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Advice on first model ship build - The Sea Venture

W

WedlichWorkshop

Joined
Aug 8, 2026
Messages
3
Points
3
Hello Everybody!

I am brand new to the forum and am looking at building my first scale model ship. I am an experienced professional model maker, but have never tackled building a ship before so figured this would be the place to get advice.

I am hoping to replicate a specific ship, the Sea Venture, that wrecked in Bermuda in 1609. There is unfortunately no real depictions of what she looked like but I have been doing some research and watched some films about what she might have looked like based on her remaining timbers and the shipwrights techniques of the place and time that she was built. This is a great film about the wreck of the Sea Venture if anyone fancies watching it. She was apparently closest in design to an Elizabethan Galleon. The lack of contemporary depictions of what she actually looked like is both good and bad, it is bad as I have little guidance to start with, but good as it means I have a bit of freedom in some of the design choices as there is no way to know what they would have actually been. I am wondering if anyone else has constructed an elizabethan galleon of the era and may have tips in terms of a starting point for this build.

I am going to do more research into the design side of the project, but my other queries are regarding the actual fabrication of my model. I have done a fair amount of research thus far into some other model ships that have been built, but I wanted to start this thread to see if there are any particular standardised techniques or materials when building a ship of this style e.g. if there is a certain wood type regarded as best for this style of build, or specific planes or hammers etc. to buy. I am firm that I would like to build the model from scratch rather than adapt an existing kit, but I am uncertain when it comes to the exact scale I should build her and what techniques are standard practice. Wherever possible I would like to construct her in the ways to best imitate the way she would have been originally constructed e.g. I would like to construct the full internal ribs and clad her with individual planks, rather than carving her hull and making engraved suggestions of planks etc.

I will add I am comfortable with a variety of practical and digital skills, including having access to laser cutters, filament and resin 3D printers, alongside more traditional hand tools. I am willing to buy some tools if there are specific standardised or recommended tools for a build like this. I don't intend to overuse 3D printing, but may use it for some detail parts like cannons or ornamentation. I would like the majority of the ship to be wood, with some hand sculpted or 3D modelled components to enhance the details. I will ultimately intend to make all of her sails and rigging as well but will likely tackle those last unless that will be a mistake based on your experiences.

I understand that this is quite an ambitious project, but I am confident in my model making skills and do not have a set timeframe, I just want to learn more about the ship construction and learn as much as I can from all of you lovely experienced people who have likely got much more knowledge in this particular niche.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help,

Brian
 
The first step would be to see if any historic accounts mention her “tonnage.” Tonnage is a term commonly mentioned in legal descriptions of vessels. It is a very old term dating back to Henry VIII. It is NOT a measure of the ship’s weight. It is a measure of the vessel’s internal volume and hence a rough measurement of its cargo capacity. Although the definition has varied over the years, one ton commonly represents 100 cu Ft.

As a point of reference, Mayflower’s tonnage was slightly more than 200 tons.

Tonnage is important as it was also used in contracts for ship building. The owner would specify the tonnage and the shipwright would build the vessel using standardized ratios of length, beam, and depth.

It would also give you an idea of “ how big” the vessel is. Mayflower was considered to be a small vessel. If for example Sea Venture had a tonnage of say 100 tons, you’re probably looking at an entirely different vessel than the usual multi decked galleon.

Here in the USA, naval architect William A Baker has studied and written about Sixteenth Century vessels. His books are well worth reading if you can find them.

Roger
 
Roger Pellett said:
The first step would be to see if any historic accounts mention her “tonnage.” Tonnage is a term commonly mentioned in legal descriptions of vessels. It is a very old term dating back to Henry VIII. It is NOT a measure of the ship’s weight. It is a measure of the vessel’s internal volume and hence a rough measurement of its cargo capacity. Although the definition has varied over the years, one ton commonly represents 100 cu Ft.

As a point of reference, Mayflower’s tonnage was slightly more than 200 tons.

Tonnage is important as it was also used in contracts for ship building. The owner would specify the tonnage and the shipwright would build the vessel using standardized ratios of length, beam, and depth.

It would also give you an idea of “ how big” the vessel is. Mayflower was considered to be a small vessel. If for example Sea Venture had a tonnage of say 100 tons, you’re probably looking at an entirely different vessel than the usual multi decked galleon.

Here in the USA, naval architect William A Baker has studied and written about Sixteenth Century vessels. His books are well worth reading if you can find them.

Roger
Click to expand...
Hi Roger,

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond and for sharing your knowledge! From the sources I have seen up until this point they estimated her tonnage at around 300 tons. This seems right to me as written accounts have commented on her being a purpose built merchant/emigration ship designed for the purpose of transporting colonisers and supplies to Jamestown in the new world. I have seen some comments from contemporary sources saying that she was larger in size compared to the mayflower but not how much larger, so 300 tons sounds about right.

Thank you for the book recommendation I will look into finding a copy!

Brian
 
Corsair said:
Welcome to the SoS forums Brian.
I'll follow your build with interest (assuming you make a build log). :)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the warm welcome! Yes I do intend to make a build log, however it may be some months before I actually start on the build as I have a fair bit of research and planning to undertake prior.
 
Welcome to SoS! A good couple of books for 17th century ships are The Master Shipwright's Secrets and The Restoration Warships by Richard Endsor. Have you contacted The National Museum of Bermuda, (previously the Bermuda Maritime Museum?)
Allan
 
My good friend Allan knows more about Seventeenth Century sailing vessels than I ever will, BUT since were both spending your money on books for this project I do wish to make a comment about Richard Endsor’s two books.

First of all both are excellent books. I have both in my library and there’s lots to be learned by reading them. Both, however, pertain to vessels built roughly half a century after Sea Venture was wrecked. My impression is that ships built in the late 1500’s were very different from those of say the 1650’s. The Sixteenth hundreds appear to be a period of rapid growth in the practice of Naval Architecture.

Roger
 
Roger Pellett said:
. Both, however, pertain to vessels built roughly half a century after Sea Venture was wrecked.
Click to expand...
Excellent point. Anything before 1670 needs a ton of research and still has a lot of guess work. Hard to make mistakes when there are so many questions that will remain unanswered.:)
Allan
 
Did some more digging. Pepys is later but I wonder if he used any of Mathew Baker's writing to some extent which would then be era appropriate. Mathew Baker’s manuscript was christened Fragments of Ancient English Shipwrightry when it was acquired by Pepys. It has been reported that Fragments itself displays an enormous variety of format and style. Some parts are finely executed, perhaps for a planned presentation volume, while other sections are no more than notebook pages. There are colored draughts of ships with their full decoration historical and mythological sketches; a map; plans, elevations and sections of ships; and practical mathematical devices for scaling and generating proportions.

I have no idea where to find a copy easily, but would love to add it my library of sources if anyone knows where to find it. Item PST/20 at RMG is a photostat copy so maybe available for purchase. The original is in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College in Cambridge University.

Allan
 
‘New Manual of Model Shipbuilding’ by PM Wright, published in 1962 has plans and instructions on how to build the ‘Sea Venture’. You may be able to find a complete copy if you browse a used book website like AbeBooks or thriftbooks.
 
WedlichWorkshop said:
Hello Everybody!

I am brand new to the forum and am looking at building my first scale model ship. I am an experienced professional model maker, but have never tackled building a ship before so figured this would be the place to get advice.

I am hoping to replicate a specific ship, the Sea Venture, that wrecked in Bermuda in 1609. There is unfortunately no real depictions of what she looked like but I have been doing some research and watched some films about what she might have looked like based on her remaining timbers and the shipwrights techniques of the place and time that she was built. This is a great film about the wreck of the Sea Venture if anyone fancies watching it. She was apparently closest in design to an Elizabethan Galleon. The lack of contemporary depictions of what she actually looked like is both good and bad, it is bad as I have little guidance to start with, but good as it means I have a bit of freedom in some of the design choices as there is no way to know what they would have actually been. I am wondering if anyone else has constructed an elizabethan galleon of the era and may have tips in terms of a starting point for this build.

I am going to do more research into the design side of the project, but my other queries are regarding the actual fabrication of my model. I have done a fair amount of research thus far into some other model ships that have been built, but I wanted to start this thread to see if there are any particular standardised techniques or materials when building a ship of this style e.g. if there is a certain wood type regarded as best for this style of build, or specific planes or hammers etc. to buy. I am firm that I would like to build the model from scratch rather than adapt an existing kit, but I am uncertain when it comes to the exact scale I should build her and what techniques are standard practice. Wherever possible I would like to construct her in the ways to best imitate the way she would have been originally constructed e.g. I would like to construct the full internal ribs and clad her with individual planks, rather than carving her hull and making engraved suggestions of planks etc.

I will add I am comfortable with a variety of practical and digital skills, including having access to laser cutters, filament and resin 3D printers, alongside more traditional hand tools. I am willing to buy some tools if there are specific standardised or recommended tools for a build like this. I don't intend to overuse 3D printing, but may use it for some detail parts like cannons or ornamentation. I would like the majority of the ship to be wood, with some hand sculpted or 3D modelled components to enhance the details. I will ultimately intend to make all of her sails and rigging as well but will likely tackle those last unless that will be a mistake based on your experiences.

I understand that this is quite an ambitious project, but I am confident in my model making skills and do not have a set timeframe, I just want to learn more about the ship construction and learn as much as I can from all of you lovely experienced people who have likely got much more knowledge in this particular niche.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help,

Brian
Click to expand...
Very interesting, in that I watched the video you referenced... I was stationed in Bermuda 1974-1977, and lived in St. Georges... probably about a mile or two from where this ship came aground! I snorkeled in Horseshoe Bay numerous times.... I wish I'd have known about this when I was there- I certainly would have spent more time snorkeling near there,
 
WedlichWorkshop said:
Hello Everybody!

I am brand new to the forum and am looking at building my first scale model ship. I am an experienced professional model maker, but have never tackled building a ship before so figured this would be the place to get advice.

I am hoping to replicate a specific ship, the Sea Venture, that wrecked in Bermuda in 1609. There is unfortunately no real depictions of what she looked like but I have been doing some research and watched some films about what she might have looked like based on her remaining timbers and the shipwrights techniques of the place and time that she was built. This is a great film about the wreck of the Sea Venture if anyone fancies watching it. She was apparently closest in design to an Elizabethan Galleon. The lack of contemporary depictions of what she actually looked like is both good and bad, it is bad as I have little guidance to start with, but good as it means I have a bit of freedom in some of the design choices as there is no way to know what they would have actually been. I am wondering if anyone else has constructed an elizabethan galleon of the era and may have tips in terms of a starting point for this build.

I am going to do more research into the design side of the project, but my other queries are regarding the actual fabrication of my model. I have done a fair amount of research thus far into some other model ships that have been built, but I wanted to start this thread to see if there are any particular standardised techniques or materials when building a ship of this style e.g. if there is a certain wood type regarded as best for this style of build, or specific planes or hammers etc. to buy. I am firm that I would like to build the model from scratch rather than adapt an existing kit, but I am uncertain when it comes to the exact scale I should build her and what techniques are standard practice. Wherever possible I would like to construct her in the ways to best imitate the way she would have been originally constructed e.g. I would like to construct the full internal ribs and clad her with individual planks, rather than carving her hull and making engraved suggestions of planks etc.

I will add I am comfortable with a variety of practical and digital skills, including having access to laser cutters, filament and resin 3D printers, alongside more traditional hand tools. I am willing to buy some tools if there are specific standardised or recommended tools for a build like this. I don't intend to overuse 3D printing, but may use it for some detail parts like cannons or ornamentation. I would like the majority of the ship to be wood, with some hand sculpted or 3D modelled components to enhance the details. I will ultimately intend to make all of her sails and rigging as well but will likely tackle those last unless that will be a mistake based on your experiences.

I understand that this is quite an ambitious project, but I am confident in my model making skills and do not have a set timeframe, I just want to learn more about the ship construction and learn as much as I can from all of you lovely experienced people who have likely got much more knowledge in this particular niche.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help,

Brian
Click to expand...
Welcome aboard from Connecticut.

Before you build the ship you always wanted to I suggest you get your feet wet by building some simpler ships to practice the skills you need. Even as an experience wood worker, working with much smaller parts and softer woods require a different "understanding".

I started with the series of builds from model expo and am glad I did before I tried to do the Constitution cross section. If you build their Dory and send them in a picture they will give you full credit to your next purchase with them.


They often have sales so watch for that. You can also buy the kits separately with or without the tools. This is a great way to make your mistakes on something other than what you really want.

I have no financial interests with that company.

Rob
 
I'd spend some time seeing if you can obtain a copy of Manuscript 9 and the ships lines as drawn up in the video you linked above... Seems to me that is where the money is...
 
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