Instruction manual

There are a number of cleats, yokes, and other fittings
that need to be added to the shaped spar. Plan sheet
4 shows all of the detail. You will discover the use of
the various cleats when you get to plan sheet 5 and
start the rigging process. By the way, some cleats are
the ones with two horns for belaying lines. The other
type of cleat is a simple piece of rectangular wood
used so an eyesplice or line passed around a spar will
not slide along the spar. These are typical on older
ships with a lot of rope stroppings instead of the iron
bands with eyebolts.
The topgallant yard is hoisted as needed on the real
ship, and is held only by a halliard and the
sheets––no parrals and no braces at all. Most of the
time, this sail is furled on its yard and it is stowed
along the port bulwarks just aft of the main shrouds.
If you do not intend to install this rig on the model,
you can stow it, or leave it off altogether. Plan sheet 4
shows the stowage location.
Reminder
: Paint and stain the yards before you set
them aside. Some time ago you were told to paint as
you go along, but a reminder here is in order. Once
you start rigging, you must have all the painting (or
staining) completed.
6. Building the Main Boom & Gaffs
Like the yards, these spars should be completed in
hand as much as possible for installing later. The new
item to build now is a boom or gaff jaw. This is a fair-
ly simple task, but make sure the port and starboard
jaws line up and are level. Don’t get them sticking up
like bird wings. The jaws are supplied laser-cut (see
figure 63).
Notice that the maximum diameter for the
boom and gaffs is not at the center like
the yards, but about 1/3 out from
the forward end. Taper the
booms the same as
a yard, just start at
a different place.
On the real ship,
the parrals for
the gaffs and
boom are a
series of wood-
en balls on a line.
Actually, the balls
are a little flat on one side. For the model, you can use
some small beads or just use a line for the parral.
7. Ringtail &
Studding Sail Booms & Yards
The real ship ringtail and studding sails (called stun-
sails, or stuns’ls, for short) require a boom, and a yard
(
Pride of Baltimore II crew calls it a club) at the head of
the sail. When not in use, the boom is generally left in
place. The stunsail boom is pushed in toward the
mast. The yard and sail are removed and stowed
below deck. Consequently, if you do not want to rig
these sails, they just disappear, so you need not make
them in the first place.
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