reilly

I have finalized my decision to build the French four-masted privateer L'Invention based on the recent ANCRE monograph authored by Gerard Delacroix. 

The ship was built 1799 - 1800 and sailed its first campaign in 1801; unfortunately just 9 days later L 'Invention was captured by a pair of English frigates. It was soon sold, reconfigured with three masts and put into use as a trader. Later it was captured again, resold, and was lost in 1810. When initially captured by the English (in 1801) and evaluated by the Royal Navy, L' Invention was highly regarded for its construction and sailing qualities.
 
While not having an exceptionally long life, L 'Invention appears to be unique in design having 4 masts and a very streamlined hull shape. The ratio of length to breadth was 5.28 - typically frigates of the time had ratio s between 3.7 and 4. Importantly, Delacroix notes that the hull shape and masting foreshadowed clipper ship design that would appear 50 years later in the U.S.
 
 
Over the past couple of weeks I have immersed myself in the monograph and the included 34 plans in order to visualize the order of construction that I will follow. I have decided to begin with frame construction. In particular I will first  concentrate on the frames from 13 to 37. These should be the simplest to construct. I will then move fore and aft was the frame construction becomes more complicated. Once that is done, I hope to have become familiar with the qualities of the Swiss pear wood that has been chosen for the model. I will then move to, what I expect to be much more challenging, the axial framework; i.e., the stem-keel-sternpost structure. This order of construction should also keep my work area more open for quite awhile as the big building board will not be needed initially! 
 
I am currently milling sheets of pear that will be used to create the frames. Pictures of progress should appear soon!

Should I take it as read that there are no readymade actual whaling-type whaleboats of about this scale on the market?

Its gonna be a long long while before the blocks are available.  So take your time.  
 
 

Coming soon!!  
 

 

I finally got to the head shelter, for lack of a better term
i used cardboard templates to shape around the bulwark details 
 



 
 

I love the look of furled or partially furled sails on a small boat like this one.  A good friend of mine and fellow club member "TomShipModel" was kind enough to take my Medway Longboat model and do just that for.  I am horrible at this and would have certainly made a mess of it.  Tom is certainly an expert at it and I have seen the work he does with sails on his models.  So I was so happy he agreed to do this.  It has been a learning experience just watching him do this.  He used the sail plan that is available for download here.   Here are a couple of in progress photos.   Tom said he has a bunch of pics and post a how -to of sorts when its all done.  I will certainly post more pictures.  The sails are made of silkspan.
 

 
And one of the fore staysail underway....just beautiful work.   Hanging very naturally.   
 


 
 
 
 

Finished the skylight 
I did not put “glass” in it since the scale was so small

 
 


 
I put a ships compass in it.  The little circle on next photo
no one can see it but I will know it is there


 

Just an absolutely beautiful job on a very interesting subject. Would this cutter carry a 16ft or 18ft cutter on deck? If so, where would it be stowed?

Figurehead

Hello everybody I finally found some time to publish the work done on Enterprize. It has been a hectic year full of work commitments that have left little room for model making. Despite 3 doses of the vaccine I got COVID, but luckily I didn't have any serious symptoms even though it left me very tired for some time. it is a pleasure to be able to start publishing again

Another deck details

Beautiful stuff!!!

We finally have 7mm blocks from Master Korabel. These are the most detailed blocks on the market
 
7mm (9/32") Single blocks
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
VIEW
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7mm (9/32") Double Blocks
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
VIEW
 

Beautiful looking rope.

Thanks for the likes and coments😊
i have know finished all the treenails , yeeéeee, but no i do have some left , the inboard😴
but anyway i have dunn some painting on the wales etc and started to thinn the bulwarks 
dust to dawn😊 but soon ready to plank inbords.
 
svein erik

I am starting a new topic as the last one just got huge....over 2000 replies.
 
Its fitting that I would do so today actually.   Today marks ten years since I have started Syren.  Its been a long and interesting journey.  Ten years and miles and miles of rope made and thousands and thousands of blocks sold.   Here's to the next ten years.  Maybe not that long, LOL.
 
For a bit of news....I have finally received the parts to maintain my CNC Mill.  So blocks are on tap over the next few weeks.  In fact I have already started.   3/32" singles and doubles are now in stock.   More will follow. Although half of the 3/32" singles already sold out.  UGH!
 

 
Onward and upward as they say.
 
Chuck

I think I saw that guy mowing his lawn in the same suit 60 years ago...

Thank you Gentlmen for your very kind words which I warmly appreciate.
 
I'm nearly done with the woodwork and metal work: soon I can turn to the rigging.
 
The carronade carriages are assembled, painted and ready to rig. I tried painting the brass barrels, blackening them and blackening and lightly buffing them with wire wool and decided I preferred the blackened and buffed look. 
 
The backstays are done and ready to fit.
 
The elm tree pumps are likewise done and ready to pin and glue to the deck. I can see I made a small error. The outlet pipe and pump handle should be a little closer together: say seperated by one face of the octagon rather than three. It means a small compromise. If I angle the handle out as shown on the plan the outlet would discharge onto the grating. In the result I have to position the pumps further apart than they should be. Its only a small thing and I'm not going to lose any sleep over it . It does show, though, that you have to study the plans like a hawk.
 
Here are some pictures.
 





 

I hope my next post will feature lots of rope. I'm really looking forward to the rigging.
 
I wish you all a happy and peaceful New Year.
 
Fred 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Some work on the figurehead...
 

Work continues on the square frames....the assembly line is in full swing.  
 
Almost done with the Cad work on the carvings...I should have an update on my my frame progress soon.   
 


 

Hi Chris. I know you posted that you will be doing her in 1/64  but what about 1/48? Would make a heck of a nice model that's for sure. Gary

I think at 64th, it will be a perfect size for most. If I went 48th, it would get very expensive and perhaps too large for most.

There is also this useful thread:-
 
 

I think I saw that guy mowing his lawn in the same suit 60 years ago...

Update time:
 
Knees are all finished but not fitted (except the transom). Ironwork is done, fitted and functional but needs the paint touched up.
 
What has slowed me down is trying to come up with oars that I like (and can make). I think I'm happy with the look but still need to make a set that match.