Hammock rails for the frigate Hermione

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I am working my way through some of the last bits of furniture and railings for my AL Hermione build. My family gave me a copy of the Ancre monograph about the frigate Herrmione for Christmas. I noticed that the illustration of the main deck shows crane irons or hammock cranes along the waist of the ship. Of course the kit doesn't provide those fittings but I think it would add to the accuracy of the model to include this feature. So, first I'm seeking advice about how to find or build those fittings at the 1/89 scale. Second, I'm thinking that a kind of "work-around" would be to build something that looks like a covered hammock rail. I'd like to get some opinions on the accuracy of showing covered hammock rails and what they would look like. It seems like almost all of the models show hammock netting either empty or filled with folded hammocks but almost never as covered hammock rails. What was the typical practice of the navies of the late 1700's. It seems like there would typically be a lot of wet hammocks if the weren't covered.

Thanks for the help.

Richard

First build: AL Hermione 1/89
 
According to “Jack Tar” in chapter 4, “Facing the Elements, it says “the same standards of cleaning applied to men’s hammocks, which did not remain constantly suspended (slung) on board a ship, but each morning were rolled up with the bedding, lengthwise like a sausage, put in a numbered bag and taken to the upper deck. Now this was the Royal Navy.
 
Hi Richard
Michael Bezernhky's Rivoli is the only model I have seen covered Hammocks shown.I include a picture but how he represented it?I don't have a clue and it is not detailed in his build on the Russian Forum.Before you ask,yes he built two identical models shown side by side here

Kind Regards

Nigel
riv1.JPG
 
Thanks to Le Capitaine and NMBROOK for a quick response. Man, the craftsmanship on the Rivoli model(s) is amazing. I'm wondering if Le Capitaine's quote about the Royal Navy requirements doesn't provide a hint. Is it possible that the numbered bags into which the hammocks where stowed were waterproof? That would solve the issue of trying to keep the hammocks dry while at the same time not providing a cover over the hammock rails.

I'm guessing that there's much less information available regarding the French practices of the day although the issues would have to be the same. There's a general lack of information about the French navy of the same period that I've attributed to the language barrier. Is there a French language model ship forum similar to the great ones available to us in English?

Many Thanks,
Richard
 
For information on the French Navy the series of books : The Seventy Four Gun Ship, Vol. 1-4 by Jean Boudroit , you will find helpful; Vol. 4 tells of all of the detail of life aboard a French vessel of the period, including use of hammocks, airing and stowage. He reports that: "in nettings arranged along gangways, and the forecastle and quarterdeck, and along their breastworks."

Bob
 
Thanks Bob for that reference information. Is there any mention of the issue of protection from the weather of hammock rail covers? Your library collection must be extensive. I'm afraid that the cost of those volumes falls above my affordability range.

Thanks for the help,
Richards
 
Thanks Bob for that reference information. Is there any mention of the issue of protection from the weather of hammock rail covers? Your library collection must be extensive. I'm afraid that the cost of those volumes falls above my affordability range.

Thanks for the help,
Richards
The four volume set is expensive, as are the individual ship monographs, but I value them greatly for the information therein. My library is extensive, I have spent a lifetime studying ships and ship models, and have one 7' bookcase with nothing but reference books in it, full. Lord knows what my daughters will do with them when I'm gone. As for cost, when I sell something that I create (carving or ship model) the money goes right back into the "hobby". Hobby …. more like a passion/obsession. But as the son of a sailor, and grandson and great grandson of a ships masters and ship builders, born on the Island, went to sea as a teenager, I guess it fits!

BTW, canvas covers were used to protect the hammocks in the netting.

Bob
 
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