Prefix…

Since ever I wrote that review about the 1799 Schooner Enterprise I felt that the missing rigging plans are daunting. So, I researched quite a bit and ended up with very good news. Lennarth Petersson helps by providing the missing link.

The Cover…

My copy of the book is a hardcover version and I am not sure there is any other binding at avail. The front side shows drawings of three ship classes. Those are the ones dealt within the book. The print is clear and easy to read.
… And what is inside? …

The Content…

Three ship classes are dealt with:
1. The British Naval Cutter (Pages 10 – 38)
2. The French Lugger (Pages 39 – 64)
3. The American Schooner (Pages 65 – 111)
Now, if you are like me, you honestly love reading about any subject but in model making, you rather prefer pictures, paintings and drawings. Lennarth Petersson heard you and provides a book packed with drawings and almost no text. Now, how is that?

To me, it is like a dream comes true because someone can explain the rigging of ships with thousand and more well chosen words but hardly replace a well done drawing. Every single point where a rope gets fixed to something e.g. a block or the mast etc. is shown in drawings.
If you will, this is a step by step guide through the ships full rigging. From the total rig appearance up to the very finest detail everything got covered.
I included a photo of the books content for you to see what I am talking about. As an example and since I was searching for rigging the Schooner Enterprise let me transcript the according entries for the American Schooner:
1. Profile and Deck plan
2. Belaying Plan
3. Fore Channels
4. Main Channels
5. Fore tackle & Top
6. Main Tackle & Top
7. Fore Shrouds & Deadeyes
8. Main Shrouds & Deadeyes
9. Toprope
10. Forestay
11. Mainstay
12. Fore Topmast & Topgallant Shrouds
13. Main Topmast Shrouds
14. Backstays
15. Bobstays
16. Bowsprit Guy, Martingale Stays, Jibboom Guys
17. Jib Stays
18. Flying Jib Stays
19. Main Topmast & Topgallant Stay
20. Foremast Yards
21. Fore Yard Sling, Topsail & Topgallant Yard Halliards
22. Lifts
23. Braces
24. Fore Throat & Peak Halliards Main Vangs
25. Main Boom Topping Lift
26. Mainsheet & Steering Gear
27. Mainsail Outhaul
28. Flying Jib
29. Jib
30. Fore Staysail
31. Fore Course Clueline, Buntline & Sheet
32. Fore Course Bowlines
33. Fore Topsail Cluelines & Reef Tackle
34. Fore Topsail Sheet, Bowline and Buntline
35. Fore Topgallant Clueline, Bowline & Sheet
36. Fore Gaff Sail
37. Main Gaff Topsail, Swedish Fashion
38. Main Gaff Topsail, American Fashion
39. Mainsail
I included a photograph out of the middle of the book so you can witness the quality of the drawings. The Fore Channel picture clearly shows that different diameters of ropes were used. Also, you can clearly see how those were attached and what it looked like.

Conclusion and Result…

Now, any questions left?
For the purpose of historic ship model building this is exactly what you will need to achieve an outstanding and profound result. The other two ship classes are treated the same way as explained here for the American Schooner. An all drawing book about rigging is hard to come by and Lennarth Petersson provides one of kind solution with this issue. If you love this book, as I definitely do, then it may interest you that the author published another book about rigging with the same quality but about other vessels under this ISBN-13: 978-1557509703.