Young America 1853 by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper

[rwiederrich]

9 hours ago, EdT said:

Thank you, Rob.

I wasn't trying to cause a fuss.

 

Rob

[EdT]

No fuss, rob.  You were correct to pick up that oversight on my part - has been corrected.

 

Ed

[albert]

Fantastic work Ed, very very nice

[Erebus and Terror]

Immensely impressive. I've learned so much from this thread. I can't wait to see what's next for you. 

[rwiederrich]

I noticed before you made your THANK YOU,(correction made for accuracy sake)  I had hoped you found this error along with the brace blocks, but the stay sail block too, needs to have a second block at the shroud or it needs to be relocated farther up the stay...for its line passes just over the yard (and nearly touches her now) and when the yard is raised, it too will drastically impede its motion as well.  I refrained myself from mentioning this, so not to sound overly corrective, but the error is far too glaring not to make the observational suggestion.

Sorry for my nitpicking.

 

Rob

Edited March 6, 2019 by rwiederrich

[EdT]

It wasn't a rebuttal, Rob.  It was a simple thank you.

 

Ed

[rwiederrich]

1 hour ago, EdT said:

It wasn't a rebuttal, Rob.  It was a simple thank you.

 

Ed

Right...bad word choice. I have since corrected my word selection. Sorry for any discomfort my ineptness may have caused.

Surely one of my favorite ship logs of all time.  You've accomplished so much, with such skill.  Your YA is a masterful creation...I'm glad I could be part of the spectators who watched her being created from a block of wood and soldered copper fittings and some homemade scale rope.

What a joyful journey.

 

Rob

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 320 – Running Rigging Continued

 

The last 1% always seems to be the most difficult to complete – or perhaps its just the most exhausting.  It seems like not a lot has gotten done since the last post almost three weeks ago.  A fair amount of time was spent adjusting tension on the 60-odd main mast belaying points – a time consuming task – and one that is dangerous for completed work that gets in the way.  Not a lot to show for that effort. That is now complete and the pins should be ready for rope coils.

 

Work has also been continuing on the mizzen yards, as shown in the first picture.

 

 

The upper topsail and the topgallant were installed in the past couple weeks.  Below is the view from aft.

 

 

Below is a picture of the poop deck pin rail about half full and the last main deck rail forward of it – almost full.

 

 

Installing mast trucks and signal halyards is in progress.  In the next picture one of the trucks being bored to fit the its mast pole.

 

 

The top is left a bit flat so the sheave holes can be drilled without slipping off the side.  The next picture shows that work – with a very short bit extension.

 

 

Below is a picture of the house flag, pre-assembled with its truck and halyard.

 

 

The flag is painted with thinned acrylic gouache on some very old drafting linen that has had its wax sizing removed by boiling then washing.  It is the house flag of the William Daniels Company of New York that owned the ship from its launch in 1853 until 1859, when it was sold to another shipper.  The truck will be fitted to the mast pole without glue, held down by the fit and the halyard that runs down to the deck.  This will allow it to be removed and replaced – a possibility.  The last picture shows it flying from the top of the main mast.  

 

 

 

Similar trucks with halyards are being fitted to the other masts but without flags at this time. 

 

Ed

 

[druxey]

Lovely, Ed, simply lovely.

[rwiederrich]

Truck and flag look wonderful.

I'll be doing the same for the GR...good tutorial.

 

Rob

[BANYAN]

The end can't come quick enough sometimes can it   Up to your usual very high standards Ed; you can't be too far off with your next volume now also?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[archjofo]

Hello Ed,
very fine and beautiful detail work.

[EdT]

Thank you, all.

 

Pat, Vol III is progressing well.

 

Ed

Edited March 24, 2019 by EdT

[SJSoane]

Hi Ed, what a joy to see and learn from this project. As you worked on the rigging, did you see any general organizing principles for rigging that had evolved over time, like what is typically inboard or outboard of each other, why some lines led to tops and others to the shrouds, etc.?

 

You have done such a great job in the past of explaining the logic of framing as you studied it; I wonder if there are similar lessons after looking at the rigging?

 

An inspiration!

 

Mark

[EdT]

A very good question, Mark.  Let me give it some thought and try to respond.  Evolution over time, except for for hardware and line material _ rope, chain, wire - is a bit outside my range, but there is a clear pattern to organization of the lines that probably made transfer of crew easier from one vessel to another.  Will respond later.

 

Ed 

[SJSoane]

Hi Ed,

 

I realized after I posted this that I have asked you for what could be an entire book on this topic! Maybe you want to add some of your reflections into your latest volume?

 

Mark

 

[EdT]

Hello Mark,

 

Apologies for the delay in responding to your question - busy days.  I wanted to look at the belaying plan vs. the rigging list to see if my immediate reaction to the question about general patterns in the rigging were were at least reasonably correct.  There is some logic to what at first glance looks like a disorganized tangle.  I will stick to running rigging because standing rigging is very straightforward in comparison, and except for hardware changes, fairly constant over time.  I cannot address changes over time to running rigging and suggest James Lees work for that.  So with those caveats here are some general observations on what seems to be a consistent theme with running rigging on YA and perhaps most clippers in general during that era:

 

Fore and aft sails – jibs and staysails:

            -Belay on centerline – fife rails, forecastle rail, spider bands – halyards at the after mast, downhauls at the forward                                                                  mast/bowsprit.

            -Spanker – boom sheets, vangs, head in/outhauls to tackles at the poop rail, others run down the mizzen mast to spider                                                       band.

Square sails:

            -Fife rails and topsail sheet bits belay heavy lines like lower topping lifts, clew garnets, lower and topsail sheets - also                                                            lighter reef tackles.

            -Buntlines and leech lines for all sails belay at the side rails, arranged from forward: lowest to highest, inner to outer.  All                                              these pass behind yards along masts through fairleads in the top and on shrouds above their belay                                                                                   points.

           - Upper yard halyards have channel mounted tackles - falls go straight to pin on side rails - balanced to both sides with gin                                         blacks on large  yards, single line to tackles on alternating sides for upper yards.

           - Lower yard braces run to block arrangements at the side channels and rails, belay on side pin rails between main banks                                            astride masts.

            -Fore and main upper yard braces run toward blocks at center near after mast then to side rails.  Mizzen braces run                                                  forward to main.

           - Belayed lines on main pin rail banks astride masts: fore to aft, lower to upper, inner to outer.

 

           - Upper yard halyards have channel mounted tackles - falls go straight to pin on side rails - balanced to both sides with gin                                      blocks on large yards, single line to tackles on alternating sides for upper yards.

           - Lower yard braces run to block arrangements at the side channels and rails, belay on side pin rails between main banks                                          astride masts.

            -Fore and main upper yard braces run toward blocks at center near after mast then to side rails.  Mizzen braces run                                                  forward to main.

           

In general: Belayed lines on main pin rail banks astride masts: fore to aft, lower to upper, inner to outer.

 

It would take a much more knowledgeable person than me, to go beyond these observations.  My basis - and the basis for the YA model design - consists of a number of ship-specific belaying plans and some general references.

 

Hope this makes sense and helps address your question.

 

Ed

 

 

Edited April 6, 2019 by EdT

[Maury S]

Ed, It looks like you've got a good system laid out and that's what any captain would do with the running rigging.  

Maury

[SJSoane]

Thanks, Ed, it is fascinating to see the logic to the grouping and arrangement. It seems to be a very rational way of managing so many intersecting lines, according to function and geometry, and location.

 

It would be interesting to look at a typical maneuver in  John Harlands' Seamanship in the Age of Sail, like tacking or shortening sail, to see how the lines needed for that task are distributed around the ship. Would they have been grouped into specific location so a small crew could efficiently manage without running around the entire ship? Or did a crew always have to be large enough to man every necessary line at the same time? I am sure members of Model Ship World who are sailors and have sailed on a tall ship would know this.

 

I still cannot fathom how a sailor in the middle of the night in a storm would reliably grab just the right line off a crowded pin rail. I wonder if they glanced aloft just to confirm, or if they always knew for sure.

 

Ed, your model makes clearer than anything I have seen so far just how many lines were involved in managing these majestic ships--and I remember reading you left some off!

 

Thanks again, this was very interesting to read.

 

Mark

[Sailor1234567890]

There's a video series about handling a big square rigger using Sorlandet. Star of India at the maritime museum there also have some videos out. Fascinating stuff this handling of a big square rigger. There's a 10 minute video of James Craig's first 10 years since her restoration that has some awesome footage of her in plenty big seas. All are worth watching for those of us interested in the handling of big square riggers. 

[EdT]

Somehow I missed your post, Sailor - will try to locate the videos - any links?

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 321 – Running Rigging Continued

 

Still working on the last 1%.  Since the last post in late March, the remaining yards on the mizzen have been installed with their rigging.  All yard braces had been left off up to that time because they are obstructive to working near the centerline and to reaching into the model to belay lines at the deck.  With the completion of the mizzen yards, work on the braces is now well advanced and other finishing-up work has begun.

 

The first two pictures show the model in its current state.

 

 

Most of the upper braces have been installed.  Because there is still a lot of work to be done at deck level, the braces below the topgallant yards are either left hanging or not started.

 

The next picture shows the array of upper yard braces between the main and mizzen mast.

 

 

This area is quite congested because the mizzen braces run forward.  Fortunately there was no fouling of these lines.  I say fortunately, because there is little flexibility in running these lines.  The connections at the ends of the yard are, of course, fixed.  Lead blocks that direct them downward are also pretty well fixed.  Main mast braces need to be clear of mizzen sails at those points, as do their falls to the deck.  Also, brace lead blocks need to be roughly positioned at heights midway between the upper and lower positions of their yards, otherwise braces would have to be let go to raise or lower the yards, leaving them free to move about.  The next picture shows another view of the upper braces.

 

 

Completion of work forward has progressed sufficiently to allow the sheets and tacks on the lower fore yard to be permanently belayed, as may be seen in the next photo.

 

 

The three lines are shackled together with the clew garnets in the absence of sails.  The tacks run forward to cleats on the catheads, the sheets run aft outside the shrouds, through the hull to belay on cleats on deck.  The lazy tacks are belayed on the first pin of the main pin rails at the side.  These lines were used to control the clew of the sail while shifting the load from sheets to tacks or vice versa, especially if disconnecting one or the other.

 

This picture and the last two also show that the masking tape used to keep debris out of the hull has been removed, contributing greatly to the overall appearance.  This came up rather easily, requiring adhesive clean-up in just a few spots.

 

The next picture shows the focal point of most of the current work - installing rope coils over the belayed lines.  This is fairly tedious work – making the coils, allowing the glue on them to set, then placing them over the pins and adjusting them to hang with some degree of realism.  As may be seen, the pin rails are tightly packed.  So much for all that careful turning of pin shapes.

 

 

The last picture shows the really tight spacing on the poop pin rails.

 

 

As mentioned in early posts, these rails were one of a number of possible solutions for belaying the many mizzen lines.  Even with the closely packed pins on this rail and the one just forward of the poop break, several lines have to be cleated on the deck.

 

The next post will continue with work on the braces for the lower three yards on each mast, and the interesting problem of routing those on the main mast to acceptable points aft without fouling the crojack rigging.  Stay tuned.

 

Ed

[druxey]

You - and we - know the pins are correct beneath those belayed lines!

 

Lovely pictures, Ed. Particularly the stern quarter shot (second one down).

[Mahuna]

Absolutely beautiful Ed.  You've set a very high bar us.

[rwiederrich]

Wonderful Ed...just stunning.

Balancing tension on stays and braces is a tricky business.

 

Well done.

 

Rob(Right behind you)

Edited April 19, 2019 by rwiederrich

[BANYAN]

Stunning model Ed; the rigging brings her to life.  

 

In 'Victoria' some lines/tackles were also led to eyes (Lang's eyeplates) in the channels - still trying to sort through that one though

 

cheers

 

Pat

[EdT]

Thanks, everyone.

 

Thanks, Druxey, for the comment on that photo.  With that picture I was trying to get the view of the ship shown in the photo taken in San Francisco in the 1860's.  Almost got it, but the confines of the workshop and bench height make it difficult.  Soon I hope to get it off the bench and into a better setting for  whole-ship photos.

 

Pat, there are a number of lines on the model that hook to eyebolts on the channels, specifically the standing legs and tackles on the halyards, also tackle blocks on the fore yard braces.  I will discuss the braces for the main double topsail yards and their disagreements with the crojack rigging in the next post.  This kept me awake for a couple nights.

 

Ed

[Maury S]

Ed,

So where is it going to be displayed when finished?  A new room added to the house?

Maury

[dvm27]

Your work is an inspiration for those of us who have little patience for rigging. 

22 hours ago, EdT said:

The three lines are shackled together with the clew garnets in the absence of sails. 

When in port if the sails were unbent would these lines have been handled in a similar manner? There's always the guestion of how to handle the running rigging when sails are not included on the model.

Edited April 20, 2019 by dvm27

[EdT]

Thanks, again for the comments and questions.

 

Maury, yours is easier so I will answer that first.  The answer is: I have no idea.  A  ome will have to be found for this at some point - a problem for later.

 

Greg, I believe an entire book could be written about what to do with rigging when there are no sails to attach lines to.  Writing such a book would require much more knowledge than I possess.  The question arises on virtually every running rigging line on a model without sails.  Exhaustive examination of as many old photos as I could find, has yielded little in the way of common practice - or attention to any order.  I believe much depended on preferences and am not convinced that modern practice is representative of past practice.   Also, we need to consider that a big clipper like YA carried a crew of only about 50 (compared to ~800 on a 1st rate or ~300 on a frigate - both with half the sails) - not a lot of manpower to devote to appearance in port.    It seems that very much of the modeling is left to our own devices.

 

The specific lines you reference, lower sheets, tacks, clew garnets, and lazy tacks, in my opinion, are the most easily resolved.  Since these lines are shackled together to the clew irons on the lower sails, keeping them attached when the sail is unshackled is not too much of a stretch to the imagination.  The no-sails configuration to model is another question.  I have seen pictures where they are hauled up to the yard by the clew garnets and the sheets left hanging to the deck.  Hauling down on the tacks/sheets is also logical, since they may be easily accessed on deck when bending the sail.  Pictures of ships in port are usually not portraits of neatness and order that we would like to see on a model.  My solution for these is to hold the shackle some distance above the deck and secure all the lines neatly.  This is also a convenient way to add downward tension on the model yard.

 

I handle upper yard clews and sheets in the same manner and for the same purpose.

 

In general, I have tried to adopt configurations that leave unattached ends in positions convenient to their eventual use, for example staysail and jib downhauls and halyards tied off together at the base of their stays, bunt and leech-lines stopped at their yard blocks (although these have to be overhauled to the deck to bend lower sails)  reef tackle blocks tied off to jackstays, jib and staysail sheets omitted or coiled on deck, bowline bridles tied off to jackstays.  I have omitted studdingsail rigging completely except for blocks that I believe would have been permanently attached.

 

I am sure there are many other variations adopted on models - the most frequent seems to be the omission of many lines.

 

Ed