Gammoning Bowsprit on Airfix St Louis Part 18 showing rigging stays and winding pulley blocks

[@CharlesFlahertyB]

Thanks!

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Super Thanks Charles… much appreciated

[@davidguy6823]

Super job once again. The sign of a true craftsman is to make things look easy!

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Thanks David… if you break it down into small steps, they are pretty easy.

[@williamault2490]

I’ve recently added the Airfix model of Captain Cook’s Endeavor to the stash. I’ll definitely be needing the ratline jig and the deadeye jig for the build. Always enjoy your videos Harry please continue producing your fine content. Cheers from the States Mate!!

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Good on you William. The Rat Harp rigging tool is available for sale with a free Dead Bug deadeye jig for early purchases. houdinimodels.com/harp/

[@MrGoldenV]

Really nice paint work, particularly the pointy out bit.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I see you also know the correct naughty call terms :)

[@andrewjones1649]

Thanks Harry. Brilliant stuff. I'll buy all the rigging tools that you can make and design.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Good on you Andrew… I have pre sales for the Rat Harp available now and will throw in a free Dead Bug. houdinimodels.com/harp/

[@abyssminiaturestudios6103]

Another fantastic video, great reference for the Santa Caterina du Monte Sanai.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@brenstratters2026]

I knew I was doing something wrong. I thought I was working on the baconing. (I'm feeling silly this morning) Thanks for the informative video Harry. All the best. 😀

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

You can only do that wth eggs Bren… hehe

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

Very interesting. I think I’m going to have to get a tall-ship model just to try these techniques. The finished rigging looks so good. 😀

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

They are well worth doing at least once in your life, plus you will get a nice mantle piece ornament when the ship is done.

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

@@HarryHoudiniModels That true Harry. 😀👍🏻

[@garylawless3608]

Fascinating Harry! There is no way I would attempt a kit like the Bounty now, but I would have loved to have a go at it when my eyes were good and my hands were not so shaky. The rigging looks to be a bit finicky to complete, but the finished product looks amazing. Can’t wait to see her fully rigged. Keep them coming mate!

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Thanks Gary.. the rigging is just a series of simple, albeit a little fiddly tasks, which when all done add up to a complex web of cordage. So as long as you just do each task, and not think of the rest, it can be very enjoyable, and is ultimately very rewarding.

[@syrmalcolm]

really good stuff HH. I know I have another tallship in the not distant future and this is super helpful. Thanks.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Happy to share what I know Mal

[@Miru_Man]

Today I learned what gammoning is!

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

And there will be questions later… hehe

[@crisslastname9417]

The rigging looks great!👍

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Thank you Criss

[@fenman1954]

Airfix have included a Ratlines jig in the Great Western instead of those moulded ones, will let you know how good it is.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Probably the Heller one… I reviewed it back when I built the Bounty.. better than the old plastic covered fibre ones they used to supply, still not as nice as running your shrouds on the model, then adding ratlines in situ.

[@Jeff-cv4qn]

Excellent video Harry

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Thanks Jeff, glad you liked it

[@mike59317]

Wow! At 5:47 that wooden peg looks as old as you and me😉 As always another entertaining video Harry. Cheers.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

My pegs came out of the Ark

[@mike59317]

@@HarryHoudiniModels Lol, they look it.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

and of course… I have 2 :)

[@joshuamurphy4928]

Amazing rigging. What would be a good kit for a person that has never built a ship like this but wants to try one out?

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

There is a lot more still to do on this St Louis Joshua, and it is a small size at 1:144 so not usually a beginners kit. For a first sailing ship, with an easy rig, something like the 1:72 Santa Maria or Golden Hind, both are small sailing ships so are not huge at this scale, but have a lot less sails to rig and can be bought for a reasonable price. They are both less complex and much easier to see what you are doing when rigging masts and sails, plus usually come with plastic pulley blocks and deadeyes. Both Heller and Airfix sell those ships and include a basic easy to use rigging guide in the instructions.

[@joshuamurphy4928]

@@HarryHoudiniModels thanks Harry. I'll look into those.

[@sammy_dog]

you would hope the bowsprit stays put with all that rigging but how would we know with all that gammoning goin on

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I think it’s stowed in the beak and trimmed tight as a baboon’s ask the mate if it’s loose.

[@sammy_dog]

@@HarryHoudiniModels you crack me up Harry

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Careful if those cheeks part as there can be an expelling of noxious fumes

[@sammy_dog]

@@HarryHoudiniModelsyou did it again man im starting to choke up in here and my eyes are stingin from all those fumes

[@teletube0]

hey Harry, one question. do you know when for the first time the waterline was painted? I heard that this was not normal in the 16th, 17th century gr, Jos

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

The water line did not become a thing until the late 19th century after copper hulls first started in the late 18th century. Before that Merchant ships had a circular mark on the side of their ships called a plimsol. Which let them see if the load of goods they were carrying was evenly weighted in the hold and the ship was sitting level in the water. Warships did not have this. Crews were very adept at making sure the ship was loaded evenly and anyway the heavy cannons, which were evenly distributed about the ship ensured a level keel. The only line a warship had was along the whale line, which was usually painted white underneath, and curved up a little at the bow and stern. This matched the pitch to and fro of the ships at the time. The white paint was made with white lead and helped stop the wood worm and barnacles. In the late 18th century England’s Navy started experimenting with copper plating their hulls as better protection from corrosion. This was expensive, so was rarely seen on anything except ships of the line, and did not become prevalent until mid to late 19th century. So for modelling sailing ships the rule of thumb is. If it has a while hull the water line follows the curve of the whale line. If it has a copper hull, and you checked references it really had one, then the water line set by the copper plating is level.

[@teletube0]

@@HarryHoudiniModels thank you for the info