When to add cluelines, buntlines and sheets?

[rkwz]

I have nearly completed my 1:180 scale Airfix HMS Victory following Noel Hackney's guide (and Gil Middleton's log - his pictures and patience in explaining his rigging method is a real treasure for the community)

 

I followed the instructions to rig it in dry dock (or harbour rig as Hackney calls it) which means i've probably missed some steps along the way to add the sails by now much to my regret.

 

So far I have completed the standing rigging and most of the running rigging ... Just the main yard brace, davit lifts and anchors to go. This is as far as Hackney recommends for the dry dock rigging.

 

I've read from an earlier thread that the cluelines (or clew?) , buntlines, sheets and other lines to hold up the sails are taken down when the ship is dry docked to minimise weather damage.

 

Should I press on and attempt them (for aesthetic reasons)? I'm not even sure whether I can add buntlines anymore either as the area beneath the mast tops are quite congested now.

 

 

 

[shipman]

You have a lot to be proud of there.

[allanyed]

RK,

I may be wrong, but I believe that when the vessels were dry docked, at least the spars and the upper masts as well as the appropriate rigging were taken down.   I am sure there are those in the membership here that will have more details.

 

If the ship was at anchor, the sails would be furled and secured at the spars, but the buntlines, et al would all be rigged.   If you look at contemporary models, you will see many, if not all, have  these lines rigged.  Note that if they are rigged without sails, they are rigged in particular way.   Yes, it is appropriate to include these lines, but in the end, the choice is yours.  

 

Allan

[Jim Lad]

Looks like a very nice model.

 

I a ships were going to be docked for a long period the sails would be stowed along with their rigging, but if she was only docked for a short time the sheets, clewlines and buntlines my well have been left rigged - so as Allan says, your choice.

 

John

[Gregory]

While I agree with Jim Lad,  I think a model without sails looks good with just braces and lifts..

 

It's a matter of personal taste regarding how you want to present your model.

 

For you, it could be a snap shot of the ship in dry dock before all the rigging was taken down..

[rkwz]

Thank you everyone for sharing your wisdom .

 

shipman - got to this stage with encouragement from you... thank you again!

 

Allan & John - too late to take down the spars for me (sweated on them for weeks...), my problem was not having a clear plan when starting this build so I have settled for an aesthetic representation of Victory with rigging mostly based on what was there prior to the removal of the masts for her current renovation at Portsmouth...

 

As you say, those lines were indeed rigged on the ship. For most of my build, I referred to the below image for reference - it wasn't so easy finding a picture of the entirety of the ship!

 

 

 

Gregory - I understand sails on models is a polarising topic, perhaps at this scale and with my inexperience I would run a higher risk of stuffing it up so for today, no sails for Vicky. I was so looking forward to dipping cloth in tea though...