Bluenose II Build (Artesania Latina) 1:75 by Nomad [Completed Build]

DomCee said:
Hi again,

Some very stormy weather in the UK today, so I sat in my work room and have just put the finishing touches to the ship. I will take some pictures of the completed model and post them on the forum in a day or two. Having gone through the rigging process (hell) and adding all of the details that I could find, I thought to pass on some reference notes (in MS pdf printer format, so I hope they are readable) from my build which includes some snips of the rigging that I found really useful to see where everything goes! I hope you find it useful, good luck with the rigging!
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Hi DomCee, thanks for taking the time and trouble to comment and post all that valuable information, much appreciated. I checked my bookmarks of Bluenose II builds (I have a few) and realised that I had referred quite regularly to your build log during the course of the past few months. You have done a superb job with your model and the paintwork is particularly impressive, not to mention the bespoke modifications which I could only dream of. Your initial log petered out sometime in October '21 and I am glad to see that it lives on again in a second instalment. I look forward to the photos and picking up all the tips I can Thumbsup

I have noticed how AL's instructions diminish quite drastically in their second instruction booklet on masts and rigging, so any additional help and reference material is most welcome. I purchased Mastini's Ship Modelling Simplified when I began this hobby earlier in the year which, initially at least, helped me come to terms with all the mystifying nautical terminology. However the real value of the book is becoming more apparent now that I have been through some of the build processes he describes, and I at least now better understand the logic behind standing and running rigging :p

I note also that Mastini wasn't too keen on rigging sails on his ships - From The Sails, pg 93 of Part III, Masting and Rigging: "Why bother to spend hour upon hour painstakingly rigging your model and then cover everything with sails? Doesn't make much sense to me". So I guess that's another decision I will need to contemplate when I get to that point :)
 
Hi. I somewhat agree with Mastinis's comments about the rigging, it is the most difficult part of the build on a model sail ship. Simplifying the rigging does make life a lot easier and it doesn't really degrade the look of the model. I decided to go all-in (OCD?, definitely!), but it did take me quite some time researching and drawing up a rigging plan based on pictures and references so that I could do a full rig. The down side is that I have spent the last 7 weeks going very cross-eyed rigging the model. Rigging the masts off the ship as much as possible is a good idea. Once the rigging is on the ship, you need to be so careful not to snag or cross the lines. One thing I found was that the belays behind the dead-eyes are too thick and tall and need to be trimmed down otherwise you will find that the deadeyes will push against them and will not sit correctly when you tie the shrouds. I hope you decide to make some new sails for the model, I'm certainly glad that I did. I really did not like the ones that came in the kit. For me the sails were one of the reasons I wanted to do the BN. Being so prominent they really add the "wow" factor to the model. I found making a new set not to be that difficult to do. Once I had worked out all the sizes and angles I needed for each sail it only took me 3 evenings to mark-up, cut and sew all the sails - which as things go was really quick. I found some nice cloth from my local haberdashers which worked very well (a little on the thicker side than I would have liked but perfectly OK) or, you can easily buy sail cloth from model suppliers.

I will post some pictures of my build in the next day or so and also include a little post build review.
 
DomCee said:
Hi. I somewhat agree with Mastinis's comments about the rigging, it is the most difficult part of the build on a model sail ship. Simplifying the rigging does make life a lot easier and it doesn't really degrade the look of the model. I decided to go all-in (OCD?, definitely!), but it did take me quite some time researching and drawing up a rigging plan based on pictures and references so that I could do a full rig. The down side is that I have spent the last 7 weeks going very cross-eyed rigging the model. Rigging the masts off the ship as much as possible is a good idea. Once the rigging is on the ship, you need to be so careful not to snag or cross the lines. One thing I found was that the belays behind the dead-eyes are too thick and tall and need to be trimmed down otherwise you will find that the deadeyes will push against them and will not sit correctly when you tie the shrouds. I hope you decide to make some new sails for the model, I'm certainly glad that I did. I really did not like the ones that came in the kit. For me the sails were one of the reasons I wanted to do the BN. Being so prominent they really add the "wow" factor to the model. I found making a new set not to be that difficult to do. Once I had worked out all the sizes and angles I needed for each sail it only took me 3 evenings to mark-up, cut and sew all the sails - which as things go was really quick. I found some nice cloth from my local haberdashers which worked very well (a little on the thicker side than I would have liked but perfectly OK) or, you can easily buy sail cloth from model suppliers.

I will post some pictures of my build in the next day or so and also include a little post build review.
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Hello Domcee, Nomad,

Having recently done the rigging and sail install on a Bluenose myself, I found it was more time consuming than difficult. Let me explain. To me the standing rigging, shrouds and stays, is rather straightforward, the ratlines is the worrying part in that it takes forever to complete and yes, you have to be careful not to clip shrouds or stays (personal experience). I had to redo some shrouds, because the distance between the deadeyes was not uniform and I also redid several lanyards, because the rope I used was fluffy.
The bowsprit was first to receive it's rigging, followed by the foremast and concluded by the main mast.
For my model I had to use the standing rigging to align the masts and keep them fixated, since the mast holes were just a tad oversized. That was the most complex issue I had to deal with for the standing rigging.
For the running rigging I used the method of one sail at the time, working from bow to stern and from the deck to the top. For the belaying of all running rigging I mainly used the Billing Boats plans, but for the odd rope I had to improvise (AL-FI).
For whatever rigging I was dealing with, I kept in mind what purpose any rope had; was it for hoisting or lowering the sail, or for setting the sail. During my build I discovered that not all rigging was present on my model, for instance the rigging to hoist the dories (and fishbaskets) is missing. I considered to add this rigging, but in the end decided against it because at that point in time I decided it was not adding value to the model. My next build will be a POF Bluenose, I'll possibly reconsider that decision for this build.
Crossing lines is a valid worry and since most plans are vague at best, you almost certain will have to perform some rerouting of some lines. As long as ropes haven't been fixed with a drop of glue, no worries! And otherwise a pair of scissors work wonders.
Currently I'm following a number of builds of 17th, 18th century ships. Whenever I take a look at the amount and complexity of the rigging of those ships, I feel utterly and completely out of my league.
Back to the Bluenose, yes, it has a substantial amount of rigging, but if you're able to understand the function of each and every piece of rigging, it becomes a lot easier to stomach (but unfortunately no less time consuming).
So take a day or two to face your anxiety and than just go for it, this journey is definitely worth it's goal!

Johan

PS I pre-installed both the main- and the fore sails to the masts, booms and gaffs, because I assumed accessibility issues later on. I still think it was a good idea, but maybe next time I'll forego on the sail-to-mast attachment, since I did encounter accessibility issues later on in the build, and yes, that was because of the pre-installed sails. Recently I added furled sails to a model of the Scottish Maid and that turned out to be a royal pain in some of the more sensitive areas of the human anatomy...
Sails to booms and gaffs may be your best bet.
 
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Ah - the rat lines! Yes they took ages, worst part of the rigging experience, I counted 328 clove hitches, each tied with tweezers whilst avoiding all the other rigging and then each locked in place with CA. I could only do a few lines at a time and then had to stop and come back to it later.

For tying the shrouds and getting all the deadeyes at the same level I have seen a few methods. I tried the pieces of wire through the holes method but I found that was very fiddly and the wires kept moving so I made a couple of jigs using some scrap wood and pieces of brass wire so that they could be pushed in from behind. I pushed the pegs into the lower dead-eye and then tied one upper dead-eye and put that on the jig. You can then place the other jig and dead-eye on the next position run the line around the mast top and bring it down to the other jig. It was then very easy to adjust the tension and seize the two lines together at the top and around the second deadeye without anything moving. I could then remove the shrouds from the jig and do the remaining pairs in exactly the same way. You can then leave the shrouds out off the way and do all the other rigging. When you lash the pairs of deadeyes together they will all pull to the same length (just make sure the lines go to the same position you tied them in!). I made the pins about 7mm long so that they could be bent a little if they did not line up with the holes in the dead-eyes
IMG_4409.JPG
PS. I put the pictures of my model up on the forum as Part 3.
 
Hi Johan and DomCee, thank you for your valuable advice. I am sure it will all come in very useful and I especially like the jig to line up the deadeyes and assemble the shrouds. It seems to me there are a few key points I can take away from your experiences, viz. the sequence in which rigging is done, to do as much of the rigging as possible off-site, that the installation of rat-lines is not a walk in the park, that the supplied sails are probably inadequate, that I will likely cross rigging wires at some point and that I will require an enormous amount of patience to get through it all :p

I do like the idea of furling the sails. I would have thought that it might be an easier option than committing to a full rigging of the sails and I would be interested to know, Johan, why it had such an adverse effect on your anatomy ROTF

But if nothing else I will take on board that rigging is something of a delicate operation and to give it the respect it deserves. I must still come to terms with the science behind running rigging in particular, as I am sure this alone is half the job. For now though I am still at the tapering-masts stage of the process and I will contemplate all this good advice while I tackle all these other new concepts such as trestletrees, boom rests and mast caps Thumbsup
 
I will look forward to seeing the finished model on the forum. I've only done 3 ships, and it's all still a learning exercise for me ( I hope to do a full rigged model in the future, but the thought of all that rigging is really daunting!). You have done a super job on the hull so I'm sure the rigging will will turn out great however you decide to do it.
 
PS. one last thing, I made the mistake of tying my first pair of shrouds on one side first, so when I came to tie the opposite side, the shrouds were not evenly tensioned. You need to make two sets of the jigs and tie off the opposing port and starboard pairs at the same time to avoid pulling the mast unevenly (obvious in hindsight, but at least I only had to redo one run!).
 
DomCee said:
PS. one last thing, I made the mistake of tying my first pair of shrouds on one side first, so when I came to tie the opposite side, the shrouds were not evenly tensioned. You need to make two sets of the jigs and tie off the opposing port and starboard pairs at the same time to avoid pulling the mast unevenly (obvious in hindsight, but at least I only had to redo one run!).
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Thanks for the warning DomCee! Maintaining the tension equilibrium makes perfect sense. I already have the construction of those little jigs on my to-do list, so I'll simply add a 'x2' to the entry Thumbsup
- Mark
 
It seems that the process of rigging a ship begins with the masts, so I gathered together some of the bits and bobs that attach to the mainmast, foremast and their respective topmasts.

0565_20211209_bluenose_II_build.jpg

Assembling the trestletrees was easy enough, and probably a good place to start as part of their function is to link the lower and topmasts together.

0570_20211209_bluenose_II_build.jpg

It seems there are many ways to taper masts by way of lathes, drills, wood planes, files and sandpaper. I invested in a small hobby plane at the start of this build but don't trust my skill in using it properly yet, and resorted to tapering the masts by hand using fine sandpaper instead. I followed the same technique as Artesania demonstrate in a video that came with the kit. They break down the area to be tapered into equidistant sections and start by planing the end section first, then the second last section as well as the end section just planed, and so on until all sections are complete. This effectively creates a taper from the final section to the first (top of the mast) section. I emulated the technique with sandpaper and it seemed to work out ok :p (wipes brow)

0575_20211209_bluenose_II_build.jpg
 
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Both topmasts require a block at their base to secure it into the trestletree assembly. As with some of the smaller deck items I inserted a 1mm wire dowel into the block and bottom of the mast to strengthen the bond.

0580_20211209_bluenose_II_build.jpg

It is for these types of exercises (and many more to come I am sure) that I found the use of a magnifying glass invaluable. It helps to reduce the three holes that I see close up to the single hole that actually exists in the mast block ROTF

0585_20211209_bluenose_II_build.jpg

Topmast base blocks installed.

0590_20211209_bluenose_II_build.jpg
 
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GrantTyler said:
Came out well Mark. I’m also thinking how to do my mast and booms. Gonna have to hand sand them as well (tool limited )and your method may be something I can attemptThumbsup
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I used to put mine in a drill (wrap with masking tape to prevent damaging the end in drill), and then turn while filing or sanding. You have to stop to let it cool off, will get hot and burn your hand, as I support the end with my hand while removing material. :p
 
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Nomad said:
Hi Johan and DomCee, thank you for your valuable advice. I am sure it will all come in very useful and I especially like the jig to line up the deadeyes and assemble the shrouds. It seems to me there are a few key points I can take away from your experiences, viz. the sequence in which rigging is done, to do as much of the rigging as possible off-site, that the installation of rat-lines is not a walk in the park, that the supplied sails are probably inadequate, that I will likely cross rigging wires at some point and that I will require an enormous amount of patience to get through it all :p

I do like the idea of furling the sails. I would have thought that it might be an easier option than committing to a full rigging of the sails and I would be interested to know, Johan, why it had such an adverse effect on your anatomy ROTF

But if nothing else I will take on board that rigging is something of a delicate operation and to give it the respect it deserves. I must still come to terms with the science behind running rigging in particular, as I am sure this alone is half the job. For now though I am still at the tapering-masts stage of the process and I will contemplate all this good advice while I tackle all these other new concepts such as trestletrees, boom rests and mast caps Thumbsup
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For the pitch between the deadeyes I used a very simple 2-pin jig. Very cumbersome. Next time I'll take on board the 6-pin design Domcee shared.

The furling itself is not complex, there are quite a few videoclips out there showing how it could be done. The royal pain was that all riggin, yards, gaffs, booms and mastrings were already in place. That meant accessibility issues. One better attaches the sails to the yards, booms or gaffs, prior to attaching those mast parts.
 
DomCee said:
Ah - the rat lines! Yes they took ages, worst part of the rigging experience, I counted 328 clove hitches, each tied with tweezers whilst avoiding all the other rigging and then each locked in place with CA. I could only do a few lines at a time and then had to stop and come back to it later.

For tying the shrouds and getting all the deadeyes at the same level I have seen a few methods. I tried the pieces of wire through the holes method but I found that was very fiddly and the wires kept moving so I made a couple of jigs using some scrap wood and pieces of brass wire so that they could be pushed in from behind. I pushed the pegs into the lower dead-eye and then tied one upper dead-eye and put that on the jig. You can then place the other jig and dead-eye on the next position run the line around the mast top and bring it down to the other jig. It was then very easy to adjust the tension and seize the two lines together at the top and around the second deadeye without anything moving. I could then remove the shrouds from the jig and do the remaining pairs in exactly the same way. You can then leave the shrouds out off the way and do all the other rigging. When you lash the pairs of deadeyes together they will all pull to the same length (just make sure the lines go to the same position you tied them in!). I made the pins about 7mm long so that they could be bent a little if they did not line up with the holes in the dead-eyes
View attachment 274122
PS. I put the pictures of my model up on the forum as Part 3.
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The jig is a good idea. I personally would leave the lower pin of the out of the two goups, as the two upper pins would retain the deadeye in the correct position.
The only problem with the jig is that the holes in the deadeyes must all have the same distance to each other. Maybe the difference in the holes can be compensated by tapering the pins, thus taking up any dimensional differences. Just a thought.

Trevor
 
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