Gondola by AntonyUK

[AntonyUK]

Hi.

This is a build with a big difference. The boat is NOT symmetrical.

 

http://myrarobinson.info/venice/ten-things-you-never-knew-about-gondolas  Text below from this web page.

Gondolas are asymmetrical. If you stand in front and look down the length of the boat, you’ll see that there’s a distinct curve. This is to allow for the weight and balance of a single oarsman standing at the back, helping to make it more manoeuvrable. The boat is 11 metres long, and often has to be helped around corners by the gondolier putting his foot against the wall of a building to push. “Traffic jams” are not uncommon on some of the narrower secondary canals.

More info on Wiki.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gondola

The picture bellow is from https://www.luxrest-venice.com/en/blog/201610/venetian_gondola_meaning_its_iron_prow

 

There are places to purchase plans from.. But I have not had much luck with purchasing plans online.. So have found some very poor drawings and will take it from there..

The Model is to be approx. 1 meter in length and the main timber will be Cherry. I will be using other woods ad decoration as I have no intention of painting the Gondola.

I have started making my own drawings in Illustrator and its a nightmare with no centrelines and bulwarks are all different heights and shapes.

Will post my drawings here in Pdf format when I get on my main PC.

There are a few area's that I cannot figure out at the moment. Like the hole next to  where the gondolier stands. its use or purpose.

 

 

Thanks for looking in.

Regards Antony.

 

EDIT: DRAWING REMOVED TO PROTECT COPYRIGHT - ADMIN

[Landrotten Highlander]

looks interesting, will be following

[druxey]

An interesting challenge! Look forward to see how you will deal with this banana shaped hull.

[RichardG]

A meter long and asymmetrical. You're a lot braver person than I am.

 

This will be interesting - in a good way. 

 

Richard.

[AntonyUK]

Hi.

Thanks for the well wishes.

I have been informed that the plans from http://www.veniceboats.com/eng-models-gondolas.htm

And http://www.veniceboats.com/eng-designs-boats-gondola.htm

They are of good quality and I will not be  disappointed.  So I will be ordering a set today.

There is also a copyright issue with the download photos.

I will remove the drawings after I receve the purchased plans.

 

Regards Antony.

[James H]

I removed the section of the plan at the request of the author.

[Mirabell61]

Hi Antony,

 

thats a beautiful project, and a very interesting boat, that gondola, with asymmetrical build halves, can imagine its quite a challenge to get this modeled in scale...., but am sure you`re going to nail it....

All the best and good luck with the start on your yard...

 

Nils

[cog]

Antony,

 

Looking forward to your build. I bought the drawings some two or three years ago, and haven't gotten the nerve to pick them up and start on the (twisted) banana as Druxey called it so strickingly ...

[wefalck]

The owner of the Web-site quoted above is Gilberto Penzo. He probably is the expert on Venetian boats and has written a host of books on the subject. Friendly gentleman too, I visited him a couple of times in his (work)shop.

 

Here's a list of publications on the subject:

 

ANONYM (1987): Boats of Venice – Le Barche di Venezia.- 192 p.

CHAPELLE, H.I. (1957): The Gondola.- The Mariner’s Mirror, 43: 158.

CROVATO, G., CROVATO, M., DIVARI, L. (1975): Barche della Laguna Veneta.- 136 p., Venezia (Arsenale Cooperativa Editrice).

DONATELLI, C. (1994): Gondola. An Extraordinary Naval Architecture.- 160 p. (arsenale editrice).

GARGASACCI NEVE, G. (1979): La Gondola, storia, tecnica, linguaggio.- 69 p., 15 Taf., Venezia (Arsenale Coop. Ed.).

GIUPONI, G. (1985): Arte di far Gondole.- 80 p. + 3 Taf., Venezia (Assoc. Settemari).

MUNEROTTO, G. [Ed.] (2009): Dizionario Illustrato Storico-Tecnico die principali termini di Construzione navale e marineria Veneziana.- 223 p., Venezia (Mare di Carta).

MUNEROTTO, G. (1994): Gondole. Sei secoli di Evoluzione nella storia e nell'arte.- 103 p., Venezia (il Cardo Editore s.r.l.). PENZO, G. (1992): Il Bragosso.- 255 p., Venezia (Libreria Editrice).

MUNEROTTO, G. (2001): La Batèla. Umile protagonista.- 64 p., Venezia (Mare di Carta).

NACCARI, M. (1999): A Venezia una gondola dalla epoca "americana".- Newport Yacht Digest, 95: 94-95.

PATMORE, D. (1950): The Plight of the Gondolier.- Country Life, CVII: 298-9.

PENZO, G. (1996): Barche Veneziane – Catalogo Illustrato dei pianti die costruzione.- 90 p., Venezia (Libreria Editrice).

PENZO, G. (1999): La Gondola - Storia, progettazione e costruzione della più straordinaria imbarcazione tradizionale di Venezia.- 254 p., Venezia (Cicero).

PENZO, G. (2000): Navi Veneziani. Catalogo illustrato die piani die costruzione - Venetian Ships. An Illustrated Catalogue of Draughts.- 160 p., Trieste (LINT - Editoriale Associati s.r.l.).

PENZO, G. (2000): Un restauro integralista. Il ripristino dell’ ANNAMARIA.- Arte Navale, 1(1): 50-54, (AR.CO Edizoni).

PENZO, G. (20022): Barche Veneziane, Catalogo Illustrato dei pianti die costruzione - Venetian Boats, an illustrated catalogue of draughts.- 234 p., Venezia (Libreria Editrice).

PENZO, G., POLO, F., SCARPA, F., TAMASSIA, M. (2005): Maestri d’ascia. Costruire barche a Venezia.- p., Venezia ( Marsilio Editori).

PERGOLIS, R., PIZZARELLO, U. (1999): Le Barche di Venezia – The Boats of Venice.- 179 p. + XVI Taf., Venezia (Libreria Editrice Il Leggio).

PIZZARELLO,  U. (1984): Boote in Venedig.- 72 p., Venezia (L’Altra Riva).

RUBIN DE CERVIN, G.B. (1956): The Evolution of the Venetian Gondola.- Mariner’s Mirror, 42(3): 201-18.

RUBIN DE CERVIN, G.B. (1978): Bateaux et batellerie de Venise.- 205 p., Lausanne (Edita Lausanne/Vilo Paris).

 

BTW, Penzo also sells kits based on his drawings ...

 

 

[Mirabell61]

Thanks for sharing this interesting information Wefalck,

 

that surly is a bunch of nice boats for those who love Italian (Venetian ) boats......

 

Nils

Edited June 7, 2018 by Mirabell61

[Roger Pellett]

I highly recommend the book Gondola, An Extraordinary Naval Architecture, by Carlo Donatelli (listed in Wefalk’s comprehensive bibliography above). This large, beautifully produced book covers gondola design and construction in detail.  The book was originally published in Italian but my copy is an English translation.

 

The book mentions a set of gondola plans in the Museo Storico di Venezia that the author translated into a CAD file.

 

Roger

Edited June 7, 2018 by Roger Pellett

[wefalck]

The Donatelli is indeed a very good book that has also a section on the ergonomics of handling a gondola. The museum owns several historical gondole and numerous models. The lines taken off a mid-19th century gondola are also reproduced in Pâris' Souvenirs de la Marine.

 

Here are some pictures of relevant craft from the museum in Venice: http://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/venezia/museonavalevenezia-2.html

 

[AntonyUK]

Hi

 

On 07/06/2018 at 5:51 PM, Roger Pellett said:

 

I highly recommend the book Gondola, An Extraordinary Naval Architecture, by Carlo Donatelli (listed in Wefalk’s comprehensive bibliography above). This large, beautifully produced book covers gondola design and construction in detail.  The book was originally published in Italian but my copy is an English translation.

 

The book mentions a set of gondola plans in the Museo Storico di Venezia that the author translated into a CAD file.

 

Roger

 

 

Thanks for the pointer.. and recommendation . I have ordered one today.

Fathers day gift.. The kids were kind to me this year.

 

Regards Antony.

[IgorSky]

Hi Antony!
Great choice! The Venetian gondola is on the list of my future models too.
Good luck in your building, Antony!
I look forward to the continuation of your story!

Best Regards!
Igor.

[AntonyUK]

Hi.

Well the drawings arrived today.

Probably the best drawings I have come cross while ship modellng. And I was concerned that they could be trash like the last set of drawings I bought.

Thanks for the heads up Carl. Glad you did.😁

Will take a good look at the tomorrow  and decide my next move.

Also awaiting the books arrived.

 

Thanks for the likes and comments.

 

Regards Antony.

 

[cog]

You're welcome Antony, any time. Which set did you buy?

[AntonyUK]

Hi.

Carl. Just the "disegno gondola singolo"  Single Gondola Design .

Basic but there is enough details to build a Gondola.

Making my design quite different from the plans. Just the basic shape taken from the plans.

Again Im'e using Adobe Illustrator to do my drawings.  Drawings ATM are 80% done.

Overall length of the boat is 940mm. With a Gondola being 10.85 metres long and 1.4 metres wide I think the scale is about 10.6/1  Not sure on this bit... Numbers I cannot do.

Again I don't build small. And I will not be painting the model.

The Book " An Extraordinary Naval Architecture, by Carlo Donatelli"  is excellent and there is a lot of knowledge gone writing of this book. Lots of details and construction.

Will be starting to mill the timber in a few weeks all being well.

 

Thanks for looking in.

Regards Antony.

 

[cog]

Antony, that will do fine, especially if you "redesign" to your needs. I found it looks quite good to work with. SInce I recently got a Byrnes table saw, I can start cutting what I need to build one at a somewhat smaller scale, yours is 1:11.5

 

You really triggered my curiosity now!

Edited June 25, 2018 by cog

[AntonyUK]

Hi.

First update for a while.

Been looking at the best method of constructing the Gondola. 

So the plan is :- build a base building board with the curve and twist built in...

The building board is just offsets of 9mm plywood 4mm plywood and a shelf that was the right length and perfectly flat.

The base board..

 

And view 

 

And the other end..

The curves at each end will have 2 guides attached to then to hold the Bow and Stern at the correct angles.

 

Will start milling the floor in the next few days. Very wide planks are used on the original. Not sure a can cut that depth of cut.

The frames have all been drawn out and are in process of laser cutting. Theas will have extra batten on each side.

 

That's it for now.

Thanks for looking in.

 

Regards Antony.

[cog]

It's a start Antony ... you're off ...

[Tigersteve]

Interesting build. 

Steve

[yvesvidal]

This is going to be a massive model again, Anthony. You will be able to place a Ken and Barbie dolls in it.

 

Yves

[AntonyUK]

Hi.

Thanks for the comments...

Yes  this is going to be a large model. . I have a friend that makes dolls and she makes wonderful costumes for them. Will be asking her to facilitate the the dolls.

So No Barbie and Ken......

The floor is in 5 parts But every piece has complex curves in them. 

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

Regards Antony.

[wefalck]

I think it has to be Chinese dolls - at least today most passengers in the gondole seem to be groups of Chinese, at least this was the impression we had last weekend.

[donrobinson]

Very interesting Antony, I love these boats and am excited to see how you tackle this one!! I'll be watching

[AntonyUK]

Hi.

I am in the process of getting the frames/ribs laser cut. Lots of different quotes But each service requires a different colour for cutting and another different colour for engraving. 

The floor/base of the boat is cut and in the jig for bending into shape.

 

It looks like I will be breaking one of my own rules... Building two models at the same time. I have been asked to build a Mayflower for the impending celebrations here in Plymouth UK. This gives me a very short time to plan and build the Mayflower before 16th September 2020.   2 years and 28 days to be precise. 

They have asked for a sectional model from Stem to Stern. Approx 1200mm in length.

 

Regards Antony.

 

[donrobinson]

Another huge ship!!

[cog]

good luck with the Mayflower

[Fernando E]

Two builds......you're a glutton for punishment Antony!

 

Cheers..........Fernando  

[yvesvidal]

Anthony,

 

I hope you will be documenting your large Mayflower build on this forum.

 

Yves