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New on your bookshelf ..... show it here

Just found these two, more research than modeling.
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I knew Geoffrey Footner, worked on his house a few times, great guy if you agreed with him, irascible coot if you didn't.
I looking forward to his view on how Fells Point saved the world, hope it's better than his Constellation book.

A fellow I make reenacting stuff for, boxes, tables, etc; gifted me this one...
20251117_182351.jpg

This popped up on ebay recently; a hard to find matched set for less than a used car.
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JerryTodd said:
Just found these two, more research than modeling.
View attachment 557723 View attachment 557724
I knew Geoffrey Footner, worked on his house a few times, great guy if you agreed with him, irascible coot if you didn't.
I looking forward to his view on how Fells Point saved the world, hope it's better than his Constellation book.

A fellow I make reenacting stuff for, boxes, tables, etc; gifted me this one...
View attachment 557725

This popped up on ebay recently; a hard to find matched set for less than a used car.
View attachment 557726
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I have Geoffrey Footner's book on the Constellation. :)
 
Rigging First-Rate Ships of the Royal Navy, circa 1805: Modeler's Rigging Handbook, Author: Thomas Gropp

I was pleased to receive a copy of the above titled book this afternoon via Amazon. The book is hardcover with no dust jacket, measures 11”x 8 1/2” and contains 260 pages of very well laid out, clear images.

I know there are a multitude of books on rigging, of which I own quite a few, but my initial impression is this book will provide additional and necessary information during the sometimes confusing rigging process. I have copied and attached the front and back covers, the preface and two random pages, which I feel provides sufficient information to pique a modellers interest.

(The cover photos appear to show wear but are actually part of the embedded colour format).

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Corsair said:
I have Geoffrey Footner's book on the Constellation. :)
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I've had it for a few years now; Geoffrey's book is full of "evidence" that had been long refuted, some even proven as forgeries, all driven by his angry need for the ship to have been built in Fells Point, and his hatred of Howard Chapelle. You'll see none of the evidence that the ship was a different design, built from scratch in 1854, the yard logs, material lists, drawings, documentation of the frigate being broken-up a hundred yards or so away, or anything else that trips up his preconceived conclusion in this book.
When ever I saw him, I would never broach the subject of Constellation. Even on my website for my model, I originally didn't get into the debate, cause I knew he'd see it and call me up to berate my opinion; the boy could hold a grudge too. I didn't change the website till after he died. Any time I saw him though, we talked of Chesapeake bay craft, like Skipjacks, Bugeyes, and pilot boats; those were great conversations, and I'm looking forward to finally reading his work on that subject.
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BTW: The Constellation book is on Amazon for $5 USD right now
 
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Jerry, I read Footner’s Tidewater Triumph many years ago. I would be anxious to hear your opinion once you finish reading.

Roger
 
AllanKP69 said:
The jeers are secured to the yard on the wrong side of the blocks, so I would be wary.
Allan
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Sharp eyes! ;) I wasn't going to say anything, but since you mention it, as soon as I saw the Victory model on the cover of the book with white running rigging and deadeye lanyards, I was skeptical about this book's level of sophistication and accuracy. When I kept reading the lubberly generic use of the word "rope," it was like hitting a series of speed bumps. If you don't have a command of the nomenclature, odds aren't good you have a command of the subject matter. Nice CG illustrations, though. Given that the book is designed for kit builders who find themselves stymied by the rigging of period First Rates, specifically Victory, it's probably useful for the "novice who bit off more than they could chew" segment of the market. While I hesitate to "judge a book by its cover," in this instance I think I would consider money spent on a used copy of James Lees' The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War, 1625-1860 a much better investment. (See: https://www.amazon.com/Masting-Rigging-English-Ships-1625-1860/dp/0870219480)

Parenthetically, the author's use of the word "rope," brought to mind the old sailor's trivia question, "How many ropes are there on a ship?"

Answer:

Man Rope: Set up on either side of a fixed boarding ladder on the hull of sailing ships to serve as a handhold.

Hand Rope: Synonym for "man rope" and "monkey rope."

Monkey Rope: Synonym for "man rope" and "hand rope."

Bell Rope: Lashed to the bell clapper on a ship.

Dip Rope: Used for dipping the anchor.

Buoy Rope: Used for mooring to a buoy.

Mooring Rope: Synonym for "bouy rope."

Bolt Rope: A rope attached to the edge of a sail.

Head Rope: The portion of the bolt rope sewn to the head of a square sail.

Luff Rope: The portion of the bolt rope sewn to the luff of a sail.

Leech Rope: The portion of the bolt rope sewn onto the leech of a sail.

Foot Rope: Slung under yards to provide standing support for crew handling sails.

Tow Rope: Used for towing ship's boats or other ships.

Top Rope and Heel Rope: Fastened to the top and heel of a fidded topmast respectively to control the mast aloft while setting or striking it.
 
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Paragraf said:
could you explain more precisely what you mean when you say that "the jeers are secured to the yard on the wrong side of the blocks"
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I should not have said wrong side, but rather, different than what I have seen on contemporary models versus modern day like in the photo above. I suspect if we had the ability to go back in time and visit actual ships in the 18th century, both set ups might be seen. :) VERY little was fixed in stone, especially when it came to rigging. The sketch below is from James Lees' The Masting and rigging of English Ships of War for first rates from 1670-1811. Note that the running end is not shown. To me, having the standing part of the line secured inside the blocks as shown above makes more sense so the running end has more room away from the mast. In his written explanation he just says the standing part was secured to the yard close to the block with no mention of it being inboard or outboard of the block.
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My dad was in the Danish Navy in the 50s. one of the criteria for passing out (Basic training) was to name and explain its use of every "rope" on the ship. the Ship being the Danmark.
 
RogerD said:
Rigging First-Rate Ships of the Royal Navy, circa 1805: Modeler's Rigging Handbook, Author: Thomas Gropp

I was pleased to receive a copy of the above titled book this afternoon via Amazon. The book is hardcover with no dust jacket, measures 11”x 8 1/2” and contains 260 pages of very well laid out, clear images.

I know there are a multitude of books on rigging, of which I own quite a few, but my initial impression is this book will provide additional and necessary information during the sometimes confusing rigging process. I have copied and attached the front and back covers, the preface and two random pages, which I feel provides sufficient information to pique a modellers interest.

(The cover photos appear to show wear but are actually part of the embedded colour format).

View attachment 557823

View attachment 557824

View attachment 557825

View attachment 557826

View attachment 557827
Click to expand...
Hi I was wondering if the book also shows how to install the sails and rigging for them?
 
Jack Sparrow said:
Hi I was wondering if the book also shows how to install the sails and rigging for them?
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Hi Jack, the author specifies in his introductory section that “the book does not cover the rigging of sails themselves”. However, he does include, in various pictorial sections, “indications of where blocks for sail operation can be fitted even if the associated ropes only serve their purpose when sails are attached”.

By following the rigging sequences depicted it is easy to find the location of, for example, a particular block, and then by identified colour and page references follow it through from basically a start to finish rigging and fastening/securing location.

He mentions “some fastenings are depicted in simplified ways to assist modelling, as certain techniques used on real ships may be impractical at model scale”.

Despite the misgivings of a couple of SoS members I feel the book is a great reference for the standing and running rigging of first-rate ships. It is well laid out and easy to follow with clear and informative colour page layouts.
 
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