18th Century Longboat Model Expo 1:48

[Rob444]

The shroud was then (Alas without elegance) seized with a smaller piece of thread. I have a lot of trouble seizing the lines. The thread tends to want to unwindand it hard to set into place. Any pointers would be very gratefully accepted!

The other shroud line was treated the same.

 

[GrantTyler]

The deadeye claw was used to set the distance to the other deadeye on the shroud.
View attachment 466522
The shroud was wrapped around the other deadeye, held in place by a dab of UV glue.
View attachment 466523

Good morning Rob. I just learnt something new- I never heard of a deadeye claw- now I know. It all these details which make for a fine model- nice. Cheers Grant

 

[Rob444]

Good morning Rob. I just learnt something new- I never heard of a deadeye claw- now I know. It all these details which make for a fine model- nice. Cheers Grant

Thank you Grant, This deadeye claw is a good way (at least for me) to set the distances to be equal between shroud lines. I will know for sure when I, hopefully, am able to tie the lower and upper deadeyes together.

 

[Rob444]

In order to better seize the lines I used a "helping hand" to hold the lines taught as I wrapped the smaller line around the shrouds.



You can see how the deadeye was glued to the line and now I am preparing to wrap the line.

 

[Rob444]

Here are all 4 shroud lines seized. I have to say every time I did it it got a bit better looking. The seized lines had a dab of UV setting glue on them to prevent them coming loose.

 

[Rob444]

Well the first time I have laced deadeyes together. I have done 4 so far, these are the first 2. I think by the time I get to 100 of them I will have it down!

For some reason, even using the deadeye claw to keep the distance the same, the lenghts of th lashings on one side are longer than the other side. At least the shrouds appear to be under tension and straight.

 

[Rob444]

Next up was making chain plates for the backstays. Measuring off the plans I set up the jewelry wire jig so the pegs were 10mm apart. I again used the supplied 28 gauge wire which was wrapped around the pegs.


I then used needle nose pliers to crimp them into a tight fit around the pegs and cut the wire to length using side cutters.

 

[Rob444]

Two chain plates were made.


They were then silver soldered.


After that excess solder was filed away and the chain plates made flat.

 

[Rob444]

Next two 1/8inch single blocks were seized using 28 gauge wire.



Two hooks were made using 24 gauge wire, using a mandril to wind the looks around.

 

[Rob444]

The hooks were then passed through the excess wire, the wire twisted and the excess trimmed away.

 

[Roger Pellett]

I’m a new member of SOS so missed Alan’s comments about the mainsheet horse aka traveler. The forces affecting a sailboat are the same today as they were in the 1700’s so the physics of sailing a boat today are the same.

These boats were equipped with a large powerful mainsail. With the tiller swinging over the traveler it would have fouled the mainsheet every time the boat tacked. In anything other than a near dead calm moving the mainsheet around the foreword end of the tiller while tacking would have been impossible.

I have sailed on dozens of different sail boats from a Sunfish to a 40’ Screamer. When a boat tacks it is vulnerable because without forward motion the force vectors are broadside and “over she goes!.” I have the capsizes to prove this.

I cannot explain decisively why the traveler on the Medford model is arranged as it is but I suspect that sometime during its long life, the model was rerigged by someone who was not a sailor.

Roger

 

[GrantTyler]

The hooks were then passed through the excess wire, the wire twisted and the excess trimmed away.

View attachment 468036

Good morning Rob. You attention to detail on this boat is commendable and certainly has added to this model. Those hooks. I would try make them smaller if you can.

Well the first time I have laced deadeyes together. I have done 4 so far, these are the first 2. I think by the time I get to 100 of them I will have it down!
View attachment 467885
For some reason, even using the deadeye claw to keep the distance the same, the lenghts of th lashings on one side are longer than the other side. At least the shrouds appear to be under tension and straight.

View attachment 467886

Love the last pic-
Cheers Grant

 

[Rob444]

I’m a new member of SOS so missed Alan’s comments about the mainsheet horse aka traveler. The forces affecting a sailboat are the same today as they were in the 1700’s so the physics of sailing a boat today are the same.

These boats were equipped with a large powerful mainsail. With the tiller swinging over the traveler it would have fouled the mainsheet every time the boat tacked. In anything other than a near dead calm moving the mainsheet around the foreword end of the tiller while tacking would have been impossible.

I have sailed on dozens of different sail boats from a Sunfish to a 40’ Screamer. When a boat tacks it is vulnerable because without forward motion the force vectors are broadside and “over she goes!.” I have the capsizes to prove this.

I cannot explain decisively why the traveler on the Medford model is arranged as it is but I suspect that sometime during its long life, the model was rerigged by someone who was not a sailor.

Roger

Roger I agree entirely with what you say. This is actually mentioned in the instructions.

"Up to the mid-18thcentury, the horse was positioned as shown on the model.This presented a problem while sailing, as the tiller would get in the way. It wouldn’t allow the block to slide effortlessly from one side to the other.


To remedy this, during the second half of the 18th century,they started making the horse so it actually spanned over the tiller. You may opt to do so as well.
But since this model is inspired by several contemporary longboat models in the NMM, it was created as shown on those models. These contemporary models represent the horse prior to the improvement being made."

 

[Rob444]

Good morning Rob. You attention to detail on this boat is commendable and certainly has added to this model. Those hooks. I would try make them smaller if you can.

Love the last pic-
Cheers Grant

You are right Grant, I was not happy with the hooks I will try to make them smaller.

 

[Rob444]

Following Grants advice, I did constructed another set of hooks using smaller gauge wire that are significantly smaller.

 

[Rob444]

The backstay has two single blocks seized to each end. There is running rigging with that attaches to the blocks with the hooks, which are in turn hooked to the chain plates.

I decided to seize the backstay lines (the black thread) and the running rigging (tan thread) to the single block by using wire twised around the single block and the lines.

I then cut the excess wire away,


I then seized the end of the black kine to the single block.



I will do the same thing to the tan line.

 

[Rob444]

I was not happy with the length of the hooks I made and shortened them.



Then chain plates were then installed onto the boat

 

[Rob444]

The back stays were then seized to the mast and help in place with glue. The line from the blocks of the chainplates were then laced through the blocks with the hooks. They were hooked to the chainplates and put under tension.


The lines were then held in place with a dab of glue in the backstay blocks

 

[Rob444]

The backstays were made tight and the ends secured to the hooks.




2 coiled lines were made and secured onto the bottom of the backstays.

 

[Rob444]

I had run out of black rigging line so I used O suture material that I have available. After seizing the line to the mast, I seized a deadeye onto the other end.