Belaying pins vs Shot garlands (1:48 HMS Surprise, 3D Printed)

[CarnyRex]

Hello brain trust!

I just wanted to check if I should be reading these deck plans as specifying belaying pin racks or shot garlands along the edge of the top deck?

I'm hoping to finish this 3D printing project some time this year and finally got to the fiddly bits. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[AllanKP69]

Hi Carny
It could depend on which Surprise you are asking about. There appears to have been 14 ships named HMS Surprise, three of which were built in the 18th century. Shot garlands were no longer bolted to the bulwarks on new ships by order of the Navy Board in 1780 and they were removed from the bulwarks on the older ships as well by the end of the 18th century.-(Peter Goodwin, The Construction and Fitting of English Ships of War, page 217) If this is the French capture Unite which was renamed Surprise, it may be a different story. As with other things in ships in those days there were many exceptions.

What ship are the two photos top right?
Thanks

Allan

 

[Namabiiru]

Shot garlands should logically bracket gun ports, whereas what is reflected on the deck plans seems to coincide more with the locations of masts and other rigging elements. To be sure, would there be any reason to place shot garlands where they are depicted forward of the catheads? I’m not an expert on ship design, but from a logical perspective I would surmise those must be pin rails.

My $0.02…

 

[iutar]

This is definitely and without any options accurate information - only Belaying pins

 

[CarnyRex]

Thanks! Reading your comments and a deeper google confirm you folks are absolutely right.

The model is supposed to be HMS surprise in British service (being printed, was planning to have models for the arms and taller mast of the fictional surprise as an option if anyone wanted those) Those photos are of the HMS victory - I'd noticed it still has the shot on racks against the bulkwarks, and had read there were exceptions to the rule mentioned by AllanKP69.

 

[AllanKP69]

What is shown in the photos may be right, but I would not rely solely on the Victory as she sits today without corroborating information based on contemporary sources. If anyone claims today's Victory is an exact replica they should be asked if her cannon were always made of fiberglass as most of them are today.
In the words of US President Ronald Reagan, trust but verify.
Allan

 

[iutar]

Why look at Victory when you should look at similar frigates of that time from museum collections?






And in reference books like Lennard Petersson's you can find rigging layouts for each pin.