Greenwich Hospital barge of 1832 by druxey - FINISHED - 1:48 scale

[AON]

If we are indeed voting... Sweeps tossed

 

Book sold... as you knew it would be!

[Mahuna]

Congratulations on the future book Druxey!  I'll be looking for it.

[cog]

Druxey,

 

I've been pondering on the sweep display ... if you put them on racks beside the boat, you will probably loose the floating impression, and the board may look cluttered ... so for me I would go for the tossed display ... it might even add to that upward floating view you're striving for ...

 

Congrats on the book, that decision, in a way, was the easy part, now comes the hard part .. writing it down ... I do hope to add it to my diminishing shelve space ...

 

Cheers

[druxey]

Thanks again for the opinions expressed so far.

 

I've now shaped half the sweeps. Perhaps comments on the accompanying photograph? I've simply staged the sweeps resting on the workbench. Also, they will be painted dull crimson when complete. I did try laying them out on the baseboard, but it looked rather crowded.

[amateur]

Nothing wrong with that (you'll need to scale up the glass cage a bit, though)

What about an upright position that is sometimes used in displaying the original barges?

 

Jan

Edited April 27, 2016 by amateur

[Maury S]

I guess you could have the port side with oars extended and the stbd side upright as if it pulled up to a dock.  Isn't that how they would have arrived at a dock?

 

Maury

[amateur]

without seeing the effect, I would opt for symmetry

 

Jan

[cog]

I guess you could have the port side with oars extended and the stbd side upright as if it pulled up to a dock.  Isn't that how they would have arrived at a dock?

 

Maury

Maury,

 

Both sides would be tossed simultaneously ...

[paulsutcliffe]

congratulations on the book news, still think tossed would look best and put on quite a show

[michael mott]

Wow! seeing all of them they look huge, they look almost too big. I can see why they would look cluttered on the baseboard.

 

OK so if this were my problem which it isn't  I would do the following, Make a new base large enough to cover the area that the sweeps reach I would tone down the colour of the main field of colour to a softer pale greenish grey maintaining a border of the rich colours of the existing base, on the outside of a dust cover of some sort.  I believe this would better highlight the nature of this type of vessel, and display would look integrated with a clear intent.

 

regards Michael

[BANYAN]

Congratulations on the Book Druxey, I am sure it will be another fine addition to many libraries.

 

WRT the oars, the extended display over the baseboard  in the rowing configuration looks 'busy' in the photo but may be fine on display - but what about the glass/acrylic case fit?

 

If you stay with the existing base board, then perhaps an approach from left field?  Have you considered standing them up vertically behind, or at either end of the boat (drill holes into the base boardand make the case a little taller)?

 

Otherwise my vote would remain with oars tossed even if it hides some of the mast details

 

cheers

 

Pat

[mtaylor]

After seeing the picture, I'd be leaning towards tossed.  

[dgbot]

I would say tossed as well.

David B

[allanyed]

Great work Druxey!  How about having the oars in an extreme release position, that is to say, swept fully aft but not shipped.  Just another positioning to try and see how it looks to you.

 

Allan

[druxey]

Well folks, a variety of solutions to my dilemma! Thanks, everyone, for all the input and positive comments.

 

Although I'm still undecided, one of my correspondents AON (Alan) questioned the loom (squared portion) of the sweep. I looked up my source (Steel, 1816 edition) and found that the loom was often made round, not square, in section. I suspect that, given the limited clearance of the sweeps in the tholes, that this was the case here. I may now re-work those looms. 

[jbshan]

Indeed, the thole slots with that size square sweep shaft wouldn't allow much angular movement.  Good catch.

If we're still voting, I would go with tossed oars.  How you might secure them there without rowers ...?

[mtaylor]

Alan has a good eye as he's the only one who caught that about the looms.  

[AON]

I have one bad eye and one worsening eye.

 

What helped was 4 summers at HMCS Quadra (2 of which were spent working in the boat shed), over 40 years ago, sailing 27 foot whalers and 32 foot cutters. Spent 5 days in an open cutter on my Practical Leadership course.  When pulling, the whalers were single banked and the cutters double banked.  Each had different shaped sweeps due to the length inboard of the crutch. I was looking at Druxey's perfect sweeps with those curved blades and that is when the light went on and I asked about it.   Of course I've no experience with any other era least of all barges... but I once built a raft when I was about 8!

 

If it hadn't been for those memorable Sea Cadet summer camps I'd not have noticed.

[Louie da fly]

That is such a beautiful vessel, and so beautifully done.

 

I'd go for tossed oars if we're voting. But you'd need a crew  . . .

 

It is possible to make or carve crewmembers - whether from wood or other materials. But it would add to the job - you'd need a dozen of them, and then that would mean you'd also need a steersman, so that makes 13 - or 14 with a passenger . . . it all starts becoming a bit much. I enjoyed carving the crewman for my own build, and I'll be making maybe another 3 or 4 from scratch, but once it gets up to those kinds of numbers it stops being fun and becomes a bit of a chore.

 

Steven

[druxey]

Thanks again, all. 

 

Further to the sub-topic by Alan (AON), a contemporary model (c.1808) with oars definitely shows squared looms to the sweeps. This is a model of the 18 oared Lord Mayor's barge, in the London Museum Docklands.

[AON]

still seems odd to me

as the one fellow mentioned how much swing (or pivot) do they allow imagining a seated fellow leaning way forward and way backward for the full stroke.

If your crutch (or thole) allows the motion then... what the hey

[druxey]

Ours is not to reason why... just take as much contemporary evidence as we can find and make our judgements accordingly.

 

P. S. Prince Frederick's barge, Queen Mary's shallop and the Charles II state barge all show square-sectioned looms to their sweeps. So who am I to argue otherwise?

[cog]

still seems odd to me

as the one fellow mentioned how much swing (or pivot) do they allow imagining a seated fellow leaning way forward and way backward for the full stroke.

If your crutch (or thole) allows the motion then... what the hey

 

Alan,

 

Those whom decided on the type of sweep didn't give a rats hiney how much effort it took, or how much swing you'd have on those sweeps.

 

Ours is not to reason why... just take as much contemporary evidence as we can find and make our judgements accordingly.

 

P. S. Prince Frederick's barge, Queen Mary's shallop and the Charles II state barge all show square-sectioned looms to their sweeps. So who am I to argue otherwise?

 

Druxey,

 

I quite agree to your view, although, it doesn't mean that on this hospital barge it would be the same. The chance it is, is rather likely

[jbshan]

Square-sectioned, but maybe just a little thinner so there's more slop to allow a greater pivot angle.

[druxey]

Still not quite decided on presentation, but finally have completed cutting and shaping all 12 sweeps. Whew! Next will be to paint them.

[AON]

I still cannot take my eyes of the blades!

Very realistic curvature

 

If I didn't know they were tiny scaled down models I'd think these sweeps were the real thing.

(I can smell the salt water and I'm 1000 miles from it)

[druxey]

I think, after much thought (read 'dithering'!) I've come to a decision on sweep display. I plan on mounting them in a similar fashion to those shown in post #503. Many thanks to everyone for your opinions and input on the subject. These certainly helped to clarify my thinking. Pictures to follow.

[modelshipwright]

I think, after much thought (read 'dithering'!) I've come to a decision on sweep display. I plan on mounting them in a similar fashion to those shown in post #503. Many thanks to everyone for your opinions and input on the subject. These certainly helped to clarify my thinking. Pictures to follow.

That would certainly showcase your fine workmanship to its best advantage.

 

Bill

[Alex M]

Hello druxey,

 

it is a very nice barge, looks very realistic! Oars are just fantastic...

 

Alex

[Erebus and Terror]

A fine choice, Druxey. I really like the look of the sweeps overhanging the base. Will they rest on the surface supporting the model, or will they be free-floating?