New Scantling book announced by Seawatch books

[Trussben]

I noticed today that Seawatch books have updated their upcoming books list for this year.

 

First available will be a book by Allan Yedlinsky of Eurayleas fame with scantling info which has been compiled from Steels, SR and the other establishments.

This should be an awesome bible for us model builders.

I will be ordering one of these the second it becomes available, to compliment my copy of Steels 1805 naval architecture.

 

Ben

[Jay 1]

You and me both, Ben! This looks like it'll be an invaluable reference--have put it on my must buy list!

 

Cheers,

Jay

[flying_dutchman2]

There is another book from Ab Hoving and Cor Emke, but it is not on the list. This will be for Summer or Fall. Similar boat as the Utrecht. Hoving & Emke are picking 10 or 15 of the many flat and round bottom boats in the Netherlands and writing a history and adding plans.

Just in time when I finish the Utrecht.

Marc

[allanyed]

Thanks for the cudos guys.  I sent a note to Bob at Seawatch last night as there is an error on the website.  The blurb states tables from the various sources, including the 1715 Establishment.  That should read the 1719 Establishment.  It has a table with the 1719, 1745 (and 1750 changes to the 1745) in one set of tables and the Shipbuilder's Repository and MOST of the Elements and Practices tables by Steel.  It does not have the merchant navy dimensions given in Steel but it does include separate tables with scantlings for boats and another for anchors.

Allan

[Trussben]

Hi Allan,

 

I emailed Bob and he said it should be on the website for sale and delivery next week.

Can't wait to get my hands on it, will really help me out on designing the Indy.

 

Ben

[allanyed]

Bob at Seawatch Publishing posted the news that the book of scantlings is now available to anyone interested.  The Seawatch website gives a good bit of detail but I thought it would be a good idea to let anyone interested  know a little bit about the book.

 

This is not a novel.  If you have trouble getting to sleep at night, it will work better than most drugs to fix that problem.  BUT, if you are a model builder, especially scratch builders and kit bashers, there is information all in one place that required a rather extensive and expensive library up until now.   Over 200 pages of the book are tables of British Naval ship scantlings and dimensions, including:

 

A.) 1719 and 1745 Establishments and the 1750 modifications to the 1745 Establishment. 

B.) 1788 Shipbuilder's Repository and Steel's Elements and Practices of Naval Architecture scantlings for ships from 110 guns down to 10 gun brigantine. Merchant vessel scantlings were not included because there just was not enough room.

C.) Boat scantlings from Steel

D.) Anchor scantlings from Steel

E.) Drawings showing many of the items listed in the scantlings.

 

I hope this will turn out to be a helpful source to many of you.

 

Allan

[Matrim]

Hi Allan,. I already have Steel so could you say what 'extra' stuff would make me need the book? I would like to buy but don't want to get what I already have so am looking for the value added..

 

Cheers,

 

Joss.

[allanyed]

Thank you Joss, your point is quite valid and well taken.

 

Steel was published in 1805.  The Shipbuilder's Repository was published in 1788.  The Establishments are as noted, 1719 1745 and 1750.  This covers nearly 100 years of shipbuilding versus a more narrow time frame with Steel alone.  I will post the first folios of each later today so you can see the differences for at least some of the principal dimensions.   The dimensional differences carry through the entire sets of tables.  They are often close, sometimes, the same, but there are definitely differences throughout.

 

Thanks again for bringing this up, I appreciate the comment.

Allan

[allanyed]

Joss,

 

Further to my last post, keep in mind that Steel has a lot of sizes/rates in his tables, but it does not include some sizes found in the other tables. For example he does not have any information on 100, 90, or 60 gun ships.   It all comes down to the size and year of the ship you want to model.  I use Steel a lot, but the next model I am contemplating building will be from much earlier  in the 18th century, so Steel will be of very little help, if any.

 

Allan

[Trussben]

Got my copy on order Allan,

 

I will be using it to back up my copy of Steel, as you say there are some things that are not there but exist in SR.

 

I assume it will be layed out like Steel did, not all haphazard like SR??

 

ben

[Matrim]

Thanks for the update, sounds enough to keep on the 'to buy' list even with Steel..

[allanyed]

Ben,

 Yep, for the SR and Steel tables, I used Steel as the default because the scantlings follow the order of construction to great extent whereas SR, well, not so much. Added to the challenge and a lot of time to "coordinate" them.

 

Thanks Joss, I hope you will find it to be useful.

 

Allan

[allanyed]

The attached is Folio 1 from the Steel and SR tables.  Note that the SR does not have the 80 gun ship.  The anonymous author had some rather disparaging remarks about the sailing qualities of the 80 gun ships and purposely left the dimensions out.  Why the 50 gun was not included, I have no idea.

 

 

Allan

Sample 1.pdf

[Jay 1]

Just received my copy today, and it is a pleasure to work with; esp. in comparison to the SBR tables! The size in comparison to Steel is also very convenient (I have the Sim Comfort edition), though one needs to place Alan's work on a stiff, flat surface for easier use--it's an ~14"-long soft cover. I also like the drawings in the back of the book: They make for quick access and reference. Further, the font and fractional notation, which is very nice, and as mentioned by Alan, are very friendly on middle-age eyes! Haven't fully dived into the work yet, but my 1st impressions are very positive.

 

Thank you for this fine work, Alan--it's a treat having all this data in one edition! Well done, sir!

 

Cheers,

Jay

Edited June 19, 2014 by JMaitri

[BANYAN]

Just ordered my copy and looking forward to getting it in my hands.

 

Great effort in compiling this Allan, it will be much easier to use and more comprehensive than your source materials.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[allanyed]

Thanks Jay and Pat.

 

I am sorry I was not the only one having trouble with the font size in Steel.  I am glad to know that increasing the size is a help to at least one  more set of eyes out there.

 

I agree that a flat surface like a desk or bench is easier for using the book.  Hard cover costs would have doubled the cost of the book and we really wanted this to be affordable.  The binding used though does make the left and right page of each folio align better than Steel or the Repository.

 

Allan

[Trussben]

Received my copy, an excellent reference Allan and very well laid out.

 

Ben

[Trussben]

Did you consider adding a glossary of terms or would it of added to much to the cost?

I can see some people still needing to know what the table terms actually mean.

I see the diagrams in the back show some of this info.

 

Ben

[Don9of11]

Did you consider adding a glossary of terms or would it of added to much to the cost?

I can see some people still needing to know what the table terms actually mean.

I see the diagrams in the back show some of this info.

 

Ben

Ben, I found a good resource for ship terms, there is a book which is a free download from Google called "A compendium of Naval Architecture, arranged in Questions and Answers" by Robert Brindley. It was published around 1832.

[allanyed]

Ben,

A glossary is a good idea.   I should have thought about this a bit more and maybe could have squeezed one in, but we were right on the edge for the number of pages to get a low cost book.  I hope the drawings will answer a lot of the questions though.   Worse comes to worst, if there is a term that needs an explanation, please post it and I am sure it will be answered quickly by some member if I don't respond.

 

Great find Don, thanks for posting it.

 

Allan

[Trussben]

Hi Allan,

 

Don't worry about me, I can look up the terms I need to know in Steel, just wondered.

 

Ben

[allanyed]

I received an email that made some very nice comments and noted that I gave credit in the book to several people whose help was critical in getting the book as close to right as possible.  I would like to give them the credit due them here as well.   They all provided information that was of immense help.  David Antscherl, Gary Bishop, Richard Endsor, and Wayne Kempson all had a strong hand in helping me get it done for which I am immensely grateful.

 

Allan

[BANYAN]

I got mine a couple of days ago; a vast improvement on trying to read Steel etc - Well done Allan (and those who helped).  This will make a very useful addition to the library.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[allanyed]

Thank you Pat, your comment is very much appreciated. 

 

One more BIG thank you is to Bob Friedman of Seawatch Books.  Getting this book in print was loaded with visits from Murphy, but he made sure it got done when others would have said stop, it is not worth the grief or costs. 

 

Allan

[garyshipwright]

Allan all I can say is thank you,   the book is outstanding and a very good addition to ones library and as other's have said is a lot easier to read then Steel and SR. The cost of them compared to your new book is a steal and should come in handy to researches and builders of ships. Thank you for this and with out folks like your self, my library would be a lot smaller.

Gary 

Edited July 27, 2014 by garyshipwright

[robcg]

Hi Alan,

 

I just received my copy of your scantlings book, and wanted to let you know how pleased I am with it.  It’s certainly a lot of data crammed very efficiently into a small number of pages!  I see, from the previous posts to this thread, that you’ve offered to provide some further explanations or definitions for anything contained in your tables that might not be clear.  I thought I’d take you up on that, and I’ve got a few questions regarding the 1719 Establishment that I’d love to hear your opinion on.  To start with:

 

In folio 4, line O, the specification lists a measurement for the stem “Below the hance" I understand a hance to be a sudden discontinuity in a smooth line, but I’m not sure what the hance on a stem might be.  To what part of the stem should this scantling apply?

 

Any detail on this from you (or anyone else) would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Rob

[trippwj]

I have submitted a review of Allan's book to the MSB Journal - should be coming out in the August edition.  See below -

 

Scantlings of The Royal Navy 1719-1805:  Comparisons of 1719, 1745 Establishments, Ship Builders Repository and Steel’s Elements and Practice by Allan Yedlinsky, Published by SeaWatchBooks, LLC. 2014.

 

ISBN-13: 978-0-9837532-9-2

 

From the publisher:

 

14”x8 ½”, semi concealed, lay flat Wiro binding, heavy paper cover, 271 pages, one color.

 

This specially formatted book (14”x8 ½”) is divided into 2 sections. The first shows all of the scantlings from the 1719, 1745 and 1750 amended figures in an easy to use spread sheet format.

 

The second section compares Steel and Ship Builders Repository in the same format. Additionally, the author provides notes and comments for each section.  The work is presented in a lay flat binding so that when opened, 28” of information is in front of the reader.

 

In the preface to the 1755 edition of Sutherland’s Ship-Builder’s Assistant, the anonymous editor offers the following:

 

The advantages flowing from Shipping, are so great and conspicuous, especially to the Inhabitants of these Kingdoms, that it would be superflouous to advance Argument in Favour of the Art of SHIP-BUILDING, or MARINE ARCHITECTURE, and therefore whatever has the least tendency to its Advancement, certainly merits Encouragement.  It should also be remembered that every Improvement made in an Art of such Importance to Society, adds a farther Security to the Power, Strength, and Interest of these Kingdoms.

 

Allan Yedlinsky provides the model ship builder, as well as the naval historian, with a valuable contribution to the art in his Scantlings of The Royal Navy 1719-1805.  The builder of a model ship, not unlike the builder of the full size ancestor, requires a great deal of information to build a model which accurately represents the desired vessel.  While the basic dimensions of length, beam and number of guns is important, these alone fail to provide sufficient information to describe the intricacies of the vessel.  To fully describe the desired result necessitates the use of a 3 dimensional description of not just the summary dimensions, but the sizes (or scantlings) for a myriad of smaller bits and pieces.

 

In Scantlings, Yedlinsky brings together the detailed information from the primary sources of the era used to guide the building of His Majesty’s ships of war during the 18^th and early 19^th centuries.  While other books have been published on the topic (such as Goodwin’s The construction and fitting of the English man of war, 1650-1850), none have to date pulled the detailed scantlings together in one easy to use set of tables.  In Scantlings, we have for the first time all of the gritty details from the early Establishments, which were intended to standardize the construction of British war ships (actually, with humble apologies to Captain Barbossa, in practice they became “…more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules.”)  The detailed tables of scantlings are both extensive and legible, set in a spacing and font which is easy to see without visual aids.  The inclusion of the un-official (but more generally known) information from the Shipbuilders Respository and Steel’s Elements and Practice of Naval Architecture serve to extend the period covered through the Napoleonic wars and nearly to the advent of steam.

 

No endeavor this ambitious could be expected to include every potential source of information.  Yedlinsky has selected a set of valuable reference documents that are not only comprehensive in their own right, but perhaps more important, when consolidated in such a manner they offer an interesting insight into 100 years of evolution in shipbuilding.  When used with care, heeding the advice offered by Yedlinsky, these scantlings can aid the model maker in filling in the gaps between plans, paintings, logs and other contemporary sources to build an historically accurate model.

 

As noted in the preface from Sutherland ,

 It should also be remembered that every Improvement made in an Art of such Importance to Society, adds a farther Security to the Power, Strength, and Interest of these Kingdoms.

 

Yedlinsky has quite effectively consolidated some of the most important information concerning the improvement in the art of shipbuilding into this very useful volume.  Whether a novice or a journeyman, if you are intending to build a British man-of-war from the 1700’s into the early 1800’s, this volume deserves a place on your bookshelf, along with your other most frequently used reference books.

[allanyed]

Rob,

 

I am very happy that you like the book, I appreciate you taking time to post that.  As to Q&A, I am always in the learning mode as well.

I must admit I have no sure answer for you.  The 1719 Establishment had a line that this dimension was the same bigness as the keel amidships.  I merely copied the same dimensions from the appropriate line of dimensions.   Unfortunately, as I was transcribing, I did not look at what many items actually are, but now I want to know as well.  I have attached what MAY be the answer.  I hope some of the more learned members kick in their two cents be my answer right or wrong, more likely the latter.

 

Allan

 

 

[allanyed]

Wayne,

 

You like the book more than I do!! 

 

I cannot thank you enough for the review, you absolutely made my day, week, month, more.....

 

If it helps the modeling community one tenth as much as you indicate it might I will be a happy man.

 

Allan

[druxey]

Rob: The stem was usually straight sided to just below the lower cheek, then hanced in to the lesser dimension.