Still working my way through the box of merchant vessels. Next up are two GHQ #291 West Indies Merchants. I had built another one quite some time ago as a French trader. These two are British EIC. They have no guns on the forecastle or quarterdeck but have 20 ports on the main deck so would probably be armed against pirates or privateers. I replaced all of the lower masts and jib sails. The spanker sails are from my spares pile. All of the rest of the sail set is GHQ.
The first several pics are of how I replace the lower masts on GHQ sail sets.
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| The sail set as it comes (except for the spanker which is not GHQ) |
I started with the mizzen mast:
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| The first cut is above the fighting top platform |
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| Next cut off below the fighting top platform. Note the shiny new lower mast. |
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| Drill a hole in the fighting top platform. |
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| Slide in the new mast. Secure with superglue. |
Do the mainmast and foremast in the same way:
The finished merchant ships:
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| My French West Indies Trader. Note the incorrect mizzen rigging for a French ship, before I knew better, haha! |
