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HMS Victory of Caldercraft by Wil

From now on, this build log on SOS will run in sync with my work.

In post 158 Stephan rightly pointed out to me that I had suspended one boat from a stay tackle, which logically of course cannot happen in reality. This would result in excessive tension in the stays. In addition, there is of course the obstruction that in this way the boat cannot be hung alongside the ship.

Stephan wouldn’t be Stephan if he didn’t come up with a solution, and he referred me to the book by Harland. A very specialist book on rigging, which I did not know. Just before our vacation I still got to work on the tackles for a bit.

The question of how the boats should be put overboard has occupied me for quite some time. But the Caldercraft manual says absolutely nothing about this. Even Longridge and McKay provide no real clarity. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that tackles do not belong to the fixed rope functions, but were only rigged when needed and cleared away again after use.

However, the book by Harland provided the solution, and I soon found a drawing in Zu Mondfeld showing how everything could be realized. I have executed the diagram on page 271 twice, in mirror image.

In the photo below it can be seen how it ultimately turned out. In the background the two tackles, which are attached to the main stay. In the foreground, in mirror image, the two stay tackles with which the boats can be put overboard and heavy loads can be hoisted on board. When the yards are added later, two more lines will be added from the end of the yard to the eye splices at the bottom of the little triangles. With these two lines the lateral movements are ultimately achieved.

I think this is how it should be, I am very satisfied.

P1056474.JPG
 
Almost Wil, the drawing shows it, but a little further on there is also text with an explanation. It is the side tackles that is used. See red encircled. The ones you first attached to the masthead before the shrouds. In conjunction with the yard tackles. One to move the boat outwards and one on the other side of the yard to keep the yard horizontal as a counterweight.
These side tackles are the same rope/cable used for the shrouds and only used to lift heavy loads. Or to secure the mast when the weather is rough.
20260129_130441.jpg
 
Stephan rightly pointed out to me that I had suspended one boat from a stay tackle, which logically of course cannot happen in reality.
I looked at Steel, Lees, and elsewhere and cannot find a clear explanation on how the boats were launched. I looked in the Textbook of Seamanship which has great drawings but it is late 19th century so may not apply. https://maritime.org/doc/luce/index.php

Will there be the lines to the yards after the yards are in place? If you or anyone else has a link to a clear description on how these were launched, including when derricks came into use, this would be interesting to see. In the meantime, the hunt goes on.......
Thanks Wil

Allan
 
Last edited:
Some translations of English to Dutch Wil. I think that the mistake is the translation.

Stagtakel in Dutch is the Garnet tackle in English
Zijtakel in Dutch is the stay or side tackle in English. That is difficult to understand which one Harland discribes. So when Harland write about the stay tackle he is talking about in Dutch "de zijtakels" and not about the garnet tackle (Dutch Stagtakel) The burtons are the hangers on the mizzen mast and are also stay tackles (side tackles of zijtakels) Took me almost 2 days to see this too.

For Alan, buy you a copy of the book of Harland, Leest and Harland are 2 books the fit together. Harland was on sailing ships and studied the way how things where done. Fantastic book to read. See attachment where I put the 3 pages about the tackles and hoisting of a boat.
 

Attachments

Otherwise see this discussion
 
For Alan, buy you a copy of the book of Harland, Leest and Harland are 2 books the fit together. Harland was on sailing ships and studied the way how things where done. Fantastic book to read. See attachment where I put the 3 pages about the tackles and hoisting of a boat.
THANK YOU STEPHAN!!
 
47 Standing rigging complete

Since my last post, almost 3 months have passed and I had hoped to be further along by now than I am.

After the tackles between the mizzen and the main mast, it was the fore topmast (or topmast) that came next. We are dealing here successively with:
Fore topmast tackle pendants
Fore topmast shrouds with ratlines and catharpins
Fore topmast futtock shrouds
Fore topmast stay
Fore topmast preventer stay
Fore topmast shifting backstays
Fore topmast standing backstays
Fore topmast breast backstays

In fact, this is again a repetition of steps, just like with the mizzen and the main mast, completing project number 7.

P1067047.JPG

Next, one level higher, to the topgallant masts.
Successively from front to back:

Mizzen topgallant shrouds
Mizzen topgallant shifting backstays
Mizzen topgallant stay

Main topgallant shrouds
Main topgallant shifting backstays
Main topgallant stay
Main topgallant flagstaff stay
Main topgallant royal backstays

Fore topgallant shrouds
Fore topgallant shifting backstays
Fore topgallant stay
Fore topgallant flagstaff stay
Fore topgallant royal backstays

The topgallant shrouds are executed without ratlines and catharpins.
Worth mentioning at this stage is that the shrouds are fastened below the top of the upper mast sections. I did this by placing an eye splice tightly around the mast. The thickened part of this mast section ensures that the shrouds cannot slide down.

The further routing is then as follows:
  • hrough the holes in the topgallant cross-trees (outwards)
  • Behind the catharpins of the topmast shrouds (back inwards)
  • Behind the topmast shrouds towards the tops
  • Fastened with a double eye splice on the inside behind the deadeyes on the tops
A fiddly job, requiring a lot of work with tweezers. This is shown in Zu Mondfeld on page 279.

P1067040.JPG

P1067039.JPG

The stays then lie on top of the shrouds again at the masthead.
Projects 8, 9 and 10 are now also completed.
P1067042.JPG

P1067043.JPG

P1067044.JPG

Then on to the bowsprit with successively:

Inner martingale
Outer martingale
Fore topgallant flagstaff stay

P1067054.JPG

P1067055.JPG

Initially, I had tightened the backstays of the foremast too much, causing the upper section of the mast not to stand upright but to lean too far backward. Not a good sight. I had hoped to correct this with the bowsprit stays, but unfortunately not. I then loosened all the lanyards again and gradually retensioned the lines so that the mast remained upright. As soon as you tighten one line too much, others start to slacken. So it is a matter of finding the right balance.

Once this was done, project 11 of 25 was also completed, meaning the standing rigging is entirely finished. This accounts for 64 of the 248 rope functions and 256 different ropes have been made, excluding all ratlines, lanyards and seizings.
The result can be seen in the photos below.

IMG_20260421_083748.jpg

IMG_20260421_083830.jpg

Just for the statistics:
• At this moment I have been working on building the Victory for 4 years;
• In these 4 years I have worked on the ship for 1800 hours over 490 days;
• Of this, 95 hours were spent building the ropewalk and the serving tool and modifying McKay’s table;
• And 110 hours on learning rope making;
• The standing rigging took me 375 hours.

All the work on the rigging has not bored me for a minute, not even the application of the ratlines. During that time you really see your ship grow, which gives a great deal of satisfaction. In addition, the choice to make your own rope adds enormous value. The correct proportions between rope thicknesses and the corresponding mast sections greatly enhance the overall appearance of the ship.

For now, I am closing the chapter of rigging. In the coming period I will focus entirely on making the yards and other wooden mast components. The ropewalk will be swapped for the lathe for a while.

To be continued.
 
47 Standing rigging complete

Since my last post, almost 3 months have passed and I had hoped to be further along by now than I am.

After the tackles between the mizzen and the main mast, it was the fore topmast (or topmast) that came next. We are dealing here successively with:
Fore topmast tackle pendants
Fore topmast shrouds with ratlines and catharpins
Fore topmast futtock shrouds
Fore topmast stay
Fore topmast preventer stay
Fore topmast shifting backstays
Fore topmast standing backstays
Fore topmast breast backstays

In fact, this is again a repetition of steps, just like with the mizzen and the main mast, completing project number 7.

View attachment 593857

Next, one level higher, to the topgallant masts.
Successively from front to back:

Mizzen topgallant shrouds
Mizzen topgallant shifting backstays
Mizzen topgallant stay

Main topgallant shrouds
Main topgallant shifting backstays
Main topgallant stay
Main topgallant flagstaff stay
Main topgallant royal backstays

Fore topgallant shrouds
Fore topgallant shifting backstays
Fore topgallant stay
Fore topgallant flagstaff stay
Fore topgallant royal backstays

The topgallant shrouds are executed without ratlines and catharpins.
Worth mentioning at this stage is that the shrouds are fastened below the top of the upper mast sections. I did this by placing an eye splice tightly around the mast. The thickened part of this mast section ensures that the shrouds cannot slide down.

The further routing is then as follows:
  • hrough the holes in the topgallant cross-trees (outwards)
  • Behind the catharpins of the topmast shrouds (back inwards)
  • Behind the topmast shrouds towards the tops
  • Fastened with a double eye splice on the inside behind the deadeyes on the tops
A fiddly job, requiring a lot of work with tweezers. This is shown in Zu Mondfeld on page 279.

View attachment 593858

View attachment 593859

The stays then lie on top of the shrouds again at the masthead.
Projects 8, 9 and 10 are now also completed.
View attachment 593860

View attachment 593861

View attachment 593862

Then on to the bowsprit with successively:

Inner martingale
Outer martingale
Fore topgallant flagstaff stay

View attachment 593863

View attachment 593864

Initially, I had tightened the backstays of the foremast too much, causing the upper section of the mast not to stand upright but to lean too far backward. Not a good sight. I had hoped to correct this with the bowsprit stays, but unfortunately not. I then loosened all the lanyards again and gradually retensioned the lines so that the mast remained upright. As soon as you tighten one line too much, others start to slacken. So it is a matter of finding the right balance.

Once this was done, project 11 of 25 was also completed, meaning the standing rigging is entirely finished. This accounts for 64 of the 248 rope functions and 256 different ropes have been made, excluding all ratlines, lanyards and seizings.
The result can be seen in the photos below.

View attachment 593865

View attachment 593866

Just for the statistics:
• At this moment I have been working on building the Victory for 4 years;
• In these 4 years I have worked on the ship for 1800 hours over 490 days;
• Of this, 95 hours were spent building the ropewalk and the serving tool and modifying McKay’s table;
• And 110 hours on learning rope making;
• The standing rigging took me 375 hours.

All the work on the rigging has not bored me for a minute, not even the application of the ratlines. During that time you really see your ship grow, which gives a great deal of satisfaction. In addition, the choice to make your own rope adds enormous value. The correct proportions between rope thicknesses and the corresponding mast sections greatly enhance the overall appearance of the ship.

For now, I am closing the chapter of rigging. In the coming period I will focus entirely on making the yards and other wooden mast components. The ropewalk will be swapped for the lathe for a while.

To be continued.
Beautiful job Will
Congrats
 
47 Standing rigging complete

Since my last post, almost 3 months have passed and I had hoped to be further along by now than I am.

After the tackles between the mizzen and the main mast, it was the fore topmast (or topmast) that came next. We are dealing here successively with:
Fore topmast tackle pendants
Fore topmast shrouds with ratlines and catharpins
Fore topmast futtock shrouds
Fore topmast stay
Fore topmast preventer stay
Fore topmast shifting backstays
Fore topmast standing backstays
Fore topmast breast backstays

In fact, this is again a repetition of steps, just like with the mizzen and the main mast, completing project number 7.

View attachment 593857

Next, one level higher, to the topgallant masts.
Successively from front to back:

Mizzen topgallant shrouds
Mizzen topgallant shifting backstays
Mizzen topgallant stay

Main topgallant shrouds
Main topgallant shifting backstays
Main topgallant stay
Main topgallant flagstaff stay
Main topgallant royal backstays

Fore topgallant shrouds
Fore topgallant shifting backstays
Fore topgallant stay
Fore topgallant flagstaff stay
Fore topgallant royal backstays

The topgallant shrouds are executed without ratlines and catharpins.
Worth mentioning at this stage is that the shrouds are fastened below the top of the upper mast sections. I did this by placing an eye splice tightly around the mast. The thickened part of this mast section ensures that the shrouds cannot slide down.

The further routing is then as follows:
  • hrough the holes in the topgallant cross-trees (outwards)
  • Behind the catharpins of the topmast shrouds (back inwards)
  • Behind the topmast shrouds towards the tops
  • Fastened with a double eye splice on the inside behind the deadeyes on the tops
A fiddly job, requiring a lot of work with tweezers. This is shown in Zu Mondfeld on page 279.

View attachment 593858

View attachment 593859

The stays then lie on top of the shrouds again at the masthead.
Projects 8, 9 and 10 are now also completed.
View attachment 593860

View attachment 593861

View attachment 593862

Then on to the bowsprit with successively:

Inner martingale
Outer martingale
Fore topgallant flagstaff stay

View attachment 593863

View attachment 593864

Initially, I had tightened the backstays of the foremast too much, causing the upper section of the mast not to stand upright but to lean too far backward. Not a good sight. I had hoped to correct this with the bowsprit stays, but unfortunately not. I then loosened all the lanyards again and gradually retensioned the lines so that the mast remained upright. As soon as you tighten one line too much, others start to slacken. So it is a matter of finding the right balance.

Once this was done, project 11 of 25 was also completed, meaning the standing rigging is entirely finished. This accounts for 64 of the 248 rope functions and 256 different ropes have been made, excluding all ratlines, lanyards and seizings.
The result can be seen in the photos below.

View attachment 593865

View attachment 593866

Just for the statistics:
• At this moment I have been working on building the Victory for 4 years;
• In these 4 years I have worked on the ship for 1800 hours over 490 days;
• Of this, 95 hours were spent building the ropewalk and the serving tool and modifying McKay’s table;
• And 110 hours on learning rope making;
• The standing rigging took me 375 hours.

All the work on the rigging has not bored me for a minute, not even the application of the ratlines. During that time you really see your ship grow, which gives a great deal of satisfaction. In addition, the choice to make your own rope adds enormous value. The correct proportions between rope thicknesses and the corresponding mast sections greatly enhance the overall appearance of the ship.

For now, I am closing the chapter of rigging. In the coming period I will focus entirely on making the yards and other wooden mast components. The ropewalk will be swapped for the lathe for a while.

To be continued.
It took 'some time' but this is a impressive up-date, Wil. Very nice rigging!
Regards, Peter
 
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