Gun ports problem

[Neil_jo]

Hi, I'm building the HMS Ontario and am having lots of issues.
In the meager parts list it says, gun ports and sweep ways 3 x10 lime 100cm but it looks way off to me.
Am I missing something here? I sawed one in half, so basically 5cm wide and it still looks too wide.

Thanks Neil

 

[Bryian]

I would suggest the gunports should be protruding no further than the frames.

 

[Neil_jo]

I would suggest the gunports should be protruding no further than the frames.

Thanks Brian, even at 5 mm they're stick out well past the frames. Oh and I meant mm not cm.

 

[Na Daeyong's Apprentice]

I was looking at some photos of your build log to get some better context of your build. I'm not that familiar with the HMS Onterio, but, if the gunports are meant to be perfectly flush with the hull, I agree with Bryian. If they are meant to portrude from the hull a bit, I'd take one of the planks that you'll use for the outer hull, place it next to the gunport on top of the rib/frame, and then mark that thickness on the gun ports. That way you'll have a better idea of how much the gunports will protude on the finished product.

 

[GIG1810]

Hey Neil,

in my opinion, gun ports always seal with the hull, otherwise water can collect in the corners and be pressed into the wood. This would make them leaky and, if there is no sealant there, they would start to rot. Question:

Could it be that you have fitted them the wrong way round? It looks like you've attached them from the outside in the picture. If these gun ports have this width, then they must be planked inwards and either planked with the frames, then they are no longer visible but flush, or you sand them down completely to the planks.

Cheers
Günther

 

[AllanKP69]

On ships built by the British the ports are formed by the frames on each side and sills/lintels on top and bottom. They then get linings on the sides and bottom, but not the top of the port. This is all well and good, but for a plank on bulkhead it requires some jury rigging as in the first sketch below. In any case the planking covers the frames and sills. The edges of the linings are not covered as they are the stops for the ports which are flush with the planking when closed. Is this model the HMS Ontario 1780? Looking at the contemporary drawing of Ontario (22) 1780 at RMG, there are no sweep ports shown. Whether they were just left off the drawing for some reason but actually on the ship, maybe some member here will have better contemporary based information.
Allan

Gun port construction on plank on bulkhead


Gunport construction on plank on frame



Sweep port sketch below is based on drawing from Peter Goodwin on page 191 if The Construction and Fitting of the English Man of War.


Drawing of Ontario 1780 from the RMG Collections website.

 

[uncchains]

In my research on the Swedish ship VASA, I learned that the dimensions of its gun ports decreased in size as the size of the cannons decreased. However, in 1/96 or 1/98 scale, this difference is so small it would not be noticeable.