Venetian Polacre by Cristiano - FINISHED - XVIII century

[cog]

slowly but surely. looking good Cristiano!!!

[Cristiano]

Thank you Carl!

A wooden ship model needs ABSOLUTELY to be made only when you are in the right mood, otherwise the results are not good...

[Cristiano]

I (slowly) continued with the cannons rigging making and installation.

I decide that I cannot proceed further on the masts and sails if I don't finish first the "cannon chapter".

I installed other four (!!!!! !!!!) cannons.

Only two remains...

As it can be seen in another photo, for installing each cannon the model must be laterally strongly tilted, otherwise I cannot attach the blocks to the bulwark.

So the mast and sail cannot be placed at the moment.

During this week I think that I will prepare the last cannons.

In the meanwhile I started to prepare the service boat.

The old one was plastic made.

Since I have not enough patience for making a new one, I will modify heavily the old one.

I scrapped everything and I leaved it naked.

I covered the external hull with thin walnut strips, arranged to simulate a clinker construction.

Internally I glued thin strips of cardboard, which simulate the internal frame.

Later I will add the decks and all the accessories.

The service boat will be painted white.

It is not so smart, but when it will be finished the largest part of the errors will be hidden.

[cog]

Lovely boat, keep it it up just two left ... I know you can do it, I know you will do it

[Cristiano]

Thank you Carl!

I think I succeded on comunicate my frustration to you regarding the cannons installation...

 

One additonal problem that is present is that due to the limitated thickness of the bulwark, I cannot make deep holes for the installation of the block's nails of the cannons.

So the holes cannot sustain the blocks.

The blocks installation is made only with cyanoacrilate (because has a fast effect) and the simultaneous use of both the hands.

Probably there are better ways to install them.... but now is too late! 

[Angarfather]

Hello Cristiano,

 

I had a most interesting skroll through your build log. Marveless!!

 

 

best regards. Hartmut

[Cristiano]

Thank you Hartmut,

I think that both are attracted by "alternative" type of ships, since a pinco and a polacre are not so diffused in this forum...

[Angarfather]

Well, Cristiano,

 

I am thinking about the next project. There are two favourites: a statenjacht or a xebec. I am searching for a good plan of xebec.

 

Regards Hartmut

[Cristiano]

There are two favourites: a statenjacht or a xebec. I am searching for a good plan of xebec.

 

 

 

Regarding the statenjacht, you can explore the plans made by Chapman, where various complete plans ships like the statenjacht are drawn.

Various ship kit manufacturers have taken "inspiration" from these drawings.

Below were you can download directly them (the museum that owns them):

http://www.sjohistoriska.se/en/Collections/Archives/ChapmanNet/ChapmanNet/Drawings/

 

to complete them, eventually you can find in internet the sail plans of the "De Utrecht", or buy the plans of the Corel "Leida".

 

Regarding the xebec, there is no doubt that the best drawings available on market are the ones made by Ancre and related to the "Le Requin" which was a French xebec of around 1750.

they are sold jointed with the book, but are extremely expensive:

http://ancre.fr/en/monographies-en/18-monographie-du-requin-chebec-1750-.html

 

Since exist a good detailed ancient model of "Le Requin", the drawings are very accurate.

 

As an alternative, there are available original plans of spanish and venetians xebec, but must be completed with the rigging and sail plan.

to complete them, you can buy the Amati plans of their xebec, which are rather good.

 

If you want to see the above mentioned spanish and venetian plans, let me know and I will answer by PM.

But beware, since are original, the visual informations provided must be completed.

Probably if you ask that in the chapter of the forum dedicated to kit discussion, you will be submerged by a lot of interesting answers!!

Edited February 22, 2015 by Cristiano

[Cristiano]

Great!

The "cannons chapter" is finished! :cheers:

Well, I have not yet installed the last two gunports, but that not a problem.

As can be seen in the photos, I am proceeding with the service boat, but it is not yet finished.

 

The key step of this weekend has been the installation of the big lateen sail of the foremast.

The rigging is not yet completed, but the main cables have been connected.

Finally, I started to install the cleats on the main mast.

 

Edited February 22, 2015 by Cristiano

[cog]

The service boat looks finished! The details your build shows are marvelous Cristiano. You will be thrilled your guns load has been dealt with

[Cristiano]

Thank you Carl!

the service boat need still all its accessories, like six oars, the related oarlocks, a coil of rope (always useful ), the rudder... eventually a small barrel of water and a small sail with its own mast.

the last two accessories I have not yet decided if adding them or not.

You should consider that the service boat is 11 cm long, so the scale is big and it became "mandatory" to fill it with accessories...

Before blocking it to their support with the ropes, I need to add all the accessories.

But now I must take care of the big lateen sail's rigging...

[Cristiano]

This weekend has been focused on completing some accessories leaved behind.

First of all, since I completed the cannons installation, now I can install the cabin's door.

-I prepared it with walnut strips and completed it with copper sheet properly modified and painted, a can be seen in the photos.

-Then I installed the belaying pins support for the ones that are needed for the main mast.

-I installed permanently the main mast.

-I prepared the mizzen mast, which now need a bit of holes and rings before installing it.

In the meanwhile I am attaching all the blocks and the sails to the yards of the main mast.

that must be done now, since I must "study" the effect of the sails on the mast, for evaluating the correct installation's height.

So, apparently...many small news!

[cog]

Cristiano,

 

A lot of small items is more fun to read about then one big item. So keep them coming!!

[Cristiano]

A lot of small items is more fun to read about then one big item. So keep them coming!!

 

 

Thank you Carl!

I kept some small items for the future steps...just like like a squirrel that keeps aside the nuts for the winter!

 

The "main mast standing rigging chapter" is approaching and it will be another boring step, so some small "accessories" will be made during that chapter...

Next days will be dedicated on preparing the three yards of the main mast.

[Cristiano]

I completed to prepare the main mast sails and related yards.

It was mandatory to do that now, since otherwise I cannot evaluate where to place them in terms of height.

Since the polacre main mast is a single piece mast, there are no reference points for placing the standing rigging.

So the reference became the position of the three sails.

as can be seen in the photo, I placed them temporary with clamps.

Now I know which is the main mast point where the shrouds should logically terminate.

 

Life is more complicated if you build a polacre....

 

In other photos can be seen the three sails of the main mast.

Note that their shape is not completely correct.

the main topsail is of wrong shape (too short) if compared with the ones of the paintings that I showed in the past.

But well, it's too late...

They resemble  a bit the sails of the French chebec/polacre Le Singe.

Now I will start with the main mast shrouds and related deadeyes.

Another boring step....

[cog]

Very nice work Cristiano

 

 

Life is more complicated if you build a polacre....

But it makes it worth while living ... when I look at your build

[Cristiano]

Thank you Carl!

Always nice comments!

[cog]

Cristiano,

 

It's a lovely ship and equal build ...

[Cristiano]

I always wondered how can be possibile making "extraordinary maintenance" in the higher part of the main mast in such polacre, since the shrouds arrives only just to half of the mast.

 

Well, the answer came out just checking better the various imges that I found in the past.

As can be seen in this photo from the Musee de la Marine of Paris, in this "La Singe" model there is a rope ladder that arrives stright up to the blocks that sustain the main topsail.

Red arrows indicate that ladder.

Luckily I found the same rope ladder in the painting of the "Beata Vergine".

Again are indicated by arrows.

 

Surely I will add it to the model!

 

Again I want to remark that the venetian ships that I showed in my posts are "ship portraits" and not generic "maritime paintings", and that it is very important, since the artist didn't used its own imagination but simply painted real details.

So I believe that really there was a rope ladder in that "Beata Vergine".

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Cristiano

 

Congratulations!!  Your ship's a real beauty, especially with all of those lovely sails set.

 

Well done.

 

Patrick

[Cristiano]

Thank you Patrick!

I really appreciate that you like it!

 

thanks to a lot of spare time, today I proceeded very fast with the standing rigging of the main mast.

As can be seen, I connected the main stay to the main mast, too.

I installed the two triple blocks where the first sail will be connected.

Now I must stop and "study" more carefully the rigging of the mizzen mast, in order to install the blocks and cables that are needed around the main mast, before it became too much filled with ropes.

 

Now the spare time is finished and my fun is over...for the moment!

[Omega1234]

Hi Cristiano

 

Very nice job on the rigging. I think the best way to describe it would be neat and precise, with all the blocks beautifully rigged, the knots tightened consistently and the seizing done well.

 

Great job.

 

All the best

 

Patrick

[Cristiano]

Thank you Patrick!

I appreciate your attention to the details.

 

A tiny update...

I made further little progress with the service boat.

-I made the rudder, which will be positioned dismantled on the boat;

-I made the oarlocks;

-I painted the boat.

The project can still have some modifications, depending on how deep I want to improve the rigging, but the problem is that I don't want to create a "mess of ropes" in the model, so sometimes I slow a bit my work and I evaluate possible ways of proceeding...

That is one of the reasons of the variable interval of times of the updates.

[Omega1234]

Hi Cristiano

 

That's a really nice ship's boat you've got there. A real model in its own right, full of charm and character.

 

Well done

 

Patrick

[Cristiano]

Thank you Patrick!

 

to be honest, I don't know if it is historically accurate.

I made a "generic XVIII century service boat", since I have no informations if there was a specific way of design service boats on Venetian Republic.

 

In addition I think that is a bit small, if compared to the size of the ship (in terms of crew capacity, not in terms of scale), but I was too lazy to make something bigger...

[Omega1234]

Hi Cristiano

 

Despite what you said above, your boat is still a beauty and only you (as the builder) would naturally be so critical. I guess we all do that with our own models.

 

If it really bothers you, the opprtunity is there to make a new one and keep the existing one as stand alone display model. However, that'd be extra work for you.

 

Either way, you're making great progress with your Polacre and I enjoy following your updates.

All the best

 

Patrick

[Cristiano]

Thank you again Patrick!

If it really bothers you, the opprtunity is there to make a new one and keep the existing one as stand alone display model. However, that'd be extra work for you.

 

I'm too lazy to restart a new service boat...

 

Some update...

I installed the first sail, but I stopped the rigging just to the ones that keep it hanged (what an horrible way to explain the rigging :D ), since I discovered that the way I arranged everything needs absolutely that I complete the rope steps on the shrouds before proceeding further.

If I don't do that now, I will have some problems of available space for my hands for attaching them.

So, I was forced to start another boring step...

I completed one side of the steps of the shrouds.

Next week I will prepare the other side, and finally I will restart with the sails installation!

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Cristiano

 

Really nice work, for sure! I don't think there's a modeller amongst us who enjoys doing the shrouds and their ratlines. I know I certainly don't. But yours looks brilliant.

 

Great job, as always.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[Cristiano]

A small update

It has been days of study...

I abandoned a bit the shrouds and ratlines of the main mast, since I discovered that before proceeding with the ratlines I must install the terminal points of the mizzen stays, which are located behind the main mast base.

But before doing that I must define other points related to the mizzen mast rigging, which I leaved frozen.

but before doing that I must define the position of some blocks on the mizzen mast related to the mizzen latin sail

but before doing that I must define the blocks position on the mizzen lateen sail

Well, it's just like a chain reaction....

since I am doing the rigging project by myself, it is a continuous evolution...

Now the end of this chain reaction impose to reduce the cleats placed on the mizzen mast from 6 to 4 (the mizzen mast is too thin ).

So I rewrote the arrangement of the running rigging of the mizzen lateen sail.

the final result, in a more criptic way is as can be seen in the two drawings.

I presented here just the rigging of the lateen sail, since my cad drawing is too messy to be showed.

Some of the blocks it is possible that can be removed, since the mast is small and the sails too.

the photos are related to the mizzen lateen sail, which I am forced to put forward.

I anycase during these days my brain was too much jammed (cause too much work in office) to make the ratlines...