Louie da fly

And an ordinary sailor seems generally to have worn either floppy trousers (slops) or petticoat breeches, a shirt and most likely a Monmouth cap, plus presumably a jacket when it was cold (info from here. By the way the word "slops" comes from their originally being made in Shropshire, otherwise known as "Salop" - from Wikipedia: Steven

I don't know about fully functional, but I'm pretty sure experiments were made in Napoleon's time but failed to go into full production because Napoleon refused to fund such a diabolical machine . . .

Actually that was a mistake on my part, which I regretted once I started carving. I should have left quite a bit more wood at the base so I had something to hold onto. I won't do it that way again. Yes, the mushy card works fairly well - it means the edges can be nice and soft and have it look like a mattress instead of just a bit of cardboard. It can even be shaped in a mould (mold for our American cousins) if done properly - it's basically papier mache', after all.

I'd agree. If the evidence isn't there, I don't think a spritsail would be justified, no matter what modern people may do with their reconstructions. Just because it might look obvious to us to put one on (and it may well improve the working of the ship) doesn't mean they had them in the day. Stirrups seem so obvious for riding horses, but nobody used them until something like the 6th century AD. The idea just hadn't been invented yet, no matter how much of a no-brainer they seem with hindsight. Steven

I've been fairly busy over the last week or so. I've finally shaved the plug down to size (1 millimetre less, all along the hull - I must be mad). I've marked the positions of the frames I intend to put in for the "first fix" and also the lines of the wales and the positions of the oarports. I glued the sternpost back on (using clingwrap to keep the glue from sticking together things that should be kept apart), and the keel assembly fits nicely onto the plug. I've yet to put grooves in the stem and sternposts to take the frames there (the plug overlaps them and this seems the easiest way to put the frames on in these areas). I've straightened the few oars that were bowed, using water, a heat gun and my really trashy bending jig. (It works, though!). Had to be careful this time -the oars are so thin I didn't want them charring or bursting into flames. And I've also carved the droungharios (captain). The captain is the hardest figure I've ever done - having someone sitting down was quite a challenge to work out. First cut Second cut Beginning to take shape (and time for a new scalpel blade!) Given a face and holes drilled to separate the legs And I've made his kravatos (which translates as "bed") - nobody's sure exactly why the captain had a bed on the poop deck, (it's the only area of the ship with an awning over it). So I've made it something simple, that he could sit, recline on or sleep on as needed. I made the mattress out of a bit of cardboard from a dog-biscuit box. Cut it to shape than soaked it. The glossy layer of paper on the surface can be peeled off and the cardboard underneath gets soft and mushy and can be moulded with the fingers so it looks soft. I'm thinking of putting a layer of fine fabric over the mattress so it looks more luxurious. And here he is . . . I used the point of the scalpel to pick away at his hat so it looks furry - a furry red hat was a badge of rank at the time. He's also the only person on board wearing a cloak (another mark of rank) and when I paint him I'll have him in highly coloured, expensive clothing. I still need to smooth him off, but I'm very happy with how it's all going. And it won't be long now before I can actually start planking the hull (at last!) Steven

I didn't take the addresses, unfortunately, just recorded the pics as I stumbled across them. So I've put them up here Steven

That's a nice piece of work and a good addition to the character of the ship. Steven

That would be it, of course. The foremast on a carrack was usually pretty tiny, and I suppose this is a temporary stub to get the forestay correctly worked out.

Linden was used for shields in Anglo-Saxon times, and it's possible that this was because it was soft enough to receive a blow with an edged weapon without splitting, and perhaps (if you were lucky) trap it in your shield so you could have an uninterrupted 'go' at your opponent. I swear by pear wood for carving, ever since I was given some when I was a teenager. I haven't tried other fruit woods, but I find the fine grain of pear suits my purposes very well, (though carving the faces of 1:50 scale figures is pushing the outside of the envelope a bit, even for pear wood). By the way, is it just me, or do other people have trouble with the screw thread continually coming loose on craft knives like the one at the bottom of Chuck's post of 19 October? I've found it so annoying I got a proper surgical scalpel. The No. 11 blade is the same shape as on the craft knives, and a scalpel works much better for me. Only problem is the occasional broken blade (I'm pretty hard on them). Steven

Good to see you back, Dick. I never cease to be impressed by the level of research you get into to get the details exactly right (as well as can be known at this distance in time). And the level of workmanship, as well. I'm probably showing my ignorance, but what's that vertical spar next to the bowsprit? By the way, I've recently come across quite a number of contemporary representations off carracks on Pinterest that I haven't seen before. Would you like me to post them or have you got as much as you need? Steven

I hadn't thought of it till now and it's a worthwhile idea. However, the carvings are basically just a break from doing the ship itself, and I probably get distracted enough from the real work of shipbuilding. I get good enough results for my purposes (which is just adding a bit of interest to the model) with the tools I've got - anything finer probably wouldn't be visible with the naked eye. And I have to guard myself from my tendency to go off on tangents. Before you know it I'd be carving statues of Elvis from grains of rice . . . Steven

Thanks, Cog. I hadn't thought of that. But I think the real culprit is lack of light. Compare the first two photos taken in good light with the rest of them . . . Steven

I'm mostly through the shaping of the steersman. He's made of pear wood, from a neighbour's tree. Starting out with a couple of photos from the previous post:starting by cutting back from the part nearest the surface (in this case his right arm and shoulder) and trimming back everything else behind it. The rest of it I did last night. I wasn't timing it, but I think it took somewhere between 2 and 3 hours. I continued the rough cutting to general shape, just getting rid of unnecessary wood.About this time I've roughly drawn the shape he should be, looking from the back. I also drilled a couple of holes to give me a start on separating his legs. Later I realised I'd been rather premature doing this, and in future I won't drill the holes till later in the process, when I've got the legs better defined. Then trimming further, gradually getting closer to the shape wanted, coming from the other side. Now roughly shaping the head. This is when I realised I shouldn't have drilled to separate the legs just yet - I got the hole off line and it came out too close to his left leg - I was worried I'd either stuffed it up completely or at least that he'd end up with his legs really spindly. Getting the head roughed out and defining the shape further. The legs are fairly well shaped now, but I'm still concerned I've made them too thin. Nearly there. Up to this point all the shaping has been done using the large Stanley knife. It's only when I get onto the fine stuff that I bring out my scalpel with the No. 11 blade. I far prefer a surgical scalpel to a craft knife - the blade stays in place and it doesn't have a screw thread to keep coming undone. Getting the feet carved out and shaping the shoes. And here he is. I've started with the scalpel in earnest, given him a face and hair. The legs turn out to be pretty good - you have to remember they wore hose (stockings), not trousers, so it's just like having a bare leg. The shoes are pretty much shaped. I've left the arms unfinished as until I know exactly where the steering oar and tiller will be in relation to the ship, and where he'll be standing, I'm not totally sure where his hands will have to be. He'll be holding the shaft of the steering oar in one hand and the tiller in the other. The final cutting for such things as folds in the clothes, hair texture etc will have to wait till I have better light. And then I'll file and sand him smooth with tiny rat-tail files and fine sandpaper. Unfortunately the photos didn't come out all that well. I think the problem is that I took the photos with too little light. Steven

Thanks, Glenn. The feeling is mutual. I wish I could do the precision work you do. I'm really not very good at that kind of thing, but carving comes pretty easily to me. Thanks for the offer. It'd be good to find out if anything's known about the rabbet. Steven

So, am I right in thinking the 'rivets' on the stack are just dimples and the tubes are really held together with solder? Otherwise I have no idea how you could rivet at such a fine scale, with so little room to work in. I look forward to the PM. I've been fascinated by the Serce Limani ship since I came across a report on her in an old National Geographic maybe 20 years ago. At the time I was more interested in the cargo and artefacts - 11th century glassware, pottery, tools and weapons - I was doing Byzantine re-enactment at the time and I made pottery copies of a couple of the bowls and a pretty little jug. Nowadays I'm much more interested in the ship itself. Back to the subject at hand . . .(sorry for the derail). Steven

Still trimming the grooves out of the plug. It's a long job. I'm a bit over half way through (the lighter timber is the bit I've trimmed). I discovered a mistake I'd made earlier in placing the frames nearest the bow and had to reconfigure my layout. Took awhile to figure out what was wrong, but I took a break and came back fresh and worked out what to do. The plug isn't very pretty, though, and I don't have the precision I see on other people's models. But I think it should turn out well in the long run - the hull itself should be fine, and then I can retire the plug. As I mentioned before, there are 124 frames in all. I'm not going to place all of them on at once - just too complicated - instead I'll be putting on every second one and planking over that, and adding the other 62 once that's done. In the meantime as a break from trimming the plug (it does get very boring) I've started carving the new helmsman (note I'm still using that gigantic matchstick).

And some more - here from a couple of decades before your time period, and here from a couple of decades after. They're not all that different, and maybe you can interpolate the details and come up with something appropriate for the time in between. Are these for a ship you're building? Steven

Beautifully precise work on the stack. I am gobsmacked at the quality of your work. Putting the flange on the wrong side has such huge consequences from what would have been a small moment of inattention. Somehow it makes me feel better about the mistakes I make to know even the best of us can do the same. And of course you've fixed it and are back on track. Such a magnificent model. Steven

You're after sailors and marines rather than officers? Unfortunately they usually don't get much notice from contemporary sources - only the Important People do. But you might try looking for contemporary paintings of naval actions and see if any have scenes on-deck, rather than of the overall action (something like an earlier version of the scene on the deck of the Victory at Trafalgar). You might find something worthwhile either here or in the links from it, though I think most of them are too late for what you have in mind. The top picture here is of a midshipman from 1731. That's the closest I've been able to get so far. Here's a site that has contemporary pictures of buccaneers, filibustiers etc, many of whom are of the "lower classes". Mostly French, I'm afraid, but might help. And another here which could be of use, though they cover a wide range of dates. And a site with a couple of pictures of the 17th-18th century uniforms of the Royal Marines (Prince George of Denmark was married to Queen Anne of Britain). Steven

Not a problem, Robin. I doubt I'll ever get to see her, but it's wonderful just knowing she exists (and is still going out once in a while). Steven

Beautiful work. Still no problems with vampires? Steven

A very impressive build. And that carving is exquisite. Steven

Oh, she was out on the water just recently. One of our members got to be part of the crew. And they plan to do it again next year, I think. Steven

Thanks for the congrats, Druxey. Yes, I thought it would have to be rebated, but I just didn't have any information or experience, except for a vague memory of a stempost from a Viking ship with rebates carved into it for the ends of the clinker planks. But different technique, different part of the world. Dick, unfortunately as far as I'm aware no stempost or sternpost survived from any of the Yenikapi galleys (unless Glenn knows of some . . . ?) But they've definitely found at least one keel with a rebate. Anyhow, I think I will extend the rebate into the stem and sternposts, just on general principles. Steven

I doubt anybody ever measured the Golden Hind's length - I believe all those figures would be rough estimates, and probably the tunnage is too. I agree with your statement . Let Mathew Baker be your guide and use your best judgment and you'll probably end up with a model closer to the real thing than anybody else has ever built, even if all the small details are different. Steven