Blocks for Endeavor J Class

[Jeff5115]

I purchased the Amati Endeavor J Class 1:80 scale on E-Bay. I wanted to build this model and since it was discontinued I took a chance and bought it.  All the parts are there except the blocks. Could someone please tell me what size blocks I need to purchase? I think all I need at single blocks? Any help would be greatly appreciated.   

[wefalck]

I think the best thing would be to get some background information on her or the J Class in general. There are also some textbooks on yacht-building and rigging.

 

I am quite sure that double-blocks would have also been used, say on boom-sheets.

[catopower]

Hi Jeff,

 

The Amati kit has gone through various changes, but I'm not aware of it being out of production. I do a lot of work with the Amati importer Ages of Sail, and it's still being sold, though now with tools. I think the same kit used to come with a resin hull, and that's no longer available, if that's what you mean.

 

As for blocks, Amati just uses standard Amati wooden blocks. Might not be very accurate for a 1934 boat, but wood is pretty. The kit should come with a parts list in the instructions that identifies the needed blocks. If you want more accuracy, I think the metal blocks that BlueJacket sells might be more correct, though they have to be painted.

 

If you can't find the parts list, I can see if someone in the Ages of Sail shop can dig up the info.

[allanyed]

Jeff, 

The reef tackle, throat halyard, and main sheets may very well have used a combination of both single and double blocks.   I would be very surprised in no double blocks were used.

Allan

[Bob Cleek]

Even with a lot of winches and wire cable, there were multiple sheave blocks in various applications in a J-boat's rigging, certainly with the earlier models. The story is told that when one of the first J-boats was being outfitted after launch, a painter was in a bosun's chair at the top of the mast, about to lay on a coat of varnish on his way down the mast. His helper sent up a bucket of varnish shackled to the end of a halyard. After the bucket was hoisted a ways up the mast, it suddenly took off, accelerating upward on its own, out of control, when the weight of the fall exceeded the weight of the bucket of varnish and the hoist. When bucket hit the block, it drenched the painter in varnish!  

 

 

Here's Endeavor with Sopwith at the helm. she has a double sheave mainsheet traveler block. The double-ended mainsheet is led forward, port and starboard, presumably to winches, although in the foreground is what appears to be some sort of moveable "nipper" on the mainsheet with two blocks attached which may have provided purchase for the mainsheet. They did carry quite large crews and had a fair amount of manpower available. (Hold down your "control" button and turn the wheel on your mouse to enlarge the photo for detail considerably.)

 

 

Then, again, with the winches Endeavor carries, a lot of double blocking, and hence weight aloft, is eliminated.