Santa Maria 1492 by GabeK - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - Scale 1:65

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  I totally get what you're saying about the 'order of assembly' of various details (like the capstan).  Now on every build (of anything), I'm straining my brain to 'see past the instructions' (having read all of it at the outset) to see how everything has to come together - and what should REALLY go in ahead of something else.  This stretches out a build, but avoids (or at least limits) the frustration of un-doing anything or working harder to fit something in.  Yeah, that's called 'working smarter, not harder'.

[Ferrus Manus]

Explain to me how anyone would be able to access the capstan, much less heave round it, when the half-deck is like 4 feet tall. 

[Gabek]

12 hours ago, Knocklouder said:

PS no photo didn't happen lol   

We interrupt this scheduled broadcast…🤣

[Gabek]

12 hours ago, Snug Harbor Johnny said:

  I totally get what you're saying about the 'order of assembly' of various details (like the capstan).  Now on every build (of anything), I'm straining my brain to 'see past the instructions' (having read all of it at the outset) to see how everything has to come together - and what should REALLY go in ahead of something else.  This stretches out a build, but avoids (or at least limits) the frustration of un-doing anything or working harder to fit something in.  Yeah, that's called 'working smarter, not harder'.

Absolutely, Johnny!  I have caught several things in this plan that were not in a good work order.  For instance, I still haven’t installed the forecastle…I'm building it off the model to be installed as a completed unit.  Saves me reaching into tight spaces, bumping it as I work on the main deck, etc.

 

But, I missed this capstan!  😢

 

Clear skies and sharp tools,

Gabe

Edited May 9, 2023 by Gabek

[Gabek]

15 hours ago, Ferrus Manus said:

Explain to me how anyone would be able to access the capstan, much less heave round it, when the half-deck is like 4 feet tall. 

I never thought of that, Ferrus! AND, there should be pretty substantial deck beams in there!  

 

Here is a figurine that I printed that will go on the model…an inside joke with my son and daughter-in-law.  At 1:65 scale…and the female character represents a gnome! 
 

Now, I'm not suggesting that 15th century Portuguese and Spanish sailors were gnome-like…but we hadn’t discovered vitamins, yet! 🤣

Clear skies and sharp tools!

- Gabe

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Gabek
Clarification

[Gabek]

Milestone - hull is complete

 

I thought I had finished the hull a few days ago but I just kept finding things that still needed to be done.  The cannons took most of my time - I just couldn’t slap them on the way AL wanted, so I used some of my fly-tying skills to make them look better and more palatable even though they are a bit whimsical. 
 

Main mast is moving along. 

Clear skies and sharp tools, everyone!

- Gabe

 

[Knocklouder]

That is some fine work my friend. You just might make it lol. And you can come over to my place when your done, bring pictures  lol  

[Gabek]

17 minutes ago, Knocklouder said:

That is some fine work my friend. You just might make it lol. And you can come over to my place when your done, bring pictures  lol  

I like that plan! 

[Gabek]

A few additions to the hull, primarily the boat was painted and lashed down. Started on the main mast. The total lack of instructions, or clear diagrams, or decent photos has made much of this step a nightmare in guessing what to do - which is slowing me down.  Not happy…

Clear skies and sharp tools!

- Gabe

 

Dear Artesania Latina,

How do you expect people to finish this model without showing where to attach the standing rigging?  For example, how does a minor thing like the mainstay connect to the main mast?  Oh, and help me interpret this…

Based on the top diagram it looks like I have to install three blocks to the underside of the crow's nest…No! 5 like in the middle diagram (or would there be a 6th one on the aft side?).  Or is it 4 blocks like the bottom diagram?

 

More coming,

Gabe

 

 

 

 

 

[modeller_masa]

 

I can't copy and post my rigging guide book, so I searched for similar walkthrough video.

 

In addition, you may find some useful information in the old build log. Not all the riggings are correct.

[Knocklouder]

Your doing fine my friend, and I thought my plans for this ship were confusing,  good luck.  

Edited May 31, 2023 by Knocklouder

[Gabek]

Thank you @modeller_masa!  I appreciate you sharing your expertise.

I think I did manage a passable installation of the main stay.  I just can’t believe that there is absolutely no guidance from AL for many, many items on this model. All the guessing and decision-making is slowing me down.  My biggest worry is having to add something in a really tight place to solve some glaring error I didn’t pick up now.  
 

Clear skies and sharp tools! 
- Gabe

[Gabek]

Slowly going knots 😆

 

Finished the ratlines.  All 264 knots.  This finishes the standing rigging on the main mast. I think the mizzen will be next. 


 

Clear skies and sharp tools!

Gabe

 

Dear Artesania Latina,

Seriously…thanks for 1:1 drawings.  I made a copy of the side elevation showing the ratlines and clipped it to the shrouds so I could space them consistently.  Very useful. 

But, don’t get your hopes up…I already see funny things with the mizzen mast. 
- Gabe

 

 

 

 

[Gabek]

Well, all the masts are stepped and the standing rigging is all done.  All the spars have been shaped.  
 

I'm thinking that I should rig the sails on the yards before hoisting them.  Any thoughts?

 

 

Clear skies and sharp tools!  
- Gabe

 

Dear Artesania Latina,

Your rigging plan leaves me scratching my head…did caravels actually run the shrouds on the mizzen and foremast to single blocks on cleats in the rail? Would eyebolts on a cleat be strong enough to hold up a mizzen mast with a lateen sail?  A single stay going from foremast to the top of the bowsprit makes it look like it is rigged like a crane, not a mast.

Perplexed,

Gabe

[Ferrus Manus]

Yes, the rigging plan is accurate. And yes, the sails should be rigged before being hoisted. 

[Sergey Karelia]

Tav1.tifI'm going to build Santa Maria too

 

[Gabek]

10 hours ago, Ferrus Manus said:

Yes, the rigging plan is accurate. And yes, the sails should be rigged before being hoisted. 

Thanks, Ferrus!

 

[Gabek]

8 hours ago, Sergey Karelia said:

Tav1.tifUnavailable I'm going to build Santa Maria too

 

Thanks, Sergey.

Right away I see the rigging on this plan is much more realistic…pairs of dead eyes on fore mast and mizzen shrouds stand out. 
Enjoy the build!

- Gabe

[Gabek]

Zooming along…

 

I've been forgetting to take photos as I go.  Finally remembered to do so today…I have "roughed in" all the rigging.  I wanted the sails to be full, so I soaked them in thinned PVA and stretched them over some pipes and our exercise ball. Once dry I gave them a coat of flat varnish.  They're holding their shape really well.

LOTS of complaints about AL's plans and rigging design…but I'll sum them up when I'm finished.

 

Clear skies and sharp tools!

- Gabe

 

 

[Knocklouder]

Very nice my friend.  

[Gabek]

A mad dash…

 

The last few weeks have been…busy.  We couldn't ignore our cottage so it beckoned us for several days (still did some modelling, but on another ship:  https://modelshipworld.com/topic/34723-hmcs-agassiz-by-gabek-hmv-card-model-1250/) Months ago we booked a trip to visit my parents in British Columbia…always a pleasure.  And on our return a devastating storm hit the park where our cottage is so we had to inspect damage (Nothing, incredibly…just some clean up.  Not so for many up there😢) These all added to my panic in finishing this model.  So, pardon me for a lengthy catch up post…

 

First off, I tightened up the running rigging, re-rove many lines to make a bit more sense, and created coils by soaking line in dilute PVA glue and forming them on sticks.  By this point the AL "plans" were completely ignored.
 

 

While I liked the shape of the sails I didn't like how the foot of the main sail, in particular, rested against the mast and main shrouds.  I first thought of using wire as a tack line to hold the sail off the mast. But right beside me on my bench was my 3D resin printer and the curing station…so I thought I'd try something:  I soaked some lines in clear UV resin, brushed off excess, then hanged them with weighted ends in the curing tank to see if I get a solid tack rope to push the sails where I wanted.  And it sort of worked.  I anticipated that the stiffness in the lines would make knot-tying nearly impossible so I made loops in the ends using a beading needle before soaking, which then cured into a solid ring through which I could tie them to the clews. 

 

Longer pieces sagged, unfortunately.  I thought of a second coat of UV resin but then I was ok with the results.  The wind just dropped a little and the tacks went slack…that's my story. 
 

After gluing on all the coiled ropes I then turned to the remaining objects that needed painting.  By this time I was literally exhausted with this model and all the hours of sitting were killing my back…so I have to admit I was impatient and cranky.  I should have taken more photos.

 

Painting the anchor stock went ok but I refused to just leave the anchors hooked on the gunwales like AL depicts. I quickly checked a few resources and found a rig in AotS Blandford  that looked easy and doable.  At this point an 18th century anchor rigging on this 15th century ship could hardly look out of place! Unfortunately, I somehow misinterpreted the drawing and somehow ended up with this nonsense:

 

I hated the lantern.  It was chunky and not elegant at all.  I added some brass wire and painted the interior "baffles" silver, with an overcoat that was a blend from yellow to orange.  Over brushing brass acrylic on black primer of the housing turned out ok for me.  To simulate glass I used Micro-GLAZE.  Results were…meh. 
 

I showed you Higref and Thonk in an earlier post…these are a couple of heroic characters that have meaning to my son and daughter-in-law.  I created them in HeroForge - an online 3D character builder - and then printed the files to scale on my 3D resin printer.  Painting figures is another hobby so this was enjoyable.  The little splash of colour and scale they bring to the model is very pleasing to me.  I posed them looking outward and forward…on their journey of discovery!

 

I added only one of the kit-supplied flags…

 

…and I was finished!

Started on the case today. 
 

Clear skies and sharp tools!

- Gabe

 

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Gabek

[Knocklouder]

Congratulations!!! It looks marvelous, the grandchild will love it. So glad you made the dead line on this ship, finally  lol. Waiting to see what it looks like in the case. Well done my friend  

[Gabek]

43 minutes ago, Knocklouder said:

Congratulations!!! ... 

Thanks, Bob! 

Seriously, I don't think I would have finished at this time without you egging me on!  Much appreciated.

Off to Rona for a few more things for the case.  

Talk and see you soon!

- Gabe

[Eindride]

It looks fantastic. We'll done. Look forward to seeing it in the case.

[Gabek]

13 minutes ago, Eindride said:

It looks fantastic. We'll done. Look forward to seeing it in the case.

Thank you, Eindride!  Your comments are much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Gabe

[ccoyle]

Very nice! Congratulations!

[AJohnson]

That looks very nice, congratulations!

[Gabek]

16 minutes ago, ccoyle said:

Very nice! Congratulations!

Thanks, Chris! 
Kind regards,

Gabe

[Gabek]

18 minutes ago, AJohnson said:

That looks very nice, congratulations!

Thanks, Andrew!

Much appreciated.

I see you have a Mosquito in your builds…I've got one on the shelf that's itching to be built!  It's either the Mossie or the HMCS Snowberry sitting right beside it that I'll open up soon. 
Clear skies!

- Gabe

[Louie da fly]

That's a beautiful model. Something to be proud of.

 

Steven