Okay, first let me apologize for being totally ignorant on this subject. I have no reference material and I don't even know enough of the terminology to do a proper google search! so here I am.......

I have a small 1:200 tall ship for an experimental diorama I am trying to put together but some of the parts are obviously way out of scale.
I speak in particular of the web like rope ladders (you see where lack of terminology hurts?) that sailors would use to climb the masts.
What are these called?
Is there an easy way to scratch or buy ready made? I attempted to put one together with thread and a sort of half-assed jig but it seems that there must be an easier approach?
Please help out a mis-guided armor modeler.

Cheers,
Charles

Ahoy Charles, they're called shrouds and ratlines.
Parts of a Ship

Here are a couple of websites that may help you.
http://www.online-hobbies.co.uk/ukshop/index.html?lang=en-uk&target=d149.html
http://home.att.net/~shipmodelfaq/smf-q056.html

I hope this helps.

Kenny

Thanks Kenny
The tutorial helped a lot.
I think I may resent having chosen such a small scale

Cheers,
Charles

Ahoy, Mr. Reading, nice to see you in these waters, mate!

About this experimental dio you have in the works. . .you've truly sparked my interest here, sir. . .how about telling us a bit more about what your doing?
And which 1/200 ship subject have you? (and I do commend you on tackling a minnow of this size!
~Gunny

Nosey rosey.

Kenny

Gosh! if I talk about the dio before it's done I'll be cursed never to complete it !
Seriously, my just attempting something with sails could be considered an experiment.
Without going into boring detail, let me just say that if the dio looks good in 1:200th I will probably build a second one in a greater scale with a more detailed ship model.
I am sort of working on this along with other projects so it is moving slowly. I kinda hit a slump with the rigging but I will slowly get this one done.
When I do I will post photos immediately here on the Shipwright site.

Cheers,
Charles

Sounds good to me, mate!
I'll be looking forward to seeing it, Charles. . .those old, graceful, sailing ships are one of my favorite modeling subjects, for sure!
Cheers,
~Gunny

Well see it the other way: you would just feel so stupid if you weren't abble to complete it because you told all your friends you would, that you will actually complete it.
It worked for me both for my last dio and for giving up smoking
one way or another I am also looking forward your dio..