Essex by Occre

[savas]

Hello,

This weekend I continued with the ratlines and I got a question. Occre shows only 2 levels of ratlines, I was wondering how did the seamen got to the top then? Should there be a third level of ratlines like in the picture? (I know it's a different ship) getting my toes wet on the accuracy of things...


short youtube video on the progress: here

 

[AllanKP69]

Occre shows only 2 levels of ratlines,

Hi Savas,
I would like to know the answer to your question as well. Perhaps they had bosun chairs rigged, rope ladders temporarily hung, prusiking or just hand over hand climbing.
I cannot speak for the whaler Essex, but not having ratlines on topgallant and royal mast shrouds was common practice up to 1715 in the Royal Navy. From 1715 to 1745 some ships had ratlines on all levels of shrouds. From 1745 very few Royal Navy ships still had ratlines on the topgallant and royal masts and had all but disappeared by the late 18th century.

Allan

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Hello Savas, judging from what I've seen so far, you are working toward being a great modeler. Don't be afraid of the Montanes. It's a lot like your previous models, except there is just MORE of the same. Rigging will be a little harder, so get a good curved tweezer set and perhaps some forceps, very long needle nose pliers, and make a set of rigging hooks from long thin dowels and repurposed leather needles (learn how on this forum). Being a more complex ship means more cannon carriages to rig, more planking, more ratlining, and more details to add. The rigging looks complex, but once you learn the lines from books like Lennarth Petersson's Rigging Period Ship Models: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Intracacies of Square-Rig, you will seen that most of the lines are the same or similar on each mast, and a belaying plan in the instructions will show you where to tie off the lines. Typically, you tie the line at the belaying point down low, then run the line up through blocks to its final destination and tie the other end off there. That way, you can control the line tension and avoid overly loose lines. Some running rigging lines were loose though, and you want them to hang in a natural catenary curve for realism. These include leech lines, some braces, and some tack lines (depending on which ones the wind is keeping taut through pressure on the sails). Wet the lines with watered down PVA glue and position them as they dry and they will look right when stiff.

 

[AllanKP69]

Typically, you tie the line at the belaying point down low, then run the line up through blocks to its final destination and tie the other end off there.

That sentence totally threw me! I have always run the lines starting with the standing part then to the belaying point but will give your method a try. The only problem I see is if the standing part is seized to an eye or something similar, isn't it difficult to keep the line taut while making the seizing?
Thanks Kurt
Allan

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

That sentence totally threw me! I have always run the lines starting with the standing part then to the belaying point but will give your method a try. The only problem I see is if the standing part is seized to an eye or something similar, isn't it difficult to keep the line taut while making the seizing?
Thanks Kurt
Allan

If you need siezing, then of course you start at that end. There are several other factors that influence where you start each line. Access in a big one. Keep in min that trying to keep proper tension without breaking delicate belaying pins is VERY TOUGH in tight areas, so start running the line from the belaying pin when you can.

 

[savas]

The rigging looks complex, but once you learn the lines from books like Lennarth Petersson's Rigging Period Ship Models: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Intracacies of Square-Rig, you will seen that most of the lines are the same or similar on each mast, and a belaying plan in the instructions will show you where to tie off the lines.

Hello,
thank I read the review and imediatelly redid some riging that I found photos on the book and also ordered the book from France Before Montanes I will do the occre Corsair. I dived to the forum to read and look at other modelers and tips, and not when look at essex I see a lot of mistakes that I will do better next time, now It is too much work to redo...
anyways, I think I finished with the ratlines