soleil royal build

no worries capn!!

finally finished adjusting all the lower shrouds" />

started the ratlines ,  could someone tell me if the ratlines go up past the futtock shrouds please . " />

Steve-

It's true, Anderson's book can seem more academic than practical, given the format (lots of text, very small illustrations)....and I had some trouble deciphering it at first.

But let me say that once I leafed through it a couple of times, starting adding bookmarks, etc., I now find it very easy to understand, and I have learned more about rigging from this era (and in general) than I have from probably any other book.  Give it some time, and once you start understanding more of the terminology, it will be a very valuable tool.

It's actually packed with tons of info in a small space.

She's looking very nice, keep up the good work!

I'm just starting on my mainmast shrouds today...

DavidK

The answer to the question about ratlines and futtock shrouds is, for once, pretty simple: No. But ratlines are rigged to the futtock shrouds.

Two reasons. One - at the top of the mast the shrouds are so close together that ratlines wouldn't work. Two - there'd be no good reason for anybody to climb up there. If you want to get into the top you climb the ratlines on the futtock shrouds (hanging backwards).

The hole in the top through which the shrouds pass is called (in English) the "lubber's hole." The old story is that an untrained seaman might be scared to climb the ratlines on the futtock shrouds, and sneek into the top via the lubber's hole - thereby earning a thrashing from any mate or petty officer who saw him.

Steve5 - I was interested in your statement that you'd downloaded the Anderson book. May I ask what the website was? I wasn't aware that it was on the web.

thankyou prof jtilley ,it also saves me a lot of work , the book I just got off of kindle it wasn't very dear , and dave I'm still having trouble deciphering it lol ,never was very good at school

steve

It is looking really good, Steve. That is one heck of a ship.

One of the motley crew here posted a go pro type video made by someone climbing to the topmost cross trees of the CWM. Shouldn't be hard to find on YouTube.

Good stuff including the part where the decision happens in reference to the above. Look up, look down (always a bad idea), look back up, sigh, oh *** moment, unsnap the lifeline from the shroud and move up to the topmost shroud lanyard.

Also note various busted ratlines here and there.

Stupid iPhone thinks ships have mosts, topmosts and topgallantmosts...

hahahaha!!

thank's steve

" />I think it was don who said it takes your fingers a while to re-learn tying these knot's , he was right . it took me till about half way up , to start feeling comfortable , and start getting them neater

Nice work on your shrouds and ratlines Steve! She is looking sweet.

Steve

thank's  steve , I nearly wrote streve lol , coming from you that's a nice compliment .

all the lower ratlines are now finished , to the best of my ability anyway ., not sure where to procede from here , upward or start the bowsprit yards and lower mast yards , any insight would be very appriciated ." />

Comming along nicely....I would finish the masts and the next level of shrouds/ratlines..before you tackle the yards...they get in the way actually.  Plus you can focus on the yard rigging when off ship.

Rob

sounds like a plan , thank,s rob .

rwiederrich

Comming along nicely....I would finish the masts and the next level of shrouds/ratlines..before you tackle the yards...they get in the way actually.  Plus you can focus on the yard rigging when off ship.

 

Rob

 

I would have done that gmorrison , but thank's for the reminder . I have been known to get ahead of myself , lol .

crows feet are in , " />

Hey Steve, it looks like that I am not the only person getting much sleep tonight. 

That is nice work that you are doing. She is a real beauty...

thank's steve  , I really enjoy this part of the build , have to admit I'm not 100% sure ,of what I'm actually doing . but I enjoy it . can't wait to see more of your build my friend .

I would love to see more of don's beautiful build too .  don!!??

not sure if this is the way the rails went , or even if they had them , but I like the look of them ." />

decided to make my own stirrup's out of 30 gauge wire . they are bent up behind and super glued in ." />

Steve,

Those crow's feet came out great! Very nicely done sir. A question on the stirrups. I remember reading Anderson when I was starting to rig my Mayflower way back when, and I read that in 1620, footropes were not used...... However, I cannot remember when they were introduced and especially in the French Navy.

That being said, it's your ship and if the Captain says rig footropes then go for it. Also, I REALLY like the way you scratched those stirrups!

Steve

thank's steve , it's starting to sound like there's an echo in here  lol ., the tool for the wire stirrup's I got the idea from paul budzig , god that man's good , as far as them going on , I just followed the instruction's . I had no idea that they might not be on the ship . perhap's the prof. can help.,?

Well, since you asked...probably not.

As usual, the Anderson book is your best guide. I don't have my copy in front of me, but I believe it says that foot ropes appeared pretty late in the seventeenth century, and stirrups quite a fe years later.

Old master paintings often show seventeenth-century sailors straddling the yards to work on the sails. Not a job I'd want.

Modern replicas often do have footropes, for the sake of safety. But they're really anachronisms.

Hmmm;

 I think you are right on target .Are you going to apply for a job restoring Museum Miniatures when you are done? That is so sweet, it would make a great three dimensional resume !  T.B.

I don't want to sidetrack the thread either, but I feel like I need to reply to the last two posts.

TB, there's no way I'm going to try to get a job restoring ship models at this point in my life. I got my fill of that during the three years I worked in a maritime museum. I got to work on quite a variety of models, ranging from huge 1/48 builders' models to WWII 1/1200 recognition models to the notorious Crabtree models. The one that made me most nervous was a bone POW model from the Napoleonic Wars. I was scared that if I breathed on it, the rigging (made from human hair) would fall apart. If somebody makes me aware of a particularly interesting restoration project I'll consider doing it on a contract basis, but otherwise my retirement models will be for my own pleasure.

By the way, I'm aware of only four maritime museums in the world that actually have full-time modelers on their permanent staffs: The National Maritime Museum in London, the Nederlands Schipvaart Museum in Amsterdam, the Prinz Hendrik Maritime Museum in Rotterdam, and the Naval Academy in Annapolis. There may be a few others, but the vast majority farm their work out - or get it done by volunteers, or part-timers. (I really was one of the latter at the Mariners' Museum. I was a full-time curator who spent some of my time restoring ship models. I have no training as an actual conservator. The difference between a curator and a conservator is enormous.)

Ejhammer, I'm more deeply flattered than I can tell you. That book is thirty years old; that ANYBODY is still reading it makes my day, week, and month.