IIIa-Rory McCreadie’s step by step guide to painting and rigging 1:1200 Scale Napoleonic Ships - Part III

I think it's time to post Rory's rigging guide part 3. This part is on how to do the running rigging. It may seem complicated at first, but after you have done a few ships you won't even have to look anymore. This is the longest section so I will break it up into segments.

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Rory McCreadie’s step by step guide to painting and rigging

1:1200 Scale Napoleonic Ships

Part 3 Running Rigging

The running rigging: I use Rod Langton's book on painting and rigging as a guide. I have made a number of changes which I think help me. I do longer runs with one thread. I use less knots. This in my eyes would help tension problems. I start on the yardarm ends and go around the mast on the opposite side. If I can I always go between the mast and rat-lines. I go over or under the tops as I think it is best for the angle of the line I'm working on. As I'm only going for the look of running rigging, I think it’s O.K. I must say Rod’s book is my bible and the best £10 I have spent.

I use a lighter colour thread for the running rigging. Add a spot of glue to the bottom front side of the jib. Lay the end of the thread on the glue and press.

Pull through the fore main channel. Pull, knot and glue.

If you have 2 or more jibs: Start with the first one and do not glue and knot at the channel, just go back to the 2nd one, lay a dot of glue on the bottom of it, pull and hold the thread for a minute on the glue. Do the 3rd one as a single jib. At the end of the rigging I will paint over all the thread on the sails and yardarm ends.

Knot, pull and glue thread to the end of the spritsail yardarm.

Pull thread under the foremast topsail and around the opposite side of the foremast. Between the mast and the rat-lines.

Cut the ends off. Knot, pull and glue thread to fore topsail yardarm.

Go back under the main topsail and around the main under the fighting top.

Go back under the main topsail. Go up to the opposite foresail yardarm. The one below the one I started with. Add glue to the yardarm pull and loop around the arm.

Going up behind the fore topsail to the foremast, go over and around the front of the yardarm and down to the opposite side. Add glue to the yardarm. Pull and loop around.

Go back under the main topsail again and back to the opposite fore topsail yardarm. Add Glue to the yardarm Pull and loop around.

Go behind the fore topgallant sail and around the mast. Coming down the opposite side behind the sail (Note I missed, and went in front of the sail on the photo and had to re-do). You should be back where you started this run. Add glue to the yardarm pull and loop around.

It should look like this. When dry, cut the ends.

Knot, pull and glue thread to the fore topgallant yard arm.

Go back to the main mast at the top of the topsail yardarm. Go around the main mast and back to the opposite fore topgallant yardarm. Add glue to the arm, pull and loop around.

At the top of the foremast add glue. Pull and loop around mast.

Go back to the start of this run. Add glue pull and loop around arm.

This is the bowsprit and foremast done. Only 2 small bits to do then we move to the main.

Put a spot of glue on the bottom corner of the fore sail. press the thread onto the glue.

Run the thread back to the hole behind the main mast channel.

Go through the hole, pull, knot, pull again and glue. After a minute or two, cut off thread end.

Repeat all of the above on the opposite side. If the courses are not set, you can miss this bit out.

So! This is a long run, have a long thread ready. I have only gone so far, but stopped at a good place. Add a spot of glue to the front of the mainsail (course). Press thread to the sail. If the course is not set, start at the mainsail yardarm by knot, pull and gluing.

Go to the rear hole at the stern and go through from the outside.

Go to the lower arm of the spanker. Add glue to the arm. Pull and loop thread around the lower arm.

Have a walk around as the next bit is hard. On the same side, go between the spanker and the standing rigging. Then go between the mizzen mast and the ratline (above the fighting top).

Go over the crossjack and under the mizzen topsail and then go around the front of the mizzen mast. And back through the opposite side again between the mast and the ratline. Just do it slowly and one step at a time.

Have a cup of tea/coffee. Work the thread through the standing rigging so it again is between the spanker and the standing rigging. Go back down to the lower arm. Add glue to the arm, pull and loop the thread around the arm. You will feel good with yourself at this point.

From here go to the opposite stern hole and go through from the inside out.

Go to the upper spanker arm. Add glue to the arm. Pull and loop thread around arm.

This is the hardest bit.
If you look from behind the ship, on the mizzen mast you will see the first piece of the standing rigging you did in the middle of all the rigging (the one the shrouds passed through, over). Your thread must go around this one thread only (use tweezers). Lay it on the fighting top. Pull about 90% of the thread through. Then work the thread under the fighting top and pull the rest through.

Go back to the upper arm of the spanker again. Add a spot of glue to the arm. Pull and loop around the arm. No Joke this time, the bad bits are behind us.

Into that hole again at the back end of the hull, from the outside. And back up to the top arm of the spanker again. Add glue to the arm again. Pull and loop around the arm.

Go to the opposite side of the hull and from the in-side, go through the hole.

Go up to mainsail yardarm. Add glue to the arm. Pull and loop around the arm.

Go up behind the mainsail to the main mast. Go around the front of the mast and back down the opposite side behind the mainsail again to the mainsail yardarm. Add glue to the arm. Pull and loop around arm.

Go back to that hole again. Go through again, If it is full just go around the rigging instead of the hole. Pull, knot, pull tight and glue.

After it has dried, cut off the end. Put a spot of glue on the front of the mainsail (opposite side to which you started). If the mainsail is not set miss this bit out.

As above go to the last hole again. Pull, knot, pull tight and glue.

So if you still have a ship and not a ball of metal and thread. You can rest a bit as I do and photo the next bit.

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I will take a break here and end segment 1 of Part III.