Young America 1853 by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper

[EdT]

Thanks, Dowmer.  I agree with you on the sagging of lines,  Its really a matter of degree. And, I would like to see them more stable.  I do not expect to eliminate the drooping as long as its regular.

 

Ed.  

[rwiederrich]

 I agree with Dowmer..the natural sag to the lines is (IHV) part of the authenticity of a model.  Actual running lines sag under gravity on real vessels...why not on models.  If we are so attentive to get every aspect of our models correct to the tiniest detail...why not the natural sag of the lines.

 

Great work Ed..nice to see you at it again...nearly done too......

 

Rob

[BANYAN]

More of your excellent work Ed; that rigging looks really good - love the colour of your running rigging.  

 

cheers

 

Pat

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 317 – Upper Yards - Main

 

On the fore upper yards, I attached most of the rigging, including the long lines of running rigging, to the yards before erecting the assembly of the pole mast with the royal and skysail yards mounted.  This was a bit of a mess, due to of the number of lines and also because many needed to be coiled to avoid tangle.  This left some kinked and fuzzy.  For the main upper yards pictured below, only the standing rigging, and not all of that, was attached at the bench.

 

 

In the picture, the royal stay and royal backstays go down at the bottom of the picture.  Standing lifts were installed over a grid to help level them.  I noticed later the missing footropes on the skysail.  These will have to be fitted later on the model.  Can't wait.  The next picture shows the above assembly erected on the mast.

 

 

Despite best efforts at the bench, the port, royal standing lift had to be removed and installed in place to level the yard.  Some loose ends need to be clipped off and the wire sheet chains are still on the loose.  The next picture is closer.

 

 

The next step was to run the falls from the two skysail sheet chains dangling below the center of the royal yard.  That has been completed in the next picture.

 

 

The upper arrow points to one of the skysail sheets.  These run all the way down to the main deck, passing through fairleads in the main top.  After belaying, these lines get a lot of tension adjustment to pull down evenly on the yard and make the standing lifts – lower arrow – taut.  To do this, I pull down on the fall with tweezers above the pin, then haul on the loose end.  No glue on the belaying point until all the lines are run and adjusted.  The next picture shows the fore and main upper masts.

 

 

The height of these masts is impressive – the main extends 180 feet above the deck.  The fore royal stay has been run in this picture.  The tension between that and the two backstays sets the straightness of the mast.  The last picture shows the lower end of the main royal stay.

 

 

The 4 1/2" stay descends from the upper left corner of the photo through a bullseye strapped to the main topmast head.  The loose ends of the splice between the masts have not yet been clipped off.  The free end of the stay is clamped taut above the picture so the seizings may be tied at the lower end where it is fastened to an eyebolt under the leathered stays.  The gang of stays and shrouds made this a difficult connection.  I had to resort to a hook to the barely reachable eyebolt.  A shackle on this would have made life easier, but too late for that.  Drawing/Rigging List revision is pending for those that follow.  An alternative sometimes used was to strap an eye to the top forward stay collar, but this would have had to be done before setting the collar.

 

Ed

[wefalck]

This vividly shows the complexity of the rigging - must have been a challenge even for the crew, particularly in dark nights and when repairs were needed under harsh weather conditions ...

[Tigersteve]

Hi Ed-Just wondering if you were going to separate standing and running rigging on some of the rigging plan sheets in the upcoming volume. I’m sure the planning and assembly of this next volume is daunting. 

Steve

[EdT]

Thanks to all, again.

 

You are right, Steve.  Organization of the information and the text has been a bit daunting. Before beginning work, I gave this a lot of thought knowing that the book had to present information that actually worked for me in building the model.  This was the case in the first two volumes, but the third involves much more information and complexity, so a number of new ideas have been used that are different than typical model rigging data - at least what I have seen.   All this has worked very well for me in building model, but of course, some tweaking of the detail has occurred in the process, as well as some changes and correction of some errors that were revealed along the way.  At this stage the process is well in hand.   

 

In answer to your specific question about standing and running rigging, this information is separated where it makes sense, for example in the rigging list and in specific rigging diagrams, but combined in other places like the belaying plan and on spar and furniture drawings.  You may have noticed that drawings shown in the posts contain line numbers and some detail at connection points.  You may have also noticed the absence of any large all-inclusive rigging plans.  

 

Ed

[the learner]

I like that you are breaking each rigging section down as you progress. 

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 318 – Running Rigging Continued

 

It's been at least a few weeks since the last post.  Apologies.  Work is proceeding, but a lot is repetitive.  The first picture shows some straightening of footrope stirrups, in this case on one of the completed foremast yards.

 

 

The stirrups are straightened by hanging weighted clamps, then soaked with dilute dark glue.

 

The next picture shows the tangle of running rigging lines on the deck aft of the main mast. 

 

 

These excess lengths are being left until all the lines are adjusted for tension.  This makes for a mess and some tangles among lines, but this is preferred to rerunning an entire line if it has been cut short and later removal from the pin is required.

 

The next picture shows the lower topsail yard on the mizzen that has just been set.

 

 

The buntlines and upper topsail sheet tackles have been rigged.  The tackles are hooked to the rim of the top and tied off to themselves.  The chains for these run through the sheet block, under the yard, and through the cheek blocks with the short lengths above the yard tied off to the jackstays.  The sheet chains for the lower topsail yard are as yet unconnected to the clewlines.  The port chain is hanging vertically while the one on this side is draped on the lower yard.  These will be the next lines rigged.

 

The next picture shows the mizzen topmast stay and the running rigging for its staysail.

 

 

There were three staysails on each mast.  The halyard is tied off to the stay at the top, then run down along the stay to a block, then back to another block at the top of the stay, then directly down to the deck.  At the lower end, the downhauler is tied to the lower block, then runs through a lead block and down behind the top to belay on the foremast fife rail just forward of the cabin – the most difficult belaying point to reach at this stage on the model. 

 

Work has finally begun on the yard braces, the last major rigging task.  The braces for the fore royal and skysail have been run and are shown in the next picture.

 

 

Braces are left until last to permit access.  Outboard lines are a major obstacle.  For some weeks now I have been regretting the early running of lower yard bowlines and crojack braces.  The black pendants on the royal braces makes those more visible, as opposed to the small, light-colored lines that attach directly to the ends of the skysail yard.  The next picture shows the running parts of the royal braces at the top of the topgallant stay.

 

 

The lines run from the yard pendant blocks, through the two blocks on the stay, through single blocks lashed to the royal shrouds, then down to the deck.  The other single block under the stay is for its staysail halyard.  Next is another picture of the braces on the two uppermost fore yards.

 

 

 

The main skysail stay is also shown running down to its termination in the topgallant crosstrees.  The rigging aft of the fore topmast crosstrees is shown in the last picture.  As may be seen, the rigging is very dense and running each new line without fouling is an issue.  Two or three reruns are often necessary.

 

 

This picture also gives a good view of the "no-sails" staysail halyard and downhauler rigging at the lower end of the stay that is typical of staysail lines.  The halyard block and the downhauler are fixed to a shackle tied off to the stay.  This shackle would be attached to head of the staysail before hauling it up the stay.

 

Ed

[paulsutcliffe]

Absolutely fantastic Ed, arrows😀 only joking that was quite clear

Regards

Paul 

[rwiederrich]

Fantastic work Ed...really.  I'm at adding some main stays myself.

How you doing keeping balanced tension between stays and backstays?

I was also wondering are you going to add some Jacob's ladders to access the skysails?

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

1 hour ago, EdT said:

This picture also gives a good view of the "no-sails" staysail halyard and downhauler rigging at the lower end of the stay that is typical of staysail lines.  The halyard block and the downhauler are fixed to a shackle tied off to the stay.  This shackle would be attached to head of the staysail before hauling it up the stay.

Ed...it appears the downhaul for the stay sail is actually distorting the stay itself....causing it to unduly pull against the main mast and in essence shorten the stay.  This could cause mast warping I gather.

 

Rob

[BANYAN]

Take as long as you like between updates if this is the result ED; very nice rigging work (as usual).  I learned the hard way about cutting the tails of the running rigging to early

 

cheers

 

Pat

[michael mott]

Thanks for your incredible tenacity is putting all this together Ed.... you must have been a rigger in a former life. And an incredibly steady hand in this one. It just occurred to me, with your comment about needing a few times to place a line without fouling, I'm sure that you have already thought of this, but if you harden the end of the line for an inch or so and also colour it red or some other definite contrast would that make it easier to thread the new lines through the maze?

 

Michael 

[EdT]

Thank you, Micheal.  I do harden the ends of line with thin CA and also snip the end to an angled point, but the coloring idea is brilliant.  Thanks.  Actually, most fouling is detected once the line has been pulled taut, but the color sure would help find the ends under the tops and crosstrees.  As to steady hands, I could only wish.  Worse with each passing year.

 

Ed

Edited February 16, 2019 by EdT

[EdT]

Rob, tension on standing rigging is a constant issue, especially with changes in humidity and the sizes of the model lines.  I have had many of the deadeye lanyards on and off for adjustment a number of times and have actually replaced some stays.  This is particularly difficult where running rigging is attached at an angle, as is the case on most stays and many shrouds.  Deflection at these points was probably evident on real ships as well,  given the sagging of standing rigging seen in some pictures and the strain some running rigging would induce in high winds.  Eighteen or so lines hauled through fairleads on a gang of shrouds would also exert some inward force.  

 

Although Jacobs ladders are shown to the top of the royal section on the photos in which the ship has pole masts, they do not extend up to the sky masthead.  The stepped mast configuration I am using has shrouds but no ratlines to the royal mast head.  In both cases there is nothing to the sky masthead, so at present I do not intend to add these.

 

Ed 

[Dowmer]

3 minutes ago, EdT said:

Although Jacobs ladders are shown to the top of the royal section on the photos in which the ship has pole masts, they do not extend up to the sky masthead.  The stepped mast configuration I am using has shrouds but no ratlines to the royal mast head.  In both cases there is nothing to the sky masthead, so at present I do not intend to add these.

 

Ed, how did they get up to set the sky sails?  Just curious 🤓

 

 

[EdT]

Or up to the trucks?  I assume they shinnied up the poles, which ranged from 4" to 6" in diameter.  Seems crazy, but these upper topmen had to be like monkeys.  I have seen ironworkers do things I would never contemplate.  Also, I have not seen ratlines on the double royal shrouds. They must have gone up those hand-over-hand.  There was not much need to get on the skysail yards, since these were raised and lowered as a unit with the sail bent, using the halyard.  The braces could be fixed to the ends at a lower level.  These are my assumptions based on what I have read and on drawings/photos.

 

Ed

[rwiederrich]

In many instances the sky sail wasn't even set and  the yard in its lowered position  could be gotten to more easily.  Once the sail was bent, the boys on the deck hauled the yard skyward....raising the sail with it.

I've seen where the access to these lofty yards was gained by ratlines incorporated into the last two backstays as they capped out.

Sailors simply scurried over to them and continued up.  Riiiight.

IRON MEN...for sure.

 

Rob

Edited February 16, 2019 by rwiederrich

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 319 – Running Rigging Continued

 

I keep looking at the model and thinking that it doesn't look a lot different than it did last month - considering the amount of time being spent on it.  All these pictures were taken today after a fairly major cleanup of the work area.  The first picture shows most of the model.

 

 

 

In the picture the rigging of the foremast is essentially finished except for the lower braces which are deferred for access reasons.  On the main mast all the lines are run and belayed at least initially, again except for braces.  The mizzen still lacks its four upper yards but these have been made and are ready for rigging.

 

The next picture shows the fore course sheets that were installed this week.

 

 

 

Again, these were deferred until now to permit access.  These large, 5" lines run from a shackled eyebolt on the outside of the sheer rail, then forward and up through the large block ganged with the clue garnet block, the tack and the lazy tack.  Finally they pass back through a bulwark sheave and are belayed to cleats on the deck.  The next picture may be clearer.

 

 

Without sails, the lines drape across the lower shrouds.  The tacks are the lines running forward to cleats on the catheads.  The lazy tacks angle aft and belay on the first pin on the main rack rails.  These were used to control the tack of the sail when the yard was being braced around – between the casting off of the sheet and the belaying of the tack – or vice versa.  The starboard tack may be seen belayed to its cleat on the cathead in the next picture.

 

 

This picture also shows the new lashing between the bullseyes on the martingale stay where it is shackled to the cathead.  This outer bowsprit standing rigging suffered damage during nearby work.  It should have been deferred.  The jibboom guys are still scheduled for replacement.

 

Further aloft, work on the fore upper yard braces has progressed.  The next picture shows the topgallant brace tackles between yard and stay pendants.

 

 

 

Tension on these will be relieved to normalize the stay.  Below this, the fore upper topsail braces have been run except for the falls, which are delayed to permit access to belaying points below.

 

The main spencer gaff has finally been mounted and rigged and is shown in the next picture.

 

 

 

 

The rigging on these consist of one standing lift and two vang pendants with tackles.  The tackles and belaying points on the side rails are out of this picture.

 

Rigging of the fore braces gets complex at the heads of the stays as seen in the next picture.

 

 

 

The tackle falls run through blocks seized to the stay then through blocks on the shrouds to direct them downwards without fouling.  Two sets of braces attach to this stay.  One level up it gets even more congested with the two upper sets of braces as well as the staysail halyard block.

 

 

Finally another view of the full model.

 

 

The two broken jibboom guy chains may be seen dangling from the boom waiting for replacement in this picture.

 

Approaching endgame.

 

Ed

[rwiederrich]

Yep....looking fantastic Ed.  To think how much block involvement that is necessary for the braces is wild.  I've planned it all out for my GR and it is very complex.  I do not have the bulwark to sheave through for the main braces...so everything I do is run through blocks at the channel head and then off to the purchase blocks and belay.

 

Great images too....    Thanks for the report.

 

Rob

[michael mott]

Ed the amount of rigging on your model is simply amazing, I don't think I am careful enough to be able to get that many lines assembled without a major disaster. You must have spent many hours planning the sequence, and that can only happen by knowing what all the lines are for and where they need to belay.

 

michael 

[Mahuna]

Absolutely beautiful Ed.  It must feel good to be on the home stretch after 5+ years. 

[druxey]

Ed, You must have mixed feelings as you approach the end of your magnum opus. She looks magnificent!

[BANYAN]

To echo Druxey - Magnificent!  That rigging is a masterpiece of execution.  I very much look forward to your next volume of the series.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Jorge Diaz O]

 

Great technique, beautiful and elegant ship, of my favorites sir.

[EdT]

Thank you all for the kind words.

 

Micheal, I can only imagine what this would be like with double topgallants as well as the double tops - to say nothing of all the stunsl rigging that I have left off.  There is a wonderful order to the lines, provided by the fairleads and the belaying plan.  this keeps it generally in order.  Fouling problems occur when running lines and crossing them - good eyes would help.  The belaying plan I used came from a combination of Crothers's drawings and Underhill - neither had the whole story.  I am happy to say there have been few revisions required along the way.   There is a logic - probably time-tested - to the  layout.  As to sequence this has been a learning process.  I have a much better grip on it than I did at the start - and I made a number of mistakes in ordering the work.  Hopefully others may learn from these through the book.

 

Thank you, Druxey.  Mixed feelings - true.  Its been a long haul, but not an arduous one.  The pace has been comfortable - there are other things in life.

 

Thanks again everyone.  

 

Ed

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

2013- 2019  ED, That is a real adventure, with a wonderful result, bravo

[rwiederrich]

Ed...magnificent work for sure.

I did, however notice a discrepancy in the location of some of your brace blocks on the topgallant shrouds.

The second blocks location (On the shroud) will surely cause line interference with the topgallant yard as it is hoisted up to its top resting place just beneath the futtock shroud band. I would think they would need to be raised to the uttermost footrope.

[EdT]

Thank you, Rob.