[COR-FB] 5F Schooner "Blazer"

[Bregir]

"Haul the main sheets, men. Bring her close to the wind!" Captain Norman Monroe commanded, his eyes fixed on the sails and rigging. The "Blazer" was fresh out of the shipyard in Balondia, and she was proving to be quite a flyer. Closely observing her every move and the lay of her rigging, Monroe was putting her through her paces, finding the limits of her capabilities.

For merchant shipping and privateers alike, fore and aft rigging was getting more and more popular on the Brick Seas. While not as fast as square rigged vessels with the wind abaft the beam, it is faster on a bowline and requires less crew, allowing for larger shares per sailor, when the profits are divided. (And, more for the owner...)

After finishing the first few trials, and making the necessary adjustments, the Blazer will set sail for King's Harbour with supplies for the naval base, before seeking new employment.

Captain Monroe had high standards, and outfitted his crew with uniforms rivalling those of the navy, and that out of his own pocket. The brass was polished and the white manila rigging spotless, and the Blazer was fit for an admirals inspection. Her captain would have no rude comments from his navy colleagues.

Thanks for looking - I have included a few more pics - and as always, I would like to hear your comments and suggestions. I am certain I can still improve! (Well, at least I hope!.. )

It is my first go at cloth sails, and I quite like how they turned out. While not perfect, they allow for the next new thing for me on this vessel: The running rigging. While the standing rigging (stays, shrouds, etc.) is quite similar (albeit more advanced and historically correct) to my earlier vessels, the running rigging (sheets, halyards, etc.) is new. In fact, all sails and yards can be raised and operated from the deck, which was a very interesting challenge. It really gives an insight in how complex rigging was in the age of sail!

And as the pictures below should show, that is a lot of ropes! If I find rest in my fingers again, I might show a picture where the sails are all lowered and packed away, but for now, I can't handle another round of fiddling with those tiny ropes.

[Dannylonglegs]

That rigging is spectacular! Love your sails and the ship itself, of course, is great! Wonderful work here! Looks like the blazer will be speeding across the seas, blazing a bloody red path through the pirates of the brick seas!

~Insectoid Aristocrat

[cb4]

I love the rigging. You have so much more patience than I do. I like the long, low schooner shape and the use of window frames for gun ports. My only suggestion would be to raise the great cabin slightly to avoid flooding in a following sea.

Edited August 22, 2016 by cb4

[blackdeathgr]

RRRRRRRRigging...!!!!!!!!! (runs away in fear)

Once more an excellent ship Bregir and it is indeed a feat that all the ropes albeight small, are able to be operated normally!

[TitusV]

She looks gorgeous, Bregir!

That rigging is so awesome... When I start my ship, would you want to come over and help me with it

[SilentWolf]

I agree that the cloth sails turned out great and that rigging looks awesome. Of course, the fact that it operates makes it even more amazing!

I like the tumblehome on the sides, and the windows as gun ports work out well. I am curious as to why there is a net on the bow.

[Kai NRG]

Very nice ship, the Corrington colors go really well with black! Good job on the riggin as well!

[Ayrlego]

Yep, she's a beauty alright! Sleek and fast looking, a very nice looking vessel! The patience required for all that rigging and those sails must be huge. Great job!!

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Very fine ship - and excellent rigging.

What I suggest: I'll build some hulls and you do the rigging

[Bregir]

That rigging is spectacular! Love your sails and the ship itself, of course, is great! Wonderful work here! Looks like the blazer will be speeding across the seas, blazing a bloody red path through the pirates of the brick seas!

~Insectoid Aristocrat

Thanks, IA! (Or any other nickname you would like )

Glad you like the rigging - once you get the hang of it, rigging is pretty fun!

We will see about the pirates - most likely, she will be commisioned as a merchant ship, and rather run than fight. Not that she won't bite, if the need arises!

I love the rigging. You have so much more patience than I do. I like the long, low schooner shape and the use of window frames for gun ports. My only suggestion would be to raise the great cabin slightly to avoid flooding in a following sea.

You talk about patience after that brilliant, intricate hull you recently posted?

I entirely agree about the long low shape - it was exactly what I was going for. And in hard weather, she will ship deadlights in the windows to avoid flooding.

RRRRRRRRigging...!!!!!!!!! (runs away in fear)

Once more an excellent ship Bregir and it is indeed a feat that all the ropes albeight small, are able to be operated normally!

Thanks, BD - I hope and expect to show her at least with all sails folded at a quayside at some point. That should show that it all works!

She looks gorgeous, Bregir!

That rigging is so awesome... When I start my ship, would you want to come over and help me with it

Thanks, Titus!

Maybe you and Captain Braunsfeld can pool together some cash for a flight ticket for me! Or carpool to Denmark!

I agree that the cloth sails turned out great and that rigging looks awesome. Of course, the fact that it operates makes it even more amazing!

I like the tumblehome on the sides, and the windows as gun ports work out well. I am curious as to why there is a net on the bow.

They really do add something - and they are strong enough not to fall apart when I operate the rigging!

I stole the window gunports somewhere (might have been you or Kabel, or someone else...), as I too thought they worked well.

As to the net, it is actually a fairly common feature on many vessels. I am quite certain it is there to ensure that the sailors working on the bowsprit are not lost to the seas.

Very nice ship, the Corrington colors go really well with black! Good job on the riggin as well!

Check out the flag - black is in fact one of the Corlander colours!

(Truth be told, I hadn't thought about the colours being Corrish before someone mentioned it... )

Yep, she's a beauty alright! Sleek and fast looking, a very nice looking vessel! The patience required for all that rigging and those sails must be huge. Great job!!

Thanks - I only hope she will be a match for the swiftness of your very own Lady Jacqueline!

And the rigging did take some time, but once you get the hang of it, and the sewing machine ready, it actually isn't as bad as I had feared.

Very fine ship - and excellent rigging.

What I suggest: I'll build some hulls and you do the rigging

Thanks, captain! As I said to Titus, come right by and I'll take a look at it!

[Captain Genaro]

Oh man, that's fantastic! The cloth sails and proper rigging are gorgeous. You paid exceptional attention to detail with the rigging, and that's only further enhanced by the fact that it is functional (which could be really neat if you use it in future stories, you can show it sailing under different conditions!).

The rest of the ship is nice as well. The color scheme works well for a Corish vessel, and you did a nice job capturing a schooner's profile.

[Bregir]

On 27/08/2016 at 4:50 PM, Captain Genaro said:

Oh man, that's fantastic! The cloth sails and proper rigging are gorgeous. You paid exceptional attention to detail with the rigging, and that's only further enhanced by the fact that it is functional (which could be really neat if you use it in future stories, you can show it sailing under different conditions!).

The rest of the ship is nice as well. The color scheme works well for a Corish vessel, and you did a nice job capturing a schooner's profile.

Thank you, Captain Genaro - it was actually very interesting to construct this rigging, and the necessity of making it actually work requires a lot of details!

I am planning to use her in future stories, first one probably being her arriving or moored at King's Harbour. So probably with all sails furled.

As I wrote elsewhere, I hadn't actually considered the colour scheme other than as to what bricks I had available. But yeah - it turned out very fitting!