Lift lines on cutty sark ,Revell 1/96

[Lost and Confused]

I am presently building the Cutty sark, Revell 1/96. I.ve got the hull very well along , and am looking ahead to the rigging. I've noticed that the lifts used on the spars are made of cable, and are taut when in port with yardarms lowered, and loose when at sea under sail,(  spars in raised position).I have also noticed that there some other means is used to actually raise or lower the yards. Are the halliards used for this? If so, what is the purpose of these lifts? Or why aren't the lifts rigged to accomplish this. Seems kind of redundant to me. But I'm sure some of you guys know why. Please educate me so that I can proceed intelligently. I like to know WHY that line is there. I have been seriously studying the Cutty, build logs. I have seen some truly magnificent work here. Thanks for any help in this.

[rwiederrich]

Welcome!

The halliards/halyards are made from chain and are center yard run through sheeves in the masts  the lifts are simple fixed cable or hemp used to support the yard while it is lowered.  The two have separate and individual functions.

Edited February 20 by rwiederrich

[John Ruy]

The purpose of the lifts are to trim the yard to the horizontal position, or can’t one side up out of the way when alongside in dock. This according to Masting and Rigging by Harold Underwood a great reference for Clipper Ship rigging. 
 

My first model in retirement (2016) was a vintage Revell 1/96 of the Cutty Sark. I’m working on the Red Jacket at 1/192 scale currently. 
 

Good luck with your Cutty, she’s a beautiful Clipper. Do you have a build log, I’d love to take a look. 
 

Cheers 🍻 

Edited February 20 by John Ruy

[allanyed]

I am not sure this is what you are looking for, but check out the information on the clipper Young America in Ed Tosti's build. If not, the build log may still be somewhat useful for you.   Topping lifts are explained and described in post #2683.  https://modelshipworld.com/topic/3453-young-america-by-edt-finished-extreme-clipper-1853/page/90/#comment-535631  I believe he derived the information from Bill Crothers drawings.  While this is centered on American clippers, there may be some application for your English vessel.

Allan

Edited February 20 by allanyed

[Lost and Confused]

Thank you all for your prompt responses. Question answered. rwiederrich, I have viewed your beautiful Cutty many times. One of the magnificent ones i was referring to. John Ruy, thanks for your input also. I think I will do a build log. Just have to get down to some photography. I see some tutorials on this, and allenyed, thanks for your input also. Here is a recent one.

[rwiederrich]

Beautiful work L&C.  Very clean and well executed.   In most instances, Clipper rigging followed the same practices from America to British.  Apart from a few design differences.  Most British clippers were composite built...while American were far larger and made from wood.  The rigging still needed to accomplish the same functions.

 

Rob

[Lost and Confused]

Thanks a lot rob. Your Cutty is wonderful and very inspiring.  I"m thinking of starting a build log....Got to get some photos together. This is the first kit I'm "bashing"?(Is that the right term?).It looks like the CS could use another log as Bruma is about dome with his (What a beauty) Here's a shot of the davit area

 

[rwiederrich]

Your version looks marvelous.  I wouldn't call it *bashing*, That implies using parts from other kits or excluding them....what you are doing is more like *Hyper detailing*.

That's what I called it when I built my fifth Cutty.  Wait till you get to the rigging.  Bruma excelled at this.  From what I see...looks like you're on your way to doing the same.

 

Fun stuff to watch.

 

Rob

[Lost and Confused]

Thank you kind sir. I have used "aftermarket parts" such as His model's wooden deck facade, blocks, stauntions. I have built models in the past, but never knew of websites like this. Huge help on Cutty. Other folks having the exact same problems as me, as to kit defects, shortcomings  etc. i figure another year or so on my Cutty. When warmer weather arrives its gardening time. I have noticed that no two are the same. I try to keep things historical and to scale but often fail to do so. As an example, 2mm blocks are too small for me to work with. 3mm i can deal with. i appreciate your interest. I wish that I had found this place years ago.

[Lost and Confused]

I will likely never be "on the same page" as Bruma. Truly a master of the craft. I sometimes think that he has a crew of 1 inch tall elves that work on his ship for him

[John Ruy]

38 minutes ago, Lost and Confused said:

I have used "aftermarket parts" such as His model's wooden deck facade, blocks, stauntions.

I discovered His Model for my second build in my retirement. That was The USS Constitution by Revell, which I built prior to discovering MSW.  His Model parts are an excellent way to enhance these kits. Your Cutty Sark is looking grand. Well done so far, I’m looking forward to seeing more on your build log. Let us know here when you get your log started. 👍

[Lost and Confused]

I wish I'd have found His parts for my USS  Constitution. The deck coming in 3 pieces killed me. My solution was "caulking" the gaps with rigging cord. It made it even MORE noticeable. At least to me. There was a huge gap at the stern end of deck which I trimmed a scrap piece of their plastic sail material to size and painted. That fix worked pretty well. Maaaayyybeee on the next one??

[John Ruy]

Yes… I went over the top with “His Model” and I used Anatomy of a Ship the USS Constitution to add lots of detail. That Revell model was my first gallery post here on MSW.  Then I got hooked on building wood models. 
 

 

[Lost and Confused]

 beautiful job on "old ironsides". Did you get the sails from Radimir?  My Connie is collecting dust. Was your glass case very pricey? The ones that I checked out costed waaaay more than the model expenses. I didnt "go overboard on the stateroom detail or actual operating rudder/helm as I didnt want anyone sticking their hand in there between the rigging to get to the helm. and viewing the cabin detail was difficult. You didnt build that one overnight did you.:)

[rwiederrich]

23 hours ago, Lost and Confused said:

Thank you kind sir. I have used "aftermarket parts" such as His model's wooden deck facade, blocks, stauntions. I have built models in the past, but never knew of websites like this. Huge help on Cutty. Other folks having the exact same problems as me, as to kit defects, shortcomings  etc. i figure another year or so on my Cutty. When warmer weather arrives its gardening time. I have noticed that no two are the same. I try to keep things historical and to scale but often fail to do so. As an example, 2mm blocks are too small for me to work with. 3mm i can deal with. i appreciate your interest. I wish that I had found this place years ago.

Quite beautifully done.   Not to be a Debby Downer, but most people make the mistake of adding the second rail on the railing protecting the carriage house deck.  This image shows otherwise.  Not worth changing......but an example as to why research...research.....research is as important as applying good workmanship skills.

I truly enjoy the fact that you actually curved the rails....to follow the stern curvature.  Nice detail.    I captured that detail n my own Cutty rudder replacement diorama.

[John Ruy]

1 hour ago, Lost and Confused said:

 beautiful job on "old ironsides". Did you get the sails from Radimir?  My Connie is collecting dust. Was your glass case very pricey? The ones that I checked out costed waaaay more than the model expenses. I didnt "go overboard on the stateroom detail or actual operating rudder/helm as I didnt want anyone sticking their hand in there between the rigging to get to the helm. and viewing the cabin detail was difficult. You didnt build that one overnight did you.:)

Not exactly overnight… Actually I kept an hourly log of the experience. 😜 

 

It was 687 hours over 15 months. 
 

OCD got the better of me. I purchased the vintage kit for 75.00 on eBay. Then another 500.00 to Radimir on Sails, Blocks,  Wood Decks and rigging line. 
 

Built the case my self, used acrylic sheets not glass. Still costs several hundred dollars. I had to cover it. 😎

[Lost and Confused]

I was certainly not doing my homework on the deckhouse rails. Most of the work on the hull was done last winter, before I discovered these resources. That is why I'm trying to plan ahead. There will most certainly be more mistakes to come, partially to lack of research, lack of timely parts delivery, and lack of skill and patience. There are lots of resources that conflict. I am going to try to adhere to the Campbell plans on the rigging, but again, no two Cuttys are the same.

How did you come up with the idea of the drydock?? It is marvelous

[Lost and Confused]

John, It shows that you put many, many hours into your beautiful Conny. I hope it's not too late to cover mine. A local library is possibly interested in displaying it. That would solve my problem and maybe some kids would be interested enough to take up the hobby. We could have been surgeons

 

[rwiederrich]

On 2/23/2024 at 6:06 AM, Lost and Confused said:

I was certainly not doing my homework on the deckhouse rails. Most of the work on the hull was done last winter, before I discovered these resources. That is why I'm trying to plan ahead. There will most certainly be more mistakes to come, partially to lack of research, lack of timely parts delivery, and lack of skill and patience. There are lots of resources that conflict. I am going to try to adhere to the Campbell plans on the rigging, but again, no two Cuttys are the same.

How did you come up with the idea of the drydock?? It is marvelous

Please understand...I meant no disrespect, concerning any research you may have done or not done.   Research is just as much effected by evolution as are your skills.  Your model is clean and well executed for sure.

 

I like to tell a story with my model.......along with the model itself.  I like to include my models in a scene depicting an actual historical even the vessel was involved in.  This tends to *draw* the viewer in, to not only the model...but its historical events.  This *ways* depiction shows the jury rudder that was built and affixed to Cutty's rudder post...after she lost it during the grate race she had with her rival, Thermopylae.  Though Thermopylae won the race...Cutty Sark was rewarded with Great praise and accolades for the daring and brilliant feat of rigging a rudder mid ocean during a squall.

This event was worthy of a diorama, depicting the removal and replacement of her jury rudder with a new rudder.  It also gave me license to include forge material and all the necessary tooling and staging required for the job.  Not to mention the jury rig and rudder themselves.  I also depicted some loosed copper plates being refit on her cutwater forward.

 

Rob(Follow my personal link to more images)

Edited February 26 by rwiederrich

[John Ruy]

5 hours ago, Lost and Confused said:

There will most certainly be more mistakes to come, partially to lack of research, lack of timely parts delivery, and lack of skill and patience. There are lots of resources that conflict. I am going to try to adhere to the Campbell plans on the rigging, but again, no two Cuttys are the same.

Excellent plan… It’s your model and it depicts your style as well as your research at the time. I look back at my builds and can always find something to be changed or done differently. That’s the OCD in all of us here at MSW. 
 

I say Onwards 🍻