boat, both the jib halyard and sheets were 1.5"  Standing rigging was larger.  Shrouds for a 31 foot long boat were 4" circumference and for a 21 foot longboat 3".   He also lists wooden hoops on the mast as sails were not laced directly to the mast.

Allan 

[DonInAZ]

21 minutes ago, allanyed said:

What approximate size, era, nationality are you referencing?

I'm sorry guys... I thought my sig would be a giveaway...

I'm currently working on the Midwest Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff.  Midwest provided some pretty low quality line that I replaced with some nylon rope from Model Shipways.  I've been using the bow tie off line and the line that secures the centerboard trunk and was planning on using that for the sheet and halyard.  When looking around at other models of various types, I noticed that the luff lacing on those other models looks to be a lighter weight than the other rigging.

I'm basically to the point on my build where the mast and rigging is all that's left to do and I'm trying to determine if I need to order a lighter weight line.

[Bob Cleek]

Yes, you should probably be using something around 1/2"D to 3/8"D for halyards, sheets, and your bow painter. You probably should use somewhere around 1/4"D line for your luff lacing and centerboard pendant. (Scale size, that is.) That would be for modern synthetic line. For period hemp line, go up a little, 1/2"D for halyards and sheets and perhaps 3/8"D for the rest. 

 

I'd also urge you to toss all the line pictured in your build log, particularly that "nylon" stuff. You've done a nice job building your model. Many don't realize it, but the simplicity and larger scale of small craft models demands exacting precision and attention to detail. Large, smaller-scale square-rigged models have so much detail that small imperfections are more easily overlooked. Not so with a small craft model. It's got to be perfect to create the impression of realism in miniature.  The viewer's eye will be drawn to the finest details on your model and particularly to the line. Get yourself some line from Chuck at Syren Ship Models and pay close attention to your rigging. Whip the ends of your lines and details like that. Those details really make a model like yours.

Edited February 17, 2020 by Bob Cleek

[DonInAZ]

Thanks for the advice and the feedback Bob,

I just place an order with Syren for:

20' - 0.012" Tan Rigging Line (1/4" at 1/20 scale)

20' - 0.018" Tan Rigging Line (3/8" at 1/20 scale)

20' - 0.025" Tan Rigging Line (1/2" at 1/20 scale)

 

...also grabbed some light brown of the same diameters:

20' - 0.018" Light Brown Rigging Line

20' - 0.012" Light Brown Rigging Line

20' - 0.025" Light Brown Rigging Line

 

I'll think about re-doing what I've done thus far...  Took me most a weekend (working in 10-15min intervals between honey-do list chores 🙄).  But will definitely use it going forward.  Chuck's rope looks AMAZING!

Edited February 17, 2020 by DonInAZ

[Bob Cleek]

2 hours ago, DonInAZ said:

Chuck's rope looks AMAZING!

Indeed it does. You'll be glad you used it.