Surabaya by Piet - 1/80 - Mid 17th-Century VOC ship

[joske]

Hoi Piet, what a beauty.

 

Gr. Jos.

[dgbot]

I echo everyone else Piet,  The colors really bring it to life.

David B

[Omega1234]

Very, very nice, Piet!

[Tadeusz43]

Hi,

The galley stove chimney on Batavia

 

Tadeusz

[pete48]

Beautiful work Piet, She is looking Amazing well done 

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[Sjors]

Hi Piet,

 

I was looking around a little and I was thinking what you are doing....

Now I have seen it !!!!!!!!

That looks so awesome good !

 

Sjors

[Piet]

Thank you, thank you, thank you - - for all the praises heaped onto me. I'm truly humbled but very much appreciated.  Also my thanks to all who clicked the like button.

 

Yeah, that different color green makes it look more authentic and we are quite happy with it.

 

Hi Lawrence and welcome back to the shipyard.  Don't be a stranger now and drop in anytime.  Gwen and I wish you and your family also a very Merry Christmas and a healthy prosperous 2016.

 

Actually let me extend our best wishes to all.

 

Hey Sjors, good seeing you here too.  Drop in any time and chat.  Terima kasih banyak   No Dutch, no English, no Dutchlish either    Ah, who would have guessed - -  this is Surabaya dialect of course for - thank you very much.  Sorry, I couldn't resist this one, well, after all, we are on the ship Surabaya pffffffffff         

 

Thanks for the pic of the galley chimney Tadeusz.  Looks rather nice but mine is not as ornate though, just a plane jane.  See pic below.

 

The build dock has been turned around so I can paint the port side and do some added detail work on the starboard bulwark like making a rack for the capstan poles and reworking the other door to the helm's man area.  I had to use some heavy persuading to get that door off and now need to remake the bottom hinge and then cement the hinges back to the door. 

 

I gave up trying to make the cap on the hood from wood.  After three tries with the wood splitting and cracking I used good old cardboard.  Done in a jiffy.  I also installed the door to the helm's-man location but had to re-solder the bottom hinge. I also painted the inside of the door and the large window for the helm's man.

 

Cheers,

[Remcohe]

Each time I look into your log she's getting better and better. Beautiful progress Piet, I really like the new color scheme. 

 

Remco

[GLakie]

Hi Piet; Just wanted to send you and yours my best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

[Piet]

Thanks Remco and George for your kind comments and thanks to all who came and visited and clicked the like button.

 

Yeah, the greyed green does look pretty good I must say.  Also, as I go along I seem to redo a few things which take time. Some of the intentionally rough and unfinished parts will be covered by carvings.  

 

I have rotated the build dock and almost completed the repaint on the port side.  A few more tough-ups and that's done.  I have made new hinges for the door in the starboard side of the quarterdeck bulkhead and am about ready to install it.

I am also now making the capstan holding rack to the starboard side bulwark.  A plank on the lower part of two frames and 2 eye bolts a little higher up to attach a rope with hooks to them to keep the poles from coming out.

 

I don't know what'll be next.  Carving of a bunch of dolphins for the railings?  Knight-head heads?

 

Our daughter and grandson are coming for a week stay so there won't be much work in shipyard.

 

All yuns on MSW have a merry Christmas and a good 2016.

 

Cheers,

[Omega1234]

Hi Piet

 

All the best to you and Gwen for Christmas and the New Year!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[mobbsie]

Hi Piet,

 

Nice paintwork mate, she's looking really swish, chimney looks good also.

 

Merry Christmas to You and Gwen and all the Very Best for 2016.

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[ceestoorn]

piet

one word lovely

fine holy day's

grcees

[amateur]

Hi Piet,

 

She's better every time we see her.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and Gwen.

 

Jan

[JesseLee]

Have a great Christmas Piet !

[Piet]

Thank you Patrick, Mobbsie, Cees, Jan, JesseLee and Anthony for your kind comments and best wishes for the holidays.  And of course to all those who clicked the like button, thank you.

 

Well, yes, the more I pick at it and keep touching things up and redoing a few things here and there, she's bound to improve a little at a time 

 

Not everything goes easy, some things test my patience like the quarter deck door.  I finally had the hinges remade and cemented on when I found that the top hinge pin was also cemented to the "gudgeon" part.  Hmmm, yeah okay, a little careless, domkop me   However, I managed to free it up by using a small pick I made two lifetimes agi from welding rod.  Painted the "iron works" flat black.   The only thing left is putting a coat of poly on it.

 

Next came cementing the two eye bolts into the frames at the starboard side so I can hook the rope to it that'll keep the capstan poles secure.  I made the small hooks and "spliced" the rope to them and hooked them on.  Painted the poles a dark oak to match the wales and stowed them away.

 

Now I have a question for Jan or perhaps another Dutch ship expert.  Because my ship is rather large for that era I have been loo0king at the "Prins Willem" in Herman Ketting's book as well as some of the other drawings I have obtained by Ab Hoving.  In Ketting's book on pages 50 and 51 are three belaying items indicated.  I think I can disregard the "boordknechten" (sorry, don't know the English word for it) because they were primarily used on smaller ships.  On page 51 I see they bolted "kruishouten" to the bulwarks on the "verdek" between the main mast and mizzen mast.  In my case this area is now below the quarter deck.  Would I need to install such belaying items on my model and to the quarter deck bulwarks?  

 

​On the same page is illustrated "hornklampen" on the lower part of the masts.  These are used to belay the "parten" coming from above.  

 

If I need to add these belaying items to my ship now is the time to it.  It's getting crowded now at the quarter deck bulwarks with the capstan pole storage and the galley chimney.  Could I add another pair of "knechten" to the quarter deck behind the main mast instead?  The Prins Willem does show a few behind the main mast.

 

Nothing like starting with building a ship without any data where now, years later, one has obtained enough drawings.  Much is now after the fact, which makes it rather difficult and challenging.  

 

Okay, all water over over the dam and we're going to plug along as best as we can.

 

Here is the pic with the quarter deck door installed and the capstan poles stowed away.

 

 

Cheers, 

[amateur]

Hi Piet,

 

I don't know whether you can disregard the boordknecjten (napier translates it as kevels, in his book on Valkenisse). Even Valkenisse (large VOC ship, 1717) and the famous Dutch twodecker (ship of war, 1670) have a number of them.

Also Witsen (may be Van IJK) describes these things, also for latger ships.

You need a number of those heavy kruishouten, mainly for the lines of the main sail. Also a fair number of belaying points around the foor of the mast (I have too f ew of them ,even though I don't install sails). Those belayingpoints on the mast are for the parrels. Alsmost all others are belayed to knights of abelaying rack etween the knights. All knights at the foor of the mast have sheaves in them.

You need largerknights with sheaves for The halliards, but smaller ones left and right behind of the mast for more heavy stuff.

 

It's a pity that Rob Napier didn't include a belayingplan to his book. You could have used that.

 

Jan

[amateur]

I checked again onValkenisse,

 

valkenisse has slightly more space between the halfdeck and the mast, so that the knights can be placed on the halfdeck.

Not an option for you, thouogh (unless you decide for major surgery). You need that heavy knight behind the mast though. So yes, placing it on the halfdedk would be an option. Don't forget: it should not be on the heartline of the deck, but slightly ro the right (or perhaps the left, I'm not going to decide that for you )

You also need a place to attacht the lanyards of the stays (the ones for the topmasts, that is)

For my Prins Willem, I find the belaying plan of the Pinas by Hoving very helpful, although some improvisation is needed, as that ship has for sails less than Prins Willem.

 

Jan

Edited December 25, 2015 by amateur

[amateur]

Hi Piet,

 

I tried to PM you, but I can't send you any PM's. Either you disabled the personal messenger, or your mailbox is full.

 

Jan

[Piet]

Thanks for the info Jan.  Yes, my mailbox was full but I have just now emptied it and send you a message.  I was afraid you would mention it that there were quite a few more belaying points then I have.  I was already prepared to add more but don't know quite yet where all. 

As you can see on one of the photos looking at the quarter deck from the front, there are two large knights with four sheaves each in them, on the bottom and on the top with a total of 16 sheaves.  I have two 4 sheaf knights ready to put on the quarter deck behind the main mast.  They can go to the left and right go that grating.  I have only two eye bolts on the quarter deck right behind the main mast but can add more

.

There are two rather limited belaying pin boards against the bulwarks on the quarter deck, these should be lengthened with possibly "kruishouten."  problem is that there is little space on the quarter deck bulwarks.  I kinda like the parel belaying points on the masts, gives it a nice look.

 

I have a drawing by Hoving, plan 1 / sheet 4/4 Pinas Witsen, 1:96 scale.  The other drawings don't show where they are located but this drawing show how they look like.  

 

I don't have the Valkenisse book, pity   The Prins Willem book is also not very clear, at least not to me.  The upshot is to add more eye bolts to the deck - perhaps; try to add "boardknechten" or kevels, again is where.  Add the two 4 sheaf knights on the quarter deck and those parel belaying thingies to the masts.  Then the kruishouten and longer belaying boards to the bulwarks.  Bulwark space or the lack of it, is my main problem.

 

If you have and drawings or sketches of all that stuff, that would certainly be helpful.

 

Hope your Christmas was a good one and thanks again for your help.

 

Cheers,

[amateur]

Check again

The Prins Willem book isn't very clear, no. It is missing some info on  rigging. Besides, Ketting himself isn't very consistent: he re-rigged the museum model, build his own version, and did make a drawing. Those three aren't giving the same info. The model as shown in the book is not rigged according to his own drawings. Besides, quite a lot of what he draws isn't correct, as I discovered when it was too late  . More specific: Ketting incorporates things in his rigging that weren't introduced decades after PW was build. However, it still makes a nice looking model.

 

With respect to rigging your Surabay: you can follow Hoving. However the rigging schemes by Hoving are for ships without topgallants. You'll have to decide were to belay the topgalant stuff. You can decide to belay part of it on the deadeyes in the main tops. (which saves space on your bulwarks and knights). I don't know whether or not that is correct fot the period, Dik also shows that kind of rigging for the Zeven Provincien, but he mentiones no source for it. The model of the Dutch twodecker (1670) shows all running ends of all ropes, tackles, lanyards etc going all the way down to the deck/bulwark. The same info is (implicitly) in the book by Ketting on p.99, where he shows all ropes passing the main top to the deck below. I decided to belay a number of these ropes in the main top, to save some space at the foot of the mast (I already needed to belay two ropes on one belaying pin ).

 

My Christmas was a good one. Even managed to do some riggin work on my Prins...

 

Jan

Edited December 26, 2015 by amateur

[Sjors]

Wow,

 

This is history and rigging lesson at high class   

I'm happy that I know that a row boat needs a paddle..........

But ok, these guy's knows more then I do.

Long live the Dutch !           

 

Sjors

[Piet]

Thanks again all y'all for the likes and yes, Sjors that's what makes this community of ship enthusiasts so unique.  A lot of knowledge that's freely shared.  Thanks again Jan, it's much appreciated.  If you ever need help in fixing or rigging your airplane - I'm your man   I have even done rigging of a biplane!

 

I really never thought ahead about the rigging much until just now when I realized that perhaps I may have a problem.  

 

I received some good info from Jan and need some time to look everything over and think about how I'm going to solve my belaying problem.  I never thought about utilizing the mast tops until Jan just now mentioned it.  That'll be a real good idea and I'll have to seriously look into that. 

I'll make a couple sketches of my deck layout and see where all those ropes need to go to.  Should have done that to start with but better late then never 

But even Jan has a few head-scratching situations with his Prins William kit, so I don't feel all too bad 

 

We have our daughter Marianne and grandson Troy in the house for a week's visit, so I guess that my shipyard work will take a backseat.  But this certainly is a most welcome time for us.  Weather is great and the beach is beckoning.

 

Y'all have a very good New Year in good health.

 

Cheers, 

 

 

 

 

[Mirabell61]

lovely ship Piet,

 

Nils

[Piet]

Thank you Nils and all who stopped by and clicked the like button.

 

Well, as expected no time today to do any work.  Family wanted to visit a local state park and see a few real old live oak trees.  You know - - the kind used on the USS Constitution.   Was a very nice day and a great visit.  Then some cooking.

 

However, I did get to spend a few minutes on the build.  In anticipation of adding a few more belaying boards I removed the two in the quarter deck and also the galley chimney.

I also scrutinized the drawings Jan send me and there is a plan forming in my poor old head.

 

Between the Heemskerk, Hoving's pinas, the Valkenisse and the William Rex I think we can rig the Surabaya believable enough for that era.  The Surabaya is supposed to be a Middelburg chamber build ship and there is still space available for rigging the top gallants to the hull.

 

I can add two "kruishouten" to the bulwarks in the waist area between the gun openings.  There is also space for a "boordknecht"or kevel on the poop deck behind the mizzen mast.

The belaying boards I removed from the quarter deck will be replaced with longer ones with a few more pins and still leave enough space for the chimney.  

 

It looks like that I'll have add a few single and double sheaf pulleys through the bulwarks and of course several eyebolts.  There is also enough space on the chainplates for the topmast backstays.  Now all I need is some time to make a layout sketch of where all the rigging lines are supposed to go on my ship.  Needles to say I'll show this drawing first to Jan for his thoughts.

 

Alright then, we are moving in the right direction - - - I think     

 

Cheers,

[GLakie]

Sounds like a lot of research and planning going on, but I know you'll come up with a workable plan in no time. 

[Omega1234]

Hi PIet

 

Like Greg said, lots of research to get things just right, but more importantly, is the family time that you're getting now.

 

Enjoy and have a great time.

 

All the best!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[popeye the sailor]

wonderful progress Piet........the paint work looks great....lots of cool detail work too!  nicely done!

[GLakie]

Hi Piet! I hope you and Gwen have a safe and Happy New Year and a great 2016!! 

[Piet]

Same to you George, Gwen and I wish you and the family a very good 2016 and in good health.

 

We also wish all of the regular and not so regular visitors to the Surabaya shipyard a very good 2016.  Y'all stay in good health.

 

Cheers,