Ratlines are the rope “rungs” tied across the shrouds of a sailing ship. They form the rope ladders sailors climbed to work aloft. On a model, they are one of the most visible parts of the rigging and one of the most repetitive jobs. A big square-rigger such as a wooden HMS Victory kit can need many hundreds of knots.
Even, level, gently tensioned ratlines make a model look properly rigged. Uneven or over-tight ones distort the shrouds and catch the eye straight away. This guide covers preparation, spacing, the knot itself, fixing and the common mistakes.
What Ratlines Are
Shrouds run from the masthead down to the deadeyes at the ship’s side and support the mast sideways. Ratlines are lighter lines tied horizontally across a set of shrouds at regular intervals, from just above the deadeyes up towards the top. On full-size ships, each ratline was typically made fast to the inner shrouds with a clove hitch, and its ends were finished with an eye seized to the outer shrouds.
Before You Start
Shrouds Must Be Finished and Tensioned
Ratlines go on after the shrouds are rigged, the deadeyes are set at even heights and the lanyards are tensioned. Check the details in our guide to model sailing ship parts and fittings. Shrouds should be firm but not bowstring-tight.
Finish the hull and deck first too. Once ratlines are on, reaching the bulwarks with a brush is very difficult. Our model ship finishes guide covers the order of work.
Choosing Ratline Thread
Ratline thread should be noticeably thinner than the shrouds. On real ships, ratlines were much lighter line than the shrouds they crossed. Use the same dark colour as the standing rigging (black or very dark brown, to suggest tarred rope). Good quality, low-fuzz thread makes neater knots. Some builders run thread over beeswax or a thread conditioner to calm the fibres.
Working Out Spacing for Your Scale
Ratline spacing on full-size ships is commonly given as roughly 13 to 16 inches (about 33–40 cm), with around 15 inches often quoted as a typical figure. Check your plans or references for your particular ship. Convert to your scale like this:
| Scale | 15 in (381 mm) spacing at scale |
|---|---|
| 1:48 | about 8 mm |
| 1:64 | about 6 mm |
| 1:72 | about 5.3 mm |
| 1:96 | about 4 mm |
| 1:100 | about 3.8 mm |
At very small scales, some builders space ratlines slightly wider than strict scale so the knots don’t merge into a solid mesh.
Making a Spacing Template
A template keeps every ratline level and evenly spaced.
- Cut a piece of stiff white card big enough to sit behind the whole set of shrouds.
- Draw parallel horizontal lines at your chosen spacing in fine black pen.
- Draw a reference line at the bottom that matches the line of the deadeyes, so the template sits parallel to the waterline, not to the sheer or the shroud tops.
- Slide the card inside the shrouds and clip or tape it so it can’t move.
The white card also makes dark thread far easier to see while you work.
Tying Ratlines Step by Step
The Clove Hitch
The clove hitch is the standard ratline knot, both in full-size practice and on models:
- Pass the ratline around the shroud, crossing over itself.
- Go around the shroud a second time.
- Tuck the end under the second turn, so it comes out between the two turns.
- Snug it up gently, with the knot sitting on the outboard side of the shroud.
Tweezers help, and a fine hooked tool or bent needle makes tucking easier at small scales.
Starting a Ratline at the Outer Shroud
Full-size ratline ends were seized to the outer shrouds, but most modellers simply use a clove hitch at every shroud, including the outermost. Leave a tail of a few millimetres at each end for trimming later.
On some ships and periods, not every ratline spanned all the shrouds. For example, some reached only part-way across, or only every few ratlines extended to the aftermost shroud. Follow your rigging plans here.
Working Across the Shrouds
- Start at the forward (or aft) outer shroud on the lowest template line.
- Tie a clove hitch, lined up with the template.
- Move to the next shroud and tie a clove hitch there, matching the line height.
- Before tightening each hitch, adjust it so the ratline runs straight and level, with no pull on the shroud.
- Finish at the far outer shroud.
- Move up to the next line.
Most builders work from the bottom up. Some tie every few lines first to “lock” the spacing, then fill in between.
Keeping the Shrouds Straight
The most common problem is hourglassing, where the shrouds pull towards each other in the middle as each ratline is tightened. To avoid it:
- Tighten each hitch only enough to hold its place
- Look at the shrouds from a distance every few rows
- If the shrouds start to draw together, loosen the last few ratlines and retie them
- Work on alternate sides of the ship, or on different masts, so you can stop and check
Real ratlines often hung with a very slight sag between shrouds. Some builders imitate this by touching each finished ratline with a damp brush or a little diluted glue and letting it relax. This is optional, but it can look more natural than dead-straight lines.
Fixing the Knots
Lock each hitch in place with a small touch of adhesive:
- Diluted PVA (white glue) or a matte acrylic medium is the most common choice. It dries clear and flexible, and you can soften it with water if you need to adjust a knot.
- Cyanoacrylate (CA) sets fast but can leave a shiny or white residue and makes the knot brittle. If you use it, apply very little with a fine applicator.
Fix knots after a few rows are tied and checked, not before. That leaves you a chance to straighten them.
Trimming the Ends
Once the glue is fully dry, trim the tails close to the outer knots with sharp fine scissors or a fresh scalpel blade. Leave just enough that the knot can’t come undone. A tiny dab of matte medium on the trimmed end stops fraying. Dark thread hides small differences in tail length, but very long tails look untidy.
Futtock Shrouds and Topmast Ratlines
The topmast shrouds above the tops were usually ratlined too, using the same method with closer, narrower spacing because they’re shorter. The futtock shrouds under the tops were ratlined on many ships as well. Check your plans, since practice varied. These areas are cramped, so tie them before the upper rigging closes off access.
Ratline Jigs and Shortcuts
Commercial and home-made ratline jigs let you tie the ratlines off the model, on a frame holding replica shrouds, and then fit the whole assembly. They suit some builders, particularly at small scales. Others find it hard to match the jig exactly to the shrouds on the model. Pre-made printed or etched ratline sections exist for some plastic kits, such as the Airfix 1/180 HMS Victory, but rarely look as good as tied thread at larger scales.
Common Mistakes
- Ratlines that follow the slope of the deadeyes or sheer instead of running parallel to the waterline
- Pulling hitches too tight, so the shrouds hourglass
- Ratline thread as thick as the shrouds
- Shiny glue blobs on every knot
- Starting the ratlines too low or stopping too far below the top
- Tying ratlines before finishing the bulwarks and deck
Break the work into short sessions. Tying ratlines is meditative at first and tedious by the end, and tired hands make uneven knots. When the rigging is complete, protect it from dust straight away. Our guide to model ship display cases explains why.