Chapter Twenty Rigging the yards Following the plans, add as many blocks and preliminary of the yard. You don’t have to create an eye on this end of rigging as possible to the yards before attempting to rig the truss. Just seize the truss closed after wrapping both them on the model. This includes the brace pendants, ends around the yard. Add a drop of glue to prevent it truss, ties and parrels, etc. Remember that the topsail, from loosening. topgallant, and royal yards for the main mast will have their brace pendants rigged on the forward side of the yards. Lanyard for the sling (.008 tan) — You should have Examine the plans carefully. Once you have finished pre- already created a simulated thimble and lashed it to the paring the yards they can be rigged on your model. The center of the yard as mentioned in the previous chapter. rigging sequence for all of the yards has been detailed Use some super glue to stiffen the eye as was described below in the order that was used to rig the prototype. many times earlier in the project. Tie a length of .008 tan Please note that these instructions are not intended to be rigging line to this thimble on the yard. Use a simple over- a treatise on rigging a tall ship. There are many in-depth hand knot and apply a drop of glue to secure it. Run the books that cover the rigging in detail for a ship during this lanyard between this thimble and the other simulated thim- time period. One such book, “The Masting and Rigging of ble you made on the end of the sling. The sling should English Ships of War, 1625-1860” by James Lees is one be hanging below the front of the top (through the hole of the finest written and would be a reference you would you created for it on the platform). Run it through both return to over and over again. thimbles a few times and use some glue to secure the run- ning end. Then snip off the excess line. See the detailed Main (lower) Course Yard Rigging… drawing provided on the plans. Truss (.021 blk) — A simplified truss will be used on the lower yards. It holds the yard securely against the mast. Jeer Ties (.012 tan) — Examine that same drawing shown Create a small eye on the end of the rigging line to start on the plans before setting up the jeer ties for the lower the truss by folding and doubling a length of rigging thread. yards. One continuous length of line runs through the Leave the doubled loose ends of the truss about 8 inches single block on the top/center of the yard. From here, the long. This will make it easier to complete the rigging after running ends on both sides of this block are taken through you pin the yard to the mast. Add the truss to one side the “jeer blocks” under the top. These are the two single of the yard (inside of the sling cleats). This is done by blocks you prepared earlier that are hanging through the inserting the two loose ends into the eye and cinching it up lubber’s hole from the masthead. Both loose ends are tightly around the yard. Let the loose ends hang freely. taken down to the base of the main mast and set up with a running tackle. You have created these running tack- After pinning the yard on the mast, take the two loose ends les before while rigging the backstays. Set up a working of the truss around the mast and set it up on the other side tackle after seizing a 1/8” single block to both ends of jeer 115 Buntlines (.008 tan) — First, create a block assembly using two 3/32” single blocks. Strop them together end-to- end. See the photo provided. You will need four of these block assemblies to rig the buntlines for both lower yards. Make sure you position the sheave holes for the block properly. The sheave holes should be on the inside of the assembly for both blocks. Take a generous length of rigging line and create a stop- per knot on one end. Run this line through the inner-most single block on the top of the yard. Take the line through the inner-most sheaves of both double blocks under the top. From here the running end should be reeved through one of the blocks on the block assembly you created. Then take the line back up through the remaining sheaves of the double blocks beneath the top. The running end of the line is brought back down to the yard arm and through the remaining single block (middle one) on the top of the yard arm. Pull the line to establish the correct height for the buntline block assemblies off of the deck. The double block assemblies should be positioned about 2 ¾” to 3” from the deck. Once you have established the correct position for the block assemblies, you can lock it in place Jeer Blocks w/tackles set up for main mast by applying a drop of glue to that last single block on the yard arm. You can tie a stopper knot onto the line once ties. A hooked single block will be used to complete each the glue secures it in the sheave. Snip off the excess line. tackle. They should be secured to the eyebolts at the foot of the mast. The standing end of the halliard (.008 tan) The falls for the buntlines (.008 tan) are run through the for this tackle will originate from the upper block. Just bottom block of the block assembly hanging free at the seize the line around it and reeve the halliard through both moment. Take one end of the line and secure it to the fife blocks as shown on the plans. Tighten up the tackles after rail adjacent to the belaying point (1). Just wrap the stand- hooking them to the eyebolts on deck. Belay the running ing end once around the rail itself and apply a drop of glue ends of these tackles to the mast cleats shown on the to secure it. Then take the running end of the fall which belaying plan and finish them off with rope coils. runs through the buntline block and belay it to the pin on the rail (2). Finish it off with a rope coil. Lifts (.012 tan) — Seize the standing end of the lifts behind the single blocks lashed to the lower mast cap. The Braces, Clew lines, sheets and tacks — These rigging standing ends are actually seized above the blocks on the lines for the main lower yard will not be completed at this lashing used to hang them from the cap. From here, run time. If they were rigged now, they would certainly get in them through the lift blocks on the end of the yard arms. the way while trying to belay the other lines for the topsail, Then take the running end back up through the single topgallant and royal yards. We will come back to these blocks lashed to the cap. after the other yards have been successfully rigged in their entirety. The lifts are then taken down through the lubber’s hole and set up with another running tackle. Use 1/8” single blocks Fore (lower) Course Yard… for these running tackles. The tackles are hooked to an The rigging of the fore course yard is basically the same eyebolt on the channels much like the running backstays. as described for the main course yard. There are only a Be careful to set up the lifts so the yard is not crooked and few differences worth noting. Check the belaying plans for angled on the mast. It should be level and horizontal when all of the correct belaying points. The leech lines will be viewing the model from the bow and stern. Belay the run- taken through the outer-most sheaves of the double blocks ning ends to (4) and finish them off with a rope coil. hanging beneath the top. If you recall, the leech lines for main course yard were taken through a single block. But Leech lines (.008 tan) — Create a stopper knot on the this time, a double block is needed because the additional end of some rigging line. Then run it through the outside sheave will be used for the spritsail yard braces. single block on the yard arm. See the plans for details. The lifts will be set up with tackles that are hooked along From here, take the running end and reeve it through the fore channels. This time however, you will belay the both single blocks hanging under the top. These are the running ends of those tackles to the timber heads along outside pair of single blocks. Finally, take the leech lines the cap rail. down to the deck and belay them to (3) the pin rail along the bulwarks. Finish them off with a rope coil. 116 Main Topsail Yard Rigging… Parrel — Before you pin the Topsail yard to the mast, the parrel should be added as shown on the plans and the photo provided. Use some .018 black rigging line to string the parrel with the ribs and little beads supplied with the kit. The line is first seized around the yard inside the sling cleats. Keep the line doubled after you seize it with two long lengths so you can string your ribs and beads onto them.