Dutch Fluytschip AD 1636 - 1:72 by - Kolderstok

[rcweir]

This is a new kit from the Dutch company Kolderstok, and it's a significant addition to their growing line of 17th century Dutch ship models.  I'm certainly thrilled to have my kit since I've been wanting to build a fluyt since 1970.

Fluyts were cargo ships; designed to be cheap to purchase and cheap to operate.  And, for the whole 17th century and beyond, they were very successful at it.  The best modern references I know of to learn more are two companion publications from Seawatch Books: 17th century Dutch Merchant Ships, and 17th century Dutch Merchant Ships Plans Set for modelers, both by A.J. Hoving, C. A. Emke, et al.  And there's my original source, The Great Age of Sail, Joseph Jobe, ed.

 

The Kolderstok kit gives its ship's date as 1636, which suits me well.  There is not much information in the kit's introductory writeup to say how the details were arrived at, though any involvement by Ab Hoving gives me confidence that it's on good foundations.    It says:

 

Quote

This building kit of the flute ship is partly due to the work of Ab Hoving and Rene Hendrickx.  Hoving has elaborated the 17th century specifications of a flute ship written by Nicolaes Witsen into usable documents, and Hendrickx has made this into a computer model using the Delftship programme.

There is an active build log of a late prototype kit on a Dutch forum at https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/threads/het-fluitschip-uit-de-gouden-eeuw-hans-groenenberg.278397/. The builder there, Hans, is obviously in close contact with Hans van Nieuwkoop of Kolderstok.  I expect that log to be enormously valuable (with the help of Google's transations) when I start on my own build.

 

The kit has parts and instructions to construct either a lumber carrier or a whaler, though in the latter case you might want more boats (6-8 according to Hans) and of a different design than the two in the kit.  I intend mine to build mine for lumber (I was trained as a forester many years ago) so the kit-supplied boats are going to be fine.

 

The kit currently lists for 369 euros at https://kolderstok.com/en/products/fluytschip.  There is a paint set available at 19 euros, which I also got.   It comes with a full set of sails, but you have to stitch them yourself, which is a stopper for me. The kit includes flags, too, plus Kolderstok offers the possibility of printing a flag of your own design (prices aren't quoted for that service).

 

There are a few nice resin castings for the transom including three choices for the central carving.

Below are photos of just about everything that came in the box.  It was very well packed and all the materials seem to be of high quality.   I'm certain that I will upgrade the blocks that I use; the kit blocks are typical but I can't settle for them now that I've seen what can be gotten from, for example, Syren.    And I hope to include sails in my build but, since I cannot sew, I'll probably make mine of silkspan (if I can).  I like the 1:72 scale of the kit; it will be a nice size to work on at my bench and won't require adding a new room to the house when I'm done.

 

The terrifying part of this kit, of course, will be planking the hull.   To try and make this easier the planking starts upside down, from the keel, with the frames inserted into MDF forms.   Most, if not all, of the hull planks are pre-spiled on laser cut sheets.   Once the lower hull is complete the MDF is all removed, so the modeler could choose to outfit the lower decks.   I haven't fully absorbed how the planking is going to go for me but I'm game to try it.   

 

The blocks, deadeyes, etc. come in a nice plastic box.

And here's the paint set for the fluyt (an extra I added):

Next are some photos from the manual, parts list, etc.

 

There are two large one-sided plan sheets and 8 more smaller sheets, printed double-sided.  The quality of the plans looks quite good to me.  They're sharp and attractive and on nice heavy paper.  I'd probably prefer that all sheets were one-sided, but when I actually get to doing the work I may find that these are just fine as they are.  In the photos below the two big sheets are at the end.

 

 

There are three sheets of sails with good instructions on how to deal with them.  

 

 

Finally are pictures of the spars and all the laser-cut sheets.  The two sheets of MDF frames are at the top, followed by the laser-cut oak sheets which includes keel, stem, frames, etc.  

 

 

Below are the laser-cut basswood planks.

The last four small laser-cut sheets are for the two boats, the tops, and some deck furniture.  

There's strip wood of various species.  The walnut looks to me like black walnut (one of my favorite woods), and the cherry has a nice color, too.   What the heck "abachi" is, I don't know, but I'm sure I will learn in the fullness of time.

And that's it.   I expect that it will be a difficult build for me and I have some learning to do before I start.  But Hans is very responsive, the manual is clearly written and well illustrated, and the online build I mentioned at the beginning has very good photos.

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2023 by rcweir
I seem to have made unintended attachments. So I've tried to clean up.

[OllieS]

Interesting and detailed useful review.

[markjay]

Nice review, enjoy the biild.

Edited January 15, 2023 by markjay

[mtaylor]

Great review. I thought abachi was another name from basswod... but nope... here's from a Google hit:   Abachi is a timber of Triplochiton scleroxylon - a tropical tree of Africa. Abachi grows throughout West and Central Africa in a zone from Guinea east to the Central African Republic, and south to Gabon and the Congo. It is known in Nigeria as obeche, in Ghana as wawa, in Cameroon as ayous, and in Ivory Coast as samba.Oct 31, 2016

[BobG]

Nice review, Bob! I look forward to seeing your build log.