Finland checking in

[Moring]

Hello!

 

I have always enjoyed building miniatures and now with my recent dive into nautical history, this forum has become a goldmine of inspiration! The amount of talent presented on this forum is simply astounding. I have built quite a few miniatures in my life but have yet to build any proper shipmodels, apart from a quick SIB I threw together a late night recently in a spurt of inspiration.

Notice the lack of the staysail between masts. Forgot to install it before I had glued in the foremast, Oh well. About as good as I could do without proper tweezers or paintbrushes.

Currently investing in better tools for any upcoming proper SIBs I will be building.

 

Currently gathering info about, and planning to some day build the Grace Harwar square rigger in a bottle. As my great grandfather sailed on her in 1929 as a carpenter and later as second mate, the same voyage documented by Alan Villiers in his book By the way of Cape horn.

The guy holding the cup, to the right behind the skipper, is my great grandfather R. Mansnerus.

Picture is from the article "Rounding the horn in a windjammer" by Alan Villiers in The national geographic magazine Vol. 59 No.2 February 1931

 

Glad to take part in this community!

 

,John

[Jim Lad]

Hello John, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'.

 

John

[Nirvana]

John, 

Welcome to MSW or can I say Terve to you?

 

Found this info regarding the Grace Harwar.

 

[Moring]

Terve to you too!
I have already come across that site and certainly some interesting info on there! Although I hadn't noticed that it specified the length of the forecastle and the poop, so thanks for that!

But I find it quite hard to find any info on the ship. Except the little I found by googling. Luckily Villiers took some pictures and filmed some video on her, that I now have been using to start some sketches on the layout of her deck. I currently have Alan Villiers book on order so looking forward to reading it and I've heard it contains some pictures that will be of further help.

 

Beginner question: Does the stated lenght of a ship usually include the bowsprit or not? And I'd guess the stated width of a ship would be the hull and not the yard?

Edited December 11, 2017 by Moring

[mtaylor]

1 hour ago, Moring said:

Beginner question: Does the stated lenght of a ship usually include the bowsprit or not? And I'd guess the stated width of a ship would be the hull and not the yard?

I believe the answer is "it depends".  No it wouldn't include the bowsprit.  But... different countries and even sometimes varied from shipyard to shipyard on where the measurement was actually taken from.

[Moxis]

Terve vaan John täältä Suomesta!

You might try to contact the Maritime Museum in Maarianhamina:   https://www.sjofartsmuseum.ax/en/

They have a lot of information about old sailing ships used to sail under Finnish flag.

[geoff]

Welcome to MSW John, or is it good morning "Moring"!? All the best, Geoff

[Moring]

Thanks for the replies!
I will contact the Maritime Museum in Maarianhamina and see what they have to offer! I have actually visited that place loads of times, great museum! Really recommend it if you sometime happen to be in the area! They are currently renovating their museum ship Pommern, and building her a permanent drydock. Soon the poor ol' girl wont be able to enjoy the sea anymore. I went to see her a month ago, hoping to get to speak to a worker there and maybe score a piece of her old deck, but no luck. Maybe I'll ask the museum about that too.