dafi

And we continued with the lugger-rigged version of the large launch.

First came the masts. I took the measurements from W. E. May's summary, but they also correspond fairly closely to the French measurements. The strength of the lugger rig is its simplicity. Insert the pre-rigged mast, hook in the pairs of backstays on both sides with the standing end, hook the tackles in the middle, and belay the free end. The halyard of the sail is already sheared through in the masthead, so the sail is immediately hoisted, the tack, sheet and brail are secured, and off you go.



In my scrap box, I charmingly found a sample from my sandwich sail tests from 2017 – yes, I actually keep such things for that long – and the sizes I need fit quite well, even avoiding the messy areas. I developed the material back then to combine the advantages of fabric as an elastic material and paper for a more true-to-scale surface. Thin strips of restoration repair paper are ironed onto both sides of a layer of silk to create a sandwich that resembles closely the visual properties of the sails. It is also unbeatable for folding and stowing. However, at the time, I did not yet have a model that was ready for me to use it on ...




I took the angles from Steel's drawings, but I had to mark the radius at the bottom – one of the differences to French sails – with a pen and thread, as the radius is larger than my templates.



I shortened the furled sails by approx. 25%, i.e. below the lower reefing band, which I had also omitted for this purpose.

The surrounding leech was glued on and the eyes for the brails were added.



If necessary, I'll even clamp a sail in a vice 😉



And then it was time to fold and fiddle around.



And then it was adjusted to fit the storage space.




Together with the masts in place looks quite cheerful and full. Two barrels have also found their way there. Who can find them?







It's great to finally be able to use the sails developed eight years ago in a model myself. Some modeling friends have already impressively demonstrated their potential. Thank them for that.

And I'm already testing out the next crazy ideas for my boat collection...




XXXDAn
 
 
 

Next the barrels were continued. The number of hoops is interesting here. As an average layman, one would assume 4. However, Nelson's brandy leaguer shows a completely different number, and the double hoops are particularly interesting. I found several references to the fact that larger barrels have a double hoop at the top. So once again, nothing with once programming 1 barrel and scaling it to all sizes 😉

Each barrel format is unique, and I have attempted to develop a reasonably plausible number of hoops. After all, a 675-litre Leaguer weighs over 0.8 modern tonnes, so there is a considerable amount of self-weight to bear, especially during transport when dynamic forces are added.

The result was a nice family picture:



The 1.55-metre-high, 104-cm-diameter tun is the largest in the series, but I have not yet come across it in a maritime context, probably because it is too unwieldy. The smallest here is the firkin, with a capacity of 9 gallons, a height of 56 cm and a diameter of 43 cm. The powder keg on the Invincible has almost identical dimensions and, in my opinion, is a firkin with special hoops.

The picture clearly shows that the size range of the different sizes could be reasonably accurate. Using this overview picture, I was able to compare the shapes of the different sizes.


And here are the next samples of the barrels. The differentiation between the various number of hoops results in a pleasant visual impression for eye of the beholder 🙂

The selected sizes are, in descending order, leaguer, puncheon and hogshead, as these are always mentioned when stowing the hold, plus the kilderkin as it is a basic measure and the smaller firkin for boats and as the probable size of powder barrels.









The stacking in the boats is based on historical data, so special launches for first and second rates could hold 14 to 16 leaguers, which is a mere 8 to 10 modern tonnes in weight. I dare to doubt how much freeboard was left, but perhaps there wasn't as much heavy stuff in there as liquids ...





XXXDAn

More on the casks soon :-)
 
In the meantime, a whole small flotilla has emerged from my 32-foot launch 🙂



The 7-oared pinnace is in a race with the fully loaded 14-oared launch, which has to pull the fully loaded launch with the water barrels. Next to it is another boat with fully stowed equipment and one where the launch is helping to weigh anchor. And of course a setting with set sails. Always the same hull, but with different contents and task each time. More on the individual deployment options soon. It remains exciting.

Here is the comparison one more time ...



... of the single-banked pinnace with the rowers always sitting on the opposite side ...



... and the double-banked 32-foot launch.


And another little tip on the technical side:

And I always propagate not to cold bend resin parts. After painting, the oars got quite a bend in the shaft. That's why I briefly dipped the parts in hot water.



You could really see how the parts straightened out in the water within 2-3 seconds by themselves. Like memory metals, really strong 🙂

The bent parts at the top and the hot-bathed and straightened parts at the bottom. The fact that the far left side still has a bend is not a mistake, but the curved rudder blades of the small and medium-sized boats.

XXXDAn

And I still have 2 boat shells.

... what do I do now, what do I do now ...
 


 

And we continued with the lugger-rigged version of the large launch.

First came the masts. I took the measurements from W. E. May's summary, but they also correspond fairly closely to the French measurements. The strength of the lugger rig is its simplicity. Insert the pre-rigged mast, hook in the pairs of backstays on both sides with the standing end, hook the tackles in the middle, and belay the free end. The halyard of the sail is already sheared through in the masthead, so the sail is immediately hoisted, the tack, sheet and brail are secured, and off you go.



In my scrap box, I charmingly found a sample from my sandwich sail tests from 2017 – yes, I actually keep such things for that long – and the sizes I need fit quite well, even avoiding the messy areas. I developed the material back then to combine the advantages of fabric as an elastic material and paper for a more true-to-scale surface. Thin strips of restoration repair paper are ironed onto both sides of a layer of silk to create a sandwich that resembles closely the visual properties of the sails. It is also unbeatable for folding and stowing. However, at the time, I did not yet have a model that was ready for me to use it on ...




I took the angles from Steel's drawings, but I had to mark the radius at the bottom – one of the differences to French sails – with a pen and thread, as the radius is larger than my templates.



I shortened the furled sails by approx. 25%, i.e. below the lower reefing band, which I had also omitted for this purpose.

The surrounding leech was glued on and the eyes for the brails were added.



If necessary, I'll even clamp a sail in a vice 😉



And then it was time to fold and fiddle around.



And then it was adjusted to fit the storage space.




Together with the masts in place looks quite cheerful and full. Two barrels have also found their way there. Who can find them?







It's great to finally be able to use the sails developed eight years ago in a model myself. Some modeling friends have already impressively demonstrated their potential. Thank them for that.

And I'm already testing out the next crazy ideas for my boat collection...




XXXDAn
 
 
 

Well, and the little fat one with the stripes is still stuck in the camper van since Evian. Nevertheless, there is always enough Victory for me to do.

I really missed the 1910 model at the last two exhibitions, as I like to show the developments on the ship. Time to take another look at my victorian black and white beauty. The first construction phase was January to March 2022, so that's already 2 years ago.

A brief look back: After sanding down and fattening up the entire side of the ship to get a level surface, she looked all tattered at first.

But the grace of the paint brought back some decency and dignity.


But in this state I realized one thing: A lot of glue and car filler had caused the hull halves to warp outwards quite a bit, 2 mm on the port side and 6 mm on the starboard side :-0

Then I was initially frustrated, but also realized that I should let the material work out in peace and see if it would still turn out any good.

And I think it's going to become something in the end. The good girl was released from her slumber and thoroughly checked. Deformation no had longer increased. However, it will take a lot of bending force, but I think the decks can manage this, with a little internal help if necessary. But that will only come when the time comes. Why?

I can only insert the decks once the window panes have been inserted. I can only insert the window panes once the outside has been painted. And I can't paint the outside until the planks are in place. So I had to take care of the planks.

In the past, I liked to use 0.2 mm ABS sheet, but the plastic glue tended to leave fingerprints. Wood was too thick for me and too time-consuming to procure. That's why I went exploring in my model maker friends' circles and found what I was looking for: 250 gram paper/cardboard.

Initial tests were quite inspiring.


In the original, there were wooden battens nailed on in two thicknesses to separate the colors. I made these from Evergreen, although I made them slightly thicker for handling reasons.
So planks cut on the guillotine shears ...

... and opened the glue pot.

First planks are slapped on ...
... and even that didn't put me off any further :-)

And at some point the port half was planked, deliberately disregarding all planking schemes.


And in case anyone thinks that the entrance gate visible today is original, no, the gate that can be seen today is from this state of construction and was installed in the ship between 1820 and 1828. One gate further back than as build. And these port parts were simply reinstalled one port further forward in 1920 and declared as Trafalgar state. Honi soit qui mal y pense.



Fortunately, I've had the parts in my supply kit for a long time, so I just had to grab them.

For me as a plastic person, the tight planking around the stern was of course something new. I'll have to clean it up a bit, then it'll fit.



And I don't know why I remembered some well-known lines in the next picture ...



"Beneath us, visible to all, lay a huge spaceship, one hundred and fifty meters long, shaped like a smooth sneaker, snow-white and maddeningly beautiful. At its heart was a small golden box containing the most sophisticated invention ever made, an invention that made this spaceship something unique in the history of the galaxy, an invention that gave the spaceship its name - 'Heart of Gold'."
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Chapter 4

But what still looks like this ...



... should develop into this :-)


Cheers, DAniel  

For the next level, I prepared the top mast shrouds. Even if Steel doesn't mention it explicitly, in most modern sources the foremost shroud is also dressed here, so that's what I decided to do. The sisterblock is also integrated between the two forward shrouds.

But first come the hangers / burton tackles ...



... then the sister blocks ...



... and everything in place.





Here you can see again the difference between the dressed and undressed shrouds. Unfortunately, in contrast to my self-made ropes, the purchased ropes do fluff a little, but this is not visible to the naked eye.



To continue working, I tensioned the shrouds down with clamps and gravity.



And dark ropes in front of a dark background are somewhat annoying even with good lighting, so I made a white cardboard template for this spot.





Here you can see again the difference between the dressed and undressed shrouds. Unfortunately, in contrast to my self-made ropes, the purchased ropes do fluff a little, but this is not visible to the naked eye.



To continue working, I tensioned the shrouds down again with clamps and gravity.



And dark ropes in front of a dark background are a bit annoying even with good lighting, so I made a white cardboard template for this spot.



Then the dead eyes were bound in as the lower ones. To compensate for the lack of a third hand, I then tied the shroud to be worked on with a thread to the yardarm, see green arrows, helps immensely.



XXXDAn

After the fighting top had found its place, it was finally time to fit the futtock shrouds.

The work preparation was the blackening of the etched parts and the painting of the dead eyes. Then the irons of the dead eyes were bent open, the dead eyes inserted and everything squeezed shut and secured with some glue.



The upper hooks were then tied into the shrouds. This shroud was fully dressed, again using my technique with white glue as for my scale.



First test of the dead eyes in the holes of the fighting top and the shrouds hooked in.





Now you can see where the holes in the fighting top need to be reworked so that the irons don't sit at an angle. The lower shrouds have also been marked with a thread to hold the futtock shrouds.



Next, the dressing of the lower shrouds was completed and brought to the same height.



Finally the futtock shrouds could be hooked in, wrapped once around the futtock stave and tied to the shroud.

After trimming, this is what came out http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif







XXXDAn  

It has now been 4.5 months since the big modeling show in Evian France. Since then, my Sleeping Beauty has been lying in her box in the camper van, as I haven't had the time to kiss and wake her nor the space on the work table to lay her down gently.    This weekend I finally pricked up my lips and gave her a really nice wake-up kiss 🙂   And I took the opportunity to take a few beauty shots and compare 1803 and 1910 🙂     Is this now considered to be out of box?  
 
  I also took the opportunity to take a closer look at the new bow. It was based on the three-deckers built between 1800 and 1805. The bowsprit is now also anchored one deck higher.     One side is still a bit rough 😉   Hope you like it!   XXXDAn

Oh God, now the building report has actually slipped so far down that archaeological excavations were almost necessary to find it again ...

A lot of business in the business, vacation, home garden, garden plot and life itself - lots of things that can get in the way and prevent you from tinkering.

But a little something did happen. On request, I did a bit of research into the deck accessories. First the riding bitts. Another small kit in itself of 10 parts.


XXXDAn

And the pumps were also due.  


First the elm tree pump. There is a protective bracket to protect the handle and the two through-pipes for the two lower decks are also included. In order not to have a pinch-off point, the handle was printed free-flying, diameter 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm. It came out straight, but when washed in acetone it bent uniformly on all prints. It's better to make a connection at the top for the next print in the hope of minimizing warping during washing.

Therefore, a glass of hot water, briefly dipped in ...



... kept in shape while cooling down and - tata ! - everything is straight again 🙂



Here is the comparison picture. So never cold bend resin, it works wonderfully with heat!

Then I discovered that I had made a 0.15 mm hole in the 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm handle.



Checked the passage with a wire ...



... and pulled in a rope. It actually really worked 🙂
The wooden clamp is not a standard one but a mini clamp ;-)

And the chain pumps have also arrived.

XXXDAn

And I was also finally able to finish the capstans.

All the parts had been in the making since well into last year, but I never really had the chance to finish them. Basic programming strictly according to plan is always done quickly, but until the look of the printout refreshes my eyes and heart in terms of model making, it takes a few more rounds of printing, tinkering and improving, version #15 is the normal case here.

Here is an intermediate version, the brass tubes have now been replaced. Still mising are the bevels on the wedges below the ribs, which allow the rope to slide smoothly from round to pentagonal or hexagonal. I take such pre-prints for color samples, and lo and behold, it looked stupid in this color scheme.

Here is already the penultimate version. [Note to self: HOPEFULLY!] Good enough for a prototype. [Note to self: HOPEFULLY!]
And what do I always say? Before applying the aging, a clean base coat must be applied. Here you go.


And then life gets in: The wood starts to show at all the rubbing points of the rope on the drums. After several tests, I decided on a non-covering drybrush, which gets across most of what I would have liked to show.


And someone else has bombed into the picture: The capstan bars ...



... to match the capstan.


I made a template for alignment, using corrugated cardboard as a base to sink the upper part of the drum into and bring the spars to paper height ...


... bars inserted into the capstan and the capstan inserted upside down ...


... bars aligned and glued.



Then the swifter is pulled in and that's it.




And here are the individual parts, the middle piece is available in two heights, depending on how the battery deck is fitted with gratings.





XXXDAn

And we continued with the lugger-rigged version of the large launch.

First came the masts. I took the measurements from W. E. May's summary, but they also correspond fairly closely to the French measurements. The strength of the lugger rig is its simplicity. Insert the pre-rigged mast, hook in the pairs of backstays on both sides with the standing end, hook the tackles in the middle, and belay the free end. The halyard of the sail is already sheared through in the masthead, so the sail is immediately hoisted, the tack, sheet and brail are secured, and off you go.



In my scrap box, I charmingly found a sample from my sandwich sail tests from 2017 – yes, I actually keep such things for that long – and the sizes I need fit quite well, even avoiding the messy areas. I developed the material back then to combine the advantages of fabric as an elastic material and paper for a more true-to-scale surface. Thin strips of restoration repair paper are ironed onto both sides of a layer of silk to create a sandwich that resembles closely the visual properties of the sails. It is also unbeatable for folding and stowing. However, at the time, I did not yet have a model that was ready for me to use it on ...




I took the angles from Steel's drawings, but I had to mark the radius at the bottom – one of the differences to French sails – with a pen and thread, as the radius is larger than my templates.



I shortened the furled sails by approx. 25%, i.e. below the lower reefing band, which I had also omitted for this purpose.

The surrounding leech was glued on and the eyes for the brails were added.



If necessary, I'll even clamp a sail in a vice 😉



And then it was time to fold and fiddle around.



And then it was adjusted to fit the storage space.




Together with the masts in place looks quite cheerful and full. Two barrels have also found their way there. Who can find them?







It's great to finally be able to use the sails developed eight years ago in a model myself. Some modeling friends have already impressively demonstrated their potential. Thank them for that.

And I'm already testing out the next crazy ideas for my boat collection...




XXXDAn
 
 
 

More on the casks soon :-)
 
In the meantime, a whole small flotilla has emerged from my 32-foot launch 🙂



The 7-oared pinnace is in a race with the fully loaded 14-oared launch, which has to pull the fully loaded launch with the water barrels. Next to it is another boat with fully stowed equipment and one where the launch is helping to weigh anchor. And of course a setting with set sails. Always the same hull, but with different contents and task each time. More on the individual deployment options soon. It remains exciting.

Here is the comparison one more time ...



... of the single-banked pinnace with the rowers always sitting on the opposite side ...



... and the double-banked 32-foot launch.


And another little tip on the technical side:

And I always propagate not to cold bend resin parts. After painting, the oars got quite a bend in the shaft. That's why I briefly dipped the parts in hot water.



You could really see how the parts straightened out in the water within 2-3 seconds by themselves. Like memory metals, really strong 🙂

The bent parts at the top and the hot-bathed and straightened parts at the bottom. The fact that the far left side still has a bend is not a mistake, but the curved rudder blades of the small and medium-sized boats.

XXXDAn

And I still have 2 boat shells.

... what do I do now, what do I do now ...
 


 

And we continued with the lugger-rigged version of the large launch.

First came the masts. I took the measurements from W. E. May's summary, but they also correspond fairly closely to the French measurements. The strength of the lugger rig is its simplicity. Insert the pre-rigged mast, hook in the pairs of backstays on both sides with the standing end, hook the tackles in the middle, and belay the free end. The halyard of the sail is already sheared through in the masthead, so the sail is immediately hoisted, the tack, sheet and brail are secured, and off you go.



In my scrap box, I charmingly found a sample from my sandwich sail tests from 2017 – yes, I actually keep such things for that long – and the sizes I need fit quite well, even avoiding the messy areas. I developed the material back then to combine the advantages of fabric as an elastic material and paper for a more true-to-scale surface. Thin strips of restoration repair paper are ironed onto both sides of a layer of silk to create a sandwich that resembles closely the visual properties of the sails. It is also unbeatable for folding and stowing. However, at the time, I did not yet have a model that was ready for me to use it on ...




I took the angles from Steel's drawings, but I had to mark the radius at the bottom – one of the differences to French sails – with a pen and thread, as the radius is larger than my templates.



I shortened the furled sails by approx. 25%, i.e. below the lower reefing band, which I had also omitted for this purpose.

The surrounding leech was glued on and the eyes for the brails were added.



If necessary, I'll even clamp a sail in a vice 😉



And then it was time to fold and fiddle around.



And then it was adjusted to fit the storage space.




Together with the masts in place looks quite cheerful and full. Two barrels have also found their way there. Who can find them?







It's great to finally be able to use the sails developed eight years ago in a model myself. Some modeling friends have already impressively demonstrated their potential. Thank them for that.

And I'm already testing out the next crazy ideas for my boat collection...




XXXDAn
 
 
 

And we continued with the lugger-rigged version of the large launch.

First came the masts. I took the measurements from W. E. May's summary, but they also correspond fairly closely to the French measurements. The strength of the lugger rig is its simplicity. Insert the pre-rigged mast, hook in the pairs of backstays on both sides with the standing end, hook the tackles in the middle, and belay the free end. The halyard of the sail is already sheared through in the masthead, so the sail is immediately hoisted, the tack, sheet and brail are secured, and off you go.



In my scrap box, I charmingly found a sample from my sandwich sail tests from 2017 – yes, I actually keep such things for that long – and the sizes I need fit quite well, even avoiding the messy areas. I developed the material back then to combine the advantages of fabric as an elastic material and paper for a more true-to-scale surface. Thin strips of restoration repair paper are ironed onto both sides of a layer of silk to create a sandwich that resembles closely the visual properties of the sails. It is also unbeatable for folding and stowing. However, at the time, I did not yet have a model that was ready for me to use it on ...




I took the angles from Steel's drawings, but I had to mark the radius at the bottom – one of the differences to French sails – with a pen and thread, as the radius is larger than my templates.



I shortened the furled sails by approx. 25%, i.e. below the lower reefing band, which I had also omitted for this purpose.

The surrounding leech was glued on and the eyes for the brails were added.



If necessary, I'll even clamp a sail in a vice 😉



And then it was time to fold and fiddle around.



And then it was adjusted to fit the storage space.




Together with the masts in place looks quite cheerful and full. Two barrels have also found their way there. Who can find them?







It's great to finally be able to use the sails developed eight years ago in a model myself. Some modeling friends have already impressively demonstrated their potential. Thank them for that.

And I'm already testing out the next crazy ideas for my boat collection...




XXXDAn
 
 
 

Whenever I see a posting by 'Dafi', I know it will be interesting! Both this and the one on boat outfitting today are very interesting.

Next the barrels were continued. The number of hoops is interesting here. As an average layman, one would assume 4. However, Nelson's brandy leaguer shows a completely different number, and the double hoops are particularly interesting. I found several references to the fact that larger barrels have a double hoop at the top. So once again, nothing with once programming 1 barrel and scaling it to all sizes 😉

Each barrel format is unique, and I have attempted to develop a reasonably plausible number of hoops. After all, a 675-litre Leaguer weighs over 0.8 modern tonnes, so there is a considerable amount of self-weight to bear, especially during transport when dynamic forces are added.

The result was a nice family picture:



The 1.55-metre-high, 104-cm-diameter tun is the largest in the series, but I have not yet come across it in a maritime context, probably because it is too unwieldy. The smallest here is the firkin, with a capacity of 9 gallons, a height of 56 cm and a diameter of 43 cm. The powder keg on the Invincible has almost identical dimensions and, in my opinion, is a firkin with special hoops.

The picture clearly shows that the size range of the different sizes could be reasonably accurate. Using this overview picture, I was able to compare the shapes of the different sizes.


And here are the next samples of the barrels. The differentiation between the various number of hoops results in a pleasant visual impression for eye of the beholder 🙂

The selected sizes are, in descending order, leaguer, puncheon and hogshead, as these are always mentioned when stowing the hold, plus the kilderkin as it is a basic measure and the smaller firkin for boats and as the probable size of powder barrels.









The stacking in the boats is based on historical data, so special launches for first and second rates could hold 14 to 16 leaguers, which is a mere 8 to 10 modern tonnes in weight. I dare to doubt how much freeboard was left, but perhaps there wasn't as much heavy stuff in there as liquids ...





XXXDAn

And we continued with the lugger-rigged version of the large launch.

First came the masts. I took the measurements from W. E. May's summary, but they also correspond fairly closely to the French measurements. The strength of the lugger rig is its simplicity. Insert the pre-rigged mast, hook in the pairs of backstays on both sides with the standing end, hook the tackles in the middle, and belay the free end. The halyard of the sail is already sheared through in the masthead, so the sail is immediately hoisted, the tack, sheet and brail are secured, and off you go.



In my scrap box, I charmingly found a sample from my sandwich sail tests from 2017 – yes, I actually keep such things for that long – and the sizes I need fit quite well, even avoiding the messy areas. I developed the material back then to combine the advantages of fabric as an elastic material and paper for a more true-to-scale surface. Thin strips of restoration repair paper are ironed onto both sides of a layer of silk to create a sandwich that resembles closely the visual properties of the sails. It is also unbeatable for folding and stowing. However, at the time, I did not yet have a model that was ready for me to use it on ...




I took the angles from Steel's drawings, but I had to mark the radius at the bottom – one of the differences to French sails – with a pen and thread, as the radius is larger than my templates.



I shortened the furled sails by approx. 25%, i.e. below the lower reefing band, which I had also omitted for this purpose.

The surrounding leech was glued on and the eyes for the brails were added.



If necessary, I'll even clamp a sail in a vice 😉



And then it was time to fold and fiddle around.



And then it was adjusted to fit the storage space.




Together with the masts in place looks quite cheerful and full. Two barrels have also found their way there. Who can find them?







It's great to finally be able to use the sails developed eight years ago in a model myself. Some modeling friends have already impressively demonstrated their potential. Thank them for that.

And I'm already testing out the next crazy ideas for my boat collection...




XXXDAn
 
 
 

Next the barrels were continued. The number of hoops is interesting here. As an average layman, one would assume 4. However, Nelson's brandy leaguer shows a completely different number, and the double hoops are particularly interesting. I found several references to the fact that larger barrels have a double hoop at the top. So once again, nothing with once programming 1 barrel and scaling it to all sizes 😉

Each barrel format is unique, and I have attempted to develop a reasonably plausible number of hoops. After all, a 675-litre Leaguer weighs over 0.8 modern tonnes, so there is a considerable amount of self-weight to bear, especially during transport when dynamic forces are added.

The result was a nice family picture:



The 1.55-metre-high, 104-cm-diameter tun is the largest in the series, but I have not yet come across it in a maritime context, probably because it is too unwieldy. The smallest here is the firkin, with a capacity of 9 gallons, a height of 56 cm and a diameter of 43 cm. The powder keg on the Invincible has almost identical dimensions and, in my opinion, is a firkin with special hoops.

The picture clearly shows that the size range of the different sizes could be reasonably accurate. Using this overview picture, I was able to compare the shapes of the different sizes.


And here are the next samples of the barrels. The differentiation between the various number of hoops results in a pleasant visual impression for eye of the beholder 🙂

The selected sizes are, in descending order, leaguer, puncheon and hogshead, as these are always mentioned when stowing the hold, plus the kilderkin as it is a basic measure and the smaller firkin for boats and as the probable size of powder barrels.









The stacking in the boats is based on historical data, so special launches for first and second rates could hold 14 to 16 leaguers, which is a mere 8 to 10 modern tonnes in weight. I dare to doubt how much freeboard was left, but perhaps there wasn't as much heavy stuff in there as liquids ...





XXXDAn

Next the barrels were continued. The number of hoops is interesting here. As an average layman, one would assume 4. However, Nelson's brandy leaguer shows a completely different number, and the double hoops are particularly interesting. I found several references to the fact that larger barrels have a double hoop at the top. So once again, nothing with once programming 1 barrel and scaling it to all sizes 😉

Each barrel format is unique, and I have attempted to develop a reasonably plausible number of hoops. After all, a 675-litre Leaguer weighs over 0.8 modern tonnes, so there is a considerable amount of self-weight to bear, especially during transport when dynamic forces are added.

The result was a nice family picture:



The 1.55-metre-high, 104-cm-diameter tun is the largest in the series, but I have not yet come across it in a maritime context, probably because it is too unwieldy. The smallest here is the firkin, with a capacity of 9 gallons, a height of 56 cm and a diameter of 43 cm. The powder keg on the Invincible has almost identical dimensions and, in my opinion, is a firkin with special hoops.

The picture clearly shows that the size range of the different sizes could be reasonably accurate. Using this overview picture, I was able to compare the shapes of the different sizes.


And here are the next samples of the barrels. The differentiation between the various number of hoops results in a pleasant visual impression for eye of the beholder 🙂

The selected sizes are, in descending order, leaguer, puncheon and hogshead, as these are always mentioned when stowing the hold, plus the kilderkin as it is a basic measure and the smaller firkin for boats and as the probable size of powder barrels.









The stacking in the boats is based on historical data, so special launches for first and second rates could hold 14 to 16 leaguers, which is a mere 8 to 10 modern tonnes in weight. I dare to doubt how much freeboard was left, but perhaps there wasn't as much heavy stuff in there as liquids ...





XXXDAn

And we continued with the lugger-rigged version of the large launch.

First came the masts. I took the measurements from W. E. May's summary, but they also correspond fairly closely to the French measurements. The strength of the lugger rig is its simplicity. Insert the pre-rigged mast, hook in the pairs of backstays on both sides with the standing end, hook the tackles in the middle, and belay the free end. The halyard of the sail is already sheared through in the masthead, so the sail is immediately hoisted, the tack, sheet and brail are secured, and off you go.



In my scrap box, I charmingly found a sample from my sandwich sail tests from 2017 – yes, I actually keep such things for that long – and the sizes I need fit quite well, even avoiding the messy areas. I developed the material back then to combine the advantages of fabric as an elastic material and paper for a more true-to-scale surface. Thin strips of restoration repair paper are ironed onto both sides of a layer of silk to create a sandwich that resembles closely the visual properties of the sails. It is also unbeatable for folding and stowing. However, at the time, I did not yet have a model that was ready for me to use it on ...




I took the angles from Steel's drawings, but I had to mark the radius at the bottom – one of the differences to French sails – with a pen and thread, as the radius is larger than my templates.



I shortened the furled sails by approx. 25%, i.e. below the lower reefing band, which I had also omitted for this purpose.

The surrounding leech was glued on and the eyes for the brails were added.



If necessary, I'll even clamp a sail in a vice 😉



And then it was time to fold and fiddle around.



And then it was adjusted to fit the storage space.




Together with the masts in place looks quite cheerful and full. Two barrels have also found their way there. Who can find them?







It's great to finally be able to use the sails developed eight years ago in a model myself. Some modeling friends have already impressively demonstrated their potential. Thank them for that.

And I'm already testing out the next crazy ideas for my boat collection...




XXXDAn
 
 
 

On YouTube:
 
 
 

Thank you very much for commenting. the zulu is already finished, just in the absence of the showcase manufacturing.
 
Javier

More on the casks soon :-)
 
In the meantime, a whole small flotilla has emerged from my 32-foot launch 🙂



The 7-oared pinnace is in a race with the fully loaded 14-oared launch, which has to pull the fully loaded launch with the water barrels. Next to it is another boat with fully stowed equipment and one where the launch is helping to weigh anchor. And of course a setting with set sails. Always the same hull, but with different contents and task each time. More on the individual deployment options soon. It remains exciting.

Here is the comparison one more time ...



... of the single-banked pinnace with the rowers always sitting on the opposite side ...



... and the double-banked 32-foot launch.


And another little tip on the technical side:

And I always propagate not to cold bend resin parts. After painting, the oars got quite a bend in the shaft. That's why I briefly dipped the parts in hot water.



You could really see how the parts straightened out in the water within 2-3 seconds by themselves. Like memory metals, really strong 🙂

The bent parts at the top and the hot-bathed and straightened parts at the bottom. The fact that the far left side still has a bend is not a mistake, but the curved rudder blades of the small and medium-sized boats.

XXXDAn

And I still have 2 boat shells.

... what do I do now, what do I do now ...
 


 

More on the casks soon :-)
 
In the meantime, a whole small flotilla has emerged from my 32-foot launch 🙂



The 7-oared pinnace is in a race with the fully loaded 14-oared launch, which has to pull the fully loaded launch with the water barrels. Next to it is another boat with fully stowed equipment and one where the launch is helping to weigh anchor. And of course a setting with set sails. Always the same hull, but with different contents and task each time. More on the individual deployment options soon. It remains exciting.

Here is the comparison one more time ...



... of the single-banked pinnace with the rowers always sitting on the opposite side ...



... and the double-banked 32-foot launch.


And another little tip on the technical side:

And I always propagate not to cold bend resin parts. After painting, the oars got quite a bend in the shaft. That's why I briefly dipped the parts in hot water.



You could really see how the parts straightened out in the water within 2-3 seconds by themselves. Like memory metals, really strong 🙂

The bent parts at the top and the hot-bathed and straightened parts at the bottom. The fact that the far left side still has a bend is not a mistake, but the curved rudder blades of the small and medium-sized boats.

XXXDAn

And I still have 2 boat shells.

... what do I do now, what do I do now ...