One thing conspicuously missing on many 1/350 vessels are the grab ropes (I don't mean the "monkeylines" on the davits) on lifeboats - a small, but important detail. I've no idea how to make them myself (painting them on just doesn't look right); are there any PE manufacturers who make this item, or does anyone have any suggestions on how to produce them at home?

Hi Doug,

Lifeboat grab ropes aren't a commonly depicted detail on photo etch sets (although as I recall the 1/350 Emden set by Gold Medal Models has them), but scratching them shouldn't be that difficult. I'd make a little jig of evenly spaced rods of the appropriate diameter that could be used to form wire strands into a consistent line of semicircular bends to represent the ropes.

Tim, that sounds like a good idea....I think I'll try it tonight. Thanks

Tim, I tried your idea about the grab ropes, with a few tweaks: I'm scratchbuilding in 1/350 the German commerce raider, Atlantis, and am using the lifeboats from the *****eter (I refuse to speak/write his name!) Jeremiah O'Brien, as they're pretty generic. I cut thin slivers of styrene strip and glue them just below the gunwales, adjacent to the thwarts in the boat; then, I wrap a piece of appropriately-sized wire several times around a length of .080 (or so) rod, remove it, cut the loops in half and glue the wires between the strips. After the glue dries one can lift the loops away from the boat for nice, free-swinging grab ropes.

You could also use thin solder wire which would be much easier to shape.

Doug, I like your approach, it seems like it would be effective and even more flexible than what I had in mind! Post some pictures when you get a chance, I'm curious to see how it works.