Atlantic by Bluejacket rigging question

[bruceh]

Hello,

My name is Bruce Howe and I am hoping someone could help me with this rigging question. I finished Atlantic around 2010. It was the first serious model I made. No real tools. I just thought about it a lot and then went to work. I have many pictures of the build which I will post. 

I would appreciate some thoughts on how to take twisting out of some of the running rigging at the top of the gaff sails. See pictures. I think some of the supplied thread may have plastic in its construction. It's called coil set. It wasn't a problem on installation but has gotten worse over time. Any thoughts on how I might be able to repair? Thanks.

[AON]

I am interested in the answer too!

 

[Dr PR]

Bruce,

 

Nice model!

 

All ropes/threads made with spiral strands will have a built in twist. When you pull on them the rope stretches and unwinds. In the period instructions for rigging sailing ships (like Lever's The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor - 1808) some ropes are to be stretched to minimize the twist and subsequent change in length before they are used.

 

I have the same problem on my current schooner build, and there is a simple solution - at least for now.

 

First, don't pull the ropes too tight. This makes the ropes twist. Put on just enough strain to make them hang taut. Of course it is too late to do this on a 15 year old model.

 

Second, find where the twisted ropes pass through a block, like those shown in the first two photos you posted of the gaff peak halyard. Look at the twist the ropes have relative to the block. Then take both strands of the rope (on opposite sides of the block) between your fingers and give them a slight twist to rotate the rope in the hole in the block. This removes the cause of the twist on the block, and that removes the twist on the block pendant.

 

You may have to follow the line down to other places it passes through blocks, fairleads, eyes and such to continue the rotation of the line until the twist is relieved. Where this can go wrong if the line was belayed with a significant twist - or if a bad twist develops at the belayed end due to your twisting the upper parts of the line. If the belayed end is hooked to an eye bolt try unhooking it, untwisting it, and hooking it back again.

 

Three, as a last desperate measure you could put a counter twist in a section of the rope sufficient to relieve the twisting in the rest of the line, and then paint the rope with glue or shellac to "lock" the counter twist in that section.

 

Four, keep your fingers crossed!

[Fritzlindsay]

Five, maybe consider re-rigging the problem areas with a good quality miniature rope.  Just a thought🤔

Fritz

[bruceh]

Thank you to all that replied. Stretching the rope/thread seems to be a good idea. It never crossed my mind that I could have induced the twist myself by pulling the thread to tautly. I will experiment with pulling a section of thread over a sharp right angle like a benchtop and see what happens.

 

Rerigging seems to be a good solution as well. I'll have to think through on that.

Thank you.