Every so often (about once a month at this rate) there is a series on greatest ships - Victory - Belfast and the latest was the Cutty Sark, in this one they mentioned the copper plates, and whilst he was under the ship they seemed to be very smoothly applied to provide two things as he explained, a deterrent for the dreaded barnacle and for speed, I suppose the tar would kill anything else attacking the timber.
The episode is on again either today or this week.
I am doing an Airfix version, a great deal smaller and to the kits instructions, so the rigging will be as close to the instructions as possible - but with the change that if it gets in the way of the sails operating - and no guarantee it will work anyway, some rigging will be removed, still have to finish the rudder and the test tank check.
Oh, and I agree it depends on what you want, cast the guns as others suggest, there are instructions on the HOW TO section of the forum, and kits available listed with specialist companies again in those threads, striping the paint off should be done as advised very carefully and suggestions are again in the How To sections, as for rigging if you have instructions try matching them to the masts, get a book as suggested, if you are not so inclined to go down the 'must be perfect' route you could download the Airfix instruction PDF from the web to give an resemblance of rigging - your choice, the kit numbers are
A50049 kit 1:180 HMS VICTORY compared to the 09252G HMS VICTORY