Cala Esmeralda by SiriusVoyager - OcCre - 1:58 - building as the Santa Eulalia

[SiriusVoyager]

 

I purchased this kit a while ago because it was on clearance knowing nothing about it.  It turns out the kit had been discontinued.  The only reference to it on the Occre website are the instructions that are available to download.  I am excited about this build because this will be my first ship (my previous models have been smaller boats and a cross section)  and also because it will be a model of a specific vessel.  

 

 

Upon doing some research into the vessel I discovered that there is no Cala Esmeralda.  I did find however, that the kit was very heavily inspired by the ship currently named Santa Eulalia, which is a working vessel at the Barcelona Maritime Museum. I am not sure why the kit has been slightly changed and renamed.  Maybe royalties or copyright?  In any event, the Barcelona Maritime museum has a very nice 245 page booklet available for Download on this page.  The history of the vessel is quite interesting, having undergone numerous name changes and configurations since its launch in 1919 as the Carmen Flores. 

 

 

Originally launched as a three mast schooner, primarily to carry cargo, in the 1920's it was converted to a two mast schooner and an engine was added.

It was later converted into an underwater construction vessel with no sails and renamed the Sayremar Uno.  It was almost unrecognizable as the same vessel. 

 

 

In 1997 the vessel was purchased by the Barcelona Maritime Museum with the intention of restoring it to its original from at launch with the exception of modern safety and practicality features necessary for an active ship. 5 years later the ship was restored, renamed and had its maiden voyage as the Santa Eulalia.

 

 

More information about the history can be found in the link above.  All photos (except for my photo of the Occre box) are credited to the Barcelona Maritime Museum booklet available for free to download also from the link above.

 

As far as the build goes, there are definitely some differences between the model and the actual ship.  One of the most notable (though not readily visible from the box) is that the Occre kit is shown with two square topsails on the forward mast.  There is no indication that I can see that the actual vessel ever had square sails.  The kit has gaff topsails on each mast, but no staysails.  The line line drawings for the Santa Eulalia show both gaff topsails and staysails, however I cannot find an image of her with anything but the main sails being flown.  I suspect this is to simplify the operation of a ship crewed by museum staff and volunteers.  Obviously I will not add the square sales, but I will have to decide how I want to go about with the other topsails. 

 

 

One other thing of note that I found is that the scale isn't quite right.  The kit says that it is a 1:58 scale.  I have found that it is closer to a 1:50 scale with the actual vessel. Other difference will be noted at the time of the build, but I can already tell that the chains and deadeyes will be slightly different and the painting of the ship is clearly different.  My next step will be to do an inventory of the kit.