Charles Notman by Jond - FINISHED - radio - 1:48 scale Downeast Schooner 4 mast built by Percy Small 1894

[Jond]

Thanks Patrick

 

I appreciate your taking the time to follow and comment.

 

I had to laugh today as I completed the rope and rings for the jib and realized it is on the port side.  

 

I thought about it and said to myself....perhaps while adding a load of lumber they had a left handed sail maker replace the jib while in port.

 

I am going to work out side this afternoon

 

 

cheers

[Omega1234]

Hey Jond

 

What were those sail makers thinking of!!! Seriously though, it's my pleasure to comment and follow your progress!

 

Keep up the great work.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[captainbob]

Ah yes.  The problems with scale RC.  If you make it strong enough it is out of scale.  If it is in scale it is not strong enough.  But where's the fun with no problems?

 

Bob

[Jond]

Hi Bob

 

I am learning a lot through this project.  I have two future projects to build and fortunately [ maybe]  they shall be a bigger scale.  I have the hull roughed out of Gerturde Thebaud in 1:24 scale and plan to build the Bowdoin a famous Boothbay boat also in 1:24.  

 

We have our windjammer days yesterday in Boothbay Harbor and I thought to add a few photos for fun showing the schooners coming into the harbor.

• Here are four schooners of the group all in front of us just outside the harbor.  Note the Bowdoin is the larger one in the foreground built in East Boothbay in 1920
•  here is the  schooner Ernestina-Morrissey at the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard where it shall under go a major refit.  She was towed from New Bedford, Mass. a few months ago....very exciting
•  here is a reminder of a big lesson learned for me.   The mast hoops on this photo are on the LAZY JACK a day sailing schooner here in the harbor. We like to ride her and join in the parade of schooners. I add this as I am now chagrin that the little copper mast hoops I have chosen to use are just too tight on the masts.  I don't plan [yet] to change them as that would be a major issue at this point, and they do work. Their color seems OK and they do slide around, but they are definitely not as loose as they should be.  A few on the foremast [ which is a hair bigger than the other three masts by design] have torn in the multiple handling and I need to resew them.  Once again in static modeling there is no issue

I have attached my first [ large]sheet to the spanker and will be focusing on that going forward. They need to be adjustable.

 

cheers

 

 

 

[Jond]

I wanted to give a brief update showing a little progress.  It is summer here and time is quite pressing.....

• Here I have added the flying jib. that means 11 sails on and four to go.  
• Here a half day later I added the outer Jib. that means 12 sails on and three to go.   I have started fore and aft standing rigging with the key spring braces between the top masts.  This set snugs up the mast a bit as they are loose in the stepping. The aft end is tight connected by sewing a splice to a shackle and using a seized knots at the forward end shackle to allow tightening. Eventually that will be sewed as well.  I decided not to glue the masts in. One never knows what the future repairs may entail.
• Finally here we are. Obviously I am ahead of myself as so much undone.  Note again the fun of the strapped stand gives the ability to set a tack.  It is practical for moving sails out of way of deck work but also photogenic.  Here we are on starboard tack and headed for the window. The spanker sheet is attached using a Bousie [ pekabe]. It's big and ugly, so if possible a slip knot for the smaller forward sails that have  a common swing radius.  Here is real trial and error.

 

I should probably sail with this configuration.  The three remaining sails are the top staysails.  They are attached to the topmast stays and have sheets below the brace stays [ needing trip lines to raise for tacking]. I am not sure of the impact as I do not currently have plans for a 5th servo to trim them.  They shall definitely be on the model post sailing, so we shall see how this goes.  Perhaps if sailing is good, we can add them in the field so to speak and see how they work on a fixed set.

 

Another big question is timing on all the standing shrouds. Once they go in place, access is extremely difficult.  The masts are plenty strong, so it is an aesthetic issue. My thoughts are perhaps to add a pair [ top mast] only and try to sail.  If all is good then add the rest and sail again all in place.  I need to be sure i can come aboard later to add the nice things like windows and doors to the cabins, tackle blocks to booms etc.  Call it shake down.  

 

Anyway I have a lot to do now to get ready for last week in July when I hope to ready for a trial run.  Our summers are quite short here!

 

cheers 

[captainbob]

Hi Jond,  I'd sail it as is bet I certainly know that feeling to add more.  She looks fin and should sail well.

 

Your talk about Boothbay brought back fond memories of spending a couple days there in 1973 and eating lobster we bought form a shed out on the dock.

 

Bob

[Omega1234]

Hi Jond

 

Looking really nice with all those sails set. I agree with Bob, though. There's probably more than enough sail set to give a real turn of speed and excitement, without the need to further complicate things with more sails. Having said that, who am I to talk? I sailed my RC Boats in excess of 40 knot sea breezes and 3 foot high breaking waves....and the local RC Hobby shop loved me because I was forever replacing salt-water damaged winches, etc!

 

Rock on 'last week in July', because I'm keen to see the trial too.

 

All the best!

 

Patrick

Edited June 26, 2015 by Omega1234

[Jond]

Well another week or so has passed and a little more progress has been made. I worked on readjusting the rigging toward sailing and then logistics for transporting.

 

rigging

• I realized that for the topsails to ride the gaffs, both the fore and aft mast head bracing [ horizontal] and the top mast fore stays [ both in photo] needed to be removed.  I have removed, tagged and taped them for eventual reinstalling.
•  I then added the metal band connecting the cross tree tips. This detail reinforces the installation in real scale, but here also creates a seat for the spreaders.  I made up the spreaders and added them, so far on the foremast.  You can also see here where the outer jib halyard started out as a tied bass wood block and  quickly failed.  I have replaced it just like the main gaff halyards.  I have taken the Bluejacket stopped blocks and used 24 gauge copper wire shackles to connect directly to the wire bale.
•  Here you can see my scheme [ remember trial and error scheme] to sew one end of the shroud or stay and then slipknot the other end with a pair of surgeon knot ties.  After a trail sailing if all is well, I shall sew and seize the second end. Please also note I chose to direct tie the sheet to the forestaysail boom and not use a bousie like the other booms.  We'll see how that goes. I measured a 4 inch mid point here for this and the jib on a common servo. The other booms are all set at 6.5 inches. i assume that shall be reduced int he field and thus I used the Bousies.  Thus the sail is midway out at rest. I can either pull it in or let more out with the servo........sounds good anyway

much more work to go here.  I have tried to do the flying and outer jib sheets a few times and will make up my mind how to do before the first run.  My problem is  there is about a two inch overlap of this sail and I need to figure if simply adding 2 inches of slack in the leeward sheet is the right amount, so the servo does not snag and pull on the stay.

 

 

 

transport

 

• I went to the local farm and garden store and bought a wagon with 10 inch wheels. I put a plywood bed inside and will attach the strapped stand to it for transport. here it is just sitting int he wagon and we are pulling in a simple grass yard.  I now keep the model in this wagon as shown in my walk out study. It is a good height for work and the handle helps keep one away from the tip of the jib boom. So as long as the wagon stays clean it is just great.  
• i took many shots and share this one, a fun image in front of old glory taken on the 4th of July.
• here my pal and I are leaving the yard for the 800 foot trail up over a 50 foot high ridge to get to the dock.  My daughter is visiting and followed to .....comment.
• this is a nice part of the woods and all is good.  we tipped over twice going down some tricky parts, so there is definitely a need for a full crew to include enough hands to get there.  

fun

• I can't stop myself sometimes.  I realized that someday I need a yawl boat. Most available views [photos]  and designs are based on 1915 and after. Thus gas engines etc.are part of the deal.  I am not focusing on making this model 1894, and will eventually have one with simulated engine etc.  For now I chose to carve a block and cover it with canvas.  I am not sure that a cover is accurate but I felt I needed to respect the need of a yawl boat and a wood block would have looked..... dumb?
•  Here the assembly is roughed in.  I likely shall not sail with the yawl boat and therefore save the lines and lashing until later.

 

cheers 

[captainbob]

Looks like good sailing ahead.

 

Bob

[Omega1234]

Hi Jon

 

Looks like full-steam ahead and I can't wait until she hits the water under sail.

 

Looking forward to the next update.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited July 6, 2015 by Omega1234

[Jond]

well to all you computer guys out there.......I had an interesting problem this last weekend with my computer.  I caught that encryption virus. It went through McAfee like butter..... it locked all my data files.  Unfortunately my back up drive was connected to the computer and therefore the virus took it out too.  It even went into the drop box account I have for sharing and infected shared folders generated by others.  I hope I deleted them before anyone else went to get files.   I think all is well there.

 

Today I reformatted the computer and am starting over from scratch...

 

I wonder if I will start getting notices again for the logs I am following.  I stopped getting those notices months ago.  I learned from searching this forum site I am not alone with that problem

 

I lost all my pictures, pdf or ms office files for the last few years.  as luck would have it i cleared out my two cameras last week so no back up there either.  Fortunately for this build I have this log with selected shots and that is all.  Oh well many things in life are much more important.   It means I am starting again.....that has to be good .

 

Now to Charlie Notman

 

more time seems to be fixing than building these days as I build up nerve for the water.  

• Moving the boat the starboard bow sprit chain broke.  
• several clew lines and sheets all ripped off their pins
• retesting the servos and lines has been troubling, but I am pushing through.  
• The rudder just would not work,
• one sheet tie ring came off its loop below deck,  haven't got the fix yet
• I did get the final top mast says inplace

 

As RC folks must know, radios are made for planes not sail boats.  With two joy sticks one could have 4 servo actions but only one is slider [ the throttle]  I have made that the main sail control. I then spiced the lines so the foresail and jib are now a loop, so they move in theory half of the others. 3 inches vs 6 inches   That leaves the flying and outer jibs.  My plan today is to leave them on a third control only for coming about if required.  They will be fixed for most sailing pulled in a bit.  The action will be to take the right joystick which is up and down sliding for the throttle [ main sails] and then swing it either left or right to pull sail from one tack to the other, but the sails will not be trimmed, as when I let go the stick goes back to neutral.  Not sure that this will work.

 

 

more next week

[mtaylor]

Jon,

 

Sorry to hear about the Cryptovirus hitting you.  It's evades just about everyone's AV.  Bad news it is, and it comes from bad people...   On suggestion, after you re-format the back up drive... only plug it in when doing the backup.  Even then it hit you.   The IT types working on this are pulling their hair out.. it's that tough of malware to find and kill.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of your build.

[cog]

Jon,

 

As Mark wrote: Don't keep your backup attached ... well you found that out ...

 

I didn't loose my files, though I had a mainboard crash (PC) ... always look forward to that ... Currently getting things back in order. You know you can buy another mainboard, add memory, processor (if required a graphics card) and add your old disk drives. It will start up, look for new hardware drivers, the ones it can't find ... you just feed the CD from the new board and you're ready to go ... It does take some time - even if it sounds that easy.

 

Furthermore, I want to speed up that PC too, so I'll be trying to get my c: disk copied to a Solid State Disk ... curious as to whether that will work ... In the mean time, I'll tinker on an old laptop, which needs constant feeding (sounds like a babe!!)

Edited July 16, 2015 by cog

[captainbob]

Jon, sorry to hear about your computer problems.  I had to redo mine last year.

 

As for your radio, "but the sails will not be trimmed, as when I let go the stick goes back to neutral.  Not sure that this will work." On my old radio ti was easy to open it up and remove the return spring on the lever.

 

Bob

Edited July 16, 2015 by Cap'n'Bob

[Omega1234]

Jon, sorry to hear about your computer problems.  I had to redo mine last year.

 

As for your radio, "but the sails will not be trimmed, as when I let go the stick goes back to neutral.  Not sure that this will work." On my old radio ti was easy to open it up and remove the return spring on the lever.

 

Bob

 

I used to do the same with my transmitters as well.

[cog]

Jon, sorry to hear about your computer problems.  I had to redo mine last year.

 

As for your radio, "but the sails will not be trimmed, as when I let go the stick goes back to neutral.  Not sure that this will work." On my old radio ti was easy to open it up and remove the return spring on the lever.

 

Bob

 

Ah, but you would be transmitting constantly and the servo's would be using your batteries power. I would use a small motor to shorten and lengthen as required ... considering the size of your build, you do have some space below decks for that ...

 

Cheers

[captainbob]

Ah, but you would be transmitting constantly and the servo's would be using your batteries power. I would use a small motor to shorten and lengthen as required ... considering the size of your build, you do have some space below decks for that ...

 

Cheers

 

Just like for the radio you listen to, the transmitter is sending a signal all the time whether or not the person is talking.  Your RC transmitter is sending a signal all the time whether or not you are moving the levers.  As for the receiver it also is receiving the signal from the transmitter whether or not it is being told to change things.  the servo electronics are also operating waiting for a signal to turn right or left when it gets that signal the motor turns until a variable resistor in the servo balances the right/left signal and stops the motor at that point, which may or may not be at the end of travel.  so leaving the lever pushed over does not use any more battery than having it centered.  Take the spring out, you will not run down the batteries and will be able to control the sails.

 

Bob

[Jond]

guys

 

thanks for your comments on the radio. I am definitely over my head here.   

 

My son is coming from Arizona this week for the big sail. In Phoenix they use radios for RC tanks. They shoot each oher with infared....I think!  He rewires everything and looses me with the vocabulary, but I am using the first of his fixes

1. I bought on line a camera position controller made by Dionysus Design.   This little device plugs into the servo line just before the receiver.   the spring toggles are now track-able.  So the rudder is left and right and the flying jib is up and down
2. He said the toggle that "slides" for the throttle is a "lkjljkhlh".  He will bring one and show me how to change the other so both work the same.   I will still need one circuit on the controller if I use three controls. and two if i disconnect the foresail so it can have its own.

 

 

Anyway as I wait for the sail I have been adding lazarets and things to busy up the deck a bit and make it better for the photos.

 

  I also solved transport by stuffing it in my SUV and building a frame to cover the protruding bowsprit as I bungee cord the hatch down.  Fortunately I only have to drive about a mile or so depending on where I plan to sail. I took the ship to our yacht club men's sailing lunch to recruit interested folks to build some models.  I hope I caught some interest. I was competing with the real thing though.

 

again thanks for tips

Edited August 2, 2015 by Jond

[Jond]

Well it is finally time to sail.  Before we do however we need to test out logistics and tune up the radios.   To do this I have waited for my son's vacation.  He and I build hulls for classic pond yachts in 2001.  I was able to take them out and finish the radios, servos, buy sails and rigging and get them done last summer before starting the big schooner.  First of all we shall use them as the trial test.

 

trail test of sailing in our local pond

• here my son holds up one of the pond yachts. we have trimmed the radios...he showed me how to both trim and reduce the rotations.
• here we are off into the woods. The trail is about 800 feet to the dock.
• stage two is successful and I say repeatable as walking with these boats to the dock went OK
•  the first boat sailed successfully.  We chased it in our boat but actually were able to control it quite easily.
•   The second boat worked well too, and with a little added wind we were able to get it to sail right back to the dock.

final set up for the schooner

•   While trimming the servos and making final checks we found the loops failed as they should if overturned.  I raise here a couple of issues.  I was using rubber o-rings as I felt they would be weaker than rigging and better to give than a stay.  When several broke earlier, I upgraded to carbone rings made of soft plastic.  They are stronger than the rubber but fortunately broke before rigging. In the photo both the black rubber ring and the white plastic ring are broken.  Unfortunately, however the sheets for the flying jib sprung and went deep into the boat.  As also seen in the photo, I have undrilled the three sticks holding the forward pulleys [ that make up the servo loops]  to get all the way in to retrieve the sheets.  This can not be done in the field, and it took an hour or so to complete.
• I am embarrassed to admit this but all these months and not a few dollars into this, I added a safety line through the mid cabin port holes and around the mast below deck.  I attached 50# test fishing line and a few floats. Our pond gets up to 50' deep and well...you know.   [ as a follow up she sailed really well and I did not need and shall likely not include in the future with light wind.]
•  just to share more examples of oops.  For a moving model, the light rigging is so fragile.  Here the chain on the jib boom and martingale broke while the cart [ shown in early photos ] was moving too quickly and I reached out to stop it.

 

well next post  will be the successful sail.   we have celebrated.  

 

cheers 

Edited August 3, 2015 by Jond

[Jond]

this is a test posting to see if new windows 10 plus its browser edge work

 

 

we are loaded up and ready for the woods

•    Here we go into the "improved trail"
•   Here the trail gets a bit steeper
•   Ok lets carry up and over the ridge
•     wow that was fun......I slipped once on leaves.  well here we are at a rest stop. I can see the lake
•    We made it to the dock and attached the keel we are ready to try sailing

 

 

the tension is building...right?

 

cheers

[Omega1234]

Hi Jond

 

Yes...you're right. The tension is mounting! As a consequence, my fingers are crossed for a very successful voyage, (barring the odd teething problems).

 

I'm looking forward to your next update!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[mtaylor]

I'm with Patrick... trying to wait patiently...

[Jond]

OK  here we go

 

• First up is to get the radio on and the chase boat ready.  Our new Catspaw sailing dingy is just the thing for this small lake.
• it takes two to lift her into the water.
• Off she goes! Unfortunately the wind we had yesterday afternoon is not here yet today.  We must recall though I have read that the difference in this scale of speed is about 5 times.  Therefore perhaps light air is safe and good thing for the first time out.
•   With light air she drifted a bit south along the shore.
• Here we are chasing CHARLIE away from the shore.  Our Catspaw dingy is 12 feet long, so the size of CHARLIE is easy to see and enjoy.  Who is chasing whom?   This is one of the photos for my shop.
•   She jibed and then worked a bit off into the wind.
•   we got out a bit and she looked a bit better. 
• wow she got going a bit. I was trying to do video so not so many pictures.
•   we tried several times to come into the wind and she would not do it.  She did jibe well and quickly.  Today the light wind is not a good test of pointing.  We must remember in truth the bigger 5 and 6 masted schooners would sail one tack to Bermuda and then jibe 270 degrees [ ware around] to get on course for the Norfolk Virginia coal docks.
•   Ok shake down went sort of OK. We could not come about or point very well and had to tow back up wind.   More work on the radio-servos to trim up.  On the dock we ran out of juice playing to see how to improve the jibs, but I suggest that was due to not changing to fresh batteries before launch. I had pared two together, these servos require 6 volt batteries, and in the shop they last for a few days of testing.
• damages:​
  • one sheet came off each the main sail and the foresail. those were unglued knots. I had removed the Bousies at the last moment and simply tied them off.
  • some how while grabbing the stern, the wheel box and wheel broke loose. fortunately they stayed on board.
  • one turnbuckle came loose, but I saw it was not properly attached. [ it had broken loose the other day and I rushed the repair]

we took some video but are worse than amateurs in that area.  We will be on a friends dock in a few weeks and hopefully find more wind and be able to take some video worth sharing.  The focus of that next sail will be to point up a bit and hopefully come about. 

 

•   My wife caught this image of the carry back to the house.  My conclusion is that this boat [ ship] is not meant for sailing off our dock.  I am not saying no but probably unlikely.

 

In conclusion:  we need another test with more wind and to be sure we are getting sail trimming.  We shall continue to accept damage, but after a few more times need to decide the purpose of the boat.   I would love to finish the rigging and all the lines, and then windows and stove pipes etc.,  but that will end the sailing days.   The servos, sailing keel and stuff are the only added features, and once they are removed they can go into another boat.    That was my son's recommendation.   Make this one a good one to look at, that could sail and then make a more practical sailing schooner.   I have to think about it as I plan my next winter builds. 

 

cheers

 

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Jond

 

Congratulations for a successful shakedown cruise. She looked magnificent in the photos.

 

I understand what your son is saying about the keel and radio being used in a more "practical" ship, one than come about and tack. However, on the other hand, you've worked so hard on this ship, that not to see her in the water would be a pity.

 

All the more reason to ensure you get some great videos going so that we can all see!

 

Congrats, once again.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[captainbob]

She looks great on the water. Well done.

 

Bob

[Jond]

Ok here we are for our second sailing.  To get ready I did a shake down of the running gear. My focus was first time issues with  the sheets coming loose.  I secured them all  and got them all acting right.  Thus I felt more confident that I could pull them in tight and possibly get to go up into the wind. 

 

• Well here we go all stuffed into the car. Somewhere in this operation we lost one yawl boat davit and the head stay...oh well
• This is a great place to sail. It is less than 100 feet from the car to the dock.
•     We attached the keel and then lifted her up and into the water. It definitely takes two people to do this.
•    She took right off and after a  cheer I got quickly into the chase boat.
• On with the joy stick and wow she turns
• Ok fine for this maneuver and now the sails came right in like they should.
•   This point is as high to the wind as we can get. After several tries she would not come about,  so before hitting land we jibed giving up some turf.
•   We went back and forth about 4 times. It was always nice to watch but each time we had no ability to come up into the wind and each time slipping down the lake as we jibed around.
•   This clearly was my favorite shot as she is coming toward you.  A little photo shop with this image could be great fun.
• finally back at the dock.  the rear admirals are adding up style points.  They approved and a cold beer was enjoyed.

This time I gave my camera to my rear admiral. All I can say is video is not in our immediate family arsenal.  Some day we may get there but there are so many other things to do.

 

I have been  thinking a lot this past month and through this sailing experience as to what level to take Charlie now we coming out of sailing season.  It truly is a joy to watch her go, but it takes two or more people and chase boats, she won't come back to the dock on her own.......yet.  My current plan is to fix all the minor damage, add a few more missing details but not go to the next level that would prohibit taking her out again. Next year I will be getting smarter with radio sailing in general.   I have three other projects now starting and I need to have several boats " more practical" to sail.  Then I can better tackle  options to get her balanced.   example...remove the jibs and see if that helps come into the wind.   

 

I will be doing some other projects and open a new building log for them. I will make a post here after I start them.    I will update this log less frequently through the winter as I shall continue to fix things [ I have 6 more turn buckles to make , need to fix up all the rigging etc.  part of the struggle this summer is that it takes a bit to organize where to go and sail. I need other people and access to a chase boat.  I can always go to our yacht club, but it is better with a radio boat that with sail away and back to the dock.  Also let's face it; we all underestimate the number of things we must do in the summer and these are the fasted months of the year.  I will need another sailing season to try to sort it out before I finish this one up.    

 

 

cheers

[cog]

Looks fabulous Jon. Can imagine the rear admirals aproved! How couldn't they ...!

[Omega1234]

Hi Jon

 

I've loved following your every post, from start to finish, of your Charles. She looks absolutely fantastic in and out of the water. You've gotta be really chuffed!

 

Over the next few months, I hope that you can sort out the sailing problems so that she tack into the wind, thereby allowing her to come back to the shore.

 

Gotta say, though, I'm really looking forward to your new boats taking shape, as well!

 

Cheers and all the best

 

Patrick

[Jond]

It has been many months since I have worked on Charlie.  Since reviewing her sailing poor performance and the effort to get her around, I sort of retired her to the shop

 

•  here she sits since last September.

 

Now that I am done with heavy lifting on the BHOD sloops I have some time to catch up and see what I can do. Also my work style is to be happier if i am working on three or more things at a time.   Confusing to many but it is good for me.   Example  I am also doing research , building a fast kit etc on the BOWDOIN, my planned winter build for next year as well. too early to start a log though.

 

 

So I want to keep track of progress and problem solving on Charlie because as stated in the beginning of the log I hope to build replicas of at least one schooner built here in Boothbay Harbor. This is sort of an amateur practicum.  These updates will not be many or often but when I get some time I need to continue to make her look great.  More importantly I am learning more about these schooners so with some help I can build another better one.

 

 

come summer all things will be set down other than racing sloops for real sailing.

 

 

So what I am doing now is working on the planned back side of the model.  Thus as I building things I learn here and then when I turn her around starboard, the main display side, will get a second chance.  The first example is the head stays all need to be installed after I turn her around so they are in front of the sails.  I may have trip lines but they are really for display.   Also the top stay stay sails will be set after the standing rigging is completed. they fall out to port as well.

 

 

maybe I should reconsider the stationery aspect of all this  and make it possible to change tack for the display.

 

Regardless standing rigging is the next priority.

 

•   here I have added the missing shrouds and turnbuckles on the port side.  

 

Ratlines

 

there are many discussions and I even found a topic on this wed site on ratlines. The consensus was 15 inches for merchant vessels.  That would be 5/16 vs 1/4" in this scale.  I have many photos and I must say they look even taller in the photos.  On reason they could have been even taller is by this time there is only rare repairs that would require accessing the mast tops.  All sailing is done from the deck level.  Two detail books including the anatomy series on the four masters are all silent on this point.  i have chosen 15 inches and it look right to me.

 

Also with the advent of the turnbuckle and steel cable shrouds they ratlines were slats. I have chosen 1/32 x 1/16" strips to use and to tie and white glue them.  I believe CA is death on lines and the diluted white fabric glue works good and fast. it also dries clear .

 

•  I have decided to make a daily session.  on the low end I will add 12 ratlines.  it takes about an hour and is quite tedious.  also it lets the glue set up.  

 

•  here I have done two sessions. taking pictures helps because I see too much line after snipping.  I will need to come back with an ex-acto and trim better.  I imagine i could use smaller thread. I am using this size because every 5th ratline gets the line extended out to the sides. Also I think after I stain the ratlines darker, the black line will look OK.   we'll see

 

OK of the races 

 

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jond]

wow ratlines are not easy.

 

I got near the top of the first line and realized that no one could climb these because the shrouds were all gathered and too tight. i was at 1/4 inch and had ten to go.  oops

 

•  here I had cut out the top half of installed ratlines because the angle would not work.

I learned at this point too that putting on the slats with no stain caused another lessen learned.  the little bit of white glue inhibits the stain and I can not do the back side.  So next time stain all the slats!  I am glad I am doing the intended back side first. I also needed to order 1/16 x 1/32 stock. Oh my  7 dollars for material and 7 dollars to ship ?  

 

•  with the shrouds loosened, I was able to complete the first mast. I love the sailor's shadow on the sail

 

•  I even figured out how to approach this as a more successful production.   By staggering up to every fifth slat I could set a pattern as follows.
  • cut threads for all ties and then tie the surgeons knot loose for up to seven slats.They are tied and rady in the photo
  • measure and cut seven slats...yes pre-stained this time ...and lay then out as in the photo
  • dab of watered white glue and set the slat and pull tight the two threads, add another dab of glue and work up 

This way I could work two masts at a time.  I did two sessions each or up to 28 in one day.  As I got better it looks like a possible job to achieve time wise.

 

I realized however that even this approach was just not right, so I went back and dug out the more detailed plans for the Cora Cressy to see how this works.  yes the shrouds are bunched but only at the highest possible point as they come around the mast.  this is to keep the loops horizontal.  So on the third mast I carefully counted and saw that the top slats cover more shrouds.

 

•  Here I marked the paper pattern for the slats going up. first we cover to the forward shroud and then cover all 4.  let's see how they come out.

cheers