H.M.S. Victory by Caldercraft - Build Log

[team118]

Next task was to attach the bowsprit. I was very nervous to attack this. I was worried my gammoning stops would be off and that I wouldn't be able to figure it out.

I created a loop on one end of the line for the gammoning and then wrapped it around my 3 fingers about 10 times. I figured this would be enough length for what was needed. After, I applied CA glue to one end to create a long straight needle and began threading the line through.

First I threaded it through the eyelet I made and then worked to keep the top lines aft and the bottom lines forward to create that figure eight. It was VERY HARD to thread the ling in between all of the bow structures, but in the end I got it done. I think the one gammoning is a bit loose. Once I had added the 9 turns, I used the excess to thread side to side around the middle of the gammon to tighten it up.

 

[team118]

Next, I created the futtocks and installed them to the lower shrouds. I seized the wire with my thin black line and applied CA glue to keep it together.

Using little clothspins, I was able to 'pin' the futtock to the shroud and use my calipers to try and get the distance correct. I tied the outsides and moved on to the next one. When I was done, I went back and lashed all of the shrouds to the futtocks.

At this point, the next step would have been the catharpins. I decided to leave those for now. I think it will be much easier to work on all of the stays without all that rigging getting in the way. It was a very good choice!!!!!

 

[team118]

For the past week, I have worked on the various forward stays.
I can't do the main and fore stays, they require 1.8mm line and the kit line is crap. When I tried to seize it, it broke, when I even gave it a light tug, it broke. That's really sad considering the quality of the kit.

Eh....I ordered 1.8mm from Rope of Scale and I'm waiting on that. Once I get that, I think I can worm it first because it's so big and then seize the top where the mouse is.

Doing the mouses was very hard. I tried so many different ways. Longridge suggested making a hollow mouse and then running an odd number of treads around it...I assume much like what the magnetic fields look like around the Earth?

I tried that it was a bear and didn't work.

I was able to drill small holes in some small doweling and then drill a larger hole. Then I cut it to about 5mm in length and kind of stuck it on the end of a pointy file and sanded around it to make it pear shaped. Once I did that, I CA glued it to the stay and put it on the serving machine. It was hard to get the serving line to lay right. I would add CA glue to help hold it in place. In the end they are passible, but not the best.

For the smaller lines, the directions just say to use seizing line and create a mouse. The first time I did it, I used larger line, thinking this would be ok. As others have said, large seizing line does not work. And it didn't really work here either. To try and salvage them, I went back to my thin seizing line and seized over it all. Again, passable.

Some of the directions for the stays are vague at best, but I think with the help of Longridge and McCay, I was able to plod through it.

I was going to begin the back stays, but realized that most of these are in pairs. It's funny the directions don't specifically say that and honestly, I didn't really find it in Longridge's book. However!!!! McCay has the standing and running rigging diagrams with a table in the back that lists every line, block, cleat and widget needed. In that table in very, VERY small print it says the backstays are 1 pair!!!

 

[team118]

These are just progressive pics of the various backstays as I worked on them.
I went from aft forward and there is a bit of a learning curve. Some of the back stays (the breast stays) require block and tackles that are connected to the channels.

The blue prints for the back stays are pretty straight forward. I may not have tied the various back stays to the cross trees correctly. At least with the shrouds, they are paired together and seized at the top and then sent down 2 to a side. It appears that some of the back stays are rigged so there is kind of a central loop around the mast with a back stay running down port and starboard.

In the end, i opted to just loop the back stay around the mast and push the seizing up tight and pull the stay down each side. It's a bit sloppy, but the look is fine...I think.

The back stays are labor intensive. Rigging the stays to appropriate mast platform, crosstree, hound or mast top, keeping them straight as they go down to their proper side. Adding the correct deadeyes, rigging the tackles for the breast stays and for the very highest stays, the proper lanyards to secure them to eyebolts.

It took about 4 hours today to do the starboard fore back stays. Whew!

But they really add flavor to the model. I still hope I've done the right thing foregoing the upper shrouds, catharpins and ratlines!
I'll tackle the port side tomorrow and then look to see what's needed to do the catharpins and then add the upper shrouds.

I tried to take a bunch of pics of where I am, some may be redundant. I also understand that getting pics of the completed rigging is hard. I am going to have to create a portable white background so that rigging shows up.

I wasn't happy with my mouse work...lol. I went back and added some white glue over them and that smoothed them a bit. I may add some paint to finished the detail. I also did the snaking for the forestays and fore preventer stays. My knot work was bad and I didn't make the zig-zap tight enough...meaning they are spread too far apart and maybe the "Zs" should be closer. Nothing to do now!

 

[GrantTyler]

Good morning. Wow that is a lot of rigging done. Way to go. The Victory is a mammoth rigging project and your is looking very good. It is so cool when it all comes together at the end - is really impressive and makes for a lovely model to display. Lovely work. Cheers Grant

 

[Ncseniorgolfer]

Chris, your ship is looking great. I'm in awe of not only your work but the speed of your process. I know your logs will help me down the road as I am just close to finishing coppering the hull. I always look forward to seeing your progress.

 

[team118]

Thank you guys for taking the time to look at my latest posts and comment. Means a lot!!!!

A couple of errors....putting the back stays up BEFORE installing the upper shrouds is wrong. The lay out of the shrouds requires (or at least that is what the directions and various books state) that the shrouds are laid in pairs starboard/port and then the various back stays, breast stays etc.

Since I put up the stays BEFORE doing the upper shrouds, I am forced to lay the shrouds ABOVE the stays at the mast heads. It's just not technically correct and will cost me points when i submit my finished model at the Westminster Ship Modelers Show next year....sigh.

Also, I think that the stays do get in the way a bit when working on the upper shrouds. I don't know just how much the completed shrouds, futtocks and catharpins would get in the way of stays...only someone who has done it both ways will know!

I started with the foremast catharpins. It's a learning curve once again and after doing these, I know I'll make them a bit shorter and work harder to make them look consistent. I'll have to add some watered down white glue to keep them straight after I'm done. The directions state that catharpins are installed on shrouds 4-9. But the books state that it should only be shrouds 9, 7, 5 & 4. Which is what I did....

After I laid the futtock shrouds. The books show that these shrouds are wrapped under the futtock and back over so that the bitter end lays against the lower shroud.


Since you can't pre-wrap seizing, you have to tie off these shrouds and then add additional hitches.

I opted to drill out the PE hook a bit and seize the .75mm rope through the hook. The hooks are a bit fatter than the holes for the deadeye holders, so a little finagling is required to get them to hook on.

Once done, I started with the upper shrouds. This was when I realized my sequence error. After getting all of the deadeyes attached to the shrouds, I started installing the deadeye lanyards. This was when I noticed that I was using the wrong size deadeyes! It was late and I just cut them off and this morning I replaced them. Thankfully, I was able to pry off the larger deadeyes and then add additional seizing to accommodate the smaller deadeyes.



Once done, I was not happy with the way I'd rigged the blocking for the forestays that run through the bow.
My issue was how I terminated the rigging. In all of my double block setups, I would tie off the end around the lashing. It gave it an hour glass look that I didn't like. This is how I did all the cannons, but at such a small scale it isn't as bad. I did this based on the fact that real life lashings are sometimes wound around the setup...it just doesn't look good at small scale, which I assume is why you see a lot of flemmish loops.

Anyways, I ended up just tying the bitter ends to the base of the blocks. This at least keeps the look of the rigging clean.


More to come!

 

[GrantTyler]

Good evening Chris. You are getting the details in the rigging spot on. There is one block which is jumping out at me though….

Very good looking blocks BTW. This one is too large and should be a violin block. There are (depending on how far you are going to rig) 3 more block and tackles to come in there and it does get crowded. A pic from my Victory:


Cheers Grant

 

[team118]

Hi Grant!

I love the look of those double fiddle blocks. I think on the Caldercraft, I am forced to join 2 regular style blocks together to make that happen.
All my books are down cellar, so I am not sure what they say about which blocks I should use for this particular piece of rigging.

My instructions call for 10 and 5mm blocks off the starboard bee, which is what I originally show. I have since last night fixed the tackle rigging of these blocks, but their size and style remain the same.

You have a different kit and your blocks are 100 times better looking than the ones in my kit...unless you too went after market.

I do think that I have set up room and eyelets for the other rigging you show on your boat, I just haven't installed the jib and flying jib boom yet. It's bad enough I keep hitting the catheads and I can't believe I haven't knocked them off yet!!!!!

Thanks so much!
Chris

 

[GrantTyler]

Hi Grant!

I love the look of those double fiddle blocks. I think on the Caldercraft, I am forced to join 2 regular style blocks together to make that happen.
All my books are down cellar, so I am not sure what they say about which blocks I should use for this particular piece of rigging.

My instructions call for 10 and 5mm blocks off the starboard bee, which is what I originally show. I have since last night fixed the tackle rigging of these blocks, but their size and style remain the same.

You have a different kit and your blocks are 100 times better looking than the ones in my kit...unless you too went after market.

I do think that I have set up room and eyelets for the other rigging you show on your boat, I just haven't installed the jib and flying jib boom yet. It's bad enough I keep hitting the catheads and I can't believe I haven't knocked them off yet!!!!!

Thanks so much!
Chris

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True story Chris. I actually broke my starboard cathead off, thankfully got reasonable repairs done. It weird as they are not that big. Cheers Grant

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Man! That's a LOT of freakin' ship! I am astonished at your dedication and the sheer speed with which this immense project is coming together! All props to you dude

 

[team118]

Man! That's a LOT of freakin' ship! I am astonished at your dedication and the sheer speed with which this immense project is coming together! All props to you dude

Thank you Peter!

It's winter up here, so I try to spend 4-5 hours downstairs working on things.
However, that has changed a bit. Rigging is pretty mentally and labor intensive believe it or not. I do a lot of standing for a lot of the rigging and it becomes hard on the back and arms!

Also, I almost need a swivel chair to move between my bench to prep blocks and lines and the boat.
I have a very rickety table that I use to move my boat around. It has wheels but it really isn't meant to swivel around too easily.

What I really need is a table that would turn on a dime AND go up and down. Right now the poop and quarter decks are even with my lap and that makes it easy to work on the lower areas...but it gets tiring to try and work on the upper platforms sitting down so I'm forced to stand to work on all the top areas.

I'm sure that there is such a table out there!!!!!

 

[gene438]

I use this one, it is my favorite workshop tool.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089YDWJDY

 

[team118]

I use this one, it is my favorite workshop tool.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089YDWJDY

Isn't that funny. After posting that, I looked online and found that one. I ended up going with a Titan Accessory table.
Very similar to the one you showed. About the same price. It lowers a little more but it spins around so easily.

 

[team118]

Looking back at my picture log, I see that I started working on the shrouds back on January 18, 2025.
Learning how to serve line, create semi realistic seizings and more! Well, six weeks later and I think I may have finally finished with most of the standing rigging!

I think if folks look at this as a 'how not to do a model' guide, I would suggest following the directions and the real life sequence of standing rigging installations. I had opted to do the lower shrouds and then move right to the fore and back stays before moving back to the upper shrouds.

After the fact, it did cause some issues, some of my back stays are not in the right location because of this and most definitely, they are not laid correctly around the mast heads.

Is she close to perfect, well I think we all know my answer and I truly love the people that actually take the time to look and comment. I think that is validation enough!!!!!

I tried to add a few pics of the various areas. I am going to have to clean this sucker up! She's a real dust magnet!
Anyone have techniques or tools they use to clean in the tight spots, let me know!

I have mentioned that I needed a new platform to work on the model. I have used a home made case that normally holds my belt/disc sander. It was skinny enough for the model and low enough to keep the mast heads from hitting the heat ducts in the basement. However, when I was working on the very top, I had to stand. In addition, the wheels really weren't made for pivoting very easily and every time I tried to turn the boat around, I had to hold on to it so it wouldn't fall!!!!

I found a nice table option online through Titan Attachments. I can raise and lower it (using a twist tightening knob) and she turns very easily and is very stable!



On to the next phase! I still have to add the fire buckets, which I will do next.
Then I think I will do the ratlines. I think this will be along the same line as doing the copper tiles. A long, tedious task that I will do in small time increments, unless it goes quickly.

Once done, I will look to install the jib and flying booms and do all that rigging. I haven't done it yet, because it will really limit my turn around space, once it's done!

Then....I think I will add the lower deck cannons. They have to be drilled into place and I haven't done them yet. I won't do the lids, but I will at least get the cannons so they are all level. I should have done them ages ago!

Then, on to the yards and the running rigging! Woot!
My bet though is that will end up being put on hold till this fall.

Seasons change and winter is coming to an end up here. Soon I'll be working on my real sailboat getting her ready for our 5 month sailing season.
But till then, I'll keep cracking on!!!!!

 

[team118]

It's hard to believe the journey I've had building this ship.
Absolutely zero experience in wooden ships, very little modeling experience.
But lots of time and a willingness, or at least a resignation-ness to accept my flaws and move on!

This was a year ago back on February 16, 2024.....So many hopes, so many visions of the perfect model!


And here I am today! Hard to believe it's possible.


But let's be clear, I couldn't have done it without the help, pointers, links, suggestions and prodding from this group!
My humble thanks!
Chris

 

[team118]

Oh!!!!

I do have a question about why something is.....

I have a 38' sailboat. She's basically your typical cutter rig. With a forestay, multiple shrouds and a backstay. They hold a main sail and forward jib/genoa sail.

All of them pretty close in diameter and all of them pulling their own weight to keep the mast upright. Also, keeping in mind that most of the sailing is off the beam, rather than from directly behind the boat. This puts most of the weight created by the wind into a 'sideways' force and is where the shrouds work to distribute this weight down and into the chainplates and lower decks and bulkheads....it's more complicated than that, but in essence that is it.

On the Victory, most of the drive for the boat comes from downwind sailing. I can see that the yards can be adjusted to allow for tacking, but it seems to me that square rigged sails are geared for down wind or dead down wind sailing. Hence the reliance on the trade winds for routing.

I'm curious, if that is the case, then the winds would be driving the sails forward on the masts. Which means that the back stays would be the major rigging in action to keep the masts from bending forward.

Why aren't the back stays the predominant lines on the boat? Why are the fore stays, especially the main and main preventer and fore and fore preventer so think and the back stays and breast stays more of an after thought?

I've tried to search this, but AI doesn't understand my question.

 

[GrantTyler]

Looking back at my picture log, I see that I started working on the shrouds back on January 18, 2025.
Learning how to serve line, create semi realistic seizings and more! Well, six weeks later and I think I may have finally finished with most of the standing rigging!

I think if folks look at this as a 'how not to do a model' guide, I would suggest following the directions and the real life sequence of standing rigging installations. I had opted to do the lower shrouds and then move right to the fore and back stays before moving back to the upper shrouds.

After the fact, it did cause some issues, some of my back stays are not in the right location because of this and most definitely, they are not laid correctly around the mast heads.

Is she close to perfect, well I think we all know my answer and I truly love the people that actually take the time to look and comment. I think that is validation enough!!!!!

I tried to add a few pics of the various areas. I am going to have to clean this sucker up! She's a real dust magnet!
Anyone have techniques or tools they use to clean in the tight spots, let me know!

I have mentioned that I needed a new platform to work on the model. I have used a home made case that normally holds my belt/disc sander. It was skinny enough for the model and low enough to keep the mast heads from hitting the heat ducts in the basement. However, when I was working on the very top, I had to stand. In addition, the wheels really weren't made for pivoting very easily and every time I tried to turn the boat around, I had to hold on to it so it wouldn't fall!!!!

I found a nice table option online through Titan Attachments. I can raise and lower it (using a twist tightening knob) and she turns very easily and is very stable!
View attachment 504262View attachment 504263


On to the next phase! I still have to add the fire buckets, which I will do next.
Then I think I will do the ratlines. I think this will be along the same line as doing the copper tiles. A long, tedious task that I will do in small time increments, unless it goes quickly.

Once done, I will look to install the jib and flying booms and do all that rigging. I haven't done it yet, because it will really limit my turn around space, once it's done!

Then....I think I will add the lower deck cannons. They have to be drilled into place and I haven't done them yet. I won't do the lids, but I will at least get the cannons so they are all level. I should have done them ages ago!

Then, on to the yards and the running rigging! Woot!
My bet though is that will end up being put on hold till this fall.

Seasons change and winter is coming to an end up here. Soon I'll be working on my real sailboat getting her ready for our 5 month sailing season.
But till then, I'll keep cracking on!!!!!

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Congratulations on finishing the Standing rigging. Very detailed - Bravo. Cheers Grant

 

[AllanKP69]

Why aren't the back stays the predominant lines on the boat? Why are the fore stays, especially the main and main preventer and fore and fore preventer so think and the back stays and breast stays more of an after thought?

Great question!!! I have no clue if this is going to make sense, but from what I could find, the shrouds served the same function as the fore stays, but for a following wind The backstays were for support of the top masts and top gallant masts, thus could be smaller in circumference than the lower stays that ran forward.
Allan

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Stunning! wonderful work. Amazing progress!