Yenikapi12 by woodrat - FINISHED - 1/16 scale - a small Byzantine merchant vessel of the 9th century

[Schrader]

On 7/19/2020 at 2:27 AM, woodrat said:

Thanks, Steven.

Some progress on the vessel. The framing is compleat. I have deliberately made the framing a little rough to match the roughly adzed appearance of the original. I think it would look odd if smoothly machined frames were depicted.

The mast-step.The larger slot is for the mast and the smaller slot is for a supporting stanchion for the forward sloping mast.

The mast-step timber is keyed into the frames.

The first and third wales are in place

 

Cheers

Dick

Now we are talking!!!!!    Really good decision.  We all have been to the same “process”. 

 

Good job

[BANYAN]

Still grappling with the research for Victoria Dick, but the 'hint' is noted

 

cheers

 

Pat

[woodrat]

I was being a little naughty about the hulc, Pat, but, now that I have thought about it , it's not that bad an idea. I might give it a go soon.

 

I have now planked down to the first wale and will start on the flat bottom. Should be easy till I get to the trun of the bilgeawaiting a stealer

 

 

 

 

Cheers

Dick

[Louie da fly]

What can I say? As usual, superb work, Dick. Beautifully precise work on those exposed deck-beams, too.

Pat, Dick's been very naughty. The hulc has probably had more controversy over its form, shape, construction, than any other vessel. But constructing a model of one per the current academic theory - that it had no stempost or sternpost and that the planks were in "reverse clinker" (overlapped upwards) would be interesting.

[Binho]

Love your builds Dick, you always pick such interesting ships! Looking great so far

[BANYAN]

21 hours ago, Louie da fly said:

Pat, Dick's been very naughty. The hulc has probably had more controversy over its form, shape, construction, than any other vessel. But constructing a model of one per the current academic theory - that it had no stempost or sternpost and that the planks were in "reverse clinker" (overlapped upwards) would be interesting.

Continuing to enjoy your build Dick, and the temptation remains - I just have to be realistic about it.  I still have the Victoria to finish (just experienced a major set-back in researching her spars, finish a restoration.....) - well I am sure you know the story  

 

Steven - what can I say - naughty, naughty  Dick,  have you no shame?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[vaddoc]

Very nice Dick. I only just realised it has a flat bottom. This is a bit unexpected, the Mediterranean sea and especially the Aegean sea can be difficult, I did not know they were using this design back then.

[woodrat]

Thanks Vaddoc, Binho and Steven. The consensus from the turkish archaeologists seems to be that it is likely to have been built in the Black Sea region. They also believe that the flat bottom was built first then frames added to the bottom. From this point the build proceeded as for skeleton construction.

Dick

[Louie da fly]

Yes, this seems to have been a common design - the Serce Limani wreck and other Yenikapi wrecks have the same flat bottom and sharp change at the bilge line.

 

The ones I've looked at (admittedly galleys, as this is what I was interested in) have alternating frames - every second frame (though the builders weren't all that consistent about their spacing) crosses from bilge to bilge. Every other frame is a pair that runs from keel to gunwale on each side. Together these two frame types provide good structural integrity. However, it looks like Yenikapi 12 was constructed differently.

[woodrat]

An interesting study by Helfmann et al. [May 2019 Journal of Maritime Archaeology 14(31)]

on mediaeval hulls looking at von Mises stress analysis of different hull types found:

"The FEA results from this study demonstrated that three critical interdependent factors determined the relative

strengths of shell-first and frame-based techniques: the number of transverse frames, the

number of longitudinal reinforcements, and their relative locations."

 

In particular they found that shell-first hulls were greatly stiffer than frame-first hulls UNTIL longitudinal stringers were added. The ninth century was a transitional time from shell-first to frame-first and the Yenikapi 12 showed evidence of both techniques. Longitudinal stringers were used.

Dick

[Louie da fly]

23 minutes ago, woodrat said:

In particular they found that shell-first hulls were greatly stiffer than frame-first hulls UNTIL longitudinal stringers were added.

 

Very interesting conclusion. Perhaps because in frame-first construction the strakes were fixed to the frames, whereas in shell-first they were fixed to each other?

[woodrat]

The planking is now complete. After sanding I will work on the internal stringers, internal bulkheads and bitts. The gunwales come last.

 

 

 

 

 

 Cheers

Dick

[Louie da fly]

Beautiful work as usual, Dick. 

 

Good to see work on this hasn't been snarked by the incredible hulc.

[Jim Lad]

For some reason I've only just came across your log, Dick.  A lovely build f a very interesting vessel.

 

John

[woodrat]

Thanks, John and Steven.

 

Post sanding and oiling. These vessels were coated in bitumen but I thought that would not display well.

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

Dick

[Louie da fly]

2 hours ago, woodrat said:

These vessels were coated in bitumen but I thought that would not display well.

I agree wholeheartedly, Dick. It would be a shame to obscure that beautiful planking, and a black hull wouldn't show that elegant shape off anywhere near as well. 

[BANYAN]

Dick, when I was building my Endeavour I tried using under car bitumen coating on the lower hull.  It went on well and dried to a nice even coating looking very much like a coating of 'brown stuff' - BUT, that was in winter , then along came summer, and while not making the bitumen slump, it got very tacky.  So, off it came - but the surprise was that were the tar in the coating had penetrated the gaps, cracks etc in the lower hull planking, it left a very nice effect that showed a distinct darker shade under and above the waterline.

 

Just saying - maybe a light wash that just darkens it while retaining the definition of your planking etc?  That hull is looking very good and as Steven says, it would be a pity to cover it.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[woodrat]

On 9/22/2020 at 7:03 AM, BANYAN said:

maybe a light wash that just darkens it while retaining the definition of your planking etc? 

Thanks, Banyan, I think I will just let the wood seak for itself. I have an aversion to stains and paint except under special circumstances.

 

Here is the hull with gunwales fitted and pinned with dowels. The centre plank is jarrah and different to the other planks on the gunwale. I ran out of wood. But it does show up the sigmoid horizontal scarf.

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

Dick

[PhilB]

Looking great! I'm jealous of this wonderfully planked and framed hull. Will the frame still be visible once the ship gets a deck?

[woodrat]

32 minutes ago, PhilB said:

Looking great! I'm jealous of this wonderfully planked and framed hull. Will the frame still be visible once the ship gets a deck?

Unfortunately, once the ceiling planks, decks and half-decks are installed, very little of the frames will be visible. Can't be helped. I am debating whether to fill the hold with amphorae which were found in situ at the excavation.

Cheers

Dick

[Louie da fly]

It seems a bit of a shame to do all that work for something so beautiful, that won't be seen when you're finished. The sigmoid scarphs (wonderful term) are very attractive, both on the "gunwale" (guns haven't been invented yet) and the planking.

[woodrat]

 

Cheers 🍷

Dick

[BANYAN]

Geeez, life is tough in the west, spare a thought for us 'pariahs' in Victoria still in lockdown     Great idea for the bread boat though.

 

Seriously though Dick, that hull is very well constructed, looks great!

 

cheers

 

Pat

[woodrat]

3 hours ago, BANYAN said:

Geeez, life is tough in the west, spare a thought for us 'pariahs' in Victoria still in lockdown     Great idea for the bread boat though.

 

 

 

cheers

 

Pat

Our hearts bleed with empathy oozing from our every pore at the thoughts of our southern brothers and sisters in thrall to Covid. The least we can do is have some more dip and another sip of wine. 😢

The Port Admiral did not want to release the bread-boat back to the boatbuilders, however, and tried to claim it as a gift. After a brief mutiny, It has returned to the shed for decking and rigging.

Dick

[mtaylor]

Surprise her, make another one just for her.   The effort will be worth the points you get.

[Louie da fly]

I'm shocked - shocked - at such a wanton mis-use of such a brilliant model. You should be ashamed of yourself, sir!  (emoji added to indicate irony).

 

P.S. How do you get all the crumbs out?

[Jim Lad]

Never mind how you got the crumbs out; how on earth did you get it back from the Admiral?

 

John

[woodrat]

I got the crumbs out by turning upside down and hitting it with a wooden mallet. I am worried that the hulc model may turn out to be a bread-barge in disguise after all. So the Port Admiral may still win.

Dick

[Binho]

Haha, great looking bread-basket for sure!

[woodrat]

The ceiling planks are fitted but I left one side off in the cargo section to show the frames. The planks are clearly reused planks and rough as they would be regularly replaced with whatever was lying around the boatyard.

 

 

This shows the removable bulheads in slotted boards. These are up against through beams to prevent amphorae shifting into the crew area.

 

Cheerio

Dick

Edited November 26, 2020 by woodrat