Product Description

The rigging of period ship models is the most complex task which any modeller has to take on. An eighteenth-century man-on-war boasted mile upon mile of rigging, over 1,000 blocks and acres of canvas. To reduce this in scale and yet retain an accurate representation is an awesome undertaking. This new book is entirely devoted to making the modeller's job logical and straightforward. The author has, after studying in detail numerous eighteenth-century models now located in museums, drawn some 400 diagrams which show clearly how each separate item of rigging is fitted to the masts, yards and sails. Each drawing deals with only one particular aspect so allowing the reader to see it in isolation. Clear headings and concise captions add to the ease with which the book can be used. Whether a modelmaker needs to rig a whole ship or just requires information on one aspect, it is all here. The remarkable visual immediacy and clarity of this work makes it unique and no modeller of period ships will wish to be without it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #195108 in Books
• Published on: 2003-07-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

About the Author
Lennarth Petersson is a modelmaker and draughtsman and has spent years studying square rig. He has written for journals and periodicals and, amongst many commissions, produced detailed visual interpretations of the Vasa for the Statens Sjohistoriska Museet in Stockholm. He lives in Sweden and this is his first book.

Customer Reviews

Excellent!!
Boy, I wish I'd got this first, instead of some other books - this is just brilliant.
This book does just what its title says, teaches you in oh-so-easy steps how to rig a period ship. It makes no pretence at describing the different sizes of rigging and blocks (other books provide that info), but it does tell you exactly where each line is attached, which blocks it runs through, and, most importantly, where it is belayed ... in full-page, easy-to-understand line drawings, with all extraneous detail removed, and call-outs showing which is what. As one browses through, it all becomes clear ... rigging is not arbitrary, there are rules, and they make real sense when presented in this accessible manner.
The body of the book has ONE page of text - the rest is ALL graphics - brilliant!
In another review, I complained about that book's lack of clarity on belaying-points; this book tackles that problem in spades!
Anyone requiring a book on accurate routing of running and standing rigging need look no further - gets my 5 stars!

It is, what it says it is. Very clarifying book.
Having built a couple of plank on frame period models and being frustrated by the lack of specific instructions about where to tie this #%@**&^ line to, I found this book very revealing. What it lacks in text, it provides in drawings. It describes the standing and running rigging of a three masted ship (HMS Melampus-a frigate) but the basic idea is the same for all square rigged sailling vessels (as well as for some fore-and-aft rigged ones). I recomend it.

Model Period Ship rigging
Although the included kit-plans for rigging period ship models by the manufacturer are sufficient, I tend to go for more 'realism' and this book is absolutely perfect for finding rigging,lines etc I never knew existed. Perfect.