DE 7 PROVINCIËN (1665) 1:50

[Herman]

In the drawings from vd Velde you can’t see the difference between shroud or staytackle (zijtakels). Those cables have the same thickness and don't see the upper dead eye eigther. I would follow Blom. Because nobody knows exact how many shrouds where installed. There is no evidence and that’s why you can’t do it wrong. I love Dutch ships and their rigging. But your approch by looking in vd Velde drawings for the rigging is the best way to find out.

I follow Blom largely, maybe more when I started and used only his drawings in combination with the book of G.C.Dik. But looking at the different contemporary drawings you start to realize that what Blom states with confidence is only his interpretation of what it might have been like. Don't misunderstand me, I am grateful for his work, it got me started and will be largely correct, but I don't follow him blindly, so I make my own more or less unique version. For this stage of the build only the channel and distribution of the shrouds for the foremast are deviating from his vision.

 

[Herman]

Length of the 7 Provincien 165 feet (by recollection)? Rule: For a 100 feet length 6 deadeyes and for every 15 or 16 feet more 1 deadeye extra. I would go for 10 for the main mast, 9 for the fore mast and 5 for the mizzen.

Thank you Ab, it was 163 feet, but that means I have planned the number of shrouds conform that rule.