hi moriarty,this is a long standing problem,but first you must realise that the "surprise was not meant to be for beginners,secondly with rigging many models vary anyway,so if you have the rigging bible then by all means use it.a good example is,if you read the patrick o'brian books,you will see that the rigging was often altered to suit the weather,like forinstance the main and mizzen masts,extra back stay standing rigging cables were used in very heavy weather.and they were the messenger anchor cables.a good period rigging book is def.a must for most period ships.

Hi Moriarty

I know what you mean, the instructions on the DelPrado are so basic as well, and give no idea of where the lines are supposed to end up, I'll be ignoring them and following the diagrams on my Alan McGowan Victory reference book which are really good.
The best set of instructions for rigging were on my very first ship; the Grimsby by Constructo. There were very few actual written instructions but there was a full sized diagram of the ship with every belaying pin given a number and the rigging lines drawn in where they were tied to something on the deck then going up to the relevant block and from there down just a short distance to a number, that number was the belaying pin to tie it off on - simples!
I think all these part works could supply the same sort of thing, its only a single large sheet of paper after all!

Good Luck with yours

Robin

Hi, I agree with Andys statement regarding Billing Boat rigging plans, dreadful at best! However, I find the best way to rig is by looking long and hard at what drawings you have, pin them on a wall and formulate a plan. Start with all the standing rigging, (thats the gear that supports and tensions the masts) including the forestays, backstays and the shrouds (which will support your ratlines). Leave plenty of free end on each piece of rope so that you can fine tune the tensioning. Tweak up the fore and aft stays then the side shrouds from the bottom of the masts, then upwards, tensioning as required to straighten the masts. When you have the standing rigging completed then start the running rigging. Do the halyards first then the working sheets. Do one at a time and use a highlighter pen on the rigging plan to show which ones you have done. You will have to leave quite a few lines 'hanging' until other lines they work with are fitted (you'll see!) and I use the little wooden pegs used for hanging xmas cards (Amazon, ref TG-YLW7-BJES9236, £1.80 for 100 + 99P postage) ideal for this purpose and many other things on the ship, and theyre not too heavy! As you work your way through you will start to understand which sheet pulls what and why, so its quite a learning process and your understanding of what made these great ships sail will be greatly enhanced. Hope this helps.

Good luck!

Tommo!