User Guide for the Rigging Calculator
This application helps you determine the recommended rope diameters and the sizes of blocks or deadeyes for historic sailing ships in various scales. The data are based on Wolfram zu Mondfeld — Historic Ship Models and were converted from the original Excel table into this application.
Important: All ratios are referenced to the Main Stay, not to the main mast itself. You enter the main mast diameter; the app computes the Main Stay and uses it as the reference.
1) Enter the main mast diameter (real ship, in mm)
Measured at the foot of the mast on the main deck. The application will calculate the diameter of the Main Stay, which serves as the reference for all ratios.
2) Select the model scale
For example, for a 1:100 scale model enter 100.
3) Choose the historical period
- 16th/17th century
- 18th century
- 19th century (you can also select the material — hemp or steel)
4) Apply filters
You can filter by:
- Main section (e.g., Mainmast),
- Rig type (Standing / Running rigging),
- Part (e.g., Topmast),
- or directly search for a rope name.
5) Working with the results
For each rope, the application displays:
- the ratio to the Main Stay,
- the calculated rope diameter in the chosen model scale,
- the recommended block height or deadeye diameter.
Notes
- Only dimensions are provided (block height or deadeye diameter). The application does not define block type or number of sheaves. The modeler must use the ship’s plans to determine whether the rope used a standard block, violin block, sheet block, etc., whether it was single/double/triple, and how many were required for the specific rigging section.
- Deadeyes are listed only where they are actually relevant. Even here, the quantity must be taken from the plans.
- In some cases, ropes were replaced by different elements, shown as:
- chain = chain
- stave = solid piece (e.g., futtock stave = bar/rod)
- Depending on the period, some ropes or entire rigging segments may be missing, because they were no longer (or not yet) in use.
6) Where to get further help
The full range of blocks, deadeyes, ropes, and accessories is available at:
👉 www.hismodel.com
Questions about the application or rigging? Contact us at:
📩 message@hismodel.com