Hi Guys,as an occasional (and nervous) modeller and maker of toy yachts for children and grandchildren I am delighted to have discovered this forum, thank you all. I recently ordered the Dusek kit to be shipped to Ireland from the factory in the Czech Republic, seems the cheapest way, should be here in a week or two.
My interest comes from the histories - Herodotus and Thucydides.
Helpful books are 'The Athenian Trireme' by the guys who led the project to build the Olympias, the working replica. They are J. S. Morrison, J. E. Coates, and N. B. Rankov, academic, naval ship designer and champion oarsman respectively. A useful illustrated paperback is 'Ancient Greek Warship 500-322 BC' by Nic Fields illustrated by Peter Bull in the Osprey series. 'Lords of the Sea, the Triumph and Tragedy of Ancient Athens' by John R Hall is a superb history of the trireme.
This winter I gave a talk on 'Oared Warships' to several of our local sailing clubs. As well as Powerpoint slides I used a model made from the plastic Russian kit to illustrate. But it is not accurate - less than 170 oars, the outriggers are covered over with a curved roof etc. So I need something better!
Garry Owens
Hi Guys, Although I won't be able to start on the Dusek trireme kit until the winter I am thinking about it a lot! The illustrations with the kit and on the box show the ship plain, even unvarnished. Do you have any ideas about colouring? I reckon below the waterline will be black as the Greeks used tar and/or resin to protect against the toredo worm etc (just finished anti-fouling my own boat). Does anyone have suggestions for the rest of the structure apart from varnishing the hull, and maybe white blades on the oars? The Olympias full-size replica seems to be only varnished, but the ships must have had sway to recognise each other? The Greeks vs the Persians or Athenians vs Corinthians, could tell their friends from their enemies so I presume there was some distinguishing colouration or maybe flags? I guess a muted primary colour on the bow or on the 'ears' forward of the outriggers might serve but ideas welcome. Garry Owens
