I think junk sail has two group of sheets , one for each side, at least it is clear visiable on the mizzen ... on the drawings one group of sheet probably ommited to simplify picture, or they are not v8siable from sertain point of observation...
-
SUBSCRIBE TO SHIPS IN SCALE TODAY!
The beloved Ships in Scale Magazine is back and charting a new course for 2026!
Discover new skills, new techniques, and new inspirations in every issue.
NOTE THAT OUR NEXT ISSUE WILL BE July/August 2026 -
Win a Free Custom Engraved Brass Coin!!!
As a way to introduce our brass coins to the community, we will raffle off a free coin during the month of August. Follow link ABOVE for instructions for entering.
Chinese Junk - Imai/Aoshima 1:60
- Thread starter johnlattanzio
- Start date
- Watchers 6
-
- Tags
- aoshima chinese junk
There need to be pair of bampkins...looks like,as on the picture...
I might remove the bumpkin if I can. And tryu to add to the ship. There is not clealry a way nbut I will see.
Indeed if I rig the mizzen sheets through the starboard side then a similar bumpkin onm the port can be used for the main sheets. That sail is large and the rigging willextend almost to the mizzen...so a bunpkin for that might make sense too.
I think the sheets are OK. Just at the end of the battens - I took the rigging from the book by Worcester. This shows the bumpkin attache to the mast...for added confusion!
The photo of the model in the Science Museum is not clear enough for me to tell...is that bumpkin on the mast or the body of the ship?
Indeed if I rig the mizzen sheets through the starboard side then a similar bumpkin onm the port can be used for the main sheets. That sail is large and the rigging willextend almost to the mizzen...so a bunpkin for that might make sense too.
I think the sheets are OK. Just at the end of the battens - I took the rigging from the book by Worcester. This shows the bumpkin attache to the mast...for added confusion!
The photo of the model in the Science Museum is not clear enough for me to tell...is that bumpkin on the mast or the body of the ship?
Last edited:
Good day John!
Check this
Check this
Hi Kirill.
I don't understand this diagram. Can you explain?
Thanks!
I don't understand this diagram. Can you explain?
Thanks!
Oh I see one error - the sheet ropes (dashed red lines) go through the wrong holes in the blocks on the bumpkin. That is OK - they are just there for testing. I can fix that! But thanks for reminding me!
It is the solid red lines I do not follow...
It is the solid red lines I do not follow...
Last edited:
Before making a final decision about the mizzen bumpkin, I need to consider the rigging of the sheets on the main sail. If you just follow the kit then the boom (lowest batten) is well below the level of the deck and then the more realistic sheet rigging is (almost?) impossible.
So I think the sail need to be raised and tilted a bit to get the boom closer to horizontal to the deck and also above the deck. More like this:
So given that this sail has sheets much the same as the mizzen, the rigging points are very close to the stern of the ship. Just as the mizzen sheets extend beyond the stern, so does the main, really, The sail is so much larger... I can rotate it a little but it needs the last couple of blocks have be beyond the stern, just like the mizzen.
This lorcha from the Wikipedia page shows a bumpkin attached to the mzzen mast (!) but the main sail sheets are indeed secured to the very rear of the ship!
So I am thinking of removing the bumpkin on the mizzen mast (as suggested by Kirill) and adding a bumpkin to the structure on both the port and starboard side - as marked with the white styrene rods in the above picture. (I will shorten them!) Then I propose to use the starboard bumpkin for the mizzen sheets and the port bumpkin for the main sheets. Something like this:
So I think the sail need to be raised and tilted a bit to get the boom closer to horizontal to the deck and also above the deck. More like this:
So given that this sail has sheets much the same as the mizzen, the rigging points are very close to the stern of the ship. Just as the mizzen sheets extend beyond the stern, so does the main, really, The sail is so much larger... I can rotate it a little but it needs the last couple of blocks have be beyond the stern, just like the mizzen.
This lorcha from the Wikipedia page shows a bumpkin attached to the mzzen mast (!) but the main sail sheets are indeed secured to the very rear of the ship!
So I am thinking of removing the bumpkin on the mizzen mast (as suggested by Kirill) and adding a bumpkin to the structure on both the port and starboard side - as marked with the white styrene rods in the above picture. (I will shorten them!) Then I propose to use the starboard bumpkin for the mizzen sheets and the port bumpkin for the main sheets. Something like this:
Hi John!
On that picture wich You posted , mizzen looks like mix of europian style rigging(moveable boom) and chinese...
It doesn't look genuene chinese in my eyes
))
Look at this picture, real boat not model, it looks like they have sheets on both side of the sails, and they are lead not too far astern but mostly straight down to deck...? To be sure need to find more pictures with real , sailing junk boats not models...
As possible arrangements of tie halliard and sheets my suggestion
On that picture wich You posted , mizzen looks like mix of europian style rigging(moveable boom) and chinese...
It doesn't look genuene chinese in my eyes
))Look at this picture, real boat not model, it looks like they have sheets on both side of the sails, and they are lead not too far astern but mostly straight down to deck...? To be sure need to find more pictures with real , sailing junk boats not models...
As possible arrangements of tie halliard and sheets my suggestion
In some pictures the sheets do go almost straight down, but in just as many they go to the rear. I'm happy with whichever works
Of course, if the sheets go downward to the deck then the boom has to be higher than the deck, and not below it...
Don't forget... this is a lorcha which IS a mix of European and Chinese styles...
I have read some more about sheets in the book by Worcester (Internet Archive link here). Definitely only one set of sheets. But the rigging of them is interesting and quite varied. He also says that when "western style sheets" were used, the mizzen the sheet was secured to bumkins extending over the rear of the ship. I am not sure that this Imai model has western style sheets but I think I will remove the bumpkin on the mast and add one to the rear of the ship. This seems to be the most common.
Here is the relevant section in the book (p86):
That said, here is a Foochow Pole Junk, thought to be the basis of the Lorcha variant (which is the kit model). And it has a bumpkin on the mizzen sail! Seems either may be used?
Again Worcester says (in Volume 2) that the best junk model they have is from a lorcha and it seems to be the basis of the kit. It shows a bumpkin for the mizzen, and the main sail sheets are tied to the mizzen sail. See post #83. But I think I will try to secure them on the port at the far rear. The mizzen is a bit busy in this kit! Not a lot of space... I also think the kit has errors in the dimensions of sails - certainly the main sail does not have enough battens. They have stuck with 6 on each sail, and made them larger, whereas in reality they were similar size to the other sails, but there were more battens. Well, I can live with these imprefections
There is a very good section on sheets in Worcester's book - which show an enormous variation. Here are some relevant pictures.
Most pictures show the sheets going rearward but as Kirill says, there are many pictures which show them going straight down also. I guess either works!
Here is the relevant section in the book (p86):
That said, here is a Foochow Pole Junk, thought to be the basis of the Lorcha variant (which is the kit model). And it has a bumpkin on the mizzen sail! Seems either may be used?
Again Worcester says (in Volume 2) that the best junk model they have is from a lorcha and it seems to be the basis of the kit. It shows a bumpkin for the mizzen, and the main sail sheets are tied to the mizzen sail. See post #83. But I think I will try to secure them on the port at the far rear. The mizzen is a bit busy in this kit! Not a lot of space... I also think the kit has errors in the dimensions of sails - certainly the main sail does not have enough battens. They have stuck with 6 on each sail, and made them larger, whereas in reality they were similar size to the other sails, but there were more battens. Well, I can live with these imprefections
There is a very good section on sheets in Worcester's book - which show an enormous variation. Here are some relevant pictures.
Most pictures show the sheets going rearward but as Kirill says, there are many pictures which show them going straight down also. I guess either works!
Bumpkins in production. Tapered at the ship end (RHS of picture), where they will attach to the rail. Rounded at the outboard end.
Good day John,
If there used one set of sheets for one sail but not two, than probably
" tail" rope of this group need to be secured somewhere in the middle line of the vessel, but not on the one of the ship side as You suggested.
This is fore and aft sail arrangement, and when course need to be changed, sails need to be shifted from board to board to catch the wind, for that sheet as a rule secured in the middle line of the hull or should has opportunity to shift from board to board freely, or two sheets need to be used as used in case of west style fore and aft sails...?
If there used one set of sheets for one sail but not two, than probably
" tail" rope of this group need to be secured somewhere in the middle line of the vessel, but not on the one of the ship side as You suggested.
This is fore and aft sail arrangement, and when course need to be changed, sails need to be shifted from board to board to catch the wind, for that sheet as a rule secured in the middle line of the hull or should has opportunity to shift from board to board freely, or two sheets need to be used as used in case of west style fore and aft sails...?
You are probably right!! That could be why the sheets on the main sail are tied through the mizzen mast in many cases. Keeps it nice and centered as you say. Good thinking Kirill.
I'll have a look tomorrow to see how I could go with trying to keep the lines on the center. But I'm happy to approximate reality by going to one side or the other.
Certainly this is all been a great learning experience! And that is a major reason for building models, at least in my case.
Thanks Kirill!
I'll have a look tomorrow to see how I could go with trying to keep the lines on the center. But I'm happy to approximate reality by going to one side or the other.
Certainly this is all been a great learning experience! And that is a major reason for building models, at least in my case.
Thanks Kirill!