Issue 91 - Contains brass wire, thread,lower wriggles, belaying pins, cannonballs, deadeyes, ekeing rails & cat head support brackets; and has instructions for the making of the bowsprit spars, fitting the cat heads & ekeing rails, and the option to fit the stern davits.

Making the bowsprit spars - The dowels and other parts used to make the spritsail, topsail yard, and the two boomkins were supplied in issue 89.
The making of these spars is similar to the other spars, therefore I will not be repeating the process here.

Finish and rig the spars in your chosen guise.

Tie four double blocks onto the eyebolts of the knigthheads, leave 1-2mm of thread between the eye and the block as this will make them easier to thread.

Fitting the catheads and eiking rails - The steps show the port cathead & ekeing rail - repeat for the starboard side.

Catheads - The catheads that support he anchors are made from parts supplied in this issue, plus laser-cut brackets and 6x6mm wood strip from issue 60.
The cathead has a bracket under it and one behind it. Its end has to be cut at an angle in both the forwards and upwards directions, to match the brackets.

Take the 6x6mm strip, and use the smaller bracket (which fits behind the cathead) to make the forward angle on one end. Cut this line with a razor saw and mark the upper face with a 'T' to indicate the top side.

Turn the cathead over and mark the angle of the larger bracket on the side of the cathead. Saw along this line to create the upward angle.

Cut 32mm off the strip, then drill two 1mm holes in the top, 2mm from the end, and drill two more 6mm from one end.
Carve away the wood between them to form two slots that do not go all the way through the wood.

Hold the bracket and cathead in place against the hull, and mark lines where the bulwark cap needs to be cut away. Then using a razor saw, carefully cut a slot in the bulwark cap - The slot must stop at the hull planking, then try the cathead in place to ensure it fits correctly.

Hold the larger bracket centrally under the slot just cut, then chamfer the end of the bracket so that it will sit flat against the hull, then mark where it touches the moulding strip on the hull.
Cut away the upper moulding to clear the bracket where you made the marks, then cut away the lower moulding directly below this point.

Dry fit the assembly before gluing together to make sure the bracket fits properly - Glue the larger bracket centrally to the underside of the cathead, then stain these parts dark oak, or paint them yellow ochre.

Hold the cathead in position and mark a pencil line on the hull at the top of the small notch at the bottom of the bracket.

Ekeing rails - Take one of the laser-cut ekeing rails (they are identical) and bend it to match the inward curve of the bow. Fit the upper curved end in the cut-out in the moulding and trim the straight end to fit against the middle of the beakhead rail. (You may have to trim the cut-out in the lower moulding to get a good fit).
Cut the upper, curved end of the ekeing rail in line with the pencil mark you made on the hull earlier.

Stain the ekeing rail dark oak, or paint it yellow ochre, then glue the rail into position, then glue the cathead in position, holding the smaller bracket behind it to make sure it is set at the right angle.

Stain the smaller bracket dark oak or paint it black and glue it in place - The thicker side of the bracket goes against the hull and you will need to chamfer both straight edges so they sit flat against the hull and cathead.

Repeat the cathead & ekeing build at the starboard side of the model.

The stern davits - Note, the 4x4mm wood strip & brass strip to make the stern davits were provided with issue 90 rather than this issue.

There is some debate about whether Victory’s stern davits were removed prior to the Battle of Trafalgar., and in preparation for the bicentenary celebrations in 2005, HMS Victory underwent a major refit where the stern davits were permanently removed for the ship to be in line with current thought.
I won't be adding stern davits to the official 'painted' build, though steps are provided in the magazine for those who want to add the stern davits, the final photo is an image from the magazine and shows what they look like.

That's it for this week, carefully store the bowsprit spars and remaining parts.

Happy Christmas!

Future issues:

Issue 92 - Contains thread & deadeyes; and has instructions for fitting out the quarterdeck bulwarks, painting the beakhead rails, adding the pendants, adding the shrouds and fitting the deadeyes to the shrouds of the fore, main and mizzen masts.

Issue 93 - Contains brass wire, acetate, lantern castings & frame, and deadeyes; and has instructions for the fitting of the first hammock nets, completing the hammock nets and fitting the bowsprit.

Issue 94 - Contains an anchor, threads, brass rings & 8x dummy gun barrels; and has instructions for adding the topmast pendants, adding the deadeyes to the tops, adding the shrouds, making the stern and main mast lanterns.

Issue 95 - Contains a carronade kit, deadeyes, brass strips and pins; and has instructions for adding the hammocks, fitting the second carronade, securing the shrouds, adding the catharpins and attaching the futtock shrouds.
Adding boarding pikes - Boarding pikes are an optional fitting as they were only rigged shortly before going into battle.
Instructions are provided within the magazine to construct these from commonly available materials: 1.5mm masking tape and some standard 30mm dress-making pins. The mast pikes were rigged on the main and fore masts, and are the same for both.

Issue 93 - Contains brass wire, acetate, lantern castings & lamp frame, and deadeyes; and has instructions for the fitting of the first hammock nets, completing the hammock nets and fitting the bowsprit.

For the painted version, paint the hammock cranes black and leave the brass wire as is.

Fitting and completing the hammock nets - The required parts were supplied in issues 66, 73, 78, 87 and 90.

The hammock netting is a delicate task, which is best followed via the magazine steps for each of the hammock's. Be sure to identify the correct crane height for their positions as shown in the steps.

Fitting the bowsprit - The bowsprit is held in place with two bindings called 'gammoning'.

Lay the bow grating in place, making sure you don't trap any of the blocks attached to the knightheads.
Insert the bowsprit, check that it sits straight and fully seat's in its socket, then remove both and apply glue to the base of the grating and bowsprit, reassemble and ensure that the bowsprit is set straight and is fully seated.

Cut a length of 0.8mm black thread about 1m long, and run PVA glue along it to stiffen about 80mm of each end, then feed the ends down through the elongated slots in the grating, then feed both ends through the slot below the upper dolphin so they cross over inside the slot and leave one end with a tail of about 100mm on the left side of the model.

Using the long end, make about five turns of thread around the bowsprit and through the slot. Make sure the thread lies flat and fills the groove in the bowsprit.

Tie half a reef knot, then thread the long end through the slot and pull the half knot tight.

Feed the long end back through the slot and tie the second half reef knot. Feed the short end through the slot and pull tight. this should form a reef knot inside the slot where it is inconspicuous.

Repeat the process to make the second gammon, then seal the knots with diluted PVA and trim the ends.
The final photo is of the natural version of the model which is for clarity.

That's it for this week, carefully store the remaining parts.

Future issues:

Issue 94 - Contains an anchor kit, threads & dummy gun barrels; and has instructions for adding the topmast pendants, adding the deadeyes to the tops, adding the shrouds, and making the stern & main mast lanterns.

Issue 95 - Contains a carronade kit, deadeyes, brass strips and pins; and has instructions for adding the hammocks, fitting the second carronade, securing the shrouds, adding the catharpins and attaching the futtock shrouds.
The magazine contains steps for adding mast boarding pikes, these are an optional fitting as they were only rigged shortly before going into battle, they were rigged onto the main and fore masts and are the same for both.
Instructions are provided for how to construct them from commonly available materials: 1.5mm masking tape & standard 30mm dress-making pins.

Issue 96 - Contains thread, wriggles, deadeyes, heart deadeyes & blocks., and has instructions for lashing the top mast shrouds, fitting the boomkins, constructing the gangboard, fitting the mainstay attachments and fitting the wriggles.

Issue 97 - Contains gun port hinges, threads, wood strips & a heart block., and has instructions for rigging the main stay and preventer, rigging the fore stay and preventer, adding the snaking to the stays, rigging the mizzen preventer and fitting the gun port lids.

Issue 95 - Contains a carronade gun kit, deadeyes, brass strips and pins; and has instructions for adding the hammocks, fitting the second carronade, securing the shrouds, adding the catharpins and attaching the futtock shrouds.

Adding the hammocks - During the day, the crew's tightly rolled hammocks were stowed in the hammock nets, and during battle, helped to protect the crew from musket fire.
Model the rolled hammocks using the cloth supplied in issue 87.

You will need to make about 100 hammocks plus 4 shorter ones to fit the nets at the bow, start by cutting the cloth into 30x30mm squares, then roll each square into a sausage measuring about 5-6mm thick.

Take some 0.25mm natural thread, tie the thread around the hammock at one end, then wrap the thread around the hammock and tie a knot at the other end and seal the knots with diluted PVA.

Push the hammocks into all the nets, using two or three layers depending on the height of the nets.

Assembly & fitting of the second carronade - Assemble and finish the second carronade to your chosen guise and fit it at the opposite side to where the previous carronade was fitted.
Use the same assembly procedure as the first carronade (shown across issues 3 & 4), its rigging and installation are shown in issue 89.

Mast boarding pikes - You need to decide if you want to add these. The magazine contains steps for adding mast boarding pikes, which are an optional fitting as they were only rigged shortly before going into battle, they were rigged onto the main and fore masts and are the same for both.
Instructions are provided for how to construct them from commonly available materials such as masking tape and dress-making pins. I won't be adding pikes to the 'Official' build.

Securing the shrouds - It's time to fit the masts and secure the shrouds. Note that the masts are not glued in place as the lanyards can be tensioned to pull them upright and in line.

Place the foremast the right way round into its mast socket along with its collar. There is no need to glue the mast in place other than ensure it is properly seated.
Ensure that the holes of the deadeyes are clear by running through the holes with a 0.7mm bit.

Cut 30cm lengths of the 0.25mm natural thread, and tie a knot close to one end so that it is large enough not to pass through the holes in the deadeyes and rub some PVA into the thread at the opposite end to stiffen it. You will need a total of 56 lengths to complete the lower shrouds.

Carefully follow the steps for the threading of the deadeyes, ensure that the lanyards are tightened to form a straight line of deadeyes using a medium tension, they should not be pulled too tight.
Leave the excess lanyard dangling for the moment as you will tension all the shrouds later on.

Repeat the process to complete the main mast shrouds, but before rigging the main mast, check that the four heart blocks tied to it are no more than 10 to 12mm from the mast - Extra 0.8mm brown thread is supplied in issue 89 if you need to re-tie them.
The shrouds of the mizzen mast are attached in the same way, but there are only six shrouds on each side.

Adding the catharpins -The shrouds are linked together behind the mast with transverse rigging lines called catharpins, tied off to the futtock staves that secure the base of the futtock shrouds.
Cut a 40mm length of 1mm brass wire (from issue 90), straighten it then clip it behind the foremast shrouds (I’ve shown the Catharpin in front for clarity, there are also in front and behind versions). It should be placed 50mm below the foremast top at a level between the 3rd and 4th mast bindings.
The wire will form the futtock stave, tie it to the shrouds with 0.5mm black thread as shown in the steps. When you have finished, even out the shrouds so they are all straight pulls, and the spacing mimics the spacing of the deadeyes on the chain wales, then seal the knots with diluted PVA.

Cut four 180mm lengths of 0.5mm black thread. Tie one end of each thread to the brass wire, adjacent to shrouds 3, 5, 7 and 8, counting from the front, then feed the threads to the opposite shrouds and tie them of at the same position on the brass wire. They should be just taught enough to stay straight, but not pull the shrouds out of line.
Seal the knots and trim the ends, then repeat on the main mast exactly the same, except the wire is 60mm below the top and the threads go next to shrouds 3, 4, 8 and 9.
On the mizzen mast, tie the catharpins 40mm below the mizzen top, there are only two threads running across this mast, fitted adjacent to shrouds 3 and 5.

Adding the futtock shrouds - The futtock shrouds hanging down from each mast top can now be secured to the shrouds, below the futtock staves. Attach them alternately on the left and right to avoid pulling the shrouds out of true.
Start with the foremast, take the front futtock shroud and thread it behind the futtock stave, next to shroud #2. Temporarily tie the bottom of the futtock shroud to shroud #2 with a scrap of thread and pull the futtock shroud down until it runs straight from the top to the stave.
Bind the shrouds together below the stave - it is hard to do the usual blind binding, so make a series of half hitches going down about 8mm. Seal and trim the binding, then remove the temporary tie made earlier, and the surplus end of the futtock shroud.

Secure the fore mast futtock shrouds to shrouds 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8.
Secure the main mast futtock shrouds to shrouds 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8.
Secure the four mizzen mast futtock shrouds to shrouds 1, 2, 4 and 5.

That's it for this week, carefully store the remaining parts.

Future issues:

Issue 96 - Contains thread, wriggles, deadeyes, heart deadeyes & blocks., and has instructions for lashing the top mast shrouds, fitting the boomkins, constructing the gangboard, fitting the mainstay attachments and fitting the wriggles.

Issue 97 - Contains gun port hinges, threads, wood strips & a heart block., and has instructions for rigging the main stay and preventer, rigging the fore stay and preventer, adding the snaking to the stays, rigging the mizzen preventer and fitting the gun port lids.

Issue 98 - Contains the first of Victory's sails - the main stay sail, main topmast sail., the parts pack also includes thread, dummy gun barrels, brass rings & blocks., and has instructions for the main top mast main stay and preventer, mizzen topmast stay, main top gallant stay, admirals lantern, mizzen top gallant stay and the hanging of the main staysail.

If you aren't fitting the sails immediately, you should take time to carefully label them as you receive them (and all those you receive in future issues) until you are ready to fit them.
If you are following the ‘bare spars’ version of the model, omit ALL the steps on pages 12 & 13, as none of the staysail rigging applies to this version. (This isn’t true of all the sails as, in some cases, the same rigging lines are used to attach the spars, whether or not sails are being fitted.)

The 'Official' build has followed the route of 'bare spars' rigging, therefore it will not incorporate sails.

Issue 99 - Contains the main and mizzen topgallant staysails, dummy gun barrels, brass rings & blocks., and has instructions for hanging the main topmast staysail, fitting the fore topmast stay and preventer and fitting the fore topgallant & flagstaff stays.