vossy

I've now hung all the yards (all 19 of them!) and have begun rigging with the three spars on the main and mizzen.  All shown below.
 
Regards,
David

Hello to all
A BIG THANK YOU to Steven ( Louie da fly )
My kit came with a brass head carving which I assumed was a dragons head. 
I was horrified when I finally unwrapped it and discovered it was a bloody duck, the Admiral kept laughing as I tried to convince myself it was just a bad looking dragon.
Being new to modelling and this group I soon realised that Steven and a few others loved Carrack's.
Then I realised Steven lived a few hours from me in a town I visit another friend a few times a year.
Push forward a few months and after many emails I visited Steven and his lovely wife, as course I took my model.
Having already seen the ugly duckling via email Steven offered to carve me a dragon head piece, I gladly accepted his offer and in a very short time it arrived in the mail. It's based on a headpiece found and recovered from the fifteen hundreds.
I love it
Its amazing 
And it will be a great addition to my model.
I dips my lid to u Steven, you have been a great source of information and an inspiration to push ahead even when I have doubts I could do this, a wonderful host in your stunning house, and a great new friend. 
Ive seen your Dromon first hand and I can easily describe your craftsmanship as exceptional, I can't wait to see your Dromon sitting in a prised area of your house.
Once again thank you for all of your help.
Cheers
Peter

Monday 18 November 2019
 
Standing rigging is finally over . . . . rat lines obviously were the major, boring effort.
 
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The top four in the quality poll are evenly split between European and American. Of course there's a certain bias in any country toward kits that can be easily acquired or whose instructions are written in the native language, but it's also true that many of us have experience with various "foreign" brands with terrible instructions or other issues (Ahem, Corel). There are also "foreign" brands that have gotten rave reviews on this site, like Master Korabel and Dusek, that nonetheless are smaller brands and naturally won't match the volume of major players in the American market like Model Shipways.
 
By definition a poll is a collection of responses from the sample set.  If you want to know more about a specific brand, look for specific build logs or reviews written on this site. Or write your own review if you think a brand is over/under-rated. But it seems to me that none of the high-ranking results (for either quality or lack thereof) are mistaken based on my own experience and that of reading lots of collected opinions on this site. At most, some brands are under-represented, but that's inevitable. It amazes me how many people get worked up about this.

Wednesday 6 November 2019
 
Further small progresses . . . . this time it's up to the mast.
 
For the future I have decided that I will limit myself in posting messages only when significant steps in setting up the rigging are complete, otherwise I think to run the risk of being too much repetitive.
 
So I give you a rendez-vous for other images and comments when I'll finish the installation of all the standing rigging, a milestone that seems to me adequately representative to show and explain.
 
Greetings, Jack.Aubrey.
 
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Tuesday 5 November 2019
 
I finally started, I fixed the masts and . . . . for now I'm working on standing rigging. It takes a lot of patience.
 
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what is the model name of this vessel? I cant find it for sale anywhere?
 
cheers
 
chris
 

Latest update 
Ive added partial planking to the main deck, I erred in following the drawing, and then discovered the 2-3-4-5 step planking system, I will probably finish it off and redo it over the top. I also planked in some areas where I didn't need to, just got carried away and will learn from that too. 
Next I laid the half deck beams and added some supports for the outer edges of the half deck.
I then turned my attention towards the first layer of planking. After spending a fair amount of time laying batons across the hull I soon realised my attempt wasn't going to work.
I then raised a post asking for help and received some great advice and started again, I think I'm starting to comprehend what's required for planking this particular shaped hull. ( I will add a pic of my first attempt which is on the right hand side and the amended planking on the left).
 
The gun ports which come with the kit are terrible, so I am making my own following the same method I saw on another build log, a little extra work will be well worth the effort. 
This weekend I'm meeting up with another member from this forum who has helped me enormously via email in regards to not only building my Carrack but helping me understand a little about the type of ships they were. I will no doubt return home with a vast amount of knowledge. It will be great to see another persons builds too. So all in all I'm making a few errors but they are nothing I can't remedy and I'm having to much fun to worry about them.
Cheers
Peter
 

Any movement on this kit James?
 
Cheers
 
Chris
 

The first prototype was built by Chris, and he was doing this as a full time job and Amati employee.
 
For me.....I work full time in education, so my building time will be evenings, weekends and holidays, but I do promise that I will move as quickly as I can so long as I don't compromise quality. 

Amati have so far printed the plans for me and had the PE and wood parts made. They are awaiting the return of high-pressure castings for the various fittings/cannon etc. and then this will be on its way to me. I'm thinking between 2 and 4 weeks at the moment. Some delays did creep in, but they now look sorted. 
 
From there, I have about 18 months to build the hull to completion as the masting is via drawing.
 
I still think this is around 2yrs from release. 
 
There will be a build log here as soon as I get everything in the workshop. 

Another update as the model is moving along as I find more time to spend on it as the days become warmer.
The extra stabilising supports were placed along the keel and the deck added. I then wanted to add supports under the 3 gun ports on each side but once I begun it was just as easy to place these supports fully along the deck edge. While waiting for glue to dry I tried dry fitting the fore deck and ran into my first real problem, bulkhead 4 clearly sits way to low which will require adding to so I can achieve the desired results .
Next is to partially lay some of the deck planks, then add the beams and half deck. 
Padded are a few progress pics and a picture of the fore deck problem.
Cheers
Kikatinalong 

I thought I would share my latest progress. In what's been a hectic yet thoroughly exciting month in family life I've still managed to find the time to move forward.
All the bulkheads have been fitted and I've started to add and begin to sand back the filler blocks, I've also slotted and added some bracing along the top of the bulkheads to assist with strength of the hull and stability for the main deck. 
I will also add some smaller fillers along the deck edges before I head any further.
As I'm very new to modelling and it's hard with only pictures as a reference I would be more than grateful to accept any advice as to something I may have done wrong or any problems u can foresee me heading forward in my build.
Happy modelling 
Kikatinalong.

Hello all
At this stage I've finished my baseboard consisting of mdf, dressed timber and have used Perspex to keep the false keel square and running straight.
As mentioned earlier all the bulkheads required either re cutting, trimming or adding to. They have now been dry fitted along with the main and half decks. These decks are as roughly cut as the bulkheads, I won't complain as it's a very old kit and most pre cut parts will need a lot of attention to achieve my desired results.
i will also be adding 9x9 mm square timber running  parallel to the keel under the main deck near each side of the cargo hold for extra stability.
So adding the 9x9 cut outs to the bulkheads, will be my next task,and then start to glue the hull frame together . Then lay the deck and some deck planks.
the support beams for the half deck are missing from the kit ( should have seen that earlier) so these will need to be made before it can be added. 
Ive added some dry fit pictures.
Happy modelling 
Kikatinalong. 

In this log I will just add a few pics of the kit and some drawings, I'm not great with computers and will keep this simple until I get used to the site.
ive made a little progress in far as jigs and some dry fitting and will update that in a day or so.
The false keel, bulkheads and deck pieces are very roughly cut , it is what it is and I've been re cutting and repairing to get the desired results.
It seems some of the uploads failed so I'll leave it at that for now, and try and post more tomorrow.
happy modelling 
Kikatinalong

Hello and welcome to all.
I guess luck was on my side when I found this kit very cheaply on eBay. I certainly had concerns it would be incomplete yet took a chance and was excited when it arrived as the only contents package in the kit that had been opened was the planking bag. I don't think any are missing but if there are they can be easily sourced.
Its a very old kit and on inspection I found the keel, deck and bulkheads to be very roughly cut which will require some recutting and repairing. All the other parts including cast metal, brass and pre finished hardwoods are in great condition.
 
The Mamoli kit recreates a 16th century Carrack, double planking bulkhead construction using lime wood, walnut, mahogany, poplar and other woods. 
Fittings are cast metal, brass and preformed hardwoods.
Nine sheets of plans, 12 cannons and sails.
Scale 1:54
Total length 833 mm
Total height 650 mm
Drawings are dated 1978.
 
A little study has been done and a few pieces of reference have been found.
The ship is a three masted Carrack, length of the hull was 35 metres. Height from the top of the mast to the keel was approximately 30 meters.
The prints of that name and the documents found in the historical archives of Barcelona allowed the reconstruction of the ships plans, which takes its place between the medieval merchant ship and the galleon , classed for its particular structures of the forecastle and the quarterdeck among the Carracks.
Probably around 1519 it took part in an important expedition, which led Fernandez Cortez to conquer Mexico. ( I'm yet to find any other evidence to support that reference ).
The outer galleries, one of which is a balcony, the apartments under the small quarterdeck , the super structures of the decks providing the installation of awnings for protection from the sun, indicates they were employed for passengers of wealth and high class.
Characteristics of the ship are the escutcheons at the prow, painted with very bright colours and merely having a decorative function.
 
Portugese merchant ships like the Caracca Atlantica played a vital part in the age of exploration. They were fully rigged to run before the prevailing winds, large enough to hold precious cargoes of spices, and armed for protection against hostile natives and greedy pirates ( was there ever another sort of pirate). When Magellan sailed around the world his entire fleet consisted of these vessels, known as Caracks.
 
At this point I'd like to give a huge thanks to Louie the Fly for inspiring and helping to learn a little about the ship before I build.
Once again thank Louie the Fly.
 
ill post a few pics I've found of the model once completed.
In my next log I'll add the drawing pictures and the contents of the kit along with a few ideas to change the stern galleries which I find unsightly and very busy to the eye.
 
cheers to all
Kikatinalong

Monday 21 October 2019
 
By now the classic activities on the hull are practically almost finished; only some detail activities are remaining (rudder, figurehead, etc.). They can be performed later. For example, the installation of the rudder would make the use of the building slip unpracticable; until now it proved very useful and with exceptional stability. So whoever expects to see the rudder will have to wait again . . .
As for the figurehead I have to wait for the coming of some carving inspiration, something that is totally missing at the moment . .
So I started thinking about the installation of the masts and then proceeding with the stanging and running rigging.
 
So I started to study the two plans in order to understand how the whole rigging system and sails is structured. Although it is a relatively simple masting, for me this is a real headache. To understand something more and also to memorize as much as possible, I am preparing a document where I try to clarify and write down what to do. Even if it is a document only useful to the undersigned, I attach it to this post just to show the "method".
 
Thanks to the "method" I realized that new details on the decks and tops are needed, and also some changes due to the impractical nature of the proposed solution are required. In any case, I spent a couple of afternoons making and installing the missing details.
 
The photo 01 shows the new elements applied in the poop area: the decorated shields on the external sides, the pinrails added inside the walls, some cleats and the poop lantern . . .
 
01 Ragusian Carrack/21102019/IMG_20191021_165514.jpg

 
Also at the bow I am preparing material for the belaying pins . . .
 
02 Ragusian Carrack/21102019/IMG_20191021_165524.jpg

 
Finally on the main deck I installed new pinrails applied similarly to those on the poop deck . . .
 
03 Ragusian Carrack/21102019/IMG_20191021_165536.jpg

 
In short, many details, even tiny ones, that will be used later for the rigging. I have prepared all these pinrails to replace an almost similar number of cleats. I thought it impossible to fix these cleats seriously because of their small size and almost no surface that could be used to glue them to the sides. Hence a functionally similar solution but which gives me more guarantees of robustness.
 
That's all for today, Jack.
Rigging.pdf

Finished the bowsprit standing rigging (see pics below).  The chains are a nice touch, and they are more than decorative -- they do provide a counter force to the upward pull on the bowsprit from the foremast stays.
 
I found that Mantua didn't supply enough chain to do the job as specified on the plans.  Fortunately, I had some leftover chain and used that for three of the top fittings -- the brass in my leftover chains is a nice contrast with the Mantua black chain used elsewhere.
 
This is my first Mantua kit, and it's about the third place in this kit where I've been short on something.   I've concluded that while Amati provides more than you need, Mantua provides "not enough".  I'm counting and conserving things to make sure I don't run out.
 
[Just noticed an unclipped rigging pigtail in these pics -- ]
 
Regards,
David

Hi Brett, for something left of field, I used a combo of a hull/clamping vice and pool 'spaghetti'   The latter is cheap, works well and even allowed me to transport the model (even with the masts and rigging)  with no problems at all.  The slots allow the hull to be restrained, but simply lifting the hull you can lay it at any angle on the foam without damage to the planking etc.  The sides and length can be adjusted as needed; and the round holes to accept the longer side pieces are precut, but it is easy to make new ones.  I was lucky that the precut holes worked for me at 1:64.
 
This is my Endeavour being rigged (top) some years ago, and being held by the keel clamp. 
 

A
A dodgy update is better than none i guess?
 

I've built the lowest yard on the foremast -- pictures attached.
 
The brass swivel fitting gives about a 90 degree swing to this yard, which I think could spell trouble while I'm building, so my next move will be to put up the foremast shrouds to give some side support to the yard.   The upper shrouds are already rigged so they will support the next yard up, and then the ones above have wooden fittings which will be stiffer.  I was originally reluctant to fix the masts too soon as I thought I might want to remove them to mount these lower yards with brass swivels, but now that I've done it it's actually easier with them fitted on the ship.
 
The swivel assembly on the yard is difficult and a bit fragile -- took a couple of tries to get it right.
 
Regards,
David

What a lot of do is drill small holes well inside the line for the port opening.  Then use either an X-acto knife or the micro saw. Finish it up with files or sanding sticks.

what is the model name of this vessel? I cant find it for sale anywhere?
 
cheers
 
chris