vossy

Hey Bill, well you could argue authenticity about a lot of models. My favourite vessel of all time is Santa Maria. Has been for 50 odd years since I was a kid.
But, there is no definitive pictorial evidence of what she ever really looked like. Same for Columbus for that matter.
Apart from maybe, Victory and a few other super well known and documented vessels, you will find different model companies produce differing designs of
the same vessel. Bounty etc. 
I just think that the San Bartolme from Pavel Niktin looks outrageously good. Is is accurate? Maybe not, but was the Mona Lisa? 
I still want it!
 
Chris
 

They look fantastic! I so want the San Bartolme. But be aware that postage (not his fault), may be extremely expensive. I know it is here to Australia.
From the super excellent unboxing of the San Bartolme on here the packaging and overall kit looks just so outstanding. I am currently following a 
build of it on FB and so far all is going to plan. I obviously can't recommend them personally as I have never built one, but from what I have seen
online they get my vote for sure.
 
Chris
 

Hey Bill, well you could argue authenticity about a lot of models. My favourite vessel of all time is Santa Maria. Has been for 50 odd years since I was a kid.
But, there is no definitive pictorial evidence of what she ever really looked like. Same for Columbus for that matter.
Apart from maybe, Victory and a few other super well known and documented vessels, you will find different model companies produce differing designs of
the same vessel. Bounty etc. 
I just think that the San Bartolme from Pavel Niktin looks outrageously good. Is is accurate? Maybe not, but was the Mona Lisa? 
I still want it!
 
Chris
 

They look fantastic! I so want the San Bartolme. But be aware that postage (not his fault), may be extremely expensive. I know it is here to Australia.
From the super excellent unboxing of the San Bartolme on here the packaging and overall kit looks just so outstanding. I am currently following a 
build of it on FB and so far all is going to plan. I obviously can't recommend them personally as I have never built one, but from what I have seen
online they get my vote for sure.
 
Chris
 

Hey Bill, well you could argue authenticity about a lot of models. My favourite vessel of all time is Santa Maria. Has been for 50 odd years since I was a kid.
But, there is no definitive pictorial evidence of what she ever really looked like. Same for Columbus for that matter.
Apart from maybe, Victory and a few other super well known and documented vessels, you will find different model companies produce differing designs of
the same vessel. Bounty etc. 
I just think that the San Bartolme from Pavel Niktin looks outrageously good. Is is accurate? Maybe not, but was the Mona Lisa? 
I still want it!
 
Chris
 

Looks great to me. I always have a "practice" side on all my models. Because boats are almost always a mirror image from the Starboard to port sides
I always do a part on the starboard side first before replicating it on the port side as the port side is almost always the side of the vessel I choose to be
viewed. This way if I muck up the starboard side I can rectify the problem on the "good" side.
 
Chris
 

Looks great to me. I always have a "practice" side on all my models. Because boats are almost always a mirror image from the Starboard to port sides
I always do a part on the starboard side first before replicating it on the port side as the port side is almost always the side of the vessel I choose to be
viewed. This way if I muck up the starboard side I can rectify the problem on the "good" side.
 
Chris
 

Looks great to me. I always have a "practice" side on all my models. Because boats are almost always a mirror image from the Starboard to port sides
I always do a part on the starboard side first before replicating it on the port side as the port side is almost always the side of the vessel I choose to be
viewed. This way if I muck up the starboard side I can rectify the problem on the "good" side.
 
Chris
 

Finished the shrouds on the main topmast and topgallant mast.
 
And yes, for the sharp-eyed, the shroud attachments for the futtocks are not level with each other.  That's just a goof.  I find attaching those to the shrouds to be devilish, so my latest approach is to put glue on the bar and spray the shrouds with quick-set, then press the bar against the shrouds.  Got them aligned on the mizzen, but missed here.  I'm not worried about it because the ship on display will be viewed from one side (the one showing below), and the other futtock attachment won't be that noticeable.
 
Regards,
David

Finally -- one mast completed.  This is the mizzen, all shrouds and ratlines done.
 
Regards,
David

Hi, for less than $100 you can invest in a suitable beginners kit from numerous reputable manufacturers that will guide you
through how kit hulls are constructed as well as other parts of the vessels. This might be a better option than jumping in at
the deep end on a scratch build with little or no knowledge. Also by building the cheap beginners kit it will give you a better
understanding of what order vessels are built in and what tools and techniques you need to acquire to achieve the result you
are after.
 
Chris.
 
 

Hello and welcome to the forum.  I’m always available to answer a question.
 
Please take a look at a build log to learn the ropes.  Logs can be accessed from the home page.
 
There is a link to my Constitution log below my signature.
 
As for tools, super special tools aren’t needed.  Suggest a chisel or two, a set of small files, and a block plane for plank tapering.  
 
Learning the techniques of woodworking is important.  How to sharpen and use a chisel, understanding wood grain, how to work wood with a plane and files.  Plenty of YouTube videos out there.  Or a basic woodworking course.
 
Finally grab a book..  In my opinion the best book for beginning is “Ship Modeling Simplified”.  Shows all the major steps, how to do it, and a glossary - the terminology is half the battle.
 
Good luck on your shipbuilding journey.
 

Hi, for less than $100 you can invest in a suitable beginners kit from numerous reputable manufacturers that will guide you
through how kit hulls are constructed as well as other parts of the vessels. This might be a better option than jumping in at
the deep end on a scratch build with little or no knowledge. Also by building the cheap beginners kit it will give you a better
understanding of what order vessels are built in and what tools and techniques you need to acquire to achieve the result you
are after.
 
Chris.
 
 

Hi, for less than $100 you can invest in a suitable beginners kit from numerous reputable manufacturers that will guide you
through how kit hulls are constructed as well as other parts of the vessels. This might be a better option than jumping in at
the deep end on a scratch build with little or no knowledge. Also by building the cheap beginners kit it will give you a better
understanding of what order vessels are built in and what tools and techniques you need to acquire to achieve the result you
are after.
 
Chris.
 
 

The topgallant shrouds run down through the topmast crosstrees and become the topmast futtock shrouds in one continuous run.  The instructions aren't terribly clear about this.  This is still the mizzen.
 
Regards,
David

Well very slow process,  I have all the yardarms done and put away. Been having  a hard time deciding how I wanted the ship to look. I decided  to leave the plates brass because of the dark stain  of the wood.
 Plus trying to make a plan for rigging.  So between  the plan and my Neanderthal writing this is what I came up with. Started the deadeyes,  first of 20 on this side done . I used a line to  install the plates, messered  and lined  it up,drill little  pilot holes for the nails. Hope they line up lol. 
 So I will be working on shrouds for awhile ,but I have the ratlines to look forward to can't wait lol 99 ratlines on the wall  Sea you      

Here are the upper mizzen shrouds.  I inadvertantly pranged the mizzen and the second mast broke, so I glued it -- but as you can see (in the picture with the bad background, looking aft from the main mast), it was misaligned.  So I used the shrouds to pull it back into alignment, and it came out pretty straight.  Pretty well aligned with the main now.
 
One of those few occasions when the rigging is functional, not just decorative.
 
Regards,
David


 

1:25 Drakkar ‘Oseberg’
Ships of Pavel Nikitin
Catalogue # DROS002
Available direct for approximately £160 (7400 ₴) 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


We’ve not exactly been awash with good kits of what we would call a typical Viking drakkar, or ‘longship’ as it’s more commonly known, despite the actual ancient translation. The Amati and Dusek are the kits which most come to mind. Pavel Nikitin’s new kit is also the largest in scale of this iconic vessel, weighing in at a whopping 1:25 scale! That equates to the following sizes:
 
Length: 865mm Width: 430mm Height: 480mm  
Like the San Bartolome kit I recently looked at, the Drakkar is a second reworking, bringing a number of improvements over the original release, such as laser engraved ‘carved’ details on the bow and stern, including the ‘curls’ at each of those points. On other kits, this is where you would normally see such things as a dragon’s head, but this ship does not carry them, as per the actual recovered ship. I think in some respects, this was perhaps not as per a normal drakkar, but I could be wrong. The kit itself is packed into a slender but heavy corrugated box with a flap-opening lid depicting the finished model in all her glory, fitted with striped sail and 28 shields of varying décor. Inside the box, the various sheets are grouped into packages that are wrapped in cellophane, or ‘clingfilm’ as we know it in the UK. This keeps the sheets very tightly together. There are around 40 sheets of materials to build the drakkar. But that’s not all. Included with the ship is a very sturdy MDF jig which will most certainly aid those tasks that would otherwise be difficult, such as adding those clinker planks.





 
As with other Pavel kits, this one also includes a homemade MDF and acrylic parts box, with the part numbers clearly engraved on the sliding lid. This box includes different sizes of high-quality rope in differing sizes (no fuzz!), 3d-printed boss heads for the many shields, cleats etc.



 
The first task for the builder is to assemble the jig before then embarking on building the bulkheads. The bulkheads consist of a lower half into which a dovetailed upper half is fitted. The most outboard parts of each bulkhead are also separate parts. On the sheet, these are shown adjacent to their position on the uppers, with arrows depicting the location. This will add a little strength to the outer bulkheads, plus that change in grain direction at that point, will also help. There are also engravings on the completed bulkheads which denote where you need to pre-bevel the bulkheads prior to installation on the keel. The keel itself is a multipart assembly, with dovetail connection points.



 
The bulkheads will be installed to the keel, inverted upon the building jig, and here is where the hull will sit until fully planked. 
 
A drakkar has a single mast and spar. These are provided as laser-cut/tapered parts that you will need to round off. Looking at the shape of these parts, then this is a welcome touch. Strips of dowel are also provided for the numerous oars. The paddles for these are pre-cut. 



 
For display purposes, a stand is also included, as is an engraved plate with a serial number. The kit is 00009. I am informed that the timber for this kit is a combination of walnut, cherry, alder, and beech.


 
The instruction book is 28-page spiralbound A4 production with a protective plastic cover. The first part of the manual is text which relates to the numerous stages. Those stages are presented in drawing form in the second half of the manual. The drawings do appear to be nice and clear, and construction takes place over 68 stages. Inside the sleeve of the manual is a piece of laser-cut paper which contains three profiles which are designed to lay against the laminates that form the ‘fish’ or mast base. These are laid on at various stages and shaped to them. 








 
One plastic sleeve contains three nicely printed plan sheets which show the drakkar in various profiles, and in rig etc. The second wallet contains a single printed piece of material for the sail. You will obviously need to cut and stitch this yourself. The photos show this brightly painted, but I’d read that these were usually quite dark as protected with tar due to the expense of the sails back in days of yore. I do admit that the painted sail looks beautiful, and I’d probably go with that. The size of the sail is really quite an indicator at the size of this model in a large 1:25.

 
 
Conclusion
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. 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. 

 
*It was found that the kit had planks which were slightly too narrow to overlap properly. Pavel is now sending over replacement plank sets so I can eventually have a shot at building this lovely model kit.
 
My sincere thanks to Pavel Nikitin for sending this kit out for review on MSW. To buy directly, click the link at the top of this article.
 
 

 

I also think you need to take into account the nationality of the manufacturer and thus what language the original instructions are written in.
I think sometimes some meanings etc. can get a little lost in translations from Italian to English for example. This is where good diagrams also
come in handy, and of course a good build log to follow whereby someone has rowed a course for others to follow through somewhat tricky
water.
 
Chris.
 

I also think you need to take into account the nationality of the manufacturer and thus what language the original instructions are written in.
I think sometimes some meanings etc. can get a little lost in translations from Italian to English for example. This is where good diagrams also
come in handy, and of course a good build log to follow whereby someone has rowed a course for others to follow through somewhat tricky
water.
 
Chris.
 

I also think you need to take into account the nationality of the manufacturer and thus what language the original instructions are written in.
I think sometimes some meanings etc. can get a little lost in translations from Italian to English for example. This is where good diagrams also
come in handy, and of course a good build log to follow whereby someone has rowed a course for others to follow through somewhat tricky
water.
 
Chris.
 

I also think you need to take into account the nationality of the manufacturer and thus what language the original instructions are written in.
I think sometimes some meanings etc. can get a little lost in translations from Italian to English for example. This is where good diagrams also
come in handy, and of course a good build log to follow whereby someone has rowed a course for others to follow through somewhat tricky
water.
 
Chris.
 

Finished the lower mizzen ratlines, which means I have now finished the lower shrouds and ratlines for all three masts.  Only took about 3 1/2 months 🥵 (subtracting my vacation time), and I have built some entire ships in that time.  Not a reflection of difficulty per se, so much as my lack of appetite for ratlines.
 
Now I get to repeat the process for the upper shrouds and ratlines, but fewer shrouds so may go faster.
 
Regards,
David

Well just a little  up date. This is so much fun, having the time of my life these days. Starting to understand  my computer better, now just got to learn how to spell and read more carefully. 
 This is all the instructions for the shrouds, ratlines and plates for the deadeyes , Fig 70.  I could have used a little more  guidance  here but have learned how to read Amati  instructions  so should be a walk in the park . Lol after that step it's the sails.lol. I think this will take me awhile. But I am up for the shrouds and rat lines. I have seen shrouds and ratlines done several different ways.  I have my own method,  I make the shrouds first then tie them on. After they are in its the ratlines. Best installed when singing  the tune 99 ratlines on the wall, 99 ratlines lol.  I took a few pictures of were the ship stands now.
I kept breaking the bowsprit mast off Three times finally  I said what are you trying to tell me here. After studying the plan I discovered  it was in the wrong place. I had it resting on the bow when in fact it is supposed to be  one inch up from the bow. Glued it in the right spot  retried the Bowsprit gammoning, and have not knocked it off since.  
Like I said starting the rigging  and seizing,  ratlines. Then  I have two Bitts to put on lol. Thanks  for all the looks and likes.  everyone   

Finished the Mizzen shrouds.  Pictures include the futtock shrouds and the shroud cleats.  
 
I did the cleats by first gluing them to the shrouds, then lashing them.
 
Regards,