AL L'Hermione - How to rig blocks at mast crossings

[Spike1947]

I find myself continually bumping up against my ignorance. I feel pretty good about getting my masts assembled to be straight. Now I'm adding the various blocks that will be part of the running rigging. There are a number of blocks - see picture below - that are attached to the one mast or the other between the cross trees and the cap. I cannot make out what knot to use to properly attach those blocks to the mast. Can I please get some advise on how to rig these blocks in an authentic way?

 

Thanks,

Rich Klecker

 

[allanyed]

Hi Richard,

Not sure about French ships, but there seems to be a lot of mistakes in their picture.  First, there is no room for the shrouds and stays which would go around the mast head first.   For any blocks that were rigged to the mast top, there likely were no knots, but rather the individual blocks would have a loop that is seized to itself.  I don't think there would be any blocks attached to the foot of the upper (topgallant?) mast is it had to be unshipped and taken down in some conditions.  Blocks attached to the cap, for the lifts or example, would have a span clove hitched to the cap itself.  There were sometimes eye bolts on the under side of the cross trees and caps to which blocks were seized as well.   Can you identify each of the numbers and that may help get more detailed answers from the members.  Again, I have no experience with French built ships, but the photos just do not look right, to me at least.

Allan 

[Spike1947]

Thanks Allen for your reply. The numbers in the illustration are just part numbers. The only really relevant numbers are 163 - single block and 176 - double block. I take your point about the large number of blocks connect to the foot of the topgallant mast. I know enough to know that this is a mast that was often unshipped in bad weather conditions. Your broader point about the general accuracy of the block placement is what troubles me the most. 

 

regarding your remark about how the blocks would be attached I think the picture below may illustrate what you are suggesting. This are spliced loop for each block. I can see how that would be a secure arrangement but I struggle with the practicality - the the modeling application - of getting the lengths correct knowing that one block would attach above another.

Rich

 

 

[allanyed]

These last photos show the blocks as mentioned in the previous post.  I know that with a kit, it seems impractical to buy a book that shows how the rigging goes, but there are too many lines to describe in detail here.  Lees Masting and Rigging would be my first choice as it covers a wide range of years, albeit for British ships.  Lennarth Petersson's book Rigging Period Ship Models is a much a cheaper book to buy but only deals with one specific size ship and small time span.    Still, it is probably a better guide as to what goes where .  I just checked and there are copies for as little as $11.49.  Lees book can be found for $75-$120, a much better value in my opinion depending on what your future builds may be.  

Allan

[AON]

A good book for rigging French ships is The Seventy-Four Gun Ship, Volume 3, by Jean Boudriot.

Page 130 shows a single line wrapped about the mast with the two ends dangling to one side of the mast.  A thimble is eye spliced into each end.  The bight around the mast is seized tight up to the mast.  The block has a strop and thimble, and it is lashed to the dangling thimble mentioned earlier.

 

Page 133 has the tye block strop eye lashed to an eye of a strop looped around the mast.

 

You should get this book, translated to English version unless you are fluent en Français.