Rigging for beginners lol

[JFMJr]

First build.  HMS Beagle.  Have just completed bowsprit and all masts. Installing on ship now.

Question is rat lines 1st?  or all others 1st  or does it matter?

Thanks for sharing your expertise in advance. 

[ccoyle]

Just like on a real ship, you need to get your masts steadied first. This means your stays (forestays and backstays) and shrouds should be done first. In any case, you can't do the ratlines until the shrouds are set up.

[RossR]

If you are building the Occre HMS Beagle follow the order in the instructions.   I think they have it broken down to about twelve steps.  
 

 

Edited June 6 by RossR

[JFMJr]

2 hours ago, ccoyle said:

Just like on a real ship, you need to get your masts steadied first. This means your stays (forestays and backstays) and shrouds should be done first. In any case, you can't do the ratlines until the shrouds are set up.

Appreciate your input! Makes sense to me

[Dr PR]

Ratlines can be the last thing to go on the model. They are on the outside and all the other rigging should not interfere with putting on the ratlines.

 

The opposite is not true. You will need to install the shrouds early on to set the masts in place. But there may be a lot of additional rigging to belay around the base of the mast. Ratlines can get in the way..

[brunnels]

@JFMJr Everyone else has already given you great advice, since I just finished the Beagles rigging I will give a few tips on reading the instructions that took me a minute to figure out. 

 

This one may be obvious, but this page tells you where all the lines end up being belayed at.  I assumed this page was just for the running rigging, but there are several standing rigging lines that will end in places on this page.  I would look up some youtube videos on belaying lines, It was one of the more difficult tasks on the rigging, but getting the right tool and technique you will eventually get the hang of it fast. 

 

On this page the circled areas (JT4) are supposed to be brass chain.  My kit didn't provide enough brass chain for this task (along with many other items), but even the official youtube Occre build channel used rope for this section.  I have yet to see anyone use brass chain for this section. 

 

 

These circed lines look like they just end up in the ships hull which had me confused.  You need to install eyebolts on each side of the bow for the lines to tie to.  I wrongly assumed that all the needed eyebolts had already been installed as the instructions have you put in a ton of them earlier in the build.  But that is wrong, there are several eyebolts and blocks that you will still need to add onto the ship that show up in the rigging instructions.

 

Here are a couple more eyebolts that you will have to add. 

 

These blocks look like they should be on the outside of the hull, but I believe they should go to the blocks already installed on the deck that aren't being used.  The official Occre video also ran these to blocks on the deck.

 

Also the blue lines on the plans are for the sails, if you aren't installing the sails you can ignore them. 

 

If I think of anything else I struggled with I will add more, but overall I actually really enjoyed the rigging process.  I thought it was going to be super difficult and grueling, but it was a nice change of pace from the rest of the model. The model really starts to come alive and look like a ship when you start adding rope. 

[JFMJr]

5 hours ago, brunnels said:

@JFMJr Everyone else has already given you great advice, since I just finished the Beagles rigging I will give a few tips on reading the instructions that took me a minute to figure out. 

 

This one may be obvious, but this page tells you where all the lines end up being belayed at.  I assumed this page was just for the running rigging, but there are several standing rigging lines that will end in places on this page.  I would look up some youtube videos on belaying lines, It was one of the more difficult tasks on the rigging, but getting the right tool and technique you will eventually get the hang of it fast. 

 

On this page the circled areas (JT4) are supposed to be brass chain.  My kit didn't provide enough brass chain for this task (along with many other items), but even the official youtube Occre build channel used rope for this section.  I have yet to see anyone use brass chain for this section. 

 

 

These circed lines look like they just end up in the ships hull which had me confused.  You need to install eyebolts on each side of the bow for the lines to tie to.  I wrongly assumed that all the needed eyebolts had already been installed as the instructions have you put in a ton of them earlier in the build.  But that is wrong, there are several eyebolts and blocks that you will still need to add onto the ship that show up in the rigging instructions.

 

Here are a couple more eyebolts that you will have to add. 

 

These blocks look like they should be on the outside of the hull, but I believe they should go to the blocks already installed on the deck that aren't being used.  The official Occre video also ran these to blocks on the deck.

 

Also the blue lines on the plans are for the sails, if you aren't installing the sails you can ignore them. 

 

If I think of anything else I struggled with I will add more, but overall I actually really enjoyed the rigging process.  I thought it was going to be super difficult and grueling, but it was a nice change of pace from the rest of the model. The model really starts to come alive and look like a ship when you start adding rope. 

This information will save me a lot of time..lol Very much appreciated... Biggest challenge to the build was figuring.Things out the instructions didn't tell you

[JFMJr]

On 6/6/2024 at 3:28 PM, ccoyle said:

Just like on a real ship, you need to get your masts steadied first. This means your stays (forestays and backstays) and shrouds should be done first. In any case, you can't do the ratlines until the shrouds are set up.

That definitely seems to be their consensus... The manufacturer says otherwise but I agree with all you guys.. Thanks for the help

[Thukydides]

2 hours ago, JFMJr said:

That definitely seems to be their consensus... The manufacturer says otherwise but I agree with all you guys.. Thanks for the help

One thing to keep in mind is it is much easier to work off model than on. So as much as possible do what you can off model (e.g. rig the whole spar before attaching it to the model). It can be a bit of a drag as you don’t see the immediate progress, but it is much easier to deal with tiny ropes and blocks on a desk than dangling from a model where one wrong move will destroy weeks of progress.

[JFMJr]

1 hour ago, Thukydides said:

One thing to keep in mind is it is much easier to work off model than on. So as much as possible do what you can off model (e.g. rig the whole spar before attaching it to the model). It can be a bit of a drag as you don’t see the immediate progress, but it is much easier to deal with tiny ropes and blocks on a desk than dangling from a model where one wrong move will destroy weeks of progress.

That's what I did.. Built all masts &  spars Prior to installing. Actually just finished attaching all completed masts and bowsprit to ship. It's time for some rope!

[Thukydides]

54 minutes ago, JFMJr said:

2 hours ago, Thukydides said:

 

That's what I did.. Built all masts &  spars Prior to installing. Actually just finished attaching all completed masts and bowsprit to ship. It's time for some rope!

Just in case I wasn’t clear, I was referring to the rope on the spars (eg rig all the blocks and lines to the spars before putting them on the model). Good luck, the only way to really learn how to rig a model is to try it and figure out what works for you and to make the inevitable mistakes you can learn from for next time :). All the thought you are putting in now will pay dividends later. Just always be looking ahead and thinking about access.

[JFMJr]

13 hours ago, Thukydides said:

Just in case I wasn’t clear, I was referring to the rope on the spars (eg rig all the blocks and lines to the spars before putting them on the model). Good luck, the only way to really learn how to rig a model is to try it and figure out what works for you and to make the inevitable mistakes you can learn from for next time :). All the thought you are putting in now will pay dividends later. Just always be looking ahead and thinking about access.

I did attach ropes and blocks to all masts and spars on the bench 1st. Like you said.. Wasn't hard to figure out that laying flat on the bench was by far easier Then once they're on the ship