I'm looking for the ultimate book, if there is such a thing. I'm scratch building the Discovery1789. There are 5 or 6 drawings available. I have them all. Two of them are from when the ship was modified for Vancouver's expedition to the Pacific Coast of North America and shows very little below the wales. ( they raised the quarterdeck and the forecastle). The rest show the proposed and "as fitted" from when she was converted to a bomb. Again they show very little (at least for my purposes) below the wales. Other than these drawings I have some drawings that John McKay made of her. They are the internal and external side profiles and a cutaway oblique looking from the starboard aft quarter. I have been following his drawings as his guesses are obviously going to be much more accurate than mine. I have nothing but a couple of recent paintings to show what the stern looked like. I bit off a mouthful. I don't think it's more than I can chew but I'm having to be very careful I don't choke 
There are no plans to follow so I'm having to investigate as much as I can and make my best guess as to how she was put together. I have read Vancouver's book a few times looking for clues but there isn't that much there. I'm forging ahead regardless, it won't be a masterpiece by any stretch but it should look like the Discovery I think.
Anyway to the question. I'm looking for a book that talks about the construction of a ship of that period in some detail. I've had books recommended to me and after I bought them I found that they may answer one or two questions but that's it. Maybe that's the nature of the beast and there is nothing as comprehensive as I'm hoping for but it doesn't hurt to ask. If you had to recommend one book what would be your choice?
I may be able to stretch that out to two books, three at the outside
There are no plans to follow so I'm having to investigate as much as I can and make my best guess as to how she was put together. I have read Vancouver's book a few times looking for clues but there isn't that much there. I'm forging ahead regardless, it won't be a masterpiece by any stretch but it should look like the Discovery I think.
Anyway to the question. I'm looking for a book that talks about the construction of a ship of that period in some detail. I've had books recommended to me and after I bought them I found that they may answer one or two questions but that's it. Maybe that's the nature of the beast and there is nothing as comprehensive as I'm hoping for but it doesn't hurt to ask. If you had to recommend one book what would be your choice?
I may be able to stretch that out to two books, three at the outside
