Heller Nina shrouds and ratlines?

Google is your friend.

You're right; Heller rigging instructions are notoriously awful.  As the differences between those modern reconstructions emphasize, scarcely anything is known for sure about Columbus's ships - or any other ships of the period.  That's especially true regarding rigging.  It's possible that she had ratlines, or a simple rope ladder running up to the top - or no such rigging at all.  Sailors in the era of the sailing ship had to be pretty athletic types; it's entirely possible that they got up there by shinning up the shrouds.

A quick look through Cogs, Caravels, and Galleons:  The Merchant Ship, 1000-1650 (the relevant volume of the Conway's History of the Ship series,) yielded several contemporary representations of ratlines on shrouds in paintings and seals that have been dated as far back as 1400.  None of the pictures of Spanish or Portuguese caravels in that book shows ratlines, but I wouldn't regard that as definitive.  The one known (more or less) contemporary Spanish model, the famous "Matero ship," doesn't have ratlines, but it's so simplified and primitive in workmanship that it certainly shouldn't be taken as a definitive guide to such details. 

Some of those contemporary illustrations appear to show ratlines stretching all the way across the full gang of shrouds; some seem to show the ratlines rigged only to three shrouds.  Still others show separate rope ladders - sometimes with what appear to be wood "rungs."  In any case the vertical spacing between ratlines, though different sources give different rules about it, seems to have been somewhere in the vicinity of a foot during all periods. 

My suggestion:  take a look at those pictures to which Division 6 was kind enough to link us, pick the one you like best, and use it as your guide.  Nobody will be able to say you're wrong. 

Thank you jtilley and division 6 for your replies. I think I will forego ratlines in order to speed up my ship build. I think the model is attractive as pictured and it will give me something to talk about when I show it off. I did notice that the photos division 6 linked showed more masts than my Heller model and some of the sails appear to be set square. It sure is fun learning about these ships. Thanks again.

Devin 

The reason for the differences in rig are that one the outward voyage, in the Canary Islands, Columbus had the Nina rerigged from a "caravela lateena" to a "caravela rodunda."  (I may have butchered the Spanish; sorry.)  He was anticipating prevailing winds from the east during the trip across the Atlantic, and figured the square rig would be more practical.

Quite a mass of literature has been devoted to Columbus, and to reconstructions of his ships.  To my personal notion, though, the first book to read is still Samuel Eliot Morison's Admiral of the Ocean Sea.  It's the work that really established Morison as one of the great historians, and is as beautifully written as it is researched.  Pick it up and you'll find it hard to put it down.

Hi Devin,

About a year ago the "current" version of the NINA came to visit Baton Rouge, LA. and I got a ton of pictures, maybe they will help. Although no one knows if this version is correct, eh, it's a boat, close enough! ;)

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/561939307IiuHlP

Jake

Thank you Jake. This is a great help. I noticed that there are no guns on the deck of the reconstruction. My model was equipped with two small cannon. Were these actually on the ship? What colors should I paint them? jtilley, I am astonished about this change of sails. I had never considered that this was done. So my ship will be an "outbound" model. My friends will be amazed at my nautical knowledge, even if they are underwhelmed by my modeling skill. Thank you for your help. I am becoming sensitive to my ignorance of Columbus's voyage and I will definately read that book.

Devin