Jump to content

Sovereign of the Seas by pirozzi - FINISHED - Mantua


Recommended Posts

I found an issue with the crowsnests. Except for the fore and main lower tops, all the rest had no openings for the shrouds to be lashed to the masts. The square holes in the tops are too small and when the trees are positioned, there is no overlap of the holes on the sides.The first  photo shows a bad one and the next a good one. The third shows slots that had to be cut to pass the shroud lines. This is just one of many errors in the plans. Obviously, if the tops were placed on the masts before noticing this, it would be a nightmare to fix.

 

Vince P.

post-579-0-05326300-1361595949_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-07914800-1361595951_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-15446000-1361595953_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too remember this build.  Looking forward to seeing the rest of it.  Beautiful work, Vince.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Working on the bowsprit. Tapered it down and finished it with a clear natural stain since the actual walnut color of the wood is perfect as is. I wrapped the wooldings with 1.0mm black cord. I used a self tightening wrap that does not need knots and comes out nice and even. The upright brackets for the spritsail top mast is also lashed in place.

post-579-0-57136200-1361650494_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-81062900-1361650495_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-52093300-1361650496_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-03587100-1361650498_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The lashings for the stays and rigging on the bowsprit. The rigging as detailed by the plans is very limited and does not represent the actual rigging that would appear on a ship of this type for the period. I used "The English Treatise of Rigging 1625" to come up with a more realistic rigging plan. From here on in, the rigging shown will represent what the treatise recommends and not the kit plans.

 

Vince P.

post-579-0-62862600-1361651006_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The gammoning for securing the bowsprit. The plans call for using 1.0mm cord for the main wraps, and 0.5mm for the cross wraps. The actual gammoning on ships was done with a single piece of rope. I used a single piece of 1.0mm black cord and wrapped it using the self tightening arrangement illustrated in a rigging book I bought on how to rig ships of this period.

 

Vince P.

post-579-0-49436100-1361651290_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-55371400-1361651291_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-32523400-1361651292_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Construction and adding the spritsail top mast to the bowsprit. There are 2 yards to add as well, but I will not add these until the foremast is in place and all of the stays and running rigging related to it are completed first.

One thing to note: The topmast has 2 lashings to the upright support bracket attached to the bowsprit. Only complete the lower lashing before placing the crowsnest because the opening in the tree will not fit over the top lashing. Once the crowsnest is in place and glued down, add the upper lashing. It is somewhat of a pain to do the lashing through the ribs of the crowsnest, but there really is no other way.

 

Vince P.

post-579-0-80086400-1361660194_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-99350100-1361660195_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-71074400-1361660196_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-71253500-1361660197_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-27000900-1361660199_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-35641800-1361660200_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beautiful work!

A real inspiration. The attention to detail is great.

 

It is a model I have looked at several times but always come up with some excuse not to tackle it - might have to take the plunge soon though.

Ricky

 

Current Builds

 

Titanic - Mantua

Victory - Mantua

 

Completed Builds

 

Norske Love - Billings

Bluenose      - Billings

Danmark      - Billings

Riva Aquarama - Scratch

Plus literally hundreds of others over a 55 year period

 

Planned

 

Neechiemose - scratch build of my 50 ft ketch in my avatar

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a couple words..... Nicely Done!!..........

Frank

completed build: Delta River Co. Riverboat     HMAT SUPPLY

                        

                         USRC "ALERT"

 

in progress: Red Dragon  (Chinese junk)

                      

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Starting on the foremast construction. As previously mentioned, I added ties and halliards to hoist and lower the lower yards. In order to attach the ties to the lower yards, the lines have to pass through a fair lead someplace just below the mast tops. Ships of the period had "cheeks" attaached to the tops of the lower mast section on each side and just below the trees. The ties passed through these cheeks and down to the yards from the front and to the halliards from the rear. I made some cheeks out of some scrap lumber and placed them in position.

 

Vince P.

post-579-0-55401800-1361734642.jpg

post-579-0-60510300-1361734664.jpg

post-579-0-37440200-1361734665.jpg

post-579-0-18483300-1361734666.jpg

post-579-0-71428800-1361734666.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rigging the upper shrouds, deadeys and lanyards. You can now see how tall this is. I am going to construct the entire masts and attach all of the yards, sails, and running rigging before setting the masts on the ship. It is much easier to get around to make all of the attachments and tie all of the knots without the ship in the way.

 

Vince P.

post-579-0-51950100-1361735250_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-74267900-1361735251_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-88122000-1361735252_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-12886000-1361735254_thumb.jpg

post-579-0-99218500-1361735254_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice job. I too have found that Mantua's research is very flawed and especially the rigging is very bad. I have this model and will be starting it after I finish their "Le Soliel Royal". The one I am doing seems to be a better kit and does not omit some of the things like lifeboats. I had problems with their fittings like you did. However, since I am not an artist or a machinist, I am very greatful that they make all the fittings and that we can purchase quality fitting from different suppliers. You comments on the insufficiencies of the kit will be very helpful. According to James Septon's book "Sovereign of the Seas", the kit is a good representation of the actual ship. What books are you using for building this?

Hi Gary,

I have several books, but rely on two mostly. "Anatomy of Nelson's ships" which has much info on English ships in general, and "The Rigging of Ships in the Days of the Spritsail Topmast, 1600-1720" by R.C. Anderson. This book has all you will ever need to rig a ship in the pewriod of the SOS. It even makes reference to the actual SOS itself. I am using this for the main references for making the rigging as complete and accurate as possible.

 

Vince P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I noticed that you have footrope and stirups. Footropes only came in use after 1640 and only on  the lower masts. for the topsail after 1680 and the rest after 1700. Flemish horses only on the main mast started in 1670.

Are these the Mantua Sails for this ship? Nice job of rigging them on the yards.

The rigging plans for Mantua contain so many errors. I am building the "Le Soleil Royal" and the rigging plans are wrong in so many areas. If you want to see my comments on the corrections I have made so far, it is on the shipofscale web site.

Hi Gary,

The sails are the kit I bought from Mantua. I am using the book by R. C. Anderson for the rigging. The SOS was built around 1637 and modified and redesigned several times after that. It mentions using footropes on the lower and top masts. There are some great websites with photos of completed models. I am taking some info from them as well.

 

Thanks,

Vince

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi guys, just a quick question from a newby, I can accept the fact that there were no footropes at points of time in history on these ships, so how did the sailors manage to take in / reef sails?. Must have been a bit dicey I would have thought

tony

Probably so. I guess that is why they added them later on. I certainly wouldn't go out on those yards, especially in heavy seas. :o

 

Vince P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vince, how did you bend the gun portholes on the 3 triple curved walls on the deck?  We tried it as it shows in the book by putting it in a vice and trying to tap it with a hammer.  Do you have any suggestions?

Joe

I actually tried to bend them too by hammering them. They are too thick. I finnaly just put them in without bending them at all and they look OK as is.

 

Vince P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fore topgallant sail set and rigged. As you can see, the amount of rigging lines going down to the deck is getting impressive and I have not even set the royal yet. It is a good thing I inceased the amount of belaying pins and cleets from what the kit recommended. There is no way there would have been enough and I may even get close anyway.

 

Vince

post-579-0-91746100-1362022703.jpg

post-579-0-13088400-1362022705.jpg

post-579-0-07137900-1362022706_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...