Curious about the difference in fore-mainsail on Hebe frigates

[fredmiracle]

I notice that on the wave-1 frigates, the fore-mainsail and mainsail had the molded lines on them. But (from the pictures, I still haven't received mine) the Hebe frigates seem to have a fore-mainsail which is just plain, like the topsails on the wave-1 ships. I'm too much of a landlubber to understand this, so maybe someone can explain why they are represented differently?

[DeRuyter]

No explanation from a sailors perspective as they should have some of the molded lines.

The molded lines represent sail control lines (vertical ones) and reefing points (horizontal ones). The Hebe class frigates are molded with the fore course (foresail) set and the main course (mainsail) furled. In battle both would normally be furled to avoid the sails catching fire and for visibility. While not all sails had reef points all of them have a number of control lines. The ones molded going down the front of the sail are either buntlines or leechlines or maybe both.

[David Manley]

The molded lines represent sail control lines (vertical ones) and reefing points (horizontal ones). The Hebe class frigates are molded with the fore course (foresail) set and the main course (mainsail) furled. In battle both would normally be furled to avoid the sails catching fire and for visibility. While not all sails had reef points all of them have a number of control lines. The ones molded going down the front of the sail are either buntlines or leechlines or maybe both.

Reefing points are the short vertical lines depending from the horizontal line. Long verticals are buntlines.

As to the lack of these on the Hebe model foresail - chalk that up as an "undocumented feature" (and yes, it would have been better if it had been furled like the mainsail)

[DeRuyter]

Reefing points are the short vertical lines depending from the horizontal line. Long verticals are buntlines.

As to the lack of these on the Hebe model foresail - chalk that up as an "undocumented feature" (and yes, it would have been better if it had been furled like the mainsail)

oops - face palm there. I confused myself by thinking of the shorter reef points as one long horizontal line - as David pointed out they are the more numerous but shorter vertical lines. Comes from sailing on a 17th century ship with no reefing lines!!