LE COUREUR - french Lugger 1776 - POF kit from CAF in 1:48 by Uwe

[Uwek]

The pillars are in place


testing the correct height (and alignment) with the horizontal rail


some small adjustments were necessary in order to get a smooth alignment


But be aware: Before you fix the rail, please drill the small holes for the oars - the basis for the oars are exactly in the same fall line and under the rails. If the rail is fixed you can not drill any more



I made also the other one and fixed the height and drilled all holes


just for fun the "oars" on some locations midship


top view with all drilled holes for the oars and prepared pillars for the rail

 

[PT-2]

The pillars are in place
View attachment 255941

testing the correct height (and alignment) with the horizontal rail
View attachment 255942

some small adjustments were necessary in order to get a smooth alignment
View attachment 255943

But be aware: Before you fix the rail, please drill the small holes for the oars - the basis for the oars are exactly in the same fall line and under the rails. If the rail is fixed you can not drill any more

View attachment 255944

I made also the other one and fixed the height and drilled all holes
View attachment 255945

just for fun the "oars" on some locations midship
View attachment 255946

top view with all drilled holes for the oars and prepared pillars for the rail
View attachment 255947

Nice work. Those oars will definitely help pull along as you progress. Rich (PT-2)

 

[Uwek]

Nice work. Those oars will definitely help pull along as you progress. Rich (PT-2)

The finalization of the oars with correct shaping is coming soon - so we can also "sail" during calm times
BTW: If there is no wind and a vessel was pulled by oars - is it still "sailing"? Question about the correct term .......

Finalizing the rails, which were started in yesterdays post.... some final cleaning of surplus glue and a final sanding with fine grid is still necessary, but is fitting very well











still you can see some sawing dust - so you can see, that these photos were done during the work




looking along the rail


especially this area need some finetuning before I will oil the timber

 

[pianoforte]

Uwe, Uwe, Uwe, looks absolutely elegant, French fashion. Very nicely done, the swing in the railing. I like it very much.

 

[PT-2]

The finalization of the oars with correct shaping is coming soon - so we can also "sail" during calm times
BTW: If there is no wind and a vessel was pulled by oars - is it still "sailing"? Question about the correct term .......

Finalizing the rails, which were started in yesterdays post.... some final cleaning of surplus glue and a final sanding with fine grid is still necessary, but is fitting very well

View attachment 256168

View attachment 256169

View attachment 256170

View attachment 256172

View attachment 256171

still you can see some sawing dust - so you can see, that these photos were done during the work
View attachment 256173

View attachment 256174

looking along the rail
View attachment 256175

especially this area need some finetuning before I will oil the timber
View attachment 256176

That railing with the tight fore curves and transom gentle rounding is a very good execution! It looks like one piece. Well done! Rich (PT-2)

 

[Uwek]

My friends - many Thanks
BTW: Adi - nice new photo (Avatar)

One small work was done with installation of a single sheave block the bow necessary for the later rigging of the bowsprit.
Remember, that the bowsprit was not permanent fixed, but could be partly pulled backwards



The axis is fixed in the keel, so the wheel can be turned, the visible end of the brass will be also blackened later on

 

[Dean62]

The finalization of the oars with correct shaping is coming soon - so we can also "sail" during calm times
BTW: If there is no wind and a vessel was pulled by oars - is it still "sailing"? Question about the correct term .......

Finalizing the rails, which were started in yesterdays post.... some final cleaning of surplus glue and a final sanding with fine grid is still necessary, but is fitting very well

View attachment 256168

View attachment 256169

View attachment 256170

View attachment 256172

View attachment 256171

still you can see some sawing dust - so you can see, that these photos were done during the work
View attachment 256173

View attachment 256174

looking along the rail
View attachment 256175

especially this area need some finetuning before I will oil the timber
View attachment 256176

Great work Uwek, she is beautiful!

 

[Bryian]

Wonderful workmanship Uwe.

 

[PT-2]

Great work Uwek, she is beautiful!zI

Wonderful workmanship Uwe.

Under way without sails or wind and only being propelled by oars is at least "headway" unless the heading currents are actually pushing backwards in her actual track. Together hearties, heave with a will!!! Rich (PT-2)

 

[Uwek]

Many Thanks for the comments and all the likes received

I order to know and prepare everything what is necessary for the deck I decided to make the oars. In the kit are 8 oars included and laser cut prepared

Here for fun are four "raw" oars shown at their location at the oar crotches


This is what the manual is telling us - unfortunately now oars are shown in the drawings



Boudriot is writing in his monograph:
the oars are 35 feet in length and operated by four men. There are 9 crotches on each side, but the vessel cannot be fitted with all oars out at the same time due to lack of crewmembers

and he is also writing
The oars are stored either on the deck against the ship´s boat or alongside the hull in iron crotches fitted towards the stern.....

Reading this I decided to check the possible installation as soon as possible.....
BTW: I do not know any scratch Le Coureur showing the oars, so all or better most modelers avoided the problem of storage

So, sanding is a must and the main work on the oars of the Le Coureur - here you see on top a sanded one and at the bottom a raw version (unsanded)
both are laying on a Boudriot drawing (showing the oars and all the mast and yards)




Here most of the sanding (I made it by hand) is done


CAF is proposing at the end as a handle knob a piece of 2mm wooden rod, but I rememberd some spare parts from an old Mantua kit, which could be adjusted to fit the needs


Here the Proxxon was helping very much


OK - still not so slim like Boudriot was asking but better


8 handles are prepared


The top one was a first trial, which was later removed and also downsized in the diameter


better and final solution - there are only 6 more to make - Here I am very happy, that in the kit are "only" 8 oars included - Puh


Hope to show tomorrow the final oars

 

[pianoforte]

Very finely grinded , looks very good. Your handles look much better than Boudriot one’s. Let's see what place you can find for the oars. But as a scout of us all, I'm sure it will be the right one.

 

[PT-2]

Many Thanks for the comments and all the likes received

I order to know and prepare everything what is necessary for the deck I decided to make the oars. In the kit are 8 oars included and laser cut prepared

Here for fun are four "raw" oars shown at their location at the oar crotches
View attachment 257236

This is what the manual is telling us - unfortunately now oars are shown in the drawings

View attachment 257245

Boudriot is writing in his monograph:
the oars are 35 feet in length and operated by four men. There are 9 crotches on each side, but the vessel cannot be fitted with all oars out at the same time due to lack of crewmembers

and he is also writing
The oars are stored either on the deck against the ship´s boat or alongside the hull in iron crotches fitted towards the stern.....

Reading this I decided to check the possible installation as soon as possible.....
BTW: I do not know any scratch Le Coureur showing the oars, so all or better most modelers avoided the problem of storage

So, sanding is a must and the main work on the oars of the Le Coureur - here you see on top a sanded one and at the bottom a raw version (unsanded)
both are laying on a Boudriot drawing (showing the oars and all the mast and yards)
View attachment 257237

View attachment 257238

Here most of the sanding (I made it by hand) is done
View attachment 257239

CAF is proposing at the end as a handle knob a piece of 2mm wooden rod, but I rememberd some spare parts from an old Mantua kit, which could be adjusted to fit the needs
View attachment 257240

Here the Proxxon was helping very much
View attachment 257242

OK - still not so slim like Boudriot was asking but better
View attachment 257241

8 handles are prepared
View attachment 257243

The top one was a first trial, which was later removed and also downsized in the diameter
View attachment 257244

better and final solution - there are only 6 more to make - Here I am very happy, that in the kit are "only" 8 oars included - Puh
View attachment 257246

Hope to show tomorrow the final oars

Your work on the oars and handles looks very well done. I like the reshaping of the belaying pin shaped handle for a more realistic grasping profile. Rich (PT-2)

 

[Uwek]

Finalizing the oars

Comparing with the Boudriot drawing of the Le Coureur


- after some time of carefully sanding I finished all eight oars











I have to state, that CAF prepared for the kit really very good timber - for parts like these oars you finaly realize how important is a good timber you are working.
The oars are flexible and you can bend them without braking or cracking, the grain is running exactly along the length of the oars, so no problems at all during sanding and preparation - Bravo @CAFmodel for such a kit

At the end of this post -> PULL - PULL - PULL

 

[pianoforte]

Very, very impressiv. Beautifully and extremely finely crafted. Premier league.

 

[RDN1954]

Finalizing the oars

Comparing with the Boudriot drawing of the Le Coureur
View attachment 257359

- after some time of carefully sanding I finished all eight oars

View attachment 257353

View attachment 257354

View attachment 257355

View attachment 257352

View attachment 257356

I have to state, that CAF prepared for the kit really very good timber - for parts like these oars you finaly realize how important is a good timber you are working.
The oars are flexible and you can bend them without braking or cracking, the grain is running exactly along the length of the oars, so no problems at all during sanding and preparation - Bravo @CAFmodel for such a kit

At the end of this post -> PULL - PULL - PULL
View attachment 257357

View attachment 257358

Beautifully executed build, highly impressed.
Johan

 

[dockattner]

Every piece a work of art Uwe. Bravo!

 

[Thomas Marocke]

Hi Uwe!

All oars equally beautifully finished. Excellent craftmanship!

My muscles and bones hurt just looking at them. Were the oars used for navigation (in combat) or also for locomotion over longer distances?

Best regards
Thomas

 

[RogerD]

Very nice indeed Uwe, I am impressed.

 

[Uwek]

Many Thanks my friends for your kind words !!!

Were the oars used for navigation (in combat) or also for locomotion over longer distances?

Hallo Thomas,
sometimes the oars were used during really calm wind, to "sail" but I guess not really during combat - the seamen were necessary at the guns.....
But usually they were necessary near the coasts - Especially this type of ships were used near the coasts (with all problems of the tide in the northsea)
Also important to know: sometimes the french harbors and / or shipyards like f.e. Rochefort are located at rivers, 5 or 10 km landwards from the coast. Bigger ships were pulled by their own boats or also sometimes by horses walking at the bank of the river. Smaller ships like Le Coureur used at this time their own oars assisted by the boat

Here you can see the actual Hermione pulled by a motorboat on the river Charente near her homeport Rochefort

 

[Jimsky]

Here you can see the actual Hermione pulled by a motorboat on the river Charente near her homeport Rochefort

Sorry, Mon Ami, unless the tug boat is attached from the port-side (no visible), I don't see how this small motorboat can pull Hermione. If you look closely, you will not see any tow-cables attached. Also, given that she has some sails 'ON', she might sail on her own, IMHO. But...I could be wrong...