Many years ago I built a static model of Thames Barge but always felt I could improve on it and am now slowly getting round to completing another build, this time having decided to make it a sailing model.
I am going to use a sail winch for control rather than a sail arm. From the research I've done so far it seems that there are various options such as simply running a sheet from the loop to the mainsail but also to run additional sheets from the loop to one or both vangs. Presumably controlling the vangs does enhance performance but as I will not be racing is it worth taking this option?
How much sheeting should be allowed for both the mainsail and, whether they are controlled or not, for the vangs?
A bit of advice I was given when I built the static model, which although unnecessary at the time I happened to keep a note of, was that the mainsail sheet should be set so the blocks are just above the outer rails and the vangs could be let out a further inch above a perpendicular line from the rails to form a 'twist' in the sail to spill excess wind and keep the ship upright. I've no idea if this is correct. `this was from someone who did not find it necessary to use sail control so that may have had an effect on how he set things up.