Vivian Galad

Ty, Michael! Happy to be back.

My many thanks, Dave!

Wow! Those plans are something else! Be here too, can´t wait to see her coming alive!

Ok, as promised, here comes the update: The main document I´m using to build this kit, and bashing it a little, is Valenti´s dissertation for the Master Arts degree from Texas A&M University, 2009. His work is a reconstruction of the Nave Quadra based on Michael of Rhodes manuscript. He puts forth the origins of the ship type, the Cocca, coming from the Cog, turned vernacular on ship building on mediterranean lands about early 1300´s. The cocca gained room over the other types of ships due to its greater tonnage with fewer men to hand it - it is discussed also that after the plague, 1348, the lack of working force forced the shipbuilding culture from northern Europe over southern. The first cogs would have a main square mast, as those from the north, but soon got a second mast, lateen sail mizzenmast. (Two-masted Venetian Cocha of 1366, Valenti, 2009) - disegno di Zanetti Girolamo The Cocca is mainly a merchant vessel, usually not gunned. It could boast between two and four decks - at the end of the 16th century could have up to 10 sails "with two square sails hung from the bowsprit, three square sails on both the foremast and the mainmast and a lateen sail on each of the two mizzenmasts" (VALENTI - 2009). The kit´s ship is a Cocca Veneta from around early 16th century, though, this type of ship continued to be used till the 17th. As my main interest are medieval ships, I would like to build a late medieval ship, from before 1490, maybe something between 1450/70. The Michael of Rhodes manuscript dates from that period, which makes me go through it a lot, at least, through other works about it. I´m well aware of the log from Woodrat, building the Nave Tonda and be following it from the beggining, since his ship is really a medieval one. Since I´ve found that the term Nave Tonda may describe not only a Cocca as a Carraca (or carrack) - meaning a round ship for commercial purpose - I´ve devised my plans to stick to the Cocca, traditionally following the line from the cog. The ship as it is will have the lines as the image that follows; Corel´s picture shows us this: Have to say I don´t like those white lines and will be searching if it would be changed. I´m still thinking on changing it to an earlier version, maybe taking out a mast among other things. I´ll be scavenging images, iconography and such. Meanwhile I´m starting to build since I don´t see any major changes on frames and planking - it´s a carvel type ship, rounded at the bow, which will make me have some work bending the wood to fit it. The kit seems to lead me there without too much trouble, but I´m always open to tips and discussing data (thanks again, Steven). Now, here comes my progress, so far: I planned first on opening my decks, always to give space for cabins and such, as I find the lack of details in kits a real pain. In order to do this, I mounted the pieces and searched for all interferences I could see; marked them on plans, marked them on the pieces and got some cutting. After some glue, could see I would have to be more carefull with angles, since sanding alone wasn´t enough to give that edge. After the first frames were glued, I begun to work on the blocks that came with the kit to help planking the steep bow. That made my hands hurt, they´re still hurting - I tried two processes - to sand it from the start and to cut it before hand. Well, the second process went really faster, but got some minor imperfections due to my inability using the saw. Then proceeded to glueing more frames till now. Last picture shows my workbench in it´s typical mess. And that´s all, for now. ^^

Thanks, Don. Be seeing the link right away.

Grant, sure I´ll let u know if I move. Always depends on some things, but, I´m really seeing into that. Thanks for coming!

Steven, thanks for your words. I got a lot of info so I could modify the ship to an earlier century, but maybe u´r right. I follow woodrat´s log and his research is really amazing - saw, too, the work it takes to bring all those data into the real ship. I´ll carefully considerate it. Maybe not so far in modifying the time of the ship, just giving it more detail. The Nao de Mataró I have some plans already - a bigger project though.

Hey! Popcorn or not, come aboard!

Hey, Sam! Thanks for stopping by! Good to have u here ^^

Thought about Canberra, colder. I´m looking trough the immigration site, have to put some papers together, but possibly one of my brothers is going till the end of the year and he will be my scale. I´ll apply for invitation, though. Now, we go where work is

Hey Eddie. This is an interesting kit u´ve got. Seeing it is going diligently... ok, off with the puns. Nice work. Be following along.

Chuck, hope so. I´ll show my set, soon, workspace and all. For now, only that blue workbench and a side table. They are at the side of my computer and tv, cause I moved into a small apartment. As I live alone with my dog and cat, hope it will do. I feel a little cramped, though. Yes I have, Popeye! And am really moving forward on this one. Updates coming soon!

Ty, Sam. I´m already starting another project - just the Red Dragon and the Oseberg are on hold. Ulises, missed here too. Good to be back. Try to be more present, now.

Fine, Eddie, thanks! Thinking on moving to your lands, heard architects are needed down there (here things are a little obscure). Just come aboard, friend! We´re only starting!

Hello again, my friends. I´ve come back to show you a new project I intend to see through in less time than the last ones. It´s funny to perceive we may be away from the shipyard for some time, but it still calls us rightly into it´s arms. So, to begin with, a presentation of the kit´s content, followed by impressions and the reason why my title has a "modified" in it. The box is a strong one, better than Artesania Latina´s Red Dragon box, with some info in it, pretty default. On openning it we can see that magic things that makes us happy and going. The plans are simple, but precise, there are no much more to say about them. There are lots of castings, all the fittings, a beautiful sailcloth with a venetian flag. The woods seems ok, love their smell - some Mahogany, walnut and lime tree. Have to say this was the most anticipated model from the ones I´ve bought, since its larger and have a greater rope work - it also goes in the direction I want to move for the next types of ships I want to build. After this one I plan on starting a plank on frame "Nao de Mataró" for which I´ve been researching for quite a good time. About the ship: "Many ships are also referred to as ‘coca’, ‘cocha’ or ‘cocche’. This sounds very similar to the Dutch word ‘kog’ (cog or cock-boat). This is no coincidence. According to the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani (1277-1348) the first West European cogs arrived in the Mediterranean Sea in 1304. He writes: “Certain people from Bayone in Gascogne entered the Strait of Gibraltar in 1304 as pirates, in their ships called cogs, and caused huge damage. But the Genoese, the Venetians and the Catalonians then started copying the ship.” So the northern method of building ships was introduced to the Mediterranean in the 14th century. What were the differences southern and northern European shipbuilding? In the Mediterranean ships were traditionally built with a triangular lateen sail and a side rudder. The cog on the other hand was clinker-built, square-rigged, and had a rear rudder. The Mediterranean and West European shipbuilding traditions are actually merged in the coca. The coca is clinker-built with rear rudder, one or two masts, and square rigged." As the present kit intends to give us a 16th century ship, I begun my research so I could turn it a bit older. I tried to buy a book on the subject, refered to by a member from this distinctive site, but couldn´t either because it was over on Amazon and on the italian online bookstores (I even paid for one, but got the money back - I wanted the book!). So, I decided on researching online as much as I could to fill the gaps - I want it to be a 15th century ship - Already read there are no great changes trough that period of time, but, any help is always welcome. Other things I´ve got to modify - no castings on windows and doors - those will be wooden made and may have other materials as I see fit to close the gap in time - don´t know if the small boat which cames with it would have existed at the 1400´s, so, maybe it won´t be part of the ship. The crow´s nest is too simple, so, I´ll scratch a new one. Various frames will be cut so I can make room for cabins, cargo holders and such - I´ll try to put some lights on, if I find space - 1-70 scale is a little small for me, but I may get it done. The rudder is plywood, don´t know if I´ll be using it, too. That´s it for the time being. I´ve already started this one 2 years ago, but as things got messed up, had to hold it. Now, I think I can make it to the end.

Hey all u guys and gals. As I´ve disapeared and proly u thought I had give up, here I´m to prove I´m alive and kicking! Bout my junk - there are no updates. I´m looking for the right sailcloth for her sails, and still got nothing. As I moved again and again and again in the last two years, had little time to search for it or even get back to the shipyard. I´m gettint to it now, though, to start a new project and retake this one in particular - since it´s on the rigging already and I do need to finish this one (and all the others too).

Mike, nice buy, the Red Dragon. It´s a great model to build. As to the question, I haven´t. But my problems are greater now regarding my ship. Long story short - I have a cat called Kyra who just killed the planking of the Oseberg. I found my ship at the ground all eaten, with lots of chewed planks all over the place - now I´m looking for replacements for it. As I won´t be rushing things, I put the project on hold for just a little bit. Meanwhile, I´m starting a new one which will soon be on the lists.

The Wasa is so great a ship. The kit too, seems a really hight quality one. Your work with them is beyond any discussion - great work, Michael.

Great work, UIises! :im Not Worthy:

Neat work, Sam! I´ll just be following u in here, if u don´t mind.

Wasn´t aware of this project of yours, Hans. Great building. Nice kits you r making, too. ^^

Sam, thanks. Even if I get some troubles, the show must go on! Hans, life has that con of being in our way when we want to just live in peace. Ty. Mike. I began building my oars. I´ll have to find some wood, since those scraps I have won´t be enough to make 28 of them. Since the Oseberg had no dragon head, it would be strange to finish the ship with it, so, that is still something I´m trying to figure out. My shields are metal cast and, well, don´t like them that way - so, I´ll craft them too. Since I do like to mod my kits, that isn´t a problem at all - I feell chalenged, indeed. Hope to see you along with yours Jack, all these time I was alway from building just spiced my hunger. We get that bug "have to build" and, well, the ship has to be made! Thank you, always. As for the ship, well, I still need a cam to get some better pictures. Had a setback, though - When I fixed the last planks I perceived too many flaws. In leaning them planks, many gaps appeared and when I tried to glue them back, new ones came out. Problem is I didnt want to follow the manual and that cost me dearly. So, I´ll replank from the 5th plank on, all again, now following a particular I took for nothing, but makes the difference in the end. Oars are being made, thinking on sewing the sail, already, since planking is getting so many hours of my work on her. That´s it for now.

Thank u, guys. Be my guest, Mike. I´ll try to post more frequently, since I began this one 2 years ago. Mark, everything is fine, better now. Carl, it´s great to be back!

Well, almost 2 years since I´ve put something in here regarding my Oseberg. I´ve replanked it from the start and am now at my 8th row on the left side. Picture is not that fair, since I have no more good cams available, so, I ask u to considerate that - promise will get one as soon as I can.

Great work, Louis!