Constructo Enterprise bowsprit oddity

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Bhill

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Good Day All, I am fixing to start rigging on the Enterprise, and noticed an oddity between versions of the Constructo Enterprise rigging plan. The cat head rigging is completely different from the 2 pictures I have attached, "Bow 1 and 2." Bow 1 is from a newer edition I down loaded from this site, and Bow 2 is from the plans that came with the kit. As you can see, there are other differences as well...sooo. Which should one go with? Is there a matter of accuracy?Bow 1.jpgBow 2.jpg


Thanks for any input in advance..
 
As Shultz would say "I know Nothink", but that is pretty odd. I have the older kit myself. I'll be very interested in the answer.

Clair
 
Well one question I have on ships rigging plan, is are they of the period of time for the ship.

I know when ships changed Captains they often had changes in rigging made to suit there tastes.
 
Looks like the boomkins are better secured with shrouds in Bow1, and it also looks like it includes shrouds for the bowsprit, instead of just for jibboom and flying jibboom guys/shrouds.
If you don't mind a little extra rigging, I think "bow 1" would generally be more accurate, though Kurt @Kkonrath is certainly right about "rigging to taste". I'm not sure of a situation where no shrouds on the bowsprit would be a thing, except maybe a really stubby little thing.
Plus, the additional shrouds have the added bonus of everything being that much better secured on your model. I also think it looks pretty neat with all that tackle secured at the cathead. Seems like you might need some sort of counter-tension on the cathead, although those davits were pretty darn strong....but that's above my pay-grade.
 
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Don't mind extra rigging...keeps my suturing skills in good practice..... As to the skipper changing the rigging, for maneuver tactics, but it seems some of this is not running kit but structural. And like some of the anchor tackle, where do the hauled/reeved lines belay to keep tension?
 
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My recollection from reading Howard Chapelle (can't remember which book) is that the Enterprise (as built) was a 12 gun schooner, then rebuilt as a 14 gun top-sail schooner, and then finally rigged as a brig. I'm a complete newbie to building model ships (& rigging) but as a History PhD candicate have done extensive reading about the early American Navy & the ships. I imagine that the differences in plans might result from changes in rig??
 
Yup, that is my thought as well...except for the poop/quarterdeck. With this in mind, I am going to work it as it was originally launched. Still trying to figure out where some of the tackle belays...like the anchor hoist and the bowsprit tackle; well, form follows function I suppose...
 
" As to the skipper changing the rigging, for maneuver tactics, but it seems some of this is not running kit but structural."

Again, from reading Chapelle it seems the builder & designer of early ships often worked under the 'direction' of the person designated as the captain or master after completion. In many cases this resulted in changes that frequently led to over arming (the captain wanted more guns) resulting in being top heavy, or the captain wanted more sail (more speed) which often resulted in a very wet & otherwise unweatherly ship. Can't remember details but he mentions a number of instances of ships capsizing very soon after launch as a result of captain/masters with no knowledge of ship building / design demanding 'improvements'.
 
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