HMS Harpy 1796 by Blue Ensign – Vanguard Models - 1:64 scale

[gjdale]

In the lowered position would be an interesting and somewhat unusual way for a model to be displayed B.E. and therefore adds an extra degree of interest to the model. I’m liking this arrangement.

[CiscoH]

I agree the lowered topmasts look most interesting and least obscuring.  Gets my vote, if you were looking for opinions

[Nipper]

6 hours ago, CiscoH said:

I agree the lowered topmasts look most interesting and least obscuring.  Gets my vote, if you were looking for opinions

This has my vote too, BE.

 

I like the appearance of a working ship because it adds a great deal of interest and uniqueness to the model.  On my slowly building Sphinx, for example, I intend to have one of the boats being lowered from the pendants.

 

Nipper

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Guys, lowered topmasts it is.

@ Andy -  I wasn't thinking of making up the yards but that is certainly an option, thank you.

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 92

Pendents of tackles

I have re-visited these as the blocks and seizings looked too heavy to my eye, and as they are fitted before the shrouds, need to be  attended to now.

I unpicked the seizings and re-used the Pendents.

This time I used  a 2mm diameter  thimble  from Chuck’s new Resin range.

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It is quite small but matches the size of 5” suggested by David Antscherl in his FFM Book (Vol IV.) The next size up 3mm, looked a tad too large to my eye.

 

I think this range of thimbles will prove very useful for ship modellers. 👍

 

Gaff and Main Boom

This is an opportune time to attach these to the Mainmast, easier before the shrouds are rigged.

I used Boxwood parrel beads rather than the shiny black kit versions.

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These were coloured using Dark oak wood stain.

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No rigging for these items but seized together for convenience.

I may rig the sheet simply to hold the booms in place.

 

B.E.

21/06/2025

[Blue Ensign]

Post 93

Fitting the shrouds.

It has been some five years since I last did any shroud rigging and I’m feeling a tad ring rusty, and getting the first shroud rigged took a while, including a full ‘re-do’.

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Each pair of shrouds were stretched before fitting.

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The first shroud is slightly more awkward due to the thicker ‘served’ line.

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My approach is to set the first shroud deadeye (Starboard side) to the distance that suits my eye bearing in mind the norm of around  2-3 times the diameter of a deadeye.

The finished space between the deadeyes worked out at 7mm.

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The tricky part is getting the shrouds level along the channels.

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I prefer to rig the shrouds purely by eye, carefully adjusting the upper deadeye to suit the line as I move along the channel.

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Not decided yet whether to dye the round seizings to match the shrouds.

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The next stage is to make up the Main stays which are fitted before I attend to the Fore shrouds.

 

 

B.E.

23/06/2025

 

[Glenn-UK]

Nicely done