I hope to be done within a month, including sails! Then it's Bluenose time!
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2019
- Messages
- 495
- Points
- 323
I suspect that’s why they used toggles everywhere. I will get good at rigging them!
Just adding to your skill repertoire. I think these toggles will look great when you are finished. I kind of envy you this opportunity.
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2019
- Messages
- 495
- Points
- 323
Fascinating. Thanks for the detailed view of this rigging method.
I’m showing the method of doing the shroud lines for anyone who may decide to build this ship. It is so different from square sails!
Appreciate the details 
Ok after making the shroud pendants for the main mast, it was time to attach them.
they have hoops that are hooked on to the upper woolding...so I glue one end of the woolding rope, make one wrap and slide them on one side in the correct order...
then I tape them to the mast to keep them pulled down and next to one another. Then I put a dab of glue on the front and glue the rope there and then load them on the other side in reverse order (mirrored). Then I run another wrap in the loop again and glue down the end of the woolding rope.
then I add the lower woolding rope on top of them, add a little glue to hold everything in place.
Then it’s time to glue the mast in...
that done I move on to the pulleys that raise the main yard.
build them off the ship...
then I run the rope through the mast for raising the main yard, that hooks to the upper pulley. This holds the pulley assembly loosely in place while I glue the eye pins into the deck behind the mast.
now to let this dry and then I will tension the yard lines and pulley assy. This I do by hanging a weight on the end of the yard lines. At that point I will glue the lines where they go through the mast. That way when dry I can take weight off and lines will stay tight awaiting the yard assy!
Now making the rest of the pulley sub assemblies for doing the shroud lines.
See you next time!
they have hoops that are hooked on to the upper woolding...so I glue one end of the woolding rope, make one wrap and slide them on one side in the correct order...
then I tape them to the mast to keep them pulled down and next to one another. Then I put a dab of glue on the front and glue the rope there and then load them on the other side in reverse order (mirrored). Then I run another wrap in the loop again and glue down the end of the woolding rope.
then I add the lower woolding rope on top of them, add a little glue to hold everything in place.
Then it’s time to glue the mast in...
that done I move on to the pulleys that raise the main yard.
build them off the ship...
then I run the rope through the mast for raising the main yard, that hooks to the upper pulley. This holds the pulley assembly loosely in place while I glue the eye pins into the deck behind the mast.
now to let this dry and then I will tension the yard lines and pulley assy. This I do by hanging a weight on the end of the yard lines. At that point I will glue the lines where they go through the mast. That way when dry I can take weight off and lines will stay tight awaiting the yard assy!
Now making the rest of the pulley sub assemblies for doing the shroud lines.
See you next time!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2019
- Messages
- 495
- Points
- 323
Lookin good, Dean.
Thanks for the full explanation.
Its a complex beast to rig. Requires you to re think the whole process. The spars & sails running rigging are a fun challenge. Definately Add the sails to the yards first. Due to their size and the complex mast shroud process, sewing the sails on post install will be a nightmare. Pre attached its easy to pass through and pin the yards in place. You will also need to adjust the spar angle for the sail base to sit square. This is much easier with the sail attached.
Last edited:
My next build is HMS Fly, I bought a book specifically on rigging Swan class sloops so hopefully I’ll get it right. 
@paulv1958
Thank you very much for the advice. That makes good sense. This is a first with the strange shroud line rigging! Having fun with the main mast now! Lateen sails are so different from square sails. And I thought this would be easier...lol
Today’s fun!
I made all of the pulley sub assemblies for one side of the main mast shroud lines.
then I attached the toggle lines in their appropriate locations
then I attached the sub assemblies to the appropriate toggles...
I made all of the pulley sub assemblies for one side of the main mast shroud lines.
then I attached the toggle lines in their appropriate locations
then I attached the sub assemblies to the appropriate toggles...
Last edited:
Next step was to start rigging each shroud line working left to right so I could reach in to tie off. Being right handed it made the most sense.
i had to make this sub assembly on the shroud pendant pulley...weird stuff!
...then I had to tension one side and I hung some hemostats on the right side to keep tension and attempt to even them. In retrospect I should have glued the lines in the pulley and then done it...hindsight!
...as you see, after tensioning the other side with 4 pulleys, they are not the same height, but it probably doesn’t matter to anyone but me...lol
Strangest rigging I’ve ever encountered! One side has 3 pulleys and the other has 4 and they are connected to 2 pulleys going through 1 pulley! So one shroud line has 8 pulleys needed to tension! Madness!
moving on to the next line I had to tension one side first again...
then I tensioned the 4 pulley side and the last one was easy in comparison!
One side done...back to making pulley sub assemblies for the other side. All will have to be rigged with tension lines going the opposite direction (mirrored).
i had to make this sub assembly on the shroud pendant pulley...weird stuff!
...then I had to tension one side and I hung some hemostats on the right side to keep tension and attempt to even them. In retrospect I should have glued the lines in the pulley and then done it...hindsight!
...as you see, after tensioning the other side with 4 pulleys, they are not the same height, but it probably doesn’t matter to anyone but me...lol
Strangest rigging I’ve ever encountered! One side has 3 pulleys and the other has 4 and they are connected to 2 pulleys going through 1 pulley! So one shroud line has 8 pulleys needed to tension! Madness!
moving on to the next line I had to tension one side first again...
then I tensioned the 4 pulley side and the last one was easy in comparison!
One side done...back to making pulley sub assemblies for the other side. All will have to be rigged with tension lines going the opposite direction (mirrored).
Last edited:
Oh yeah...all lines are tied off to the railing that sits almost on the deck. So tie off points are between cannons and the line has to be fished out with hooked or bent tweezers to reach under the board and pull the line to the other side.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2019
- Messages
- 495
- Points
- 323
Oh yeah, tying them off looks like loads of fun! ;P Nice work, Dean, and thanks for the detailed view of this shroud assembly. I, for one, am really digging seeing the variant on method. Cheers!
It may all be strange (I wouldn't know) but it is eye candy!
Thank you, it has been quite the mental challenge, as well as an exercise in dexterity!
Thanks Paul!
Normal would be shroud lines that are tensioned with deadeyes, and have rat lines. Like on all tall ships, ie Vasa! These shroud lines are all tensioned with multiple pulleys and attachment points, thus making life far more interesting!
Looking good Dean. The rigging on this particular ship model is a lot more complicated than it seems.