I need some input about my Billing Boats Bluenose kit #576

[Icarus24]

Folks: I am stuck on the upper foremast rigging. I have made the stanchions/rat lines on the port and starboard side of the upper foremast. My question is how are the lower deadeyes of the foremast crosstree secured? Do rigging lines run down to the deck deadeyes from the deadeyes on the crosstree or do they secure to the lower foremast? Billing Boats drawings (plans) are vague and internet photos of complete Bluenose builds do not show these details. Please see attached photos

thanks for you help

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[SAHaskell]

Are you modelling the original Blusenose, or the Bluienose II? O have a series of 5 PDF's about the Bluenose II. I have attached them just in case they may help.
I was born & raised in Maine and I recall parents & grand parents talking of the Bluenose.
Happy Modelling!

 

[David Lester]

Here's a picture from the Bluenose II. It appears as though the upper shrouds don't actually have deadeyes, but rather thimbles or bullseyes. It appears that there are black futtock shrouds that run from the bottom of the cross trees (and presumably attached to the lower deadeyes/bullseyes) to the mast. Not sure if that helps or not, but maybe it does.
David

 

[Icarus24]

Thanks gents for the feedback
SA Haskell I think the Billing Boats Kit is the original Bluenose schooner; there is no placement on the foremast for the ships radar. Back in the day there was a wooden schooner docked at the Lobster House Restaurant in Cape May and I was amazed at the construction of the boat. Now in its place is a steel hull schooner, just as amazed with its build, but lacks the soul of the wooden schooner. Side note: the restaurant has about 10 wooden ship models of various types completely built. Thanks for the PDF files I have a few books concerning construction, namely “Ship Modeling Simplified” by F. Mastini that I use.

David Lester you have been a great help, the photo you posted is what I am looking for. The drawings that Billing Boats includes with the Blusenose kit has confounded me with inconsistencies on the standing rigging. I guess that you would say it’s open to interpretation for the rigging. I have found the different model manufacturers concentrate on different aspects of a model i.e.... hull and deck construction or heavily leaning on ships rigging.

Thanks for the help and I am pressing on with the build. Glade to be joining the ranks of model ship builders. It is an art and a skill to undertake.

 

[David Lester]

Good Morning,
Here's a bit more information that might be of some help. It seems that your Billing kit is of the original Bluenose, rather than the Bluenose II. I know the picture I sent is of the Bluenose II, but with respect to the upper shrouds, the two are the same. However, there are a number of differences between the two. Because there is so many references available online for the Bluenose II and not too many for the original, it takes some discipline to stick to the original and not be overly influenced by II.

There is a kit out there of the Bluenose II, by Artesania Latina. From what I have seen on line, in terms of build logs and practicums, it appears that it is a very inaccurate representation of the Bluenose II and as a reference point for the original, I think it is virtually useless.

I have just purchased the Model Shipways version of the original and I have faith in its accuracy. I have done a number of their kits and find their plans to be generally very accurate.

I am currently researching details etc on line for the original. Unfortunately, references are a bit hard to find and most pictures are in black and white which doesn't help. There are a number of pictures at the Nova Scotia archives (although you have to plough through a number of pages to find them) -

https://novascotia.ca/archives/bluenose/

and there is even some rare colour footage on youtube -

However, I think your most valuable resource is likely the website of a modeler who built the Model Shipways version. He created a very comprehensive practicum and outlines the rigging very clearly. His instructions, descriptions and diagrams are excellent, although his website is very difficult to navigate. Nevertheless, it's worth the effort working through it. It appears to me that his information is very accurate -

The Suburban Ship Modeler

suburbanshipmodeler.com

There is also a practicum by Gene Bodnar at modelshipbuilder.com however there isn't a lot of detail about the rigging.

The Schooner Bluenose Plans - Model Ship Builder

I apologize if much of this is already old news to you, but I'm just sharing what I have learned so far.

David

 

[David Lester]

I just thought of another interesting detail about both Bluenoses. They both had/have internally stropped blocks, not rope stropped blocks. The Model Shipways plans point this out and it seems to be confirmed by every picture I've seen. The ones that come with kits are, of course, rope stropped. I've never seen a build log where anyone has worried about this detail. And what's more, while the blocks on the Bluenose II have a natural finish, I believe the ones on the original Bluenose are painted white.

I'm going to try to capture this detail and I think there are three options. One is to try to make the blocks or perhaps modify kit supplied blocks, by sanding out the groove and attaching an eyebolt or wire at the end, but that seems like an onerous task and would not likely end with beautiful results. The second option is to buy Syren internally stropped blocks. These ones are very beautiful and would work well, but they don't come in a small enough size to outfit the whole model with them, and they require quite a bit of work to assemble and shape. Then if I choose to paint them white, it seems a shame to just cover them up. (And they're expensive!) The third option, and the one I think is best in this case, is to buy Bluejacket cast metal internally stropped blocks. These have very nice detailing and come in a range of sizes to outfit the whole model. Giving a natural finish to these metal blocks can be a challenge, but if I paint them white, then they are probably the ideal option.

Here's a picture of the Bluenose II with naturally finished blocks and a couple of pictures of the original, which certainly appears to me to have white blocks.

David