Sloop Providence by Senior ole salt - 1:48 scale 1776

[mcpwilk]

A little incongruent - a baby RIB hanging from the davits of a sloop! You would have thought an appropriate clinker dinghy/jolly boat could have been found.

 

Model coming along nicely.

 

Mike

[mtaylor]

A little incongruent - a baby RIB hanging from the davits of a sloop! You would have thought an appropriate clinker dinghy/jolly boat could have been found.

 

Model coming along nicely.

 

Mike

 

Modern laws in effect, I believe.  Not sure if wood would be allowed due to the "floatation" part of it.   L'Hermoine has at least one also. 

[Senior ole salt]

Got the wales on and did the deck beams. i also gave the hull a coat of sanding sealer "concocked" from thinned out Min wax polyurethane and West system 410 Microlight fairing filler. The last item was formulated for fairing stitch & glue boats. It seemed to work for models but needed a lot of stirring before applied to models. It was a guess & by god mix , much like Julia Child's recipes. Next will laying the main deck planking. 

 

S.O.S.

 

PS,notice the foam holder I got from Micro mark. I still "fondle' the model though.

 

All water craft must be "loved "   even models!

 

 

 

 

[Omega1234]

Hi SOS

 

I agree with you about models needing the 'love' factor, and I can definitely see the love you've poured into your ship. She's coming along beautifully!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[Senior ole salt]

These little windows were tedious for me. Each one is different and all five come out for trimming and painting. I'm thinking of applying the tallow paint to the bottom just one or two thin coats for now. The rudder needs pintles and gudgeons for the hull. I might try to fabricate them my self. The plan for the rudder is kind of washed out, so I'm not sure just how the top portion looks. The gratings at this scale will have to have 1/32" holes , that's achievable but will have to figure a way to make them.

 

S.O.S

[Senior ole salt]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work on this historic vessel still progressing. I am having a little trouble hanging the rudder. It seems the opening in the hull has to be bigger in order to slide the rudder post past enough in order for the pintles to engage the gudgeons.

 

S.O.S.

[Senior ole salt]

Still moving along with the model  The scuppers P&S have been cut out and along with the gunports opening ,the whole structure seems strong for handling the hull. I decided a little paint was needed to cover mistakes ( I admit too so far.) I remove parts like the deck hatches bow sprit etc that are not glued down so they won't get in the way.

 

I used rubber bands and scrap wood cut offs to glue and clamp down both rail caps on the poop deck. (one side at a time) This worked out fine but i can use the gun ports to do the same for the main deck rail cap.  Yet to do is applying some sort of  glass to the stern windows.

 

Here's two views of the model so far. I use a lot of images on  Providence's facebook  blog to gain information concerning the boat that the washed out plans don't show..

 

https://www.facebook.com/Tall-Ship-Providence-118669581542537/timeline/

 

 

S.O.S.

[Senior ole salt]

Made a crew member who's ready to repel boarders. Also installed the bulkhead that supports the poop deck and the rail cap all around. Used ordinary cellophane to glaze the stern windows. It has just the right amount of wrinkle to look 1776 ish

 

S.O.S.

[dgbot]

Nice and neat well done.

David B

[Senior ole salt]

Thanks David B. I plan to make some more crew but am still figuring out if from wood or clay and armature.

 

SOS

[Senior ole salt]

Ahoy fellow modelers. Got two questions:

 

1.The plans for my Sloop Providence show a 14' boat on the main deck. I suppose the crew had to get ashore now and then.

There is no detail on the style of planking the boat has, carvel or lapstrake. So what was common in1776 ?

 

2. How would the crew get such a deck stored boat over the side and afloat. Easy with two masts and yards , but with a single mast.

I figure some combination of the one yard braced into position and maybe the gaff run up to a suitable height and with vangs to the end of the gaff to enable it to be swung out to the needed position over the side. Then lines from the shrouds on the opposite, control the swing outboard.

I would appreciate any answers.  

 

Thanks

 

S.O.S

[Chuck Seiler]

S.O.S,

 

    I seem to remember a painting of PROV off-shore in the Caribbean with boats in the water.  I will see if I can find it when I get home. 

[Senior ole salt]

Well the Providence is moving along. For me the rigging of the cannons was challenging but  I had to install at least 4 of them before the poop deck work was to proceed as the beams and deck would make access to those 4 cannons difficult. ( for me at least) I first tried to rig up the tackles separately, attach them to the cannon and then move the cannon into place tackle and all. That didn't work.as there was a lot to manage all at the same time So I next  stropped the block with becket & line to the bulkhead  by drilling a small hole that matched the stropped block in the bulkhead and just glue in the block, strop and line. Same goes for the  single block on the gun carriage Then I glued the gun carriage in place, let the glue dry. With tweezers, two needle threaders I rigged up the tackles as depicted in the photo. The coils are separate and all glued down. I still have to install the  gun barrels and iron work to hold down the trunnions.

 

The in place deck beams are not complete as there are two extensions P&S from the existing beams. All other deck work shown are removable for now to give more space for installing the other 6 cannons and tackles..

 

I gave up the idea of furnishing the main cabin as peering into it would be hopeless  with the eventual  poop deck, case would permit. I'll let the imagination of the viewer supply what John.Paul Jones and officers had for comfort. maybe even a wench or two. After all guys are guys.  Thanks for viewing.

 

S.O.S

[_SalD_]

Jack, I just found your build, I can't believe I missed it for so long. The ship is looking great.

[Senior ole salt]

]Lower deck guns rigged and run out .. ready for the first broad side... well ...almost. Got all of the poop deck to do as well as its fittings  rails and swivel guns. etc. (  deck not glued down in the image") For now I'd like to know just what sort of binnacle was typical for a 18th century ship during the American revolution. The plans I have show a deck box and I assume engine controls probably a compass etc . Also where the ships bell might be.

 

My big question is a rigging plan. My plans show only standing rigging and main peak & throat  blocks  halyards etc.with no clue as to just where they might go. So my question is any one here knowledgeable where all the running rigging should go and belay to?  

 

 

 

Thanks

 

S.O..S

[mtaylor]

At it's simplest, a binnacle would be a pedestal with a compass in it.  Nothing too complex as this is small vessel. 

 

Rigging... I'm not sure what reference to use.  Maybe Chuck has an idea since he's building a "sister".

[Senior ole salt]

At it's simplest, a binnacle would be a pedestal with a compass in it.  Nothing too complex as this is small vessel. 

 

 

Thanks Mark but I'm thinking a" binnacle" with those ball shaped compensating  iron spheres flanking a brass enclosed compass is not what that period had.

 

I guess no one here  viewing this thread knows.

 

S.O.S.

[mtaylor]

That type of binnacle might be too late a period for this ship. I'd suspect it was all wood and not brass.  

[Chuck Seiler]

For guidance on binnacles and how to build them, go to Chuck P.'s practicum for SULTANA on the Model Expo site.  Practicum #3, pge 9.

 

http://www.modelexpo-online.com/images/docs/MS2016CB/MS2016-Sultana-Practicum-03.pdf

 

As far as rigging plan is concerned, I plan on using the rigging plan from the Armed Virginia Sloop.

Edited January 8, 2016 by Chuck Seiler

[Senior ole salt]

I thought it would be informative to post a little about the ship.

 

BTW the attached image is of the vessel ( unfinished of course ) with the captured shallop she captured stowed on deck.

Stowed below are 8 swivel guns shipped by Chuck waiting for their mount and installation on the poop deck( not a refuge for gulls with digestive problems)

 

S.O.S.

 

A little about the sloop Providence"

On 10 May, John Paul Jones assumed command of Providence with temporary rank of Captain. After a voyage to New York returning to the Continental Army about 100 soldiers whom Washington had lent to Hopkins to help man the American fleet, and after returning to Providence, Jones hove down the ship to clean her bottom and sailed 13 June escorting Fly to Fishers Island at the entrance to Long Island Sound. En route he saved a brigantine bringing munitions from Hispanola from the British frigate Cerberus.

Providence next escorted a convoy of colliers to Philadelphia arriving 1 August. There, a week later, Jones received his permanent commission as Captain. On the 21st, Providence departed the Delaware Capes to begin an independent cruise, and in a few days took the brigantine Britannia and sent the whaler into Philadelphia under a prize crew. On 1 September, daring seamanship enabled Jones to escape from the British frigate Solebay. Two days later Providence captured Sea Nymph, carrying sugar, rum, ginger, and oil, and sent the Bermudan brigantine to Philadelphia. On the 6th Providence caught the brigantine Favourite carrying sugar from Antigua to Liverpool, but HMS Galatea recaptured the prize before she could reach an American port.

Turning north, Jones headed for Nova Scotia, and on 20 September escaped another frigate before reaching Canso two days later. There he recruited men to fill the vacancies created by manning his prizes, burned a British fishing schooner, sank a second, and captured a third besides a shallop which he used as a tender. Moving to Ile Madame, Providence took several more prizes fishing there before riding out a severe storm. One more prize, the whaler Portland surrendered to Providence before she returned to Narragansett Bay 8 October.

While Providence was at home, Hopkins appointed Jones the Commander of Alfred, a larger ship and the Commander in Chief’s flagship on the expedition to the Bahamas. Shortly thereafter, Capt. Hoysted Hacker took command of Providence. The two ships got under way 11 November. After ten days they took the brigantine Active and the next day took the armed transport Mellish carrying winter uniforms and military supplies for the British Army. On the 16th they captured the snow Kitty. The next night, Providence, troubled by leaks which had developed during bad weather on the cruise, headed back for Rhode Island and arrived at Newport two days later.

The British seized Narragansett Bay in December 1776 and Providence, with other American vessels there, retired up the Providence River. In February 1777, under Lt. Jonathan Pitcher, Providence ran the British blockade; after putting into New Bedford, she cruised to Cape Breton where she captured a transport brig loaded with stores and carrying two officers and 25 men of the British Army besides her crew. Under command of Capt. J.P. Rathbun, Providence made two cruises on the coast and about mid-January 1778, sailed from Georgetown, N.C., again bound for New Providence in the Bahamas, this time alone. On 27 January she spiked the guns of the fort at Nassau, taking military stores including 1,600 pounds of powder, and released 30 American prisoners. She also made prize of a 16-gun British ship and recaptured five other vessels which had been brought in by the British. On 30 January the prizes were manned and sailed away. Providence, with her armed prize, put into New Bedford.

 

On the left the replica Providence(Boston, 1980)

During the early part of April 1779 Providence was ordered to make a short cruise in Massachusetts Bay and along the coast of Maine. She later sailed south of Cape Cod and on 7 May, captured the brig HMS Diligent, 12 guns, off Sandy Hook. She fired two broadsides and a volley of muskets during the engagement and Diligent, with mast rigging and hull cut to pieces, was forced to surrender. Providence then was assigned to Commodore Saltonstall’s squadron which departed Boston 19 July 1779 and entered Penobscot Bay 25 July. Providence was destroyed by her crew, along with other American vessels in the Penobscot River, 14 August 1779, to prevent her falling into the hands of the British towards the end of the failed Penobscot Expedition.

[JerseyCity Frankie]

The soft iron spheres on modern binnacles are used to compensate for the metal that makes up a modern ship. A metal hull will cause problems with the magnetic compass and the iron balls can be adjusted to compensate for the magnetic field. You won't see them on a wooden ship since they are not necessary. Your old fashioned binnacle will be a piece of wooden furniture with the compass housed within a glass box at the top, which would also contain a light. Within this box would also be stored the sounding lead and the traverse board and maybe a chart or two. On the exterior its just going to look like some cabinetry with a window on top.

[Senior ole salt]

Ahoy all Modelers,

 

 

Coming along on the model. and got the swivel guns mounted on the poop deck. Also an officer was piped aboard this week to help supervise the further construction. I got a different scheme for mounting the gun port lids that might be unorthodox. If it works Ill post it here. Still to go some kind of binnacle , channels and deadeyes ( awaiting the blackening agent).

Notice the cable going to a holes in the fwd. grating and below to the cable locker.

 

Thanks for the help in various questions I posted in other threads.

 

S.O.S.

 

 

[Senior ole salt]

The sloop Providence will be soon ready to have mast stepped and the rigging started   But wait a minute I have no detailed rigging plan.   Guess work will not work . I'm at the stage where I have to order blocks single , double and some triple but how many and what size. Same with the cordage. what size and thickness etc.

 

So I'm thinking the Cutter Cheerful 1/48 scale is similar in size and era and should be near enough. Chuck's thick ness gauge is a help. But still doesn't solve my problem.

 Which is:

 

Just what sizes and # of single blocks

 

                               # of double blocks

 

                              # of triple blocks

 

I have the dead eyes for the main mast and enough for the top mast

 

Also just what thickness cordage for various members of the standing rigging, fore and back stays for main mast and top mast and associated yards 

 

and the running  rigging for all of the above.

 

I guess I'm aiming at the HMS Cutter Cheerful   builders here . Can they come to the aid of a Revolutionary Man-O.- War Sloop Providence ??

 

Thanks

 

S.O.S.

 

[Chuck Seiler]

SOS

 

    Model Shipways "ARMED VIRGINIA SLOOP" is a better choice than a cutter. I don't know if they will sell you the rigging plans separately, but its worth a try.

[Senior ole salt]

 

 

Model Shipways "ARMED VIRGINIA SLOOP" is a better choice than a cutter. I don't know if they will sell you the rigging plans separately, but its worth a try.

 

 

Thanks Chuck. Yes after following your suggestion I have come to the same conclusion. looked at that build here on the forum and it more closely resembles the rig and period of the Sloop Providence. Apparently there a few A.V.B build logs here some finished and posted.

 

I was wondering if any finished builders  of the Armed Sloop would loan out the rigging plans so I could make a copy. I managed to obtain the instruction booklet on the internet but that doesn't show just where all the lines go. It's more involved to the sequence of things. I also made the mast and spars for my Providence to the basic spar plans furnished by an ex skipper but they only give the sizes and or dimensions. I feel I can adjust the A.V.B rig to suit my Providence build quite nicely. I'm sure John Paul Jones would approve.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

SOS

[Senior ole salt]

After a summer of sailing Carrianne,  

 

 

I figure it's time to continue work on the Sloop  Providence.

So I pinned on the sails to see how they might look. OK but not full of wind.

So I made forms to kind of mold the wind in. This worked pretty good. But attaching the sails to the model and coping with the rigging might prove a problem for me, i decided to do some of the standing rigging off the model like the P&S shrouds etc.then attach the main sail and top sail, deal with their running rigging and then do the head  sails Time will tell if this works.

I'll post pix as I go.

 

S.O.S

[michael mott]

Thanks for posting the sailing video of Carrianne Bill, looks like a great way to spend an afternoon or two or three.

 

The sloop is looking very sharp.

 

Michael

Edited November 29, 2016 by michael mott

[Senior ole salt]

Thanks Michael . I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

 

On my scratch built model of the Sloop Providence I rigged up the shrouds and rat lines in a way new for me.

Rather than doing this delicate job on the model, I decided to make a"rigging station."

 

That is a scrap wood duplicate of the beam and locations of the lower dead eyes P&S., the mast  located in the middle of the station by means of an appropriate hole in the wooden "rigging station." After seizing the upper dead eyes to the shrouds separately I then placed the shrouds on the model The Sheerpole was now seized on to the shrouds to hold it all together. Now by means of a tagged  bent shallow wire U , marked as to which one is which ( notice in the photo ) both upper and lower deadeyes held all to the hull, mast and shrouds. 

 

At this point the whole thing ,mast, shrouds, and deadeyes can be removed from the model and transferred to the rigging station to enable the ratlines to be more easily tided in. I tagged each shallow U wire for reinsertation later on the model

 

. The deadeyes are held in position on the rigging station  by means  straight pins. I used the usual ratline spacing guide made from scrap paper etc.

 

For me this method of tieing in the rat lines off the model was worth the trouble of transferring the rig back and forth and making a"rigging station."

 

It also has the advantage of being able to take all off the model once again to more easily bend on the main sail via the mast hoops and do some of the running rigging aft of the mast without the encumbrance of the standing rigging in the way. When the running rigging is in place  I can  then rig up the lanyards of the upper and lower deadeyes.

 

PS the rigging station is shown minus the rig unfortunately I didn't take any images of it in use but i hope viewers get the idea.

 

Well time will tell if this works as planed.

 

SOS

 

 

 

 

[Senior ole salt]

Scratch model of the sloop Providence  is coming along. Thanks to a member here that loaned me with the plans of the Virginia Armed sloop, . I'm using it as a rigging guide.

 

Add to Post

 

In the image is a jig I made to rig up the top mast shrouds. A similar one was made for the main mast( see above post ). I found it easier to tie in the rat lines off the actual model.(fat thumbs get in the way )

 

Add to Post

 

Add to Post

 

In the other images( with sails showing) the  main shrouds are in place on the mast. but the dead eyes lanyards not reeved. This allows me to place the entire shrouds P&S out of the way to access the various lines of the running rigging to be belayed to their pins near the mast and the bulwarks etc. Near the finish of the running rigging the deadeyes will be rigged. Having the sails hoisted up for me needed a different approach to rig the model as they get in the way otherwise.

 

Notice in the images the yards are not braced. When finished they will braced like the sloop is on a close reach and the display will have the vessel healed on the port tack.

 

The top sail is just in place. It will be lifted off to enable me to place the topmast shrouds on the top mast as well as the jib stay. 

 

BTW I did find some (to me) errors in the V.A. Sloop plans.Like the orientation of the dead eyes ( sheet 5 middle deadeye holes reversed) and on sheet 4 showing possible rig with sail. plan shows the bunt line on the back of the sail and the clew line in the front. To me it should be the other way around.

 

SOS

[rwiederrich]

Are your sails starched?

 

Rob