US Brig Niagara by Abelson - Model Shipways - 3/16" scale

[abelson]

On 9/27/2024 at 12:49 PM, hollowneck said:

Your model is stunning; I’m a big fan of properly done rigging and yours has plenty too study - and admire.

When faithfully followed, the Ronnberg plans are some of the best ever created for the serious ship kit modeler. Congratulations.

Thank you for the compliment. It means a lot. The rigging may not be accurate but it's my interpretation of the plans, which leave you guessing in some places.

[milosmail]

I have seen questions from others in your thread dealing with lines that seem to have no attachment points. 

Some running rigging (that which is used to control sail position) may not have an attachment point to any fixed object other than maybe a cleat, but rather would be directly attached to a sail. I have only studied the lines forward of the foremast so far, and many are of this nature. So, what to do with them? Modern day solution is to tie them (loosly) to any convenient point where they will not be in the way. An unused cleat would be appropriate as well. This may also apply to downhauls, outhauls, buntlines and other lines that control the shape of the sail in various wind conditions.

So, in these cases, there is no 'correct' point of attachment, if no sails are present.

 

[abelson]

Before stepping the main royal yard, I decided to add the main topgallant stay. I used .018” rope and fashioned a simple eye that slipped over the royal mast. The plan calls for .020” rope which is not furnished with the kit. The stay reeves through the collar with thimble on the fore top mast and is set up with a fiddle block (not furnished) and tackle as per Detail 5-D on Sheet 5. The tackle fall is belayed to itself.  I used a 11/32” fiddle block and .012” rope for the fall, each purchased from Syren Ship Model Company. I added the 1/8” single block (plan calls for 3/32”) and grommet for the topgallant stay sail down haul. Sheet 5 is not clear where/how the block and grommet is attached. I chose to attach it to the collar thimble.

Rigged the main top gallant stay hallard (.012” tan) and the downhaul (.008” tan). Seized a thimble (3/32” split ring) to the downhaul as shown on Sheet 5. The halliard is reeved through the 3/32” single block at the royal mast and is belayed to pin 67 on the port side. The downhaul is tacked around the topgallant stay lead down to fore top and is reeved through the eye at the 3/32” single block, the eye at the end of the halliard, the thimble seized to the downhaul and the 3/32” block and is belayed to pin 24 on the port side of the forward fife rail.

Stepped the main royal yard in the lowered position. Made the halliard (.010”) as per detail 6-E. The halliard is belayed to the main top mast sheer pole at the lower top. Rigged the main royal yard clew lines (.008”). Each clew line is seized to the cringle at the top gallant yard clump block, is reeved through the single block on the royal yard and is belayed to the sheer pole at the lower top.
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The main royal yard lifts (,008”) were rigged next. The lifts are fixed and are not draped because the royal yard is lowered.

Decided to rig the main royal backstays before rigging the main royal stay. I used .012” black rope for the back stay and the royal stay. The plan calls for .010” which is not furnished.  Seized a 1/8” single block to each backstay (plan calls for 3/32”). The tackles were made with .008” tan rope. The tackle fall is belayed to cleat 74 P&S.

Lastly, the main royal stay was rigged. The royal stay (.012”) is reeved through the collar and thimble at the fore top mast hounds and is set up with a thimble and a lanyard (.008”) and an eye bolt on the starboard side of the fore top as per DetaiL 5-F. Next up, fore royal yard, clew lines, and lifts.

 

Edited October 7 by abelson

[abelson]

Continuing with build, I rigged the Top Mast Stay Sail sheets (.012”). The sheets have a 1/8" single clump block with a .012” pendant (.016” called out on Sheet 5). The fall is .012” rope (.014” on plan). One end is seized to the main top mast shroud and the other end is reeved through a 1/8” single block seized to the same shroud as depicted on Sheet 5. I set up sheets based on my interpretation of how they might appear with the top mast staysail furled. The falls are belayed to pin 56 P&S on the pin rail.

Next, I rigged the Fore Royal backstays. I used .012” black rope. The plan calls for .010” which is not furnished. Fashioned a simple eye that slipped over the royal mast and seized a 3/32” single block to the end of the rope. Per the plans. The tackle was made with .008” rope. The tackle fall is belayed to cleat 39 P&S.  I like to belay the lines temporarily in case they need adjustment.

It’s now time to add the bowsprit that was fashioned early on in the build (January 23, 2023 post) Note: The bowsprit has a cleat P&S for belaying the royal stay back rope fall. The cleats have to be removed so that the bowsprit can pass through the bulwarks and added after. I used the kit suppled cleats and painted them black. I used .018” rope for the gammoning. The plan calls for .020” which is not furnished.

Completed the Fore Stay and Fore Preventer Stay. I used .045" Syren line for the Fore Stay and .035" Syren line for the Fore Preventer Stay. The Fore Stay and the Fore Preventer Stay each have a 7mm Syren closed heart and lanyard (.018”) attached to a laser cut open heart with a double collar (previously installed) lashed around the Bowsprit. Note: The plans do not call out the size of the closed hearts for the Stays. The laser cut closed hearts scale roughly 3/16” (4.8mm). I used 7mm instead of 5mm closed hearts because I thought 5mm closed hearts looked out of scale with the open hearts. I reeved the lanyard through the hearts and tied it off on the upper lashing of the heart. Note: In the following photos, the Spritsail Yard Lifts were previously added. per the Plan At Bowsprit on Sheet 5. The falls pass through the fearlead holes in the chock rail and are belayed to pin 1 P&S at the bow pin rail.  Looking at the Plan At Bowsprit, I'm reminded that I need to add the Jib Boom Outhaul Tackle to my To-Do List.

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Progressing, I rigged the Fore Stay Halliard (.012”). Seized a 1/8” single block to the fore stay throat. Tied the standing end of the halliard to the stay throat. The halliard is reeved through an 1/8” single block with hook and the 1/8” block seized to the stay throat and is belayed to pin 14 at the forward fife rail. Rigged the fore staysail bolt rope and downhaul. The downhaul (.008”) is seized to a ring that is attached to the single block hook and is reeved through a thimble on the bolt rope and the 1/8” downhaul block and grommet on the bowsprit as shown on Sheet 5. The downhaul passes through a fairlead hole in the chock rail and is belayed to pin 2 at the bow pin rail (not added yet). The bolt rope (.008”) is a continuous rope that is reeved trough the downhaul ring and tied off at the grommet. Note: I wasn’t sure what to do with the bolt rope ends so I just tied them off. Rigged the fore stay sail sheets. The sheets have a 1/8” single clump block, .018” pendent, and .012” downhaul seized to an eyebolt in the waterway and belayed to cleat 10 P&S. Like the top mast stay sail sheets, correct or not, I set up the sheets based on my interpretation of how the sheets might appear with the fore staysail furled.

Next, I rigged the two Bobstays followed by the Outer Jib Stay. I used .035” Syren rope for the bobstays (plan calls for .031”). The stays are double lines and are set up with 1/8” hearts and .018” Syren rope lanyard (plan calls for .016”). I used 7mm hearts purchased from Syren Ship Company.  The outer jib stay is .018” rope (plan calls for .020”). The outer jib stay passes through the dumb sheave in the jib boom and is set up with a 1/8” double block with hook, a 9/32” fiddle block (purchased from Syren) and .012” fall that is belayed to itself. The double block is hooked to an eyebolt on the port side of the bowsprit cap.

Last, I rigged the Inner Jib Stay and the Fore Top Mast Stay. I used .025” rope for the inner jib stay and .025” rope for the top mast stay. The inner jib stay passes through the bowsprit bees on the port side and is set up with bulls eyes and a .008” lanyard. The fore top mast stay passes through the bowsprit bees on the starboard side and is set up same as the inner jib stay. Up next on the To-Do List, the Bowsprit Shrouds and the Inner and Outer and Inner Jib Stay halliards, downhauls, and sheets.

 

Edited November 5 by abelson
Added description of Inner Jib Stay and Fore Top Mast Stay

[abelson]

Looking back at my last post, I realized that I need to add the Jib Boom Outhaul. I used .018” tan rope for the tackle (plan calls for .016”). The tackle is lashed to an eyebolt on the port side of the bowsprit cap and is reeved through the dumb sheave at the end of the jib boom and the single block on the starboard side of the bowsprit cap. Sheet 5 does not indicate where the loose end of the rope is belayed. I didn’t find where it’s belayed on the Belaying Plan nor the Instruction Manual. I presume that it passes through one of the fairlead holes in the chock rail and is belayed to one of the pins at the bow pin rail. I made an additional hole in the chock rail for this line.

 

Moving on, I completed the bow sprit shrouds. I used .035” black rope (.031” called out on the plans). The bow sprit shrouds are seized to a sister hook and eyebolt in the hull and set up with 1/8” bull eyes and .012” lanyards.

Rigged the Inner Jib Stay and the Outer Jib Stay halliards (.012” tan). The standing ends of the halliards are seized to the stay throat. The halliards are reeved through an 1/8” single block with hook and an 1/8” single block at the cross tree and belayed to pin 36 P&S at the pin rail.  

Inner Jib Stay Downhaul and Outer Jib Stay Downhaul: I used 008” tan rope (plan calls for .010”). I seized a small split ring to the end of the downhaul. The downhaul is attached to the hook on the halliard block and is reeved through fairlead thimbles on the bolt ropes (not yet rigged), the 3/32” single downhaul block with grommet (seized to the jib boom), and the chock rail. The inner jib stay downhaul and the outer jib stay downhaul are belayed to pin 3S and 2S, respectively, at the bow pin rail.

 

Inner Jib Stay and Outer Jib Stay Sheets: Each is set up with an 1/8" single clump block, .016" tan pendant, and a .012" tan fall. The inner jib stay fall is seized to an eye bolt in the chock rail (P&S). The standing end is belayed to cleat 7 P&S. The outer jib stay fall is seized to the iron rod at the cathead (P&S). The standing end is belayed to cleat 8 P&S. 

Next, I rigged the bolt ropes (.008” tan) for the Inner and Outer Jib Stay. The bolt rope is looped through the split ring on the downhaul and tied off at the downhaul block grommet. I added 2 thimble fairleads to the bolt rope as depicted on Sheet 5.  The thimbles were made with a small split ring (5/64”) and .008” rope. Note: I removed the downhaul and reeved it through the fairlead thimbles.

 

Jib Boom Topgallant Stay and Flying Jib Stay: The topgallant stay is lashed to the topgallant royal mast at the hound and passes through the dumb sheave on the flying jib boom and a hole in the dolphin striker and is set up with a tackle on the starboard side. The tackle consists of a 1/8” single block with a hook, a 9/32” fiddle block (not furnished with the kit), a .008” tan fall belayed over the chock rail to pin 3 at the bow pin rail. The flying jib stay is set up the same as the top gallant stay except that the tackle is on the port side. I used .018” black rope for the topgallant stay and .012” black rope for the flying jib stay.

Note: I’ve left the belaying ropes loose in case they need loosening to access other lines or tensioning as rigging progresses.

 

Fore Royal Stay: I used .012” black rope (plan calls for .010”). The Royal Stay passes over the dumb sheave at the end of the flying boom and through the bottom hole of the dolphin striker. After passing through the dolphin striker, the stay is set up with a thimble (ring) and a back rope (.012”).  The back rope passes through a hole in the hull on the starboard side and is belayed to a cleat on the bowsprit. The plan and the instruction manual call for the back rope on the port side to be eye spliced to an eyebolt. It isn’t clear on the plans where this eyebolt is located. I didn’t provide for this. Rather, I chose to pass the back rope through the hole in the port side of the hull and belay it to the cleat on the side of the bowsprit.

Flying Jib Stay Halliard: The halliard (.008”) is set up with a ring and a downhaul (.008”). The standing end of the rope passes through the block at the royal mast hounds and is belayed to pin 38 on the starboard pin rail. The downhaul passes through the fairlead thimbles on the bolt rope and the downhaul block with grommet at the end of the jib boom and is belayed pin 3 on the port side of the bow pin rail. The flying jib bolt rope passes through the ring of the halliard and is tied off at the downhaul block grommet.

 

Flying Jib Sheets: The sheets (.008”) pass through a ring on the bolt rope, through the fairlead grommet (P&S) and are belayed to cleat 9. Before rigging the sheets, I fashioned the fairlead grommets and seized them to the bow sprit shroud lanyard as shown and noted on Sheet 5.

Note: Though the ship doesn’t have sails, I have chosen to add the sail bolt ropes and sheets as if the sails were furled. I don’t believe that they clutter the model. Rather, they add more detail.

 

I don’t want to make this post overly long, so I’ll end progress here. One final comment though, as matter of note, in terms of the sequence of rigging, the Instruction Manual says rig the fore stays beginning with the fore lower stays and working aft and upward.   I rigged the fore stays and the bowsprit in the following sequence:

 

Forestay, Fore Preventer Stay, Fore Stay Halliard,  Fore Stay Sail Downhaul and Sheets, Bob Stays, Outer Jib Stay, Bowsprit Shrouds, Jib Boom Outhaul Tackle, Inner Jib Stay, Outer Jib Stay, Inner Jib Stay Halliard, Inner Jib Stay Sheets, Inner Jib Stay Downhaul, Outer Jib Stay Halliard, Outer Jib Stay Sheets, Outer Jib Stay Downhaul,  Jib Boom Outhaul, Topgallant Stay, Flying Jib Stay, Flying Jib Say Halliard, Royal Stay, Royal Stay Downhaul, and Flying Jib Sheets.

 

Next up, Jib Boom Martingale, Flying Jib Boom Martingale, Jib Boom Guys, and Flying Jib Boom Guys. Some additional progress photos follow.

 

 

Edited December 5 by abelson
Added photos

[Dr PR]

I have been under the impression that the jib boom outhaul was not permanently rigged, but was set up only when the boom was to be hauled out. I recall one example where the end of the outhaul was belayed to a cleat on the bowsprit inside the bulwarks. It could be belayed to a timber head or knight head.

 

Since it was temporarily rigged the belaying point could be anything convenient. It would be rigged only while the jib boom crupper was being put in place.

[abelson]

Just a short progress update before Christmas. I decided to add the anchor cable while the hawes pipes are more accessible. I used .051” black rope because the cable on the replica ship appears to be black. The Anchorage Detail on Sheet 4 calls for .045”. I think .051” rope is on the smallish side. With that, it’s time to add the belfry (previously made) to the bowsprit and the grating structure and boomkins fashioned back in Post #23 to simulate the replica ship. The boomkins on the replica ship have chains attached to them and the hull to secure it from lifting (see photo in Post #23). I plan to add these later. For now, the boomkins are not yet permanently affixed to the ship.

Belayed the outer jib stay downhaul (pin 3S), inner jib stay downhaul (pin 2S), fore stay halliard downhaul (pin 2P) and flying jib stay halliard downhaul (pin 3P). I decided to pass the jib boom topgallant stay and the flying jib stay through a hole in the chock rail rather than over the chock rail as called for on the plans. The plans also call for the topgallant stay and the flying jib stay to be belayed to pin 3 P&S. I opted to belay them to pin 4S and 4P, respectively. Added a bracket (made of 1/64”x1/16” brass strip, blackened) at the end of each boomkin for attachment of the chains and an 1/8" single block for the fore tack. The fore tack will be a topic of conversation at a later date.

Next, looking over the plans, I added the main top gallant stay sheets (.012" tan) as shown on Sheet 5. The sheets are belayed to pin 59 P&S. I ran the rope through the fairlead bar. Not sure if that's correct but it seemed like a convenient place for it.

Next up, Jib Boom Martingale, Flying Jib Boom Martingale, Jib Boom Guys, and Flying Jib Boom Guys. And perhaps the boomkin chains. Until then, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Edited December 13 by abelson
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