Louie da fly

Good decision. Are you planning to make a two-part mainyard? That is, two spars overlapped at the centre? This was normal practice at this time. And note from the painting above the mainsail (and I think also the foresail) had sheets not only at the lower corners, but also "sheets" in the middle of the sail - which your model's pre-cast sails don't show. There was an interesting discussion of how to achieve that here https://modelshipworld.com/topic/4915-venetian-carrack-or-cocha-164-by-woodrat-completed/page/14/ and the following pages. I think Woodrat did an amazing job of it, but it was pretty difficult to achieve.

Oh, yes! Beautiful work. I particularly like your Lancaster diorama. Very lifelike! I made the Airfix Victory back when I was a teenager. My parents had been to the U.K. and brought back all kinds of detailed drawings for me. It was very much a labour of love. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Welcome to MSW, Jon! Not sure if you're not already past the "beginner" level, but you might like to look at this for some idea of what to build first - these kits are all distinguished by good clear instructions and relative ease of building, but with a good-looking model at the end. https://modelshipworld.com/topic/18657-new-to-ship-modelling-but-what-do-you-build-first/ And make sure you start a build log of your own - this is how you do it: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/24705-before-you-post-your-build-log-please-read-this-starting-and-naming-your-build-log/ It's the best way to get advice, help and encouragement from the other members. Pretty much any problem you might encounter has probably been met and dealt with by someone else, and the members are very willing to give the benefit of their experience. There are quite a few build logs of Viking vessels on the forum - look under "Up to and including 1500 AD" - both under "kits" and "scratch builds". You should get a lot of information on the joys of building a model Viking ship, as well as the trials and tribulations. This period is my own favourite, so if you start a Viking ship you'll probably find me chipping in every now and then. The Amati Drakkar is a popular Viking model and there are a couple of logs on MSW for it. Type in "Amati Drakkar" in the search button at the top right of the page. Most seem to have had success, but at least one member has had trouble with getting the planking to follow the shape of the frames, though. Another has had a similar problem with a Dusek Viking model, so maybe it's something common to clinker-planked kits? I haven't built either of these, so I'm not in a position to comment further. Just a heads-up, not an attempt to discourage you.

Welcome to MSW! Yes, put up whatever seems appropriate in your log. At the bottom of the box as you write your post there's a note: Drag files here to attach, or choose files... - that's how you upload photos. And there's a useful trick - If you want to re-size your photos, double click on the picture you've placed in the text - it gives you a menu to reduce the size of your photo if you wish. The other thing I'd suggest is that you outline the steps you took in making something, so others who follow after get the benefit of your experience - including the mistakes (sometimes the best way of learning!). Other than that it's pretty much open slather. And have fun with it. That's what it's all about, after all.

Welcome to MSW, Mark. I am unbelievably envious of your opportunity to get down and dirty on the Mary Rose. I went to see her in 2009 (flew 12,000 miles from Australia) and got here just after they closed her down to construct a new building around her. Never got to see the ship, but to compensate they increased the artefact display and I saw lots of stuff - including that enormous VD syringe! To help you make a decision on what to build first, look at https://modelshipworld.com/topic/18657-new-to-ship-modelling-but-what-do-you-build-first/ These are all good "starter" kits - clear instructions and not too difficult to build, but nonetheless an impressive model at the end of the process. And once you've decided on your model, make sure you start a build log. The instructions are here: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/24705-before-you-post-your-build-log-please-read-this-starting-and-naming-your-build-log/ It's a great way to get help, advice and encouragement, and we get to see your model under way (one of the pleasures of being on this forum). Don't get too worried about the quality of some of the models here - I know it can be a bit intimidating to start off with, seeing the amazing stuff some people are able to do - but nobody will criticise - we were all beginners once - and the skill level here ranges from total beginner to god-like expert.

David, welcome to MSW. One of the best things you can do is to start a build log - even for a model in progress, it's a great way to get help and advice - and encouragement. The instructions are here: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/24705-before-you-post-your-build-log-please-read-this-starting-and-naming-your-build-log/ Those models look very good. However steep the learning curve may have been, you are already producing creditable models. Keep up the good work, and don't fail to ask questions if you need assistance. The people here are very friendly and helpful, and there's a lot of expertise freely available.

Thanks everybody. The last thing I'll be doing is to make a case - I'm off to buy perspex today. A final comment - If I were to build the model again there are quite a few things I'd change. For a start I'd make it about 2 metres longer (full scale) - the poop deck needed to be considerably bigger than I'd made it in my drawings if it was to take the awning and the steersmen, and I had to sacrifice an oarbench on each side to fit it in. I'd also start the curve of the "tail" further forward so it was higher - the poop deck had to be lowered so it didn't overlap the sides of the ship. And I would have made the forecastle higher - according to the sources much of the Greek Fire apparatus should have been underneath the foredeck, not on top. The pump would still have to be on the deck, but the oil tank and brazier should have been below. At the time I was worried that the parapet would get in the way of the lateen yard, but I believe I could have had a higher parapet and still not had a problem. I'd also have been a lot more careful about the placement of the benches - they weren't spaced as equally as they should have been. I do know the benches on the Yenikapi galleys weren't exactly spaced, but the differences were pretty minor. As it was, the spacing between the tholes and the benches was different for every oarsman - another reason I couldn't mass-produce them. And I'd have a double-sheaved calcet (integral block) at the top of each mast, not single, as I've since found large numbers of near-contemporary calcets - all of them double sheaved. However, having said that, I'm very pleased with the model as it turned out. Certainly it could have been improved, but I think it's pretty darned good.

This weathering is looking really good. Keep up the good work.

Beautiful work, Silverman. She's really looking good.

Belissimo, prestissimo! Those blocks are beautifully and precisely done. My hat off to you sir!

Well, perhaps not an expert, but less of a duffer . Currently I feel like i know absolutely nothing about planking - but little by little I believe I'm learning to see how things should be. I think by the time I've planked everything below the waterline in the Great Harry I'll move from being totally ham-fisted to being merely slow and awkward . . . Of course planking the underside when the ship is in such a state of completeness elsewhere (with a mast that's already in place and can't be removed without doing damage, and cannons sticking out the sides) does make it rather more difficult.

And here is the nother one. Clamped in place And the second plank added to make the full strake. Marking out for the corresponding plank on the port side: Cutting the plank to match the cardboard master: Clamping the forward end. Oops Had to make a new one: This time it fits! And when the after end is clamped down to follow the curve of the hull it will fit too. I'm learning a fair bit. Planking at my level of skill involves a lot of trial and error. And needs endless patience . . .

Very good question - unfortunately i don't know the answer to this one; it would probably be in some archaeological report somewhere. Does it make a difference to how yo're doing the model?

That's news to me as well - I'd thought there was a "tenon" at the lower end of the topmast that fitted into the space, and that the fid just made sure it didn't waggle around. You learn something new every day (if you're not careful!)

Though this is from a later ship, this diagram might help you understand how the crosstrees and trestletrees work. The top is a different shape in the later vessel, but the principle is unchanged. which I think means the topmast can't slip through the hole - it rests on it, and the fid holds it in place.

Thanks for that Silverman. I've looked at the other thread and bookmarked it. Not likely to do much about it straight away, but I'll definitely get around to it.

Hi, Eric. First let me say that you've done a very good job with cutting off the tops of the frames, and particularly that you've recorded how you did it for the information of others who follow. Regarding the angle of the top strakes - I can't see a sensible way out. Whether it's because of your inexperience, or bad instructions/kit I don't know. Probably a bit of both. But I agree - the best thing is to put that problem to one side for the moment and see if anything occurs to you. In the meantime, yes, go ahead with your deck planking to replace the ready-made stuff. That should be rewarding and interesting, and put you in a better frame of mind to perhaps come up up with a solution to the strakes. In the long run, that issue might end up being a case of putting it down to experience, but you'll at least have given it your best try. Sorry to hear about the personal issues. I agree - the hobby is supposed to be a relaxation away from problems, so concentrate on the parts that are relaxing and enjoyable - you don't need the extra frustration in your "time out". But I'm sure you already know that. Take your time with the model. It's not a race. I hope things get better with time.

Beautiful work, David. She's looking better and better.

This is fantastic, Silverman. I've bookmarked this page, and I expect I'll be going out and getting some lego for myself to make the rope walk. Very valuable technical instruction.

I think it's the width of the door that makes it look so big. A standard house door is 820mm wide, but there are also 720's and even 620's, and I expect a shipboard door could be pretty narrow. Chuck, I'd be going for more like 5' 6" - depending on when and where, it was Victorian times with bad nutrition that people really got short. Apparently Anglo-Saxons in the 11th century averaged about 5'10". OTOH this is a Spanish ship, and I think the average height there was less.

The door does look rather big. Have you measured what size it would be full scale?

A hoe on the feet - that's very graphic. I can almost feel the pain. The second doesn't mean quite exactly the same thing, but quite close. It means that you've done something that will cause you trouble later. I often think this about parents who want to avoid trouble so they give in when their children act badly, instead of insisting on reasonable behaviour. They're making a rod for their own backs because now the child knows he or she can manipulate the parents, and the way to get what they want in future is to misbehave. Shooting yourself in the foot means you made a mistake that's causing you trouble - usually now.

I'd be interested. I wouldn't mind having a ropewalk, but I don't want to pay a fortune for it, and that looks very straightforward t make ( I may regret having written that! )

What a wonderful description - is that a common Italian saying? In English we'd probably say "I've shot myself in the foot", or perhaps "I've made a rod for my own back" - which mean pretty much the same thing. And I do like what you've done with the rails. That's very impressive.

Wagga Wagga (usually just called Wagga), but Woy Woy is kept in full. Woolloomooloo. Wollongong. Cootamundra (it's on the Gooramundry Creek - presumably these were both approximations of how the name was really pronounced). Wendouree (that's the lake we have at Ballarat - the story is that it's the local aboriginal word for "go away", presumably what one of the locals said on being asked the name of the lake - though it occurs to me that it might not have been that polite.)