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In which rigging installation sequence to install ratlines?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Y.T.
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Y.T.

Y.T.

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Hi,

On my 1:90 scale HMS Victory model I had installed some standing rigging. See attached picture. As I started to install the backstays for top masts, I realized that they will be coming over the shroud lines potentially blocking me from convenient low masts ratlines installation. Should I install ratlines now or after I install back stays for top masts? Should I install some yards and running rigging that will be running behind the shrouds at the ship's center? I am on cross road. Looks like whichever way I go I will have big problems to proceed with installation. Please advise your preferable sequence of standing and running rigging installation.
 
If you follow the order of dressing used on the ships you should be good to go. At full size, the ratlines may have been added later, but there was room to work. For a model, better to install the ratlines before adding the other lines.

1 Lower masts.....pendants of tackles, shrouds and ratlines, stay, preventer stay
2 Topmast... Burton pendants, shrouds and ratlines, backstays, preventer stay, stay
3 Main and Mizen topgallant masts .... Stay, shrouds and ratlines, backstay
4 Fore topgallant mast.....Stay, flying jib stay, shrouds, backstay
5 Royal mast.... Stay, backstay
 
Thanks, Allan. Interesting, how they installed the shrouds on real ships when ratlines were still not there?
 
Y.T. said:
Interesting, how they installed the shrouds on real ships when ratlines were still not there?
Click to expand...
I suspect bosun's chairs would have been used extensively to get up and down until the ratlines were installed. The main point of the shrouds is to help support the mast and the ratlines are merely a very big convenience for acting as a ladder when they finally came into use. The use of shrouds can be traced to Roman times while ratlines did not seem to come into common use until the early 1500's based on what I could dig up so far.
Allan
 
I just finished ratlines on my build of The Revenge". For me, I would start as soon as possible, before you tackle any others rigging. This is because you are looking at 1-2 thousand clove knots. You will have to reach behind frequently... the least rigging in place, the lower the risk for disaster that could set you back.
 
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I tie the ratlines on the lower shrouds when they are completed, then the stays go on etc. Working up through topmast to topgallant etc. When I restored HMS Pandora the client mentioned the amount of knots, so I kept a rough estimate. There were over 9,000, yes 9k knots throughout the entire rigging. And I tied Matthew Walker stop knots for all the deadeye lanyards.
The ratlines were all clove hitches, and the next most common knot was the constrictor knot which I use to seize shrouds to deadeyes, stays to hearts etc.
Kimmo
 
I fit all the standing rigging lines that terminate on the centre line and then follow that with the shrouds and ratlines. I believe it is better not to fit the yards until after these processes as they tend to get in the way of tying ratlines. That's where i am on my Diana at the moment.
 
Kimosubby said:
I tie the ratlines on the lower shrouds when they are completed, then the stays go on etc. Working up through topmast to topgallant etc. When I restored HMS Pandora the client mentioned the amount of knots, so I kept a rough estimate. There were over 9,000, yes 9k knots throughout the entire rigging. And I tied Matthew Walker stop knots for all the deadeye lanyards.
The ratlines were all clove hitches, and the next most common knot was the constrictor knot which I use to seize shrouds to deadeyes, stays to hearts etc.
Kimmo
Click to expand...
Matthew Walker stop knots ?? What are these? I just googled it. Well done doing this for all the deadeyes…..wow!!
 
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Above experiences are somehow controversial. I am still not sure should I do my ratlines now or it is wiser to do them all at the end. Ultimately I can untie all backstays after installing them to free the room for installing ratlines on shrouds. This may be, would save me some time when working on some running rigging? i had never yet installed the running rigging. Anyways all is as clear as mud.
 
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Y.T. said:
Hi,

On my 1:90 scale HMS Victory model I had installed some standing rigging. See attached picture. As I started to install the backstays for top masts, I realized that they will be coming over the shroud lines potentially blocking me from convenient low masts ratlines installation. Should I install ratlines now or after I install back stays for top masts? Should I install some yards and running rigging that will be running behind the shrouds at the ship's center? I am on cross road. Looks like whichever way I go I will have big problems to proceed with installation. Please advise your preferable sequence of standing and running rigging installation.
Click to expand...
1. Get aa copy of Lee's rigging book.
2. All of these rigging type details are covered in gloriously detailed pictures and text.
3. Seawatch books will probably be happy to sell you a copy.
 
Now I will try to show you what kind of trouble I’m getting into. See this eyebolt? It had to be installed with a ring. All my eyebolts , about 18 of them, I installed without the ring. I was not able to accept this mistake. I was trying hard, but was not able to insert a new ring inside of these eyebolts on the model. Eyebolts were all getting crushed with pliers and tweezers. Eyebolts were in obstructed area. In the end I had to cut off all existing eyebolts and I installed new sets of eyebolts with the ring pre installed. This was lots of work, but I had to do it. This is why I’m asking these questions about the sequence of what has to be done first, and what must be done second.

IMG_0515.jpeg
 
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