Running Rigging Line Color Differences

[Keith Black]

 Would the upper running line (topgallant braces and lifts) have been a lighter shade due to sun bleaching and less inadvertent contact with tarred stay lines at the lower levels? I've never seen a model depicted in such a manner and I don't know if it would have been noticeable at scale. Just curious, TYIA. 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by Keith Black

[Jim Lad]

An interesting thought, Keith, but I don't think there would be any difference in colour.  Manilla rope bleaches out pretty quickly to a light grey.

 

John

[Keith Black]

John, thank you. As I said, I was just curious if there's a shade differences between the upper and lower running lines. Every model I've seen (which isn't all that many) has been depicted with running lines being the same color and that seems counterintuitive but as I said, would it be noticeable at scale with the exception of a new running line. 

[Jaager]

As far as the running rigging color, I would think it would depend on the story that you are telling.

 

Navy - Just leaving the rigging dock for the first time - depending on the dock stores, all could be from the same lot - uniform color. new rope

Merchant - even then I could imagine that differences could happen - chasing a deal, there could be more than one source for rope. 

 

Hemp color may not have been uniform - different seasons, different varieties grown by suppliers.  Since they probably had to save seed from year to year from themselves, I wonder if there was even a common concept of "variety" yet?

 

Been at sea  -  the most used lines could have been replaced with new.     If only a section was worn,  even a single line could have a different color section where a patch was made.

[wefalck]

I think most people would use the same colour for aesthetic reasons on 'presentation' style models. If you dress up your (waterline-)model in workaday conditions, then the rope would/should have different colours as Jaager was already indicating.

 

I have indeed done this on scenic presentations of models.