Where does this rope go? Please help.

Bob Ellis · Sunday at 9:14 AM

Toni_S said:
As I've been working through the rigging and trying to figure out the purpose of each rope, I've found myself saying to myself, "....but if the wind is coming this way, these ropes would be slack and those ropes would be taut...if the wind were coming from another direction then those ropes would be taut and these slack", etc..

Basically, I'm figuring that no matter how I fashion the sails in the end, I'll end up with a lot of slack ropes that should be taut and vice-versa, due to my lack of experience.

Read the Aubrey/Maturin Patrick O'Brian novels as well as watching Master and Commander. Plus there's a lot online with diagrams/videos. You can't know too much with this hobby! I enjoy the extensive researching.
OcCre seem to be popular (for some unfathomable reason? Cost??) but never assume any mainstream European kit is accurate. Look at Mamoli's Surprise for example, a hideously unfunny joke! Caldercraft and Vanguard, Nikitin, Maris Stella, Korabel, are all good European offerings. Across the pond you have Drydock, Syren etc

Don Case · Sunday at 9:53 AM

Toni_S said:
No, they don't. Just 'J36'.

The written instructions that come with the kit are very sparse. Diagrams and pictures are what I have to work with. And none of the pics clearly illustrate what to do with this rope.

I've heard before that kit instructions were poor but that's just ridiculous. At least if they named the rope you would be able to search elsewhere. I've never built or even seen a kit, only scratch build. I'm in the middle of rigging at the moment and it is the toughest part of the build. I have a new appreciation of kit builders now. Sorry I haven't been any help. Good luck.

Corsair · Sunday at 12:26 PM

Toni_S said:
As I've been working through the rigging and trying to figure out the purpose of each rope, I've found myself saying to myself, "....but if the wind is coming this way, these ropes would be slack and those ropes would be taut...if the wind were coming from another direction then those ropes would be taut and these slack", etc..

Basically, I'm figuring that no matter how I fashion the sails in the end, I'll end up with a lot of slack ropes that should be taut and vice-versa, due to my lack of experience.

Toni, See if you can pick up the book "Rigging Period Ship Models" by Lennarth Petersson. It's not an exhaustive resource, but it can be a huge help for such a small book (only a little over 100 pages).

Toni_S · Sunday at 9:06 PM

Bob Ellis said:
Read the Aubrey/Maturin Patrick O'Brian novels as well as watching Master and Commander. Plus there's a lot online with diagrams/videos. You can't know too much with this hobby! I enjoy the extensive researching.
OcCre seem to be popular (for some unfathomable reason? Cost??) but never assume any mainstream European kit is accurate. Look at Mamoli's Surprise for example, a hideously unfunny joke! Caldercraft and Vanguard, Nikitin, Maris Stella, Korabel, are all good European offerings. Across the pond you have Drydock, Syren etc

Maris Stella.

*******droooooollllllllll******* (ka-ching!)

Toni_S · Sunday at 9:13 PM

Don Case said:
I've heard before that kit instructions were poor but that's just ridiculous. At least if they named the rope you would be able to search elsewhere. I've never built or even seen a kit, only scratch build. I'm in the middle of rigging at the moment and it is the toughest part of the build. I have a new appreciation of kit builders now. Sorry I haven't been any help. Good luck.

Oh gosh, no, don't be sorry. I think it's great that you took the time to read this thread.

I should have said that Occre has an accompanying YouTube video series (no narrative) as additional help with the instructions. If those videos hadn't been available to me then I don't know if I could have made it as far as I have with this build. Still, when it gets to the rigging, the videos leave a lot to be desired. Most especially rope J36. lol

Toni_S · Sunday at 9:17 PM

Corsair said:
Toni, See if you can pick up the book "Rigging Period Ship Models" by Lennarth Petersson. It's not an exhaustive resource, but it can be a huge help for such a small book (only a little over 100 pages).

Ohhh, that looks like such a good book. Thank you so much!!

Bob Ellis · Monday at 6:10 AM

Corsair said:
Toni, See if you can pick up the book "Rigging Period Ship Models" by Lennarth Petersson. It's not an exhaustive resource, but it can be a huge help for such a small book (only a little over 100 pages).

I use Petersson's books but he's specific to the late 1700's early 1800's. He used Melampus (a frigate) as a guide for a ship's rigging. Somebody else pointed out some errors which I probably wouldn't have spotted!!

Don Case · Monday at 9:12 AM

If you decide to buy Peterssons book I don't recommend the Kindle version. It's very cumbersome to use. Spend the extra couple of bucks and get the book.