woodrat

Sorry, Steven. I cant access that link. But I think I know the image referred to. As you allude, many models of carracks underestimate the length of the mainyard which is made of two timbers fished together like  lateen yards.

Here are some pictures showing the bracing for the transversal bitt. The bitt is not bolted in but is wedged in placed. This allows some slight movement of the bitt which protects the side timbers. It also allows removal of the bitt if required.

  the stern timbers incomplete

Dick

 

 

BTW, can you tell me the source of the carrack picture you're basing the rigging on? It's excellent!

 

 

Steven

It comes from the National Maritime Museum Collection at Greenwich. I have searched their website but cant find it.

Here is a better image

Dick

Planking progress to main wale

Dick

These pictures show the transversal bitt in place although not fixed in place. These bitts were a typical feature of the carrack and were probably not meant to be rigidly fixed to the toptimbers. They were however quite massive.

Here is a picture of the Mataro nao showing the transversal bitt.

This shows the step for the foremast

Dick

Thanks, Vivian and Steven. Here is the progress of planking to the level of the turn of the stringer at the outer end of the floors

Fitting the stealers

stealer glued in position

planking complete to first stringer

Here is another similar carrack. Note the triangular topsail and the forward positioned foremast. I will base my rig upon this illustration

Dick

Thanks Steven, useful links with good detail. The watermarks dont bother me much

The model is moving along. Having done the garboard strake and the various wales, The planking is straight forward.

Maybe will be interesting photo of  this model I take this summer in Maritime museum of Kotor, Montenegro

 

Model is based on ships used in Venetia, by famous middle age traders of Venetian republic

 

In Serbian/Croatian language, for this ship is used name "karaka" and you can google it for deeper research

 

Nenad 

Thank you for the link, Nenad. The model shown is certainly a venetian carrack and is quite old. It looks somewhat like the carracks in Jacopo de Barbari's panorama of Venice.

Good idea to get information or pictures of models from Dubrovnik, Split and Rijeka. They, as you say, were on venetian trading routes for centuries. The Trombetta nave certainly would have visited them regularly.

Cheers

Dick

The transverse deeck beams are now fitted. I have a theory that the protruding deck beams seen on carracks were used  to house the scuppers as scuppers at deck level arent seen on contemporary illustrations whereas dots or holes are sometimes seen in the end of the protruding deck beams.

Thanks Tarbrush, Bob and Nenad M. I am learning more and more about carracks. For instance, this carrack forecastle from late 15th century shows how the carpenters built the framework for their awning assymetric to allow for the foremast. This may explain the somewhat bizarre appearance of this framework on the Trombetta drawings. The position of the foremast also forced the positioning of the bowsprit to one side or other of the mast. These were no nonsense working ships and often aesthetics took second place to practicalities. also, as this illustration from the battle of Zonchio shows, round ships were often co-opted as warships in mediaeval times as their high riding hulls gave them a height advantage over galleys. Cheers, Dick

Thanks, Michael. Most kind in you. I certainly would recommend doing the longboat for your Wasa. I found the ship's boats a very satisfying part of the build and building it over a mould is easier than you think. Great work on the Wasa too.

Dick

I have finished all the bulkheads and have almost finished fairing them. I am more happy that the shape of the stern matches the original drawing and other illustrations of the period

Dick

I am unhappy with two things on my previous model:

1. the tumblehome aft of centre is insufficient

2. There is a more horizontal run of planking to the fashion piece and a more vertical run to the sternpost leading to a more complex shape to the stern.

I will modify the full hull version accordingly

Dick

 

 

I just posted this on Vivian's caravel log but I thought it might be useful to you too as a rigging reference..?

 

Dan.

Thanks, Dan. The original book is beyond my price range but there is a softcover reprint. What concerns me is that I am unsure whether my carrack had two or three masts. It was a large vessel so three seems more likely but the fact that the bowsprit is displaced to starboard suggest a foremast. However the framing for the awning on the forecastle suggests otherwise. What do you think?

Some progress. Keel, stempost and sternpost in place and bulkheads positioned..

Dick

   Keel, stem and sternpost elements ready for cutting. The keel will be in two lengths scarfed together as will the stem post but the sternpost will of course be a single timber

Bulkheads are cut and ready to go

Dick

.

Steven, you may like this article on Yenikapi:  http://woam2013.com/yenikapi-info.pdf

And Dick, sorry for derailing this thread - getting back to the subject, I just remembered a link I have to a site on the early 15th century ship designer Michael of Rhodes,

Steven

Thanks Steven, its a fascinating topic, the dromon. The third volume of the MIT edition of Michael of Rhodes is probably the most useful for the shipmodeller

I continue to be astounded by the quality of the works displayed here on this forum.

 

S.os

That's why we keep coming back, we're addicted Dick

A bespoke manufacturer of ship models seems to have produced an excellent dromon reproduction following John H Pryor 's reconstruction. It is most impressive.

I have found a paperback version of his book which is affordable

http://www.brill.com/age-dromon-0

Dick

If you can locate plans by Ulrich Alertz, they may include his idea of a dromon. Certainly John H Pryor has written extensively and I note this publication which is way too expensive for me but a library might get a copy. 

http://www.oxbowbooks.com/oxbow/the-age-of-the-dromon.html

Crackers' second illustration appears to be the same illustration of a dromon as is in the Conway' "Age of the Galley" p103 by John H Pryor but without the  "double horned "stern. It is from John H Pryor's et al. The Age of the Dromon.

Dick

. I have a POB model of Henry VIII's Henry Grace a Dieu which I made in the 1960's when I was in my teens, based on the reconstruction in Bjorn Landstrom's book The Ship. I pulled the stern off when I realised it was wrong, and never got back to it. So fixing it up will be my first project, and then I have quite a number of possibles lined up - perhaps a carrack or a cog or a Byzantine dromon, I'm just not sure.

The dromon, now THERE'S a challenge ! I had a similar experience with a Billings POB "golden HInd" I had finished the hull but made the basic mistake of doing some research and realising that, above the main deck it was just plain wrong so I cast it into the outer darkness and swore never to do another kit. But later I cut it down to the main deck level and have kept the hull and have plans to resurrect it as the Elizabethan Ark Royal.

The carrack bulkheads are nearly complete and I am tweaking the lines as I go.

Dick

Woodrat-  Perhaps, it might be worthwhile, but Texas A&M University, has one of the few programs on Research and Archaeology on marine subjects.

. They can be reached at:

 

 

Montani semper liberi  Happy modeling

  Crackers   

Thanks, Crackers, I have done just that and await a reply.

Dick

Or, in addition to what Crackers suggested, check out the Theses and Dissertations database (http://nautarch.tamu.edu/academic/alum.htm).  There's a lot of useful information as well as some that are just plain good reading.

I agree, I have delved into a few of these dissertations and they are a goldmine. Courageous decision, by the way, about your Licorne. Sometimes it is better to "screw your courage to the sticking place" and get on with things.

Dick

Thanks. That's very useful. I'll have to add them to my "must buy" list.

 

Steven

At least get "Vanguard of Empire". Are you thinking of building a carrack or other style of mediaeval ship?

An excellent starting point is Roger Smith: "Vanguard of Empire" Oxford Press.

Other reference for iconography is: Lillian Ray Martin : "The Art and Archeology of Venetian Ships and Boats"  Texas A&M Books

Articles by Mauro Bondioli in : "The Book of Michael of Rhodes vol 3" Long, McGee and Stahl eds.  MIT Press

Of Course The volume in Conways History of the Ship  " Cogs Caravels and Galleons" is a very useful starting point as well.

Dick

 The modification of the stempost is relatively minor and would make it resemble both Oliveira's plan and the Trombetta manuscript more closely.

this is the present stempost and the modified version according to Oliveira , a Portuguese. Is this more like the original?

Dick