Marcus.K.

Ahoy there, what´s up Doc?

US Sloop Providence, US Sloop Providence  .. biiiiiig deal!!!
 
 
When I first saw the video of the "how to build" for this tiny little sloop I instantly fell in love with that kit. The hull is done by a 3D printed plastic hull - but all the visible surfaces are done in wood. Lasercut wood - exactly in the shape the pieces need for being shaped into their position. After my tryouts with lasercut kits the last years (a viking boat - in fact a slavic boat and a small cutter - which was fun both times) I thought this little kit might be fun too. 
 
But .. a banned supplier? Modelship Dockyard being on the list of banned suppliers!?
 
I was asking the MSW administrators for their opinion on this kit - and got a positive feedback. Modelship Dockyard being only the distributor of chinese made kits - and this one not being a copy of someone else: agreed to proceed by admirality! Thanks a lot @Chuck !
 
I intent to not do a historical research for this one - as I intent just to gain experience in real modeling. My US frigate Constitution will stay my main project and all energy for research will be focused on the big frigate. Nevertheless: here is a lot of stuff to read about the little sloop which was one of the very first US Navy ships in 1775 for what was called the War of Independence. Thanks to all involved in this research. I was starting to read - not yet through the hole thread.
 
Although the purchasing did take a bit longer than announced and after a short and pleasant e-mail contact with the supplier I recieved the little parcel after about 4 weeks.

The first thing to be seen when you open the box - the drawing of the final ship: _Y
Yeah, but where are the instructions to build it? Only this paper??
Next are the two 3D printed hull halfs - and a lot of wood below:

In that smaller box we find threads and metal parts - and some more 3D printed components:
 
The content seems well prepared for the long journey from China to Germany. The plastic hulls of each of the single parcels were intact - with minor damages in some. I found one of the wheels of the gun carriages being broken loose - but still where it had to be - no loss as far as I can see that by now!
 
And the instructions are to be downloaded from Modelship Dockyards pages - which I did and attached here for your reference.
 
Pls. feel free to join my little journey on board of this successful little sloop. I hope to be able to show how this "3D-puzzle" can be converted into a nice little model for beginners.
 
USS Providence instructions v2.4.pdf

Hi!
My name is Manuel, and Im in my early twenties and Im from Switzerland. This is my first wooden model kit ever, so the fun is guaranteed
Now comes a bit of blabla, feel free to skip to the pictures

Disclaimer: I already started the build 5 days ago, at the time when I created this post Im laying down my first ever plank (Masterplank on the starboard side) but Im catching myself doing everything else instead since Im a bit nervous…
Also English is neither my mother tongue nor is English grammar my strong side so please forgive me my sins (My English teacher did not).
 
To whom is this guide? : Me? Dont really have an asnwer for this one yet. But surely also for other beginners, and for everyone else because sharing is caring.
 
Why HM Sherbourne? : I wanted to buy a frigate but then reason struck me and I started to look for something small, but still in scale 1:64. So I came across HM Sherbourne and saw there are a lot of videos on YouTube about it (Im following modelkit stuffs build, really awesome for beginners can only recommend it) and its supposed to be a beginner  friendly model.
 
Do I know what I am doing? : Absolutly not!!!
 
So now enough blabla, lets get to the real stuff!
 
The first few steps were really easy, although I messed up the false deck since I didnt pushed it down fast enough nor did I dryfit it and therfore got some splintering (see photo). Im quite happy how the stern turned out though.
 
Next was the sanding, it took me a lot of time since I felt unsure how much material I needed to remove but then decided to just go through with it on and hate myself later.
 
So I arrived at the ply bulwarks and  o my o my was I scared at first, but then after some careful bending and dryfitting (I really can only recommend dryfitting and reading the manual, which is really great by the way! Although a picture with where to put glue on the bulwarks would have been nice, but modelkitstuff saved me there  ) Yesterday I felt confident enough to glue them on and it more or less worked! I gueeesss? We will see. I will move on now to cut off the overlength at the stern and then put on my first plank ever! 
 
Wish me luck!
 
Kind Regards
Manuel
 
 
 
 

Hello Evan!  Ironically, yesterday I found an entire Pinterest page dedicated to your Connie build, by another fan of your work.  Great stuff!
 
I really love all of the scratch modification work you are doing here.  It is the aspect of plastic modeling that I love the most.  Your work is do crisp!
 
Best,
 
Marc

The Bilge Keel
 
The kit provided bilge keels are – no surprise – subpar.  No hate on Trumpeter here… It’s nearly impossible to create an accurate keel using injection molding.  It’d be too thin and would likely warp as it cooled on the sprue.

So, the kit version is very thick/heavy and lacks any of the detail that the actual keel would show.
 
Here is what TITANIC – TSM shows for these keels:

You can see that we need thinner representations with doubling strips top and bottom along with a narrow cope along the outer edge of the underside.
 
I think there have been 3D print versions for these, but that seems like overkill.  These are very easy to scratch build at minimal cost.  Any modeler can (and should) make these.
 
I purchased some Styrene T pieces from PLASTRUCT:

These are long – 24” – so that I don’t need to combine smaller lengths. Just trim the piece to fit the outline on the model.  I found these at the nearby Model Railroad store.  Those guys build model bridges with this stuff.
 
First, I shaped the curvature on both ends using my hobby knife and a quick pass with a medium metal file.
 
Next, I dipped into my stash for various strips to add the cope and doubling/reinforcement:

I’ll use the wider .080” strip for the top surface and the slightly smaller .060” on the underside.  That’ll generally align to what the TSM diagram shows. 
 
A quick test fit to confirm that the basic dimensions align to what is needed for the scale:

Couldn’t be easier to lay down the topside .080“ styrene strip… Just rest it in position against the inner corner of the T, apply some thin cement, and let the capillary action fill in underneath. It takes two pieces to cover the distance.  I just matched the factory ends together for a tight fit.  The seam is basically invisible.  Let the smaller length extend a bit beyond the end of the T piece and trim to fit after it sets.

Flip it over and do the same on the underside using the .060” strip.
 
Finally add the .010” x .020” cope to the underside edge.  I used a small metal ruler to help align to the edge as I applied cement:

The underside completed:



A meaningful improvement over the kit version, I think.
 
It just takes a few minutes to whip these together.  Fun to build for anyone wanting to try a little scratch building on their Titanic.
 
I’ve decided to hold off a bit longer on installation… These would be vulnerable as I continue to flip the hull around on various other add-ons.
 
The starboard after well deck bulwark is up next.
 
Cheers,
Evan

I once restored a paper model from 1830. But paper was a whole different material in those days. There was no wood in it, so it lasted very long.
 

Well, I needed to build something, and plastic wasn't thrilling me too much.
 

 
So, as this kit arrived fairly recently, I thought I'd jump straight in and build it. I always wanted to build a viking 'longboat' or drakkar, and this ticks all the boxes in terms of design and possibilities. I'm also planning to use the antique stain set too, but maybe leave the outer hull a little darker to semi-represent how these looked. Not sure yet, so I'll play it by ear and do some reading as I go along. 
 
I recently reviewed this kit HERE, so you can get an idea of what's in the box. 
 
The first job with this kit is to build the cradle. You really get a sense of the size of the hull when this goes together. The cradle is assembled from a few of those thirteen sheets of MDF. Construction is quite easy, but of course, it pays to take things slowly so you can ensure everything is aligned and absolutely flat on your bench, so there won't be any twists in your hull. I used a large cutting mat, sat on top of the totally flat kitchen worktops I have in my workshop. 
 
Some of the dovetail joints on the horizontal sections, were a little tight, but gentle tapping with my Amati hobby hammer with plastic head, made short work of those. I also found it necessary to remove a little char from slots. With both of these, the whole thing came together perfectly. 
 
All joint are assembled first, and then glue painted over them in the same way I do the VM hulls.
 





 
My Viking overseer, Harald, has made an appearance. Ideal to show him from time to time for you to get a sense of scale. This is the figure that comes with the kit. Two heads are provided. The other has a helmet, but I didn't want that whilst he was on his ship!


 
 

Here is the modeled part with Fusion 360.


 
And with animation ...
 

modeled_rudder_control.mp4    

I’ve begun creating detailed technical sketches to reproduce the original parts while incorporating my desired modifications. Below is part M20 from the Artesania kit, shown in both front and back views. After modeling the modified part in Fusion 360, I plan to 3D print it.
 

 
My primary objective is to ensure that the wooden part can rotate about its vertical axis for rudder control. Additionally, I need to integrate two moving pulleys that will transmit elevator motion from the control stick via threads. The brass pulleys (already ordered), in red in the technical drawing, I intend to use have a 4 mm diameter, a 1.5 mm hole for the axis, and a thickness of approximately 1.4 mm.
 

My plan is to redesign and scratch-build a fully functional two-axis control stick for the plane, capable of controlling both the (1) ailerons and (2) elevator (see sketch below). I am still considering the best construction method—whether to use 3D printing, brass, styrene, wood, or a combination of these materials.
 

 
Additionally, I will need to incorporate working pulleys wherever necessary to ensure smooth cable movement, minimizing friction and preventing potential cable (sewing thread or nylon thread) damage from sharp edges. Below is a sketch, modified from Model Airways, showing how the mechanism works for the ailerons.
 

 
I will also need to redesign the rudder control part with a moving (red arrows in the image below) wooden part where the pilot places his/her feet. I will also need to incorporate, in the same part, working pulleys (green circles in the image below). These pulleys are linked to the plane control stick to control the elevator.

Hello everyone,
For my first build log on Model Ship World, I’m stepping away from ships and showcasing something different—a plane: the Sopwith Camel. But I promise, my next build log will feature a scratch-built boat!
The Sopwith Camel build has been discussed in several topics, both for the Artesania and Model Airways versions. However, in this topic, I’ll be focusing specifically on the modifications I plan to make to the Artesania version.
My ambitious goal is to improve its functionality as much as possible—particularly by enabling movement in the ailerons, rudder, and elevator, which are static in the original kit.
Rather than documenting the entire build, I’ll be highlighting only the modifications I make along the way.
For a complete build guide on the Artesania Sopwith Camel, I recommend checking out this topic.


(picture from Artesania)
 

Plans:
Four plans are included, at A0 in size, so you'll need a large area to open them out. Thankfully, I have those here to show you properly as digital images. These are very comprehensive, especially when you bear in mind that they also include some detail as to bulkhead construction too. 
 




 
 
Manual:
A 71-page spiral bound manual is supplied, with a clear plastic front cover. All drawings are line format, but are very clear to understand. Annotation is simple to follow too, with simple symbology used throughout. An introduction in the manual states to follow the chronological steps. That sounds an easy thing to say, but trust me, there isn't much scope for variation with a kit like this. Take your time and do things in the correct order.
 











 
 
Conclusion
The v3 of this kit makes the v2 look sparse, and that was an excellent kit in itself. Having this on my bench tells me that this is more aimed at an intermediate modeller, and one who plans several stages ahead so they know exactly what to expect. If that is the case, the results will be outstanding. The quality of kit manufacture is first rate, so when you realise that these are being manufactured in a country current at war, that's something else totally. In fact, I know the manufacturing facility was very recently within 500 meters of a rocket strike! 
 
From both appearance and materials, this kit stands head and shoulders above other contemporary kits of Viking drakkar, by a very wide margin. Being based on the Oseberg remains, she also appears to be the most accurate of all of them too. The timbers used in the kit are stated as imitating those of the real vessel, which may have been the case, but the ships themselves were coated in tar and would’ve been quite dark. Pavel does sell a set of antique stains which give the model the appearance shown in the final photos. Click HERE to buy that. I suppose the final choice would be for the modeller. I would probably go for the tarred look. In all, I’m seriously impressed with this kit and Pavel’s determination to improve what already looked like the best kit available for this subject. All the small touches like the 3D shield bosses and the highly detailed laser carvings instead of the usual white metal fayre, really sets this apart. If you’ve ever had a thing about Viking ships or just want to build something a little different, then I really recommend this new release. 
 
My sincere thanks to Pavel Nikitin for sending this kit out so quickly under current circumstances. To buy directly, click the link at the top of this article.
 

 

Hi Marc & Marcus
thanks for mentioning this book which I didn't know about.
I was able to order it from Geymüller Verlag on account.
 
Edit: The book arrived today. I think the book will help to better understand what you can see in terms of decoration in the v.d.Velde drawings of the early ships of Louis XIV. And even better, as they are better documented, are the Berain drawings of the decoration. They are reproduced in the book really clearly and true to scale in 1:75.
 
Joerg

You may purchase it via the publisher:
 
https://www.geymueller.de/de/978-3-943164-45-9
 
... and it´s really a beautiful reference for ships that age! 
 
By the way: I am a silent follower of this thread - and since I added here something let my add how much I admire your work here!! 
Beautiful and amazing !! 

You may purchase it via the publisher:
 
https://www.geymueller.de/de/978-3-943164-45-9
 
... and it´s really a beautiful reference for ships that age! 
 
By the way: I am a silent follower of this thread - and since I added here something let my add how much I admire your work here!! 
Beautiful and amazing !! 

So, on Beckmann’s Tre Kronor log, I encountered the following title:

I decided to make an INVESTMENT in the hope that a clearer image of my “Gilded Ghost” portrait might show up in these pages.
 
I was not so naive to think this was likely, though, and bought the book primarily on Beckmann’s recommendation of it.
 
Unlike most books that focus on the 17th Century French navy - it’s organization, material resources and administration - this book focuses on the ships, themselves.  More specifically, it focuses on the ornamental programs of specific ships and draws parallels between the architecture of the ships and their land-based counterparts.  This is really an in-depth continuation of Pieper’s Floating Baroque.
 
So, despite my mild disappointment at not finding my elusive ship portraits, the book has proved to be well-worth the price of admission!
 
There are so many stern/quarter/bow portraits, all reproduced in crystal-clarity.  Pieper’s insights into the allegorical composition of each vessel’s ornamental program are invaluable - particularly for someone like me who has designs on reconstructing a monumental allegory for Soleil Royal 1670.  The whole thing has to hang together in a coherent fashion.
 
The real gem of the book is a plan-set created by Pieper, himself.  He grew up a huge fan of the TinTin series, and he has drafted a coherent and highly detailed plan of the fictional La Licorne - a French 3rd rate from the time of Colbert’s first building program - that more rigorously adheres to what is known and understood about vessels from this time period.  It is all beautifully drawn, and from these plans, one could produce a highly plausible model of this time period.
 
I may have purchased the last available copy, for the moment, but it is well-worth looking for, if these things interest you.  The title only comes in German, however, I had such great success reading Versailles de Mer through Google Translate, that I decided to take the plunge.  I was rewarded for my bet, as the book translates with nuance and perfect clarity, using GT’s photo capture function on my phone.
 
Anyway, I thought this would be of general interest to all.

Fittings etc.
Two fittings boxes are included in this kit, made from MDF and with a clear acrylic lid which is engraved with the part numbers. In this first box, you can see the 3d-printed shield bosses, as well as the period-correct rigging blocks and cleats etc.


 
 
The second fittings box contains spools of fuzz-free rigging cord of various colours and diameters, as well as copper parts for the barrels, a 3d-printed galley, copper paint, etc.


 
 
One stern looking crew member is included as a 3d-print. This will need some assembly and the print frames removing. I may do that soon to get an idea about how he looks, and to pose with the vessel as she's built. 

 
Here's a perfect illustration as to the size of the Oseberg....the pre-coloured sail. That's a 6 inch rule for comparison. Yes, she's big!

 
This set of paper templates is for use on the mast fish so it can be shaped to the correct profile from all angles.

 
More soon....
 
 

I've not currently had the time to go through the entire box and deduce what the parts all are, but you cab clearly identify a number of parts, such as the tread boards which fit on deck, and the multipart shields. The latter have their forward rims cut as separate parts, and the shield itself is recessed along the circumference, so these should fit perfectly. The engraving detail in the shields is excellent. The hollow centres will be fitted with 3D-printed bosses.
 



 
These are the benches on which the crew sit. I believe they may also have doubles as chests for belongings. 

 
 
Here you can see the ornate 'carvings' which adorned both the bow and stern of the Oseberg. These are just beautiful. The material here is walnut.
 
 

 
Barrels are supplied to add to the deck detail, plus their plinths. Copper is supplied for the bands. The engraved parts for the bow and stern (seen bottom left) are a little heavy, but Pavel is sending out a replacement as I type this. 
 

 
 
These walnut sheets contain the paddles for the oars, as well as handles for the thirty-two shields that will adorn the edge of the hull.

 
 
This something you don't often seen in a kit....laser shaped parts, including those for the mast and yard etc. The latter will just need rounding off, while others (immediately below) will just need char removal and all the shaping is totally done for you.



 
A pack of dowel is also included, for their handles. I can't see what the long sections of timber are for. Nothing in the manual is shouting out at me. Maybe they are just packing strips, but I'll keep an eye out to see if I can place them. 
 
 

 
More soon.....

1:25 Drakkar ‘Oseberg’ V3
Ships of Pavel Nikitin
Catalogue # DROS003
Available from Ships of Pavel Nikitin for €216,98 (at time of writing)
 

 
History
It is believed that the word “drakkar” originates from the Old Norse words “dreki” and “kar,” which mean “dragon” and “ship,” respectively. The warship acquired this name because the head of a dragon or another mythical creature (like Jormungandr) usually adorned the ship’s bow. The shape of the ship was also long and narrow, resembling a sea serpent. The Vikings constructed drakkars out of pine, oak, or ash wood. They used a special technique for splitting trees along the grain. They then watered the planks and held them above a fire to make them more flexible. The shipbuilders put the parts of the ship together with iron rivets and nails and bound them with cords and ropes. After that, they tarred the whole structure and caulked it by plugging holes and gaps and making the seams watertight. The sail was rectangular or square. It was made of sheep’s wool and covered with grease so that it didn’t get drenched. If there wasn’t a fair wind, the Vikings used oars – 20 to 35 pairs of them.
 

 
In the Viking age, few ships could compete with a drakkar in terms of sheer speed, but drakkars were also very nimble. Thanks to the drakkar’s shallow draft, the Northmen could easily sail along rivers and fjords. They could land in places that were very difficult to access and attack their enemies unexpectedly. These warships were also barely visible between the waves because of their low sides. This helped the Vikings catch their enemies unawares, even in the open sea. Drakkars were created for more than just war, however. They were solid and capacious, so the Vikings sometimes used them for trade and to transport goods, but more often these ships were used for sailing long distances. How far did the Vikings travel? They reached the shores of Iceland, Greenland, and North America, to name but a few destinations.
(Abridged from Vikings: War of Clans)
 
The kit
The first thing you must know here is that this kit is not a rehash of the V2 which we looked at here in March 2023. This is an entirely new design, from the ground, upwards. That needs to be stressed before I continue. If you want to know what makes this kit different, this is from Pavel's website:
 
"The “Ships of Pavel Nikitin” presents a new version of the legendary Viking ship “Oseberg”. The differences from the previous version are so significant that it is essentially a completely new ship. There are lot of changes: the frame became almost like that of a real ship, the decks now have separate boards, and the hull plating is implemented differently, with all the textures running along the boards. The rigging of the ship has gained historical accuracy based on the scientific works of archaeologists. All the rigging blocks, are based on reliable sources of the Viking history and made of wood and are included in the set. Anchors and a galley printed on a 3D printer are also included. The kit comes with a sail painted in Viking colors. The model stand is made in the style of wooden construction and the carvings of the 9th-century Scandinavians. At all stages of model construction, auxiliary slipways and fixtures, which are included in the set, are used. The construction instructions consist of 73 pages in A4 format, as well as 4 very detailed drawings in A0 format. The number of pre-cut parts exceeds 1,900 pieces. The total weight of the set is an impressive 6.2 kilograms."
 
 
 
V3 is still modelled in 1:25, and there is an extra price premium to the V2, with this costing around €70 more than its predecessor. In fact, the V2 is now no longer available, and this new kit carries over 2kg more in materials and of course is packaged into a larger box to cope with that. That box is indeed quite large and there's definitely some reassuring weight to be had with this kit. 
Pavel Nikitin’s newly re-designed kit is still the largest in scale of this iconic vessel, recreated in at a whopping 1:25 scale! That equates to the following sizes:
 
Length: 860mm Width: 430mm Height: 580mm
 
I know from experience that if you remove all these contents, you'll struggle to fit them all back in. In fact, I decided to leave out the MDF pack so I could start on building the first cradle, and still the box looked very full. Like the previous release, this kit is manufactured in several different timbers, namely alder, walnut, cherry, and beech. The kit's sheets are also divided up into various packs which have a cellophane wrap on them, and an identifying slip of paper which denotes the sheet number, which is as well as there are MANY sheets in this kit. 
 

 
There are not one, but two cradles/jigs in this kit, with there being THIRTEEN sheets of 3mm MDF for this purpose. The reason for two cradles? Ok, that's easy. The first cradle is simply a large framework into which you will sink the assembled keel, and then install the multipart bulkheads. Once this is complete, and the stabilising longitudinal strips are installed, the hull is removed from this jig and then transferred to the second one, where it will then be placed upside down whilst it is then planked. Later, the hull can then be turned the right way up and reinstalled in the same job while work further commences. These jigs are also large, as I can attest to at the moment. you'll see those in my build log which will begin soon.




 
 
Even though these are the last thing to be built, you can see the numerous sheets that exist for the display stand. I'll build this quite early on and then set to one side, just to reduce the number of sheets of parts! I included a 6 inch steel rule in the photo, so you can get an idea of the scale of the completed item.


 
There is some variation in the colours on these sheets, but looking at the parts, this would mostly affect areas that will be hidden under the deck area. This doesn't duly concern me. The laser cutting is also fine, with identifying numbers which are in areas that won't be seen on the completed model.

 
The multipart bulkheads have engraved lines denoting but they should be tapered to accommodate the external hull planking. All of this is also explained within the manual. In this photo, the parts for the rudder and laminated mast fish (base) are clearly seen. 


 
Here you see the deck panels. These are actually individual parts and with some imagination, you could probably pose a number of these so you could see the area below deck.

 
These parts are all hull planking. You can see the section will be keyed together with a scarf joint to create the whole lengths. 




 
More very shortly....
 

Slow going on vacation, but I finally managed to finish the scroll work.
 
Not visible in these photos are the wedges that I added to the aft end of both of these trailboards. 
 

I'm packing up my stuff for my hiatus. I've fabricated the quoins, cut 20 of the kit's belaying pins, built a jig to position the quoins on the carriages and invested in a supply of diamond coated jewelers files. While gone, I will construct the carronade carriages and fine tune the scrollwork.  
 
I also invested in a small tackle box to contain everything I might need while gone, cleaned up the shop, set the alarms and turned off the lights.
 
 
The proxon mill comes in handy again to perfectly position the holes for the quoins.

 

 
The straight chisel exacto knife does a fantastic job of cleaving those blocks into wedges. It helps that I used boxwood.

 
The fixture or jig to affix the quoins to the carriage is pictured to the right of the carriage, and the quoin to its left.

 
Fixture in place, quoin positioned.

 
Finito. 

 
The shafts that came with the carronades from Czechoslovakia are too short. By the time I get home from the shipyard, a small supply of 1/16" brass rod will have arrived, which I'll pack up to take along with the rest, and cut to fit on vacation.
 
I'll have to enlarge the holes with a 1/16" drill. And yes, Jon, I know these are not the correct carronades (at least according to the photos in the Hunt practicum).  I'll bring the cast pieces along as well, but doubt seriously I'll try to salvage them.
 

The Gangway doors
 
A quick thought exercise…
 
The future positioning of the open Gangway door on my model is a bit of a puzzle.
 
My initial understanding was that these gangway doors were REMOVABLE… slide out the upper bolts, loosen the detachable iron stays, lift the gangway door away and stack it off to the side while loading cargo.
 
I see these referenced as removable doors in many Titanic forums. This is supported by a caption on a photo in TITANIC THE SHIP MAGNIFICENT book:

But alas… This is contradicted by the diagram on the opposite page where these are described by the author as FOLDING gangway doors:

Hmm…
 
If these are indeed folding doors, then how do they work? 
 
It might make sense that these gangway doors hinge 180 degrees outboard and lie flat against the hull during cargo transfers.  That would keep the doors out of the way and the deck clear. But these are heavy and could be problematic to pull back up into position.  They could also damage the sides and paint if they swing all the way down.
 
Alternatively, there seem to be photos/video from the wreck showing these gangways swung 90 degrees outboard and resting on their hinges.  Presumably the sliding bolts melted away and the detachable iron stays rusted thru leaving these doors hanging precariously outboard.

But that can’t be the correct position while loading cargo.  They’d be in the way and subject to damage as loads were swung up and inboard by the cranes.
 
Hmm…
 
I think Robert Read provides the answer.  His excellent overview of the Titanic Hatch Coamings (“Titanic-Hatch-Coamings-Color” that can be found in his Titanic CAD collection) includes a grainy historic photo showing the handling of cargo on the forward well deck:

Have a look at the circled portion of the photo… Aha. We see the gangway door folded inboard and lying flat on the deck with the detachable iron stays protruding out from underneath. Note the white coaming strip and the yellow sheer stripe painted on the outer surface of the gangway door.
 
This seems to undermine the idea that these doors were removable.  Instead, it looks like these are folding doors that stay attached to the bulwarks and hinge inward to provide the pass-thru for cargo being swung on board.

I’ll replicate this when I eventually reach this stage.
 
Next up – The Bilge Keel:

Cheers,
Evan

I made the double eyebolts for the gun tackles out of 0.5 mm brass wire,blackened and installed them to the bulwarks.

Interesting observation, Pat. 
 
I believe that since Humphreys specified those "thick strakes" - as he called them - with their interlocking specifically for strengthening the ships longitudinal robustness against hogging - that they were installed precisely "beside" the future hatches - to not "cut" them by adding the hatches in a later step. Since they were generated especially for that, it would be stupid to "damage" them by cutting in the hatches in a later step. 
 
On the other hand:
we have no idea whether the shipwrights really understood or even "accepted" Humphreys design. We know for example that Fox was in frequent discussion about many design details with Humphreys - leading to that open quarrel between the two in later years. And then: those written specification left a lot of room for interpretation. And also the know how and tradition of each involved shipwright had impact on the real ship. So any today known written specification may or may have not been followed in the real ship from the start. Those are the open questions we will most likely never know ..
 
But .. if we try to reconstruct something it is - at least in my opinion - better to follow a known contemporary source instead of stomach feeling from today´s point of view. Only exception: if your doubt is justified by another source or indication of some later known designs. 
 
We very often do trust "common" known and "pleasing to the eyes" layouts more than unusual ones in - for example - sister ships. Just because something seen in so many models and interpretation it seems to be "right" and therefore we often mistrust a - for us strange - "feature", for which someone finds a contemporary source. Argument: "we don´t know if THIS was done in THAT ship too!" .. yeah - but we also don´t know if the "classical" design was done in THAT ship, right?
 
Example:
I found in Charles Ware´s 1820 US Frigate United States Deck drawings that it seems the Frigate had a partly closed planked head. "A" is declared as "wash deck pumps". That black tetrahedrons seem to indicate either a rising or - as I believe - a certain well or "tub" for the wash deck pumps (pumping sea water). So the sailors would be able to get sea water to wash their hands, their body and even clothes (laundry was often done in the ships head). 
 
And you may notice that strange feature along the outer edge of the head in that area marked with "A". I believe these are a pissoirs on left and right side of this area of the head - for the sailors.
The wash deck pump would therefore "feed" a certain sink (the black tetrahedron), the pissoir and the seats of ease .. 
If you look at the color of the deck in that area: its represented plain - while the front of the head - with those seats of ease - is black and white - most likely a grating, right?

Source:
 
Frigate_United_States_Ware_-15_-_NARA_-_3281884.jpg (9931×6725)
 
Now imagine I would represent that design on a Constitution model : for sure there will be voices stating "well, you do not have any proof that THIS design in US Frigate United States in 1820 was also existing in US Frigate Constitution!!"  - which is true!
 
But on the other hand: I don´t have any proof for any other design in Old Ironsides early head designs.. Right? 
 
Back to our planking issue here:
I would assume the shipwrights followed Humphreys specification - and valued the stiffening properties of the thick strakes - and therefore hand them installed before the hatches but according to the hatches dimension - and therefore had the needed planking tapering pattern "predefined" - just as Haiko was doing on his deck. 
 
But.. all that´s just "guesstimation" only 😄 
Always remember Captn. Hareblower:
"Eeeh, I could be wrong, you know?"

Coppering done on Vanguards HMS Indefatigable, half way at least. Still one side to go. After figuring out how to do it (which was about half of the work) it took a bit less than 30 hours to finish one side. Trimming stern, bow and especially waterline plates is what takes time. Used Amati copper plates which can be laid in stripes of 7 plates. It helps a lot, speeding up the work and resulting in nice lines. Rows are slighty overlapping the one below to avoid gaps. When deciding how to lay the plates I pretty soon gave up to idea of a "historically correct" coppering. My coppering is a compromise of limited skills/limited experience, the properties of the material used (plates not as flexible as copper tape) and a need to get something that looks well made/aesthetically pleasing. It's actually quite fun to copper once you figure out how to do it in a way that pleases you. The CA glue is a problem though. It took some time to figure out why I had asthma symptoms and a strange feeling in the evening! After using a quality protective mask no such problems. Of course, wearing that mask for hours is not very comfortable.
 
Then to the point. These fresh copper plates are very shiny. First I thought it looked awful, but I am starting to like. I even now consider leaving it as such and let the time do its job. One tempting alternative is a matt varnish to take off most of the shine and reflection. I sprayed a sheet of Amati copper plates with Maston matt varnish (or lacquer I guess to be precise) and it looks quite nice. It removes the reflection. It is a cheap product so I have some trust issues using Maston. I am interested in hearing what products you have used? (those who have used a matt varnish on copper plates) Anything special to consider when applying it? Any special technique? Tips or tricks? When you apply something on a coppered hull of this size, you simply do not want to mess things up.
 
Below a few pictures. Sorry for the poor quality. Was to lazy to use my quality camera and instead went for the phone camera. 
 

Work in progress. Recommendation to use a protective mask when using CA is not a joke. 
 

Getting used to the shiny copper but the reflection is "disturbing" the details in strong light. 
 

 

Varnished copper experiment. Difficult to photograph, especially with a rather poor phone camera, but it gives an idea of the result. The strong reflection seen on the untreated plates to the left is gone on the sprayed plates to the right. 

Ah, but this is how we learn. Especially useful for those wise enough to learn from the mistakes of others.