woodrat

The cutter is similarly constructed the boot

Another thought. Perhaps the ship in drydock is in the process of being planked and the strakes between the main wales are not yet in place. The square blocks could be the underlying frames. :mellow: Dick The rudder is made of several pieces with wooden battens and metal straps reinforcing. Note the curve of the tiller.

Thanks, Crackers. But if you think the evidence for hull construction is poor, wait till you see what's known about mediaeval rigging!!! I do, however, have a cunning plan to do a full hull with rigging. The half-hull was sort of a proof of concept model. But first I must finish Le Gros Ventre. Dick

Thanks Vivian. Scratch building is very satisfying. I heartily recommend it. Dick

Or one ot two archaeological finds! I can find no other reference in my books of nautical archaeology to projecting beams below the waterline but sheathing is well attested. Any nautical archaeologists out there?

The steps in comstruction of longboat over a balsa mold

Thanks Druxey, Bob, Vivian and Doreltomin. Great work Vivian on your caravel, keep posting. You raise a good practical point, Druxey. The Mataro nao shows no projecting beams below the waterline, but the Trombetta nave definitely shows this My theory is this: The drawing was done with the ship out of water in drydock. No masts. Whole hull visible The ship may just have had all its outer sheathing removed and awaiting new sheathing. Sheathing was a layer of sacrificial planking over other materials (hair, bitumen tallow, etc) which protected the hull against shipworm This nave was a a largeish size vessel and the projecting beams below the waterline may have been required to prevent torsional problems. the outer sheathing may have helped to caulk the projecting beams and cover them. Alternatively, the dotted area between the wales may not be deck beams at all! If so, what do they represent? There are no known wrecks of venetian round ships from this era so this is all speculation. What do you think? Any other ideas in MSW Land? Dick

The quarterdeck beams also project through the side planking Progress on the poop and quarterdeck note the characteristic vertical timbers on the ships hull to give extra rigidity and protection to the hull

Having taken off the lines the solid half-hull was cut down to main deck level. The side timbers are seen. main wales are seen bracketting the deck beams transom framing is seen The hull was then planked. Note the projectiing deck beams at forward half of main deck and hold The main deck was planked The supporting structure of the forecastle was guessed at and the clinker planking below the forecastle was installed the transversal bitt was installed the horizontal clinker planking was installed to match the original drawing The view from the other side Dick

sort of like a majestic duck, wouldn't you say? Dick

Thanks, Phebe and Happy New Year!

tail frames are positioned at each end of the keel Calculation of the narrowing of the frames between the master frame and the tail frames used the geometric "mezza lune" technique. rising of floors can also be calculated by a geometric technique using these techniques, a half hull block model of the central hull was made and faired As was done by the original shipwrights of the venetian Arsenale, ribbands were then used to make the bow and stern frames. ] lines were taken off at each station

The following is a close reconstruction of the vessel, a carrack or cocha, illustrated in the 1445 document by Zorzi Trombetta da Modone ( also known as Timbotta). Fortunately for us, the dimensions of this hull were recorded on the original drawing of the hull, which enables a fairly close attempt at reconstruction possible. The Trombetta nave circa1445 Venetian Carrack by Woodrat 1/64 Page 1: Index · Overview of Trombetta nave · Design of midship frame · Narrowing with mezza lune · Construction of half-hull model Page 2 · Lines from half-hull · Plan for full hull build plank on bulkhead Page 3 · Keel and posts: the backbone · Bulkheads · Main deck framing · Transversal bitt · Wales · Start planking Page4 · Complete planking · Stern timbers · Scuppers · Main deck planking · Main hatch · Half deck · Accommodation beneath half deck · Steering mechanism Page 5 · Planking half-deck · Knees on half deck and waist · Framing and planking poop deck · Seats of ease · Sterncastle construction · Windlass · Hawse holes · Foremast step · Forecastle framing · Framing Great Arch starts Page 6 · Completion of Great Arch · Clinker planking of forecastle · Planking and completion of forecastle · External hull riders Page 7 · Accommodation on the half deck · Roofing of the half deck accommodation · Knights Page 8 · Figurehead · Sterncastle construction · Forecastle shelter Page 9 · Grapnel · Stern gallery and blinds Page 10 · Capstan · Rudder · Pumps Page 11 · Built-up mainmast · Loading port · Ventilation scuttles · Mast partners and wedges Page 12 · Blocks · Standing rigging: Page 13 · Standing rigging: mainstay · More blocks Page 14 · main shrouds · mainyard page 15 · halyards · mainsail · Crew figures Page 16 · Molding of mainsail and bonnet · Maintop Page 17 · Further details of mainsail · Jacob’s ladder · Running rigging main · Parrels and parrel tackle Page 18 · Mainsail set · Mizzen yard, sail · Page 19 · Mizzen mast standing rigging · Mizzen partners and wedges · Mizzen sail and running rigging · Mizzen parrels, halyards and tackle Page 20 · Final figurehead · Completed ship with flags and pennants Page 21 · Stand We start: The lines for the master frame and sheer were based on the extant material available from contemporary sources note the rounded bow and stern, the projecting deck timbers, the high forecastle with its "great arch" below and the characteristic clinkered planking below the castle. The temporary lashed shelters attached to the fore and stern castles were presumably covered with awnings to show another illustration of the great arch a detail from the arrival of St Ursula at Cologne by Carpaccio. A contemporary view of carracks. a careened carrack by Botticelli showing deck detail a carrack by Bonfigli 1485 showing the transversal bitt projecting below the forecastle whch is also seen on the Trombetta document A roughly contemporary method of constructing a master-frame by Pre Theodoro ]This my attempt at a master-frame. All other hull frames are based on this. Dick

some views of the fearsome mohawk figurehead

I initally did the seats of ease as per the AOTS drawing but, after ribald comments from various MSW members about wet bums in any sort of sea, I redid them in a more traditional way. the old seats for hardy sailors that's better (and drier!)

I wouldn't use those old floorboards, Brian, as the wood will be splintery. I used a leftover sink cutout from our kitchen renovation, which is quite young wood and splintering has not been a problem. A problem has been dust when machining jarrah. A vacuum system and a good filtering facemask is essential. Dick

here is the completion of the framing of the bow module. Phew! The jarrah has been oiled to nourish the wood. It wont remain shiny and the wood will darken. hawse holes are yet to be made.

Thank you Christian. Cutting slots with cross-slide deadeyes in place. companionway pinrails

The following shows the steps of the construction of the double wheel. The wood is jarrah. turning the wheel on the Unimat spokes spokes in place drum being machined brass facing cut from sheet brass

the quarter gallery lights were wrong, so I redid them. boarding steps.

No, Slog. it would seem that the french have a good sense of humour. The name IS Le Gros Ventre and it does mean Fat Belly Dick More bloody hawse pieces!!!

thanks chaps. There is still a ways to go yet after a disastrous first attempt the second version of the lantern was a bit better steering gear connected and functioning the build as at may 2010 Dick

Quite an appropriate name for an exploration vessel which needs to carry large amounts of supplies and spare parts for an expedition to the other end of the earth.

deck framing mostly complete. I used the AOTS layout with some modifications such as the underslung cathead. the belfry components of main capstan the boomkins in place double ship's wheel and main cabin wirh rudder housing

Good choice. the plans are very good. Are you going to go POF or POB? Dick