I want to make a set of plans, but how?

pwbinde

pwbinde

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So I'm in love with the idea of making a set of ship plans for my current scratch build project, but I'm not sure what a complete set of plans consists of?

Does anyone have a list of pages included in a set of plans or know of a good set of plans I can purchase?

Thank you in advance.
 
A plan requires lines. That’s the side and plan view with the wavy lines from which the frames and shape of the hull can be determined.
After that, something to show what’s on the deck - wheelhouse, masts, funnels,
And something that shows portholes and hawse holes etc
And a rigging plan, if it carries sails

Modellers plans usually have simple and complete drawings of whatever is visible, or needed for structural integrity.
For your own use, just detail whatever you need to have dimensions and positioning for.

When much more was being built from experience, builders would get just the lines and a rigging (masts) layout, then got on with it.
Cobles in NE england were made with no plans until they were no longer made. Plans have been reverse engineered more recently.

Jim
 
Jim Fortnam said:
A plan requires lines. That’s the side and plan view with the wavy lines from which the frames and shape of the hull can be determined.
After that, something to show what’s on the deck - wheelhouse, masts, funnels,
And something that shows portholes and hawse holes etc
And a rigging plan, if it carries sails

Modellers plans usually have simple and complete drawings of whatever is visible, or needed for structural integrity.
For your own use, just detail whatever you need to have dimensions and positioning for.

When much more was being built from experience, builders would get just the lines and a rigging (masts) layout, then got on with it.
Cobles in NE england were made with no plans until they were no longer made. Plans have been reverse engineered more recently.

Jim
Click to expand...
Thank you greatly.
 
Davidp said:
plans of what type of ship?
Click to expand...
It is of a fantasy ship of my own design, but resembles the Santa Maria, but with extremely tall masts. It is the icon I use for my posts in fact.

It is perhaps a bit presumptuous to think others might have interest in my design.
 
Try the following:

https://cdn.wildapricot.com/278718/resources/Documents/articles/DraftingShipPlansInCAD.pdf?version=1579616769000&Policy=eyJTdGF0ZW1lbnQiOiBbeyJSZXNvdXJjZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vY2RuLndpbGRhcHJpY290LmNvbS8yNzg3MTgvcmVzb3VyY2VzL0RvY3VtZW50cy9hcnRpY2xlcy9EcmFmdGluZ1NoaXBQbGFuc0luQ0FELnBkZj92ZXJzaW9uPTE1Nzk2MTY3NjkwMDAiLCJDb25kaXRpb24iOnsiRGF0ZUxlc3NUaGFuIjp7IkFXUzpFcG9jaFRpbWUiOjE3MzMwMTY2NTB9LCJJcEFkZHJlc3MiOnsiQVdTOlNvdXJjZUlwIjoiMC4wLjAuMC8wIn19fV19&Signature=omJKmxKc5P72fGpY7z3Z45LsikrDxB4TK7EUaSIxbhcqNgHooEmVIP5n1vYH1N6nva5uthR0~qM0RC0ib2C302BPH1Ai857ctMKILnvzbyE3nmUFuza1aQdv62ev~BufX5n6VeHpcrQvX4~4-LAl5k6ng~Wuo5GLw3XNsBO-9Jh8yR65JgQuaUrgSLWUjJomHSAj-RhoNTxFH3LGMPaZitjQOLkd7GpQRofVb~-3mJwXWmg6TPDXJKMempKfTU-E9Pvo-6FeDLeiLyHYxF71n8bDcTbk4X5dUOuMF8gdKdtmH-5KjJo9CwWO8rYaWV~XuYga46FyrRFf9VGwvgvgNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K27MGQSHTHAGGF

Allan
 
pwbinde said:
It is of a fantasy ship of my own design, but resembles the Santa Maria, but with extremely tall masts. It is the icon I use for my posts in fact.

It is perhaps a bit presumptuous to think others might have interest in my design.
Click to expand...
I like that idea.
Difficult to see what’s going on in that icon. Seems to be one piece masts, pitched roof several stories castle on the stern…

Truly a floating disaster! What fun.

Have you tried Greenwich? Or just a search for
Sailing ship plans
Brings up loads of hits. Follow some up for bigger images, and just borrow a likely one and modify it as you wish. It doesn’t need to have worked, or even floated.

Bonne chance.
 
Jim Fortnam said:
I like that idea.
Difficult to see what’s going on in that icon. Seems to be one piece masts, pitched roof several stories castle on the stern…

Truly a floating disaster! What fun.

Have you tried Greenwich? Or just a search for
Sailing ship plans
Brings up loads of hits. Follow some up for bigger images, and just borrow a likely one and modify it as you wish. It doesn’t need to have worked, or even floated.

Bonne chance.
Click to expand...
I have a basic design to the hull. Not 100% yet, but I can dismantle it to get the shape of the ribs and deck plans. I think I need to bit the bullet as the younger crowd says and buy a set of Santa Maris plans.

Anyone have a preferred seller of plans?

IMG_20241118_085459282_HDR-sm.jpg
 
You seem to be part built

Just pick up a rasp and refine the shape by eye, even 1:1 builders do it that way, with no plans.

Rasped and files, abrasives and scrapers followed by a good paint job….

Enjoy!

J
 
pwbinde said:
Anyone have a preferred seller of plans?
Click to expand...
Hi PW
There are many carrack plans on the internet such as the one below that came up with a few seconds search and most are free. Is this the kind of set of plans you are looking for or do you also need the body plan? Rigging plans should be easy to find with a quick search as well.
Allan
1733483613837.png
 
You will need something like these, at the least the hull lines plan and a deck plan, and of course a sail plan which will let you figure out the details of how the rigging might look. Rigging looks daunting, but the basic rigging is repeated with variations for each sale on each mast and the same with standing rigging from another 3 masted ship of the period will give you the inspiration you need. On my scratch builds so far (I've done three based on archaeological research but in each case was blessed with the hull lines plan from someone else's previous research). Once you have the hull sections and profile you have what you need for the bulkheads and false keel (the backbone of the model). You're on the right track with your foam trial build.

https://callofthesea.org/about-us/our-fleet/matthew-turner/technical-drawings/

If you can find a similar hull to what you want to build, you can modify the basic lines to what you want. I strongly suggest making a mockup of the framework with 3 to 5 mm thick white foamboard to try laying some planks along the resulting lines to see what works and what stands out as a problem. You can tweak the design at that stage more easily and more cheaply than you can once you've started in wood.

On my first scratch build model, a 3 masted schooner, I made the drawings, then a 1:100 scale half hull model, bread and butter style, to make sure the hull shape was right (and soft wood lets you make the shape more precise than foam), then the foam board mockup. Then I started making wooden bulkheads and keel.

Good luck! Looks like a fun project.
 
MarisStella's plans are absolutely superb. The question of the plan itself is one thing. How are you planning on actually making the plans? Are you planning on making them free-hand? That is another level of artistry, as well, and you can see that with many of the plans in older kits. Have you ever seen the plans from, say, the Euromodel Royal William? They are absolutely sublime.

In today's world, one would make the model in 3D and then take the plans from that but making them free-hand sure would be fun. I think that's a hobby in itself!
 
rshousha said:
MarisStella's plans are absolutely superb. The question of the plan itself is one thing. How are you planning on actually making the plans? Are you planning on making them free-hand? That is another level of artistry, as well, and you can see that with many of the plans in older kits. Have you ever seen the plans from, say, the Euromodel Royal William? They are absolutely sublime.

In today's world, one would make the model in 3D and then take the plans from that but making them free-hand sure would be fun. I think that's a hobby in itself!
Click to expand...
I use a third option. Not 3D nor really "freehand" but using mechanical drafting tools and techniques. The only lines that are made freehand on those, for the most part, are those in the lettering, and even that has fine guide lines drawn first. Every other line is drawn following a straight edge, curve, template, etc. or with a precision compass set.
 
Indeed, there is! When I started taking CAD lessons about ten years ago, I really enjoyed the quality and detail that you could create out of Autocad. But, the idea of creating the 3D parts, and using those drawings to make actual parts, won over for me. I do enjoy looking at old blueprints, with the incredible amount of detail one can find on a single drawing and it is a goal of mine to make drawings like "in the old days" but directly from the 3D model. That would be amazing.

Getting the 2D done, though, is still quite wonderful work. Looking forward to seeing your progress!
 
There's no shame in experimenting. What can be learned from a failed experiment is just as valuable as what can be learned from a successful one. One thing you are realizing is that you'd be better off with some plans to follow. That's usually true. Even vessels that were "build without plans," were simply built "without drawn plans." Their "plans" were committed to memory by boatbuilding fathers and sons.
First, let me say that there is no historical record of what Columbus' ships looked like. We have only a general reference to "types" of vessels at a time when vessel types weren't particularly well-defined. We have a few drawings of "types" and some crudely built contemporary votive models we suspect may have been of the same type, and we know there was a big ship and two smaller ones. Beyond that, there is no possible historically accurate model of any of Columbus' ships, notwithstanding that people have been building models of Santa Maria for the hundred and fifty years or so.
It was probably during the period between the World Wars that the fad of modeling Columbus' ships (and other "historical" fantasies) reached its pinnacle. There were a number of books which provided instructions for building models and most offered a Santa Maria, along with a Constitution, and a clipper ship. These books often come up on the second hand market. You may want to see if you can find one in your local library or buy a used copy on line.
See: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Bo...ip+models+build&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp0-_-title1
 
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