Staggered wales

[Kurt Johnson]

What is the purpose of the staggered wale in Amati's Revenge? Doesn't it lose it's main purpose of strengthening the hull when its interuped in this way? I can't find any other examples like this. Chris Watton puts a lot of thought and reasearch in his models so there must be a good reason it's there. I am going to build this kit but I not sure about this feature. I'll probably lose the stern gallery also, although it does look cool with one.

 

Kurt

[druxey]

I seem to recall a contemporary drawing or print of such an arrangement, but can't recall where I saw it. Presumably the logic is that the foremost port and hawsehole don't cut through this wale. And, as you say, Mr. Watton does his homework.

[Baker]

A few examples are there in "The art of shipwright" from Matthew baker.

 

http://nautarch.tamu.edu/pdf-files/Myers-MA%201987.pdf

 

 

 

Why this is so. Who knows.

But Matthew Baker was very respected as a shipbuilder.

 

Groetjes

Greetings

 

[Kurt Johnson]

I have a Baker print that shows this. I can't figure the purpose. I would think it would greatly decrease the wales strength, which I am assuming (dangerous I know) is their only purpose, proving additional structural strength to the hull. How prevalent a feature was this, or is this the only example? There is very little on a ship that isn't there for a definate purpose.

 

Kurt

[lehmann]

It appears, based on the position of the one gun port and hawser hole relative to the other gun ports that there is a change in the elevation of the decks at the point.   This is seen in the picture and the two drawings.  Is the forecastle a "split level" relative to the decks in the waist?   There could be some construction detail that ties this staggered wale to the deck shelf.

 

Another question:  is this really a wale, or just a plank (wale or not) painted black for aesthetic reasons?  To my understanding, the wales are a set of planks, not a single line.  

 

Lastly, I not certain that wales are always continuous.  I've studied a few plans that seem to show cuts for gun ports.