Pete Jaquith

The Armed Virginia Sloop, circa 1768 was a single masted privateer, or smuggler, an evolutionary development in the line of fast sailing vessels linking the Bermuda sloop design of circa 1740 to the trim, sharp model Virginia schooners found in Steel’s Naval Architecture of 1805. It was a small, well-designed ship, with a graceful sheer and low freeboard, and an aggressive cutter rig. The Armed Virginia Sloop had a length of 55’ 8”, beam of 17’ 8”, depth of 6’ 6”, and displacement of 60 tons.

The model is a Model Shipways plank on bulkhead kit at ¼” to the foot (1:48) scale. In constructing the Armed Virginia Sloop, I used a detailed practicum Modeling the Armed Virginia Sloop published by Robert Hunt. The hull is single planked with planking painted prior to installation in way of color and thickness changes. The rigging is proportional linen line with Warner Woods’ blocks and cotton sails based upon Steel’s Elements of Mastmaking, Sailmaking, and Rigging of 1794.

In addition to the kit drawings and instructions, I utilized the following references: Modeling the Armed Virginia Sloop, a Practicum by Robert Hunt; Planking the Built-Up Ship Model by Jim Roberts; The Art of Knotting and Splicing by Cyrus Lawrence Day; and, Steel’s Elements of Mastmaking, Sailmaking, and Rigging of 1794 by David Steel.

The Armed Virginia Sloop was my 2nd ship model.

Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder

The Virginia pilot schooner “Katy”, circa 1800, is a reproduction of a class of period vessel, rather than of an actual vessel. The “Katy” hull lines were taken from the lines of “a Virginia pilot boat” published by Davis Steel in his historic work on naval architecture in 1805. The hull design, referred to as a Jamaica or Baltimore boat, later evolved into the highly successful Baltimore Clipper. The rest of the vessel, including deck furniture, fittings, and rigging is a reconstruction based on contemporary practice. The “Katy” had a length of 56’ 0”, beam of 15” 6”, depth of 6’ 6”, and displacement of 52 tons.

The model was constructed to a scale of ¼” to the foot (1:48) based on an old Model Shipways solid hull kit purchased in the 1960’s (in the original yellow box). The model is plank on solid construction (POS). The hull exterior is fully planked, the deck is planked with nibbing, and the original fittings were replaced with scratch built deck furniture/fittings. Limited commercial fittings were used where appropriate, and rigging is proportional linen line with blocks by Warner Woods. “Katy” was Peter’s first ship model project in over 40 years, and building it was both enjoyable and educational.

In addition to the kit drawings and instructions, Peter utilized the following references: Planking the Built-Up Ship Model by Jim Roberts; The Neophyte ShipModeller’s Jackstay by George Campbell; Modeling the Armed Virginia Sloop, a Practicum by Robert Hunt; The Art of Knotting and Splicing by Cyrus Lawrence Day; and, Steel’s Elements of Masting, Sailmaking, and Rigging, 1794.

The Topsail Schooner “Eagle” had a length of 81’ 7”, beam of 22’ 8”, depth of 7’ 10”, and tonnage of 140 tons. Both the “Eagle” and her sistership “Arrowsic” were built in Arrowsic Island on the Kennebec River (near the present shipbuilding city of Bath, ME) in 1847 for the lumber and ice trade by builder Samuel Pattee. During the mid-19th century small schooners of this sort were widely employed in the East Coast trade; their schooner rigs an easy adaption to the prevailing westerly winds and economy in crew size.

The model was scratch built to a scale of 3/16” to the foot (1:64) using old Model Shipways plans by William Zakambell. Additional research was conducted at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, ME where a large scale model of the “Arrowsic” is on display. The model is plank on solid construction, with built up bulwarks, planked decks and topsides, coppered bottom, and scratch built deck furniture/fittings. Limited commercial fittings were utilized where appropriate, and the rigging is proportional linen line with Warner Woods’ blocks. The Topsail Schooner “Eagle” is my 3rd wooden ship model and my 1st scratch build.