Golden Hind 1580 by rschissler - Mamoli - Galleon

[rschissler]

Here is a picture showing some of the belaying pins on the ship. With the thinner pins, I had to make all new pin rails. 

Edited March 6, 2016 by rschissler

[rschissler]

Awhile back, I was debating whether belaying pins were proper for the 16th century, and ultimately decided to keep the pins.  However, one decision I made was to not have pins on the two fife rails.  On page 160-161 of W. Mondfeld's book he says fife rails didn't have pins until 1660.  While truth of that may be for more debate, the 1628 Swedish ship Vasa didn't have pins in it's fife rails, while having many other pin rails around the ship.  A drawing in Mondfeld's book, and the Vasa had carved heads on the fife rails, so I thought that would be a cool thing to do.  Also, one of the Golden Hind replica ships has carved heads on a fife rail, though it has pins in it's rail.  Since there is almost no documentation on the Golden Hind, some liberties on details can be made.

 

So, I tore out the fife rails I had already made, and made completely new ones from walnut.  One of the pictures below shows the discarded ones in the foreground.  For the carved heads I thought of the idea to use a plastic figure for them.  After looking at a lot of figures, I settled on the 1:72 scale figures in the picture below.  A 1:64 scale figure would have been better because of the larger size, but I could only find a few S scale railroad figures and they didn't have the right look.  I felt the figures needed to have beards, and no odd looking hats.

 

Anyway, after cutting the heads off, I inserted some brass rods in them to give them support, and glued them with CA.  I added a little CA around the base to fill any gaps, and filed around the necks a bit.  Then I painted and stained them to look like the surrounding wood.

 

 

[JesseLee]

You did a good job making them look like wood!

 

Jesse

[Kihon]

This just gets beter and better!!!!

I may never finish mine now

[rschissler]

Thanks Jesse, a lot of trial and error, trying to get the right combination of paint and stain.

 

Thanks Kihon.

[Old Collingwood]

I was working to get a full scale replica of the Golden Hind displayed in the Uk as a living role play attraction, but the local council would not fund it

was such a shame.

 

Your build is looking great so much detail

 

OC

[rschissler]

After I finished installing all the guns, I was always bothered by the short lines of runouts on the gun tackle.  You can refer to pictures on the 2nd page of this log to see what I mean.  So, instead of redoing them all, I had to figure out a way of elongating the lines that didn't show a obvious cut in them.  I came up with the idea shown in the below pictures.  Basically, I cut a piece of rope, soaked it in diluted wood glue, coiled it one loop, and held it with a clip until it dried.  Then, I cut off one end and glued it to one of the short lines on the deck.  I didn't do this to every single line, but most of them.

 

Sure, I could have done those fancy, perfect coils of rope, all nicely done in a circle, like a prestigious ship undergoing inspection, but this ain't that ship!  

Edited April 4, 2016 by rschissler

[Altduck]

I see what you mean about the short lines.

 

Looks like a good solution to me.  I wouldn't have thought of doing that way but it worked out well and it's invisible in the photo.

 

Richard

[JesseLee]

I like it. Looks more realistic.

 

Jesse

[rschissler]

I attached the anchor assembly.  I even did the puddening, which I originally wasn't going to bother with.  I did it by wrapping thin thread around the ring by itself, a few coils at a time, before applying a tiny amount of CA to the last coil, before doing a few more coils.  Then, I closed the ring to the anchor body using a flat face pliers, so as not to damage the thread.

 

On the catheads, I did them a little different from the plans.  I attached a eyebolt to the side to seize one end of the rope to, and attached a timberhead I made to the top of the cathead, to belay the other end of the line to.  The plans had a eyebolt on top to belay to, which didn't seem right.

 

The hook is one of Chuck of Syren's 4mm plastic hooks.

 

The interior picture of the large riding bitt, shows the anchor line coiled behind it, to stow it.  The anchor line doesn't actually pass through the hawse holes to here, because there is a closed bulkhead in the way.  But I don't think anyone will notice.

 

I'm wondering if the hawse holes need a protective cover?  I did  bevel the outer edges of the holes somewhat.

Edited April 12, 2016 by rschissler

[rschissler]

Parrels.  Of course there was no mention of these in the kit plans, and I thought of omitting them.  Mainly because I couldn't see how I could make something so small, and still looked good and consistent from one to the next .  What I didn't want were parrels that were way out of scale or clunky looking.  For the smaller masts I needed parrel balls or trucks that were smaller than 2mm diameter.  Somewhere I saw a listing for 2mm trucks, but I wondered how rounded they really were, and there was nothing smaller, so probably wouldn't work.  As far as making them from scratch, I couldn't imagine how I could make them consistent in size and shape.

 

I got the idea of using Japanese round seed beads and that's what I used. The smallest sizes available are the #15 and #11 Miyuki beads.   The #15 Miyuki beads are 1.5mm diameter and I used these for the top main, top fore, mizzen, and spirit.  The #11 Miyuki's are 2mm  and I used these for the main and fore courses.  There are no opaque brown colored beads so I knew I'd have to color them somehow.  I chose the closest to a tan color I could find, as that would be good for a base color, and that was a Latte.  If you look in the supplies picture you will see that both Latte bead sizes are totally different in color, though they are from the same maker.  Anyway, it didn't seem to matter because when I applied the wood color gel stain, they came out pretty much the same color.  Usually when using a gel stain, you wipe off the excess, but here I just painted on some light coats with a small brush.  I found it easier to string them on a brass rod first before staining.  I was really surprised how the stain adhered to the beads, as they are slick glass, but it worked well.

 

For the ribs, I tried sanding down some walnut strip to about .4mm and drilling holes in it, but the thin strips kept splitting at the holes.  Or, if my holes were successful, they split while trying to round them off.  Since this wasn't going to work I had to come up with another idea. Since my parrel beads were kind of narrow in width, I knew thick ribs would look bad.  I used strip styrene shown in the supplies picture, since they were easy to shape and didn't break in the process.  To make them all the same length, I used a chopper tool that has a stop fence.  To mark the drill holes, I used a divider to keep them consistent.  For coloring the stark white styrene, I first painted them a tan base coat, then applied the stain, and a light clear finish on top.   I used some fine sandpaper to clean up any paint flashing, and used a brown Sharpie marker to touch up any areas needed.

 

The W. Mondfeld book shows thimbles and eye loops on the rope ends of the parrels, but I felt that with them so small and congested, I would just seize the lines and tie them off around the spar.  I don't regret that at all.

 

I thought this would be a very difficult task, but I was very happy the way my parrels turned out.  It came out better than I thought it would.

 

Randy

Edited April 25, 2016 by rschissler

[rschissler]

Mizzen sail rigged.  Like I've mentioned before, that kit had no accommodation for sails.  So, I had to figure out the shape and size of the sails, what lines were needed to rig the sails, where to belay the lines to, and how to add extra belaying points.  The Wolfgang Mondfeld book was a great help for this.

 

I used Amati sailcloth for the sails, dyeing them in weak coffee so they wouldn't be so stark white.  In making the sails I  somewhat followed Landluber Mike's technique for furled sails (found in the Masting section).  He promotes greatly reducing the size of the sails, especially on the sides.  I machine sewed the sails to simulate seams and individual cloths, with a thread that has close to the sail color.  I know some people like to use a very contrasting thread for this, but I think it makes the sails less realistic.  For the boltropes, the sails were much too small to hand sew to the edge, which seems to be the recommended way.  So, I glued rope to the edge with wood glue to make mine.  Maybe sometime later I'll describe how I furled sails to the yards, which is somewhat different than what Mike did, but it involved applying thinned wood glue to the sails to keep the shape.  The thinned wood glue added more color to the sails, but that was good for me because I ultimately want a somewhat weathered  model appearance.

 

All the blocks, hook, and thread are from Chuck of Syren.

[Kihon]

Hi Randy,

 

Well after more than 15 years, thanks to this thread, I've pulled this old kit, (my 1st and last wooden ship model) back out and restarted it from where I left off, which was basically after second planking.

 

I'm going to try to implement most of the stuff you're doing here as best I can but I've already got a twisted hull and I'm nowhere near as neat and clean as you! I'll stick up a few pictures in a seperate post, don't want to hi-jack yours.

Pics here http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/13734-golden-hind-by-kihon-mamoli-scale-153-cira-1577/

 

So improvements would be;

• make doors and windows
• detail the guns with rigging (love those!)
• make the tops
• use or make appropriate chainplates
• vikings heads on the bits (class!!)
• better rigging thread (?)

Don't think I'm up to cutting out the fife rails and you've totally lost me on the sails, would love to add them though, if you were to add more details of whats involved although just the rigging as is in the kit has me afraid 

 

A couple of questions if you don't mind.

1. What size and type of blocks for the guns?
2. How did you fit the balcony at stern, I'm thinking how it was you managed to bend the floor and rear wall? Any tips would be much appreciated.
3. I notice 2 eyes above the guns in your latest photos, is this for the rope to open the port doors? Would like to see how you do those.

 

Are there any UK people on here that could suggest a good supplier for the items such as better rigging thread, blocks for guns, triangular deadeyes, smaller belay pins, etc?

 

Cheers,

Ciaran.

Edited June 28, 2016 by Kihon

[rschissler]

Ciaran (Kihon):  Thanks.  I'll try to answer your questions on your own log.

 

I've been busy with some things, and with travel plans I probably won't be able  to get back to this ship until late July.

 

Randy

[hoocat]

Randy

I am just starting the Mamoli Golden Hind. Your build log is quite an inspiration! I have a question concerning the bulkheads.  How do you remove the extensions without damaging the planking? The instructions are not very helpful.  Thanks and keep up the great work

 

Steve

[md1400cs]

Randy,

 

Just catching up -  super nice work. Wonderfully well detailed indeed, A pleasure following along.

 

I also really like the Viking heads. I'm tempted to follow your lead and add these to my build. Hmmm Would you be so kind as to post the width of the heads ear to ear sorta speak. Mine is a 1/75th but I believe that those heads of yours would actually look better that what Corel offered in their kit.

 

PS: apologies for asking this in your build log about mine (:-)

 

Cheers

[rschissler]

mdc1400cs: Sorry it took me so long to reply.  I've been involved in something else right now and haven't been able to finish my model.

 

From ear to ear, they are 2.80-2.90mm.  There are some others in the Viking set that are 2.60-2.70mm.

 

-Randy

[rschissler]

hoocat/Steve:  I used a #17 chisel blade on a x-acto knife.

 

-Randy

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

On 12/2/2015 at 10:19 PM, rschissler said:

Hi Tad,

 

Nice picture of you next to the Hind.  I've always found it interesting that this replica, and the other one at Brixham are very different, as is my model.  I've read that the original Golden Hind sat docked in retirement for almost 100 years as a historical attraction, and yet no one painted a picture of it or made any drawings to preserve a historical record of it.

  Ahoy to any who might review this fine build from 2015-2016 .  This Mamoli kit came to me from my Dad's estate intact, and the overall quality is decent ... the minor 'busts' in this build do it justice.  I've pondered the GH for a long while, postponing any attempt to build it based on the Mamoli kit until I could find contemporary info on the original.

 

  Queen Elizabeth knighted Drake on the deck of the Hind, such that it was after limping home again with enough value in the hold to make an astounding profit.  The ship had been towed a little ways up the Deptford while a mooring was prepared on the Thames (logical to do) - thus validating those who said it was moored on the Deptford.  But the long-term home was on the Thames - eventually filled-in around the ship before it sank from rotting hull planking. Masting and ordinance were removed and a wood shed built over it ... eventually deteriorating, as did the ship.  It appeared on two early 17th century maps in the same place on the Thames, and by 1630 it was described as having some ribs sticking up like a whale skeleton.  Sometime about 1650 the remains were knocked down (some wood salvaged to make a few pieces of furniture (one chair is on exhibit in England), and the hold filled in for good.  Later work in that area may have seriously disturbed more of the hull, but there may well be enough of it left so that future archeology may determine the hull length and beam at the waterline, and the lines there and below.

 

  There are no known paintings, BUT there is the famous Drake Cup (also on display).  Drake gave Elizabeth a coconut, and she had it crafted with silver mountings to make a splendid ceremonial cup with a lid that she gave back to Drake some time later.  There is an inconclusive line image engraved on part of the coconut, but the silver lid is adorned at the top by a silver miniature of the ship!  THIS qualifies as a contemporary image of the GH,  and the Queen was familiar enough with the actual ship that it most likely represents an approximation of the real thing ... realizing that there are some scaling/slight clumsiness involved with casting/soldering the silver miniature on the cup - given the techniques of the time.  The miniature does not have a 'Captains walk' - like most French 'race galleons' (from razee - or razored - since the heights of the stern and forecastles were reduced).  They differ substantially from period Spanish gallions.

 

  There are a gunport openings visible (on the miniature) on the weather deck (no guns) and the Mamoli kit guns are on the weather deck (opposed to the Thames reproduction - thus other kits - having guns below the weather deck - orlop?)  There is a stern spar to rig a large lateen (no sails on the miniature) as seen in contemporary engravings.  The main and fore masts have a sail and topsail each, and a yard on the bowsprit.  There is a contemporary engraving (with ship distortions of its own) depicting the capture of the Cagafuego by the GH off the west coast of South America ... no captains walk on the GH, which has  many similarities to the silver miniature.  The detailed engraving of Drakes 'Caribbean Fleet' also agrees with the miniature.  So what about the size of the original?

 

  An experienced Portuguese navigator surnamed DeSilva was captured in the Carribean, and accompanied Drake on the GH around the horn and up the coast until being let off in Mexico (presumably Drake did not want a navigator to witness any possible discovery of the Northwest passage, which Drake was to attempt).  DeSilva was fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and English - with some French, and was the personal guest of Drake on the GH and had the run of the ship.  Later DeSilva was questioned by Spanish authorities and the dreaded Spanish inquisition - transcripts of both depositions were recorded and exist to this day (English translations can be found).  DeSilva was likely suspected of collaboration, thus was closely questioned to get any scrap of information about Drake and the ship he sailed.  DeSilva's life and his immortal soul depended upon the accuracy of his testimony - so I' be willing to 'go to the bank' on it.

 

  DeSilva said the GH was French built and not new - ergo purchased by Drake with funds raised for the venture.  There were 7 guns on each side for a broadside (5 each side of the deck, and presumably 2 on each side of a quarterdeck as was typical of French race galleons depicted in surviving illustrations) plus 2 stern guns (typical) and 2 at the bow.  It is unclear is they were light guns on the forecastle deck (a possibility), but I think it more likely that they were on the gun deck covered by the forecastle deck angled about 45 degrees toward the front.    He declared the tonnage (in Old Portuguese Tons) to be 220 - which computes to 180 of today's Tons.  This represented the cargo capacity and DeSilva was expert enough to assess this properly.

 

  The Thames reproduction was that of 150 tons (yet having the length on deck of a 180 ton vessel), and proved unseaworthy until side pieces were added at the waterline - then it went all over the world by sea !  The reproduction - as does the Mamoli kit - has a mere 19 feet beam on the weather deck and 23 feet at the waterline (as originally built).  Ergo there indeed is not enough room for cannon carriage recoil, so the repo (and some kits) have the guns on the next lower deck of 23' beam.  A 180 ton vessel will have 100 feet 'on deck' (fore and aft - much like the Thame replica) BUT will have about a 23' beam on the weather deck and will be 28' at the waterline.  The GH of these dimensions would have had enough room for guns on the weather deck to recoil, and enough room below deck to house the large crew Drake had at the start of the venture.  There also would have been room (as the crew size shrunk from losses of various causes) to eventually store tons of loot and a very large cargo of far-eastern spices.  The side 'bulges' added to the Thames replica give it the needed breadth at the waterline that, if the ribs were revised to match this beam, would give 23' on the weather deck.  BTW it has the 100' on deck mentioned earlier - and that does not include bowsprit.

 

  So by altering the framing Mamoli provides (widening the model), and taking into account some of the other features mentioned - a closer approximation of the Golden Hind can be had.

 

Fair sailing !       Johnny

Edited June 14, 2022 by Snug Harbor Johnny
typos