Your Model Ship’s Masts Were Straight—Until You Tightened the Rigging

Your model ship’s masts looked perfectly straight—so why did they lean as soon as you tightened the rigging? In this video, I show how uneven tension, poor mast foundations, shroud spacing, and stays can distort the entire rig—and how I prevent or correct these problems. I demonstrate how I: • Check the mast foundation, position, and rake • Balance port and starboard shrouds progressively • Maintain consistent deadeye spacing • Tension stays without pulling the masts out of alignment • Correct a leaning mast before adding ratlines • Inspect the complete rig for balance and symmetry If you want to keep your carefully built masts straight when the rigging goes on, subscribe to my channel for more practical wooden model shipbuilding guidance. 0:00 Why straight masts turn crooked 2:58 A simple tension demonstration 5:46 Check the mast foundation 7:33 Set mast position and rake 11:37 Balance shrouds progressively 15:00 Control deadeye spacing 19:06 Balance stays and preserve rake 21:48 Don’t straighten warped masts 27:06 Correct a leaning mast 30:08 Adjust shrouds before ratlines 32:36 Inspect the complete rig 37:16 The finished balanced rig #ModelShipbuilding #WoodenShipModel #ShipRigging #ScaleModeling #ModelShips