Studding Sail Question

[Goblue750]

I need some brief advice. A few years ago I inherited an unfinished 1980s model of the Constitution from my grandfather, and without any prior ship-building experience, I endeavored to finish what remained of the masts and rigging. I have now put together everything except for the studding sails, but I'm at a slight impasse. My confusion involves the studding sail yards. Unless I am misunderstanding the situation, the instructions say "When not in use, the spare studding sail yards parts 29 through 35 were usually lashed to the gun deck as shown." And indeed my grandfather did appear to place the yards I need for the studding sails in a difficult to reach location on the gun deck beneath the life boats. I have no particular knowledge of sailing ships. Is that indeed where the yards are supposed to be? And is it even worth retrieving them to finish the studding sails? Thanks in advance.

[mtaylor]

Generally speaking, studding sails and their yards were not used full time.  If stored on the yardarm, they slid inboard for stowage and outboard when used.  On many ships, they were sent down and stored on the gundeck or main deck if there was large waist opening.  Normally to the side of the ship's boat(s) storage.   So basically, you'll need to pick your poison.   Leave them where they are or remove them and install on the yardarms with all the associated rigging.

[Goblue750]

That's what I thought. I just couldn't think of any reason to keep them where they are. It seems to me that a model ship would look much better in the full bloom of its sails. The only counterargument (besides the time and effort it would take to install them and the extra space they would take up) is the difficult to retrieve them from the deck. They are mostly blocked by the lifeboats and tied down with string.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Goblue750

[Kevin]

found this, hope it helps

 

 

 

[Sailor1234567890]

Generally the spars used for stunsls are either booms or yards. Yards are installed on the actual yard set up so they can slide outboard when they are put in use. The booms, are generally supported somewhere 1/3 to 1/2 their length from the inboard end by the end of the stunsl yards. There would be some on deck below the boats and some still fixed to the yard to answer your question.