Making it tight

In fact a truly accurate ship model would have a combination of taut rigging (usually the standing rigging ) that holds the masts up and transfers the wind power down to the hull; and the running rigging (that positions the sails ) that position same to capture the power and transfer it to the standing rigging and the hull in the water.

Running rigging would be taut on the windward side of the sail or yard and slack on the leeward.

But, modeling slack rope is really difficult. The old ship models in museums did it, plenty of sites in the British and French museums show same.

First thing is to wax your string.

Then set up your standing rigging with a thought about how the real thing worked.

I recommend a good book easy to find named something like;

https://www.amazon.com/Neophyte-Shipmodellers-Jackstay-George-Campbell/dp/B0007E9G0E

Bill

"

I have some really old pictures of commercial ships tied up at docks in New York, or anchored just offshore.  What was amazing to me was the disarray of rigging and yards.  Yards were not parallel or atwhart ship, they were pointing all over the place, and much of the rigging was quite slack.

I am assuming naval ships would not have such a slack appearance, however.

We also have the eternal battle of realism vs art.  Even if some rigging could be realistically loose, the ship looks better taunt.  Also, has anyone else ever heard an old saying that a convention is naval ship models displayed without sails, commercial ones with sails?

Make sure the lines are as tight as you make it.   

Aha! The eternal situation!

        Do know this. When you set your masts, make sure they are true and straight. Then decide which way you want to display her. Some ships are displayed,"Yards Akimbo" This means they are displayed as the ship at the pier in maybe wintering over. Then the yards are severely tilted to let rain and snow melt runoff, to clear the surface of the yards and not sit in the age cracks and freeze thus weakening the yards. All sails are removed at this time for repair or just airing at the Sail Loft.

 You will find many times that when you see, say the " Flying Cloud" she's displayed with a full suite of sails. Not so with say the Victory or Constitution. The Navies of the world had to keep their crews busy.hence bare yards. About 75% of the crew knew how to wield a Sail Needle and Palm for sewing and repairing sails. Below Decks. In Ports. Commercial ships didn't always have the time to do this so they did it on the fly. Tensioning now, this is a trick I learned. When you rig your stays let them be "soft but not sagging.Then follow through with the rest.

 The " Standing Rigging"(That which supported the masts) was, to the eye Taught! Not so. There is a little inherent sag you could see as the ship sat there. As she rolled from side to side the rigging on the outer side of the roll would hold taught, then relax as she rolled the other way. Too tight and over time the rigging or mast would fail.

 When you rig the yards the same holds true. Just a little softness is what you want. Tight but not Taught in a model only!. As you rig, remember from the Deck up. Always get to the point that it looks tight, but is Not interferring with any other line causing it to spring taught!