USS OHIO 1820 ship of the line

[threebs]

I was not really sure if I would post the build of this ship. To be honest there does not seem to be much interest in ships like this here. Too many other fascinating and fantastic builds to follow. But, I have been putting my ship model builds here for a long time. I am 70 now and God only knows how long I will still have the health to keep doing this, so no point in stopping now.

 

[Y.T.]

Am I correct saying that USA ships of that era were not having as much beatification features as European ships of same time? I see they were very practical and simplistic.

 

[Roger Pellett]

The US Navy had no ships of the line until after the war of 1812. By the time that they began to launch these vessels the ships of other navies were not highly decorated either.

Threes: Age of Sail warships is not my area of interest and I must confess that I don’t bother reading HMS Victory or similar posts. Your posts about scratch building these early US Navy warships is, however, in a class by itself. Please keep posting! I enjoy seeing your work.

Roger

 

[threebs]

The Ohio and Pennsylvania had the most decorative sterns of the American liners. The first 3 photos are the Pennsylvania. The other is the Ohio.

 

[Bill-R]

You have done great work on your Ohio. I will be following along with your build with great interest.

Bill

 

[DAWarden-(Jaager)]

Am I correct saying that USA ships of that era were not having as much beatification features as European ships of same time? I see they were very practical and simplistic.

To my eye RN warships were just as utilitarian. They were well into building with elliptical sterns. The advent of the Industrial age was beginning to have its effect.

 

[jjsmn]

This is VERY interesting to me!! I hope to see more from you!!!

 

[Allegheny]

Great job! Let's see the rest of the model please.

 

[threebs]

More photos of the Pennsylvania can be seen on this post. https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/...ia-1837-second-build.15760/page-4#post-484380

 

[threebs]

One side of the Ohio planking is 95% done. Some touch up at the bow still needed. Since I do not glue the edges of my planks, you may notice is some of the photos that the wood is a yellowish color. I "paint" the hull with a watered down wood glue that seeps into the seams to do that. (I rough sand the planks first though.) Once the glue is dry, I give it a good sanding. (I custom cut the my planks out of boxwood to slightly over 1/16" to allow for the sanding). I spread a thin coat of watered down wood filler over the entire hull and sand that off so most of the plank gaps almost disappear. in addition, I am making spar deck items. The hooks are for the gun tackle. 264 2mm hooks. I have to make them once as a rough size, then again to get them to the 2mm size. The hooks in the container are the first one, the hooks on the container lid are the 2nd time.

 

[Mikes shed]

As a scratch buildee iwill be interesred to folow the rest of your build

 

[threebs]

As a scratch buildee iwill be interesred to folow the rest of your build

I am pleased you will follow this build. I do not know your experience level as a scratch builder, but who knows if you might like to see my YouTube channel. I have 60+ videos there. @gregbaumgartner8257.

 

[Mikes shed]

Hi Gregʻ. I have ben scratch building for over 50 years. I was also a boat builder old school and fiberglass. Iam looking forward to more of the Ohio posts will take a look at your videos sometime.

 

[threebs]

working on the gun ports at my local county fair demonstration display.

 

[threebs]

I also worked on the quarter galleries.

 

[threebs]

Lots of work done since my last post.

 

[threebs]

I have come a long way since my last post. Standing rigging is done. Honestly not enough interest to justify regular posting. I will probably not post again until the running rigging is done.

 

[Roger Pellett]

Someone in the Navy once told me, “If you can’t get your job done during the 24 hour day, work nights!” You make remarkable progress and your workmanship is spectacular. You must work nights!

The umpteen HMS Victory builders here and elsewhere should be following your posts.

Ohio was also considered to be the finest of the US built ships-of-the-line. With the US Navy’s policy of building very large ships within a given class she would probably have been more than a match for European rivals.

Roger

 

[DAWarden-(Jaager)]

BBB,

Excellent job on replicating Ohio. But then, you did a similarly excellent job recreating the whole U.S. sailing navy.

You are probably not going to like me saying this.
I am willing to delete should you wish - but

I do not think that the individual copper sheathing plates would have been new penny bright even before they were tacked to the hull. High humidity, oxygen, carbonic acid rain and then when launched - sea water. Probably more verdigris than brown where air hit. Ohio did not sail enough for moving water to affect the plates' surface oxidation?

I was at first put off by the deck being sun bleached. Because of RN influence, I thought of what the admiral would say about no holy stoned decks. Then it dawned on me, Ohio was never used. It was a white elephant - too big and too expensive to use. No admiral, only a maintenance crew, no holy stoning. Sun bleached is probably correct.

About the black standing rigging - Drake's well was 1859. Was there enough asphalt seep on the east coast before then to take the place of Carolina or Georgia Pine tar?

As for running rigging: For how much of Ohio's life were the yards even crossed? I am thinking bare poles for most of it?

Your next step - the backstay foot ropes - ratlines - if I had to climb them barefoot I do not think that I would like for any tar coating the surface. A hot sticky mess in the Summer. No quick way off the burn - unlike a gravel and tar road when I was a kid.

 

[TexBilly]

Fantastic ship, thank you for sharing your impressive craftsmanship and...speed!