I am finishing the second planking of my HMB Endeavour. A question for me has come up as to the actual colour below the wales. Jotika and Victory models show the hull white. In Marquardt's book he states that the ships hull was payed with 'brown stuff'. A mixture of tar, pitch and sulphur. Can anyone give me some advice as to how I can replicate this finish?
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Should not the bottom of Victory be copper plated?
Brother Bluenos2:
White below the waterline suggests a coating of tallow and lime. Of course the actual appearance was unlikely to be a pure white and might have been somewhat yellowish if sulphur was added. A coating of tar, pitch, and sulphur would best be represented as a dark brown. First you have to do some research and decide whether the vessel had been more likely coated with the tallow mixture or the tar mixture. If that decision is murky you can decide based on what you think looks better on your model. Fair winds!
White below the waterline suggests a coating of tallow and lime. Of course the actual appearance was unlikely to be a pure white and might have been somewhat yellowish if sulphur was added. A coating of tar, pitch, and sulphur would best be represented as a dark brown. First you have to do some research and decide whether the vessel had been more likely coated with the tallow mixture or the tar mixture. If that decision is murky you can decide based on what you think looks better on your model. Fair winds!
As you mentioned, in the Anatomy of the Ship book on the Endeavour, it states that models have been painted white below, though through research they have determined that the hull was payed with a brown material. Later in Capt. Cooks journal he mentions painting with a white lead of the ships boats to keep the worms away. I doubt you will find a definitive answer one way or another, so you will need to pick one and go with it. Regardless of which you chose, I doubt anyone will come up to your model and comment on the hull color. And if they do, you have the knowledge to dispute it. 
Thank you Corsair. I will do more inter web research.As you mentioned, in the Anatomy of the Ship book on the Endeavour, it states that models have been painted white below, though through research they have determined that the hull was payed with a brown material. Later in Capt. Cooks journal he mentions painting with a white lead of the ships boats to keep the worms away. I doubt you will find a definitive answer one way or another, so you will need to pick one and go with it. Regardless of which you chose, I doubt anyone will come up to your model and comment on the hull color. And if they do, you have the knowledge to dispute it.
For Endeavour it depends on what year your model is being depicted. From the preliminary report on the Australian National Maritime Museum's participation in the Rhode Island Marine Archaelology Project's search for HMB Endeavour she received copper plating. The type of ship is not paramount in choosing the bottom material, as it is probably more about timing. Goodwin states that while coppering was tried on some ships by mid 18th century, it did not become common practice for the entire RN fleet until 1782, four years after Endeavour sank. If there is doubt in the veracity of the ANMM report, pick your poison. Anyone interested in Endeavour will probably enjoy the following article. https://www.sea.museum/en/maritime-archaeology/evidence-of-endeavour
Allan
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