HMS Perseus by Thukydides - 1:64 - POB - Sphinx Class 6th Rate

[druxey]

Yes, Caruana was a principal source.

[Thukydides]

I am currently working on the bollard timbers / knight head and I have run into some confusion. I am hoping that someone has some insight to share

 

Many of the fully framed models I see on this site have the bollard timbers jut out just below the top of the stem so that the planking ends at the side of the timbers instead of in the rabet of the stem. For example see the below explanation from Chuck’s Winchelsea plans, but this process is replicated on others such as @druxey’s swan class practicum and the HMS Naiad by Ed Tosti.

https://syrenshipmodelcompany.com/resources/Chapterone (1).pdf

 

I would normally not question the methods of these very skilled individuals, but when I look at the plans for Perseus and the other sphinx class the knight head seems a bit thin and I see little evidence for this extension. For example:

1. The framing plan for sphinx seen here does not appear to show a hard extension. If the bollard timbers are proud of the planking, it appears to be a gradual transition.
2. The as built plans for sphinx ships (many could be found, but here is one example) are similarly unclear, but some appear to show the planking line continuing all the way up to the top of the bulwarks.
3. The planking expansion for sphinx does show a gap at the bow (see here), but it is much too high. The top of the stem is roughly level with the top of the foremost port. As you can see in the expansion the gap does not start until two strakes higher than that. This suggests to me that this gap is only there to allow the top of the knight head to stand free.
4. The AOTS Pandora book depicts pandora with planks over the bollard timbers. Now I don’t normally consider this book reliable (I have already found too many innacuracies), but I am wondering if their assumption in this regard came from somewhere.
5. Alex M’s excellent sphinx model appears to plank over the bollard timbers.

So in conclusion I am wondering if the practice of having the bollard timbers standing proud of the planking and having the planking end against them was a universal practice or if it depended on the ship. Is this just somthing that they didn’t bother to depict on the plans because it was always done and there was no need to show it. Are there some examples (particularly contemporary ones) that you know of where the planking went over the timbers?

Edited January 10 by Thukydides

[druxey]

Good questions. I think you need to do your own research. Look online in the RMG site. Check not only the plans, but contemporary model photos as well. An example:

 

https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-66464

 

Blow up this image. Although lo-res, you can see that the fore face of the bollard timber projects forward of the hawse timbers, above the line of planking - in this case.

[Thukydides]

1 hour ago, druxey said:

Good questions. I think you need to do your own research.

Ok thanks, I will have to some more digging.

 

Like everything it seems like things are always more complicated than seen at first glance.

[druxey]

Yup, they always are! But digging out information is like a treasure hunt - and the thrill of discovery.

[Thukydides]

I thought I would give another minor update as I am still trying to decide what exactly to do with the bollard timbers. Below you can see my previous attempt (which has been consigned to the bin while I try to make a better more historically accurate set. I am finding myself vassilating between options, but I need to bight the bullet and just make a decision.

I also received a shipment of wood strips today from @Wahka_est at hobbymill.eu to enable me to do the outer planking. The wood looks lovely and he also sent me some samples of black hornbeam which I really liked the look of. It won’t work for what I have planned with Perseus, but I am thinking future projects I just may decide to use it for the black parts.

 

 

[druxey]

The cross-chock joints with the bollard timbers are tricky, as the dovetails have to be at the same angle as the steeve of the bowsprit. Good luck with it!

 

Once you try to bend black hornbeam, can you let us know how easy or difficult it is to bend, please? Thanks!

[AON]

42 minutes ago, Thukydides said:

I am finding myself vassilating between options, but I need to bight the bullet and just make a decision.

 

Been there.

Still doing that.