Pelican scale 1/45 a small English galleon 16th century

[Backer64]

The start of this model was sometime in 2016.

After building Billing's Vasa, I wanted to make a scratch model. The choice fell on the Golden Hind; the intention was to make a perfect copy. Little did I know then that this would turn out to be an impossible task. The name of the build log soon changed to "Pelican".
If I were to do it over, it would be without the cabin under the poop deck and without the balustrade at the stern.

These are many photos that need to be sorted through and resized. And given that the original text has disappeared in the MSW crash, it will take a while to rebuild everything.

some info

English shipbuilding 16th century

Attached are PDF files that were downloaded freely and legally a few years ago.

shipsofscale.com

Spainish shipbuilding 16th century

Attached are PDF files that were downloaded freely and legally a few years ago.

shipsofscale.com

The finished model in 2022

Some drawings of what the ship might have looked like.

Initially, the idea was to use the Aeropiccolo plans.

Which were later adapted to a narrower version, with the guns below deck.

 

[Backer64]

Start of the keel laying.
The wood used for the keel, planking, and decks is ramin. This has a fine grain, but as will become apparent later, it is sometimes difficult to bend.

Construction of the keel, bow, and stern. Plywood holds the structure together.

And the whole assembly is mounted on the construction board.

 

[Backer64]

The frames.

Mathew Baker's drawing served as the basis.

The spacing between the frames was also adjusted.

New spacers had to be sawn for this adjustment.

The spacers are glued to the keel piece, but the frames aredry fit.

The "rough" shape is there.

The frames have been sawn out internally and are being glued to the keel piece. At that time, I didn't have a laser yet, just a straight metal strip.

The keel piece with the glued frames.

 

[Backer64]

The cannon deck.
First, a deck was laid as a base using just long, thick planks. Partly as a base, partly as practice (this was my very first deck ever)

.

Then a layout of this deck was made.

The forward frame was hollowed out so that the deck runs all the way through.

And the final deck with hatches

and a first cannon port exercise

 

[Backer64]

Next steps

Reinforcing the tops of the plywood frames

After that, filler blocks. If you are inexperienced and have no idea if your frames are correct, then this is a handy method.
Filled neatly on the port side and then sanded carefully. This is hours of work

For the starboard side, less patience and having become a bit bolder. The vertical sander an big blocks, this is a few minutes work.

And after filling and fine sanding, quite okay.

 

[Backer64]

And then a comment came from a more experienced builder.
Your transom is going to sit much too low below the waterline. On a real ship, this will affect the operation of the rudder. In hindsight, that was correct. And thanks to the thick filler blocks, this mistake could be sanded out without any problem.

The line of the hull is now also smoother at the stern.

 

[Backer64]

Installing the gunports and the associated frames.

 

[AllanKP69]

Couple things that are really odd. This one may not matter in the least to you, but just in case, there are belaying pins on the drawings. The English did not use belaying pins until the second half of the 18th century.

Allan

 

[Backer64]

Couple things that are really odd. This one may not matter in the least to you, but just in case, there are belaying pins on the drawings. The English did not use belaying pins until the second half of the 18th century.

Allan

Very well observed, thanks. And indeed very correct.
Later, much later, you will see that no belaying pins will be used on this model.

 

[Backer64]

The planking of the stern.
Using the remains of the San Juan, a Spanish whaling ship, as example.

 

[Kilo66]

Marvelous! In my case, although still being among the living certainly beats the alternative ("every day above ground is a good day"), it's still frustrating that the onset of old age infirmities...arthritis, loss of visual acuity...has robbed me of the ability to execute the sort of excellent craftsmanship you exhibit here. Thanks muchly for taking the time to let "voyeur" former model shipwrights like myself enjoy the pleasures of the hobby through your sharing.

 

[Stuart Little]

The start of this model was sometime in 2016.

After building Billing's Vasa, I wanted to make a scratch model. The choice fell on the Golden Hind; the intention was to make a perfect copy. Little did I know then that this would turn out to be an impossible task. The name of the build log soon changed to "Pelican".
If I were to do it over, it would be without the cabin under the poop deck and without the balustrade at the stern.

These are many photos that need to be sorted through and resized. And given that the original text has disappeared in the MSW crash, it will take a while to rebuild everything.

The finished model in 2022

Some drawings of what the ship might have looked like.

Initially, the idea was to use the Aeropiccolo plans.

Which were later adapted to a narrower version, with the guns below deck.

Marvelous! In my case, although still being among the living certainly beats the alternative ("every day above ground is a good day"), it's still frustrating that the onset of old age infirmities...arthritis, loss of visual acuity...has robbed me of the ability to execute the sort of excellent craftsmanship you exhibit here. Thanks muchly for taking the time to let "voyeur" former model shipwrights like myself enjoy the pleasures of the hobby through your sharing.

I thought for one moment that my cat, Mabel, had taken a sneaky trip across the channel! (similar markings) She also is safe around models.
Stuart

 

[Backer64]

I thought for one moment that my cat, Mabel, had taken a sneaky trip across the channel! (similar markings) She also is safe around models.
Stuart

Regards, from Felix to Mabel

 

[Stuart Little]

View attachment 615438
Regards, from Felix to Mabel

 

[Backer64]

Marvelous! In my case, although still being among the living certainly beats the alternative ("every day above ground is a good day"), it's still frustrating that the onset of old age infirmities...arthritis, loss of visual acuity...has robbed me of the ability to execute the sort of excellent craftsmanship you exhibit here. Thanks muchly for taking the time to let "voyeur" former model shipwrights like myself enjoy the pleasures of the hobby through your sharing.

Always welcome

@Stuart Little Maybe they are distant relatives

The planking
First, we start with the wale under the cannonports. Example (links to documentation see in post one)

Dry fit test

Gluing, the front piece could not be bent. The ramin wood proved to be completely unsuitable for this. Therefore, this part was sawn to size from a single piece.

A black painted wale. later, this turned out to be wrong. Painting wales black only came into use at a later date. So the black was later removed.

 

[Backer64]

Further planking on the starboard side.

Using this drawing as a guide. At that time, there was no standard width and length for planks

Planks and wales were first soaked in water for 24 hours, then klamped to the model and dried.

And then glued after drying into shape.

 

[Backer64]

Further planking on the starboard side.

The bottom planks at the transom were special; they were sawn from curved trees and curve around the edge.
Mine are in two parts; later a layer of very diluted white paint will be applied over them, making the joint virtually invisible.

Work in progress

Curved and dry, ready to be glued

The last opening.

The last plank, and the starboard side is planked.

 

[Backer64]

Naturally, I was curious to see what it would look like once sanded. So, I started sanding, and I was quite satisfied with the result.

Next, it was the port side's turn. Same procedure.

And the lower part of the hull has been planked and sanded.

 

[Backer64]

The next step describes installing the planking around the gunports and the last wale.

 

[Backer64]

And now the plywood "frames" in the superstructure are being replaced by cherry wood frames.
At the top, a softwood intermediate piece is installed each time for strength.

And this is roughly how she will look like.