Louie da fly

It pretty much is, for many people. I remember a re-enactor's surprise when I told him we were not going to get married in mediaeval costume. I said re-enactment was my hobby, not my life. He found that hard to accept, too.

In Oz until Covid hit every second Easter there was a gathering open to all Australian  "pre-colonial" re-enactors, where everybody immerses themselves in the ambience (or ambulance as my family prefer to say) for four days - living under canvas, fighting, talking, having workshops, making music, cooking over a wood fire etc. I learnt how to make a fire with flint and steel, and it's quite rewarding making do - we know it's not really like living back in the day - thank heavens - but it's very enjoyable. 
 
Every other Easter, there has always been a "Dark Ages" gathering in a pine forest at Armidale in rural New South Wales - same sort of thing, but Dark Ages specific, That's where I met my lovely wife. 

Looking good! I'm going to have to hurry my own project along to catch up! 😀

Thanks everybody for the likes and OC for the nice comment.
 
Pat, as far as I can work out that's the fixing point for the steering oar against the hull. They came in various types (the TAMU paper goes into them in considerable detail). I chose the triangular ones you can see in my pictures above,
 

 
but there were plenty of other types - "box", "socket" and even some where the steering oar actually goes through a hole in the hull..

Hi Mike, and welcome to MSW. Do you have a particular model in mind?
 
If not, there's a good place to look here:
 
 
 
Once you start making your model, make sure you start a build log of your own. A great way to get help, advice and encouragement. If it's a kit, the instructions are here:
 
If you're building from scratch, this is the place to look:
 
Note that the sections for both kit and scratch build logs are sub-divided into periods - the first one being  "Up to and including 1500 AD", and moving up from there. So make sure your log goes in the right category so it can be found easily.
 
Good luck with your build, and have fun with it!
 

In Oz until Covid hit every second Easter there was a gathering open to all Australian  "pre-colonial" re-enactors, where everybody immerses themselves in the ambience (or ambulance as my family prefer to say) for four days - living under canvas, fighting, talking, having workshops, making music, cooking over a wood fire etc. I learnt how to make a fire with flint and steel, and it's quite rewarding making do - we know it's not really like living back in the day - thank heavens - but it's very enjoyable. 
 
Every other Easter, there has always been a "Dark Ages" gathering in a pine forest at Armidale in rural New South Wales - same sort of thing, but Dark Ages specific, That's where I met my lovely wife. 

Hi Mike, and welcome to MSW. Do you have a particular model in mind?
 
If not, there's a good place to look here:
 
 
 
Once you start making your model, make sure you start a build log of your own. A great way to get help, advice and encouragement. If it's a kit, the instructions are here:
 
If you're building from scratch, this is the place to look:
 
Note that the sections for both kit and scratch build logs are sub-divided into periods - the first one being  "Up to and including 1500 AD", and moving up from there. So make sure your log goes in the right category so it can be found easily.
 
Good luck with your build, and have fun with it!
 

Hi Bosco,
 
The page on how to post a log is here: 
The reason for Old Collingwood's question is probably that the section on kit logs is divided into time periods - starting with "up to and including 1500 AD' and working up from there to present time. Choose the one that's appropriate to your own build.
 
And welcome to MSW. I'd second OC's curiosity - what model are you building?
 
 

Ah! But he has an awning over his head (yet to be added) which will take care of the banner tails.
 
But they certainly had those big banners  - in fact I'm being a bit conservative, if anything . . .
 

 
From the Synopsis Historian of Ioannes Skylitzes (commonly known as the Madrid Skylitzes Chronicle, after the library where it's held)
 
And I've just realised I have another Byzantine pic of a steering oar with a tiller - check it out - it looks a lot like what I ended up making! Though it seems to me the steersman is holding it the wrong side of the rudder shaft.
 

 
From the Sermons of Gregory of Nazianzus:  Pantaleimon Cod. 6 f. 183r
 

Brian, you never know till you try. From my own experience the first attempt would probably be pretty dreadful, but you learn from the first one and apply those lessons to the next attempt, and it turns out quite a bit better. Just don't try doing the Academician's dragon head as your first project!

Maybe these would be more up your alley. They're pre- Viking (mid 7th century), so not really appropriate to your build - the first is the British Museum's replica of the helmet found at Sutton Hoo in the U.K., the second is one of several found at Vendel in Sweden. I like the way the eyebrows form the wings of the dragon on the sutton Hoo helmet.         
 

 

 
 

I love your storage box for the figures. Keeps them safe from harm. I keep mine in a clear plastic box but the principle's the same (and mine are quite a bit smaller).
 
Here in Oz you could never get anything like those numbers for 17th century re-enactment - or any other period for that matter. 
 
I understand why they do it (to minimise the injuries to cuts and bruises), but it's always bugged me - in the real world those pikes would be held horizontally, not vertically. See this video of the Battle of Hastings re-enactment in 2006 - the spear work starts at 7.25.
 
 
 

Looking really good, Ekis.

Ah! But he has an awning over his head (yet to be added) which will take care of the banner tails.
 
But they certainly had those big banners  - in fact I'm being a bit conservative, if anything . . .
 

 
From the Synopsis Historian of Ioannes Skylitzes (commonly known as the Madrid Skylitzes Chronicle, after the library where it's held)
 
And I've just realised I have another Byzantine pic of a steering oar with a tiller - check it out - it looks a lot like what I ended up making! Though it seems to me the steersman is holding it the wrong side of the rudder shaft.
 

 
From the Sermons of Gregory of Nazianzus:  Pantaleimon Cod. 6 f. 183r
 

Brian, you never know till you try. From my own experience the first attempt would probably be pretty dreadful, but you learn from the first one and apply those lessons to the next attempt, and it turns out quite a bit better. Just don't try doing the Academician's dragon head as your first project!

I love your storage box for the figures. Keeps them safe from harm. I keep mine in a clear plastic box but the principle's the same (and mine are quite a bit smaller).
 
Here in Oz you could never get anything like those numbers for 17th century re-enactment - or any other period for that matter. 
 
I understand why they do it (to minimise the injuries to cuts and bruises), but it's always bugged me - in the real world those pikes would be held horizontally, not vertically. See this video of the Battle of Hastings re-enactment in 2006 - the spear work starts at 7.25.
 
 
 

Ahh, there's nothing like positive thinking. And that's certainly nothing like positive thinking . . .

He probably thinks it'll only take a week or so . . . 
 
Beautiful work, Christos. A model to be proud of.

Yeah, but 10 years? Something seriously wrong with his GPS. And of course it's not a good idea to annoy the sea-god.

Eric,
 
Nice job on the figurehead, that’s one of the skills that I have not attempted yet is carving. Not sure that if I gave it a shot that it would resemble a dragon at all, probably look more like a worm. 
 
I’m with Louie on the eye. Protruding would most likely have a better effect. 
 
-Brian

Maybe these would be more up your alley. They're pre- Viking (mid 7th century), so not really appropriate to your build - the first is the British Museum's replica of the helmet found at Sutton Hoo in the U.K., the second is one of several found at Vendel in Sweden. I like the way the eyebrows form the wings of the dragon on the sutton Hoo helmet.         
 

 

 
 

Looking really good, Ekis.

And on to the lashings for the side rudders. The diagrams of lashings in the TAMU paper I mentioned on the previous page weren't much help, so I worked up something of my own. Remembering back to my days as a Sea Scout at the age of 14 I remembered a lashing we'd used. But first I had to re-teach myself how to do a clove hitch, something I hadn't tried for 57 years, and even back then I'm not sure I really mastered it. Took me two or three goes with the instructions in front of me, then maybe half a dozen tries without. And I think now I can do a clove hitch from here on in - something I think is going to be very useful in future models involving ratlines(!). The clove hitch starts the lashing:
 

 
Then round and round:
 
      
 
       
 
  
 
This is a sort of universal joint made from rope. It allows the rudder shaft to pivot  left and right for steering under the influence of the tiller, just as in a stern rudder. And it can also swing upwards around the beam so the rudder lifts out of the water - either when only one rudder is in use, or to enable the dromon to be pulled up onto the beach stern-first.
 
Then for the lower lashing - this one is made of lighter rope. According to the TAMU paper on the previous page of this log, if the rudder hits a submerged obstruction, instead of the rudder shaft being shattered the rope will break allowing the rudder to swing up out of the way. Before beaching the ship this lower lashing is untied.  
 
       
 
 
      
 
That's all for now . . .


 

Batten of tops :
     

I love your storage box for the figures. Keeps them safe from harm. I keep mine in a clear plastic box but the principle's the same (and mine are quite a bit smaller).
 
Here in Oz you could never get anything like those numbers for 17th century re-enactment - or any other period for that matter. 
 
I understand why they do it (to minimise the injuries to cuts and bruises), but it's always bugged me - in the real world those pikes would be held horizontally, not vertically. See this video of the Battle of Hastings re-enactment in 2006 - the spear work starts at 7.25.