Longboat Thwarts

[GusR]

Hello all! New to the forum, but I thought I would share the current state of my longboat (and ask a question that's been bugging me while I'm at it). I've been working on this for about a month, usually after the kiddos go to bed. It's not the neatest (and I may have strayed from the instructions in a spot or two), but I'm pretty pleased with myself! Next step is to install the thwarts.

My question is regarding those thwarts. The instructions call for me to use 1/8" strips, but I think they look a little small. Also, the pictures I see in the kit (and build logs) show little cutouts in the thwarts so they hug the frames/ribs. Since my frames are about 1/8" wide, I don't see how I could do that. Maybe I was supposed to sand those down when I fared the interior? Regardless, if this is a 0.25" scale model, wouldn't that make these seats only 6" wide at full scale? Seems too narrow for a rower's seat, but I'm new to the hobby and certainly not a historian. Does anyone know if that's an accurate representation of a thwart on a longboat, or is this an artistic choice of the designer? Alternatively (and most likely) maybe I'm misinterpreting something?

I'm tempted to swap in 3/16" planks instead (shown in the pic for reference unstained), or join two 1/8" planks together, but I'll happily bow to historical accuracy. Thanks for your help, and let me know if you have any questions!

 

[Roger Pellett]

I like the wider planks better. I would not like to try rowing the boat sitting on a 6” wide seat.

Incidentally most of the thwarts in a longboat were removable in order to stow bulky cargo, especially large water barrels. Three were not; the one in the bow, the one supporting the mast and the one just forward of the stern sheets. These three permanent thwarts would have been reinforced with knees tied to the frames.

Roger

 

[Kurt Konrath]

I like the wider version, and one has to remember two points in building old ship and boats.

First is plans are not always accurate, and ships Captains often change things to fit there personal whims.
Second, is that this is your model boat, and build to what makes you happy, as I don't think you will be displaying in a museum where folks will want to check it for accuracy.

 

[AllanKP69]

My question is regarding those thwarts. The instructions call for me to use 1/8" strips,

First, when it came to boats, there was a lot of variation over time. Contracts are rare and not super detailed. But, there are lists of scantlings for all types and sizes of ship's boats available showing the actual sizes of all the parts. They can be found in Boats of Men of War, Scantlings of Royal Navy Ships and The Elements and Practice of Naval Architecture. What size longboat is your kit?

Examples:
For a 19 foot longboat, loose thwarts were 8 inches broad by 1.5" thick. The main thwart where the mast would be secured was 10" broad by 3" thick. Other fixed thwarts were 9" by 2"

For a 32 foot longboat the loose thwarts were 9X2, For the thwarts supporting the mast(s) 12X4, and for the other fixed thwarts they were about 9 X 2.5 aft to 10X2.75 forward.

Allan

Example of a longboat contract of 1689

 

[Winter]

The Russian ship modeling forum, about ship boats.

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Второй день не придумаю , как сделать металлическую вставку в противовес колоколу, сделал для этого проточку 1мм. ,а вот саму железку сделать не получается. Она должна быть шириной 1мм, да еще с отверстиями под гвоздики, да еще согнута. Думаю. как в..

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