Belaying

[Nazir]

Well, I have finished the ratlines and have started the rest of the rigging. My big question is: Should I "belay" each line as I complete it OR just number it with blue tape and wait till the end to belay it. I have only finished about 20% of the rigging and was using the blue tape approach but am wondering if it will all be one tangled mess when I finish. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Justin P.]

It does become complicated, but I would caution against belaying as you go.   Once everything is rigged, you'll need to tension everything up.   I don't know what the appropriate sequence is for that, Ive just always gone bow to stern.  BUT the important bit is that as you tension in one area you will need to re-tension in another and keeping things "un-belayed" helps tremendously with this.   I usually coil the rope and attach an alligator clip to the length of line for some light tension (provided by the weight of the clip).    Leave yourself lots of extra line and don't be tempted to clip the excess until well after you've completed the belaying of the entire model.   Even then, wait like a day or so for things to "settle."