The MSB Journal: June 2014

The MSB Journal
June 2014
www.modelshipbuilder.com
The MSB Journal—June 2014
The MSB Journal
ISSN 1913-6943
June 2014
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On the Cover
Remains of USS Vermont
74 gun ship which saw action in the Civil War
Beached and burned on Cony Beach in Eastport, ME
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Table of Contents
Tidbits from the Past 4
Model Ships of the Royal Museum Greenwich 6
Shipwrecks of the World 7
Baltic Square-Rigged Galleass of 1820 12
Wooden Ship Ballast 15
HMS General Hunter Proto-type Model—Part 2 18
Dockyard, Admiralty or Navy Board 22
The Book Nook 25
Badges: Heraldry of Canadian Naval Ships 26
Gene’s Nautical Trivia 27
Editor’s Corner 31
Tidbits from the Past by Gene Bodnar
“The CHRISTENING OF SHIPS”

Throughout history, the ceremonies associated with the christening of ships
have changed considerably, depending the people and culture involved. In ancient
times, a newly built vessel would be adorned with a huge array of flowers, and the
crew itself would wear floral crowns and enjoy the wine that flowed freely throughout
the ceremonies. On Greek and Roman ships, shrines would be installed on what would
be called the quarterdeck today, and this practice extended well into the Middle Ages.
A similar ceremony prevails in Greece today, where the deck of a new vessel is deco-
rated with flowers and the captain tastes wine from a jar before pouring the rest of it
on the deck.
The Vikings had a more primitive method of christening a ship. They believed
that a “sprinkling of blood” at the stem of the ship would provide good tidings for its
future and appease the gods; thus, they would bind a group of prisoners to the rollers
over which the vessel would run into the sea, thereby assuring an adequate
“sprinkling.”
The monks of St. Denys, as early as 1418, alluded to the blessing given by chris-
tenings. When figureheads were first introduced to ships under the bowsprit, priests
would consecrate an egg to the god whose figurehead the ship represented.
Ship christenings in the Ottoman Empire were always accompanied by prayers to

Allah and by the sacrifice of sheep, along with appropriate feasting.
In the 1600s in England, it was a custom to drink wine from a precious metal
cup, and then stand on the poop deck and throw the cup overboard to the accompani-
ment of trumpeters and much joy, solemnly calling the vessel by her new name. As
many more vessels were built, the use of precious metal cups became more expen-
sive, so they eventually caught the cup in a net as it was thrown overboard. In the
late 17th century, this practice was changed to merely breaking a bottle of wine across
the bow.
By the 1800s, members of the Royal Family or senior naval officers or Admiralty
officials were sponsors for a newly built ship and were responsible for naming her at
an elaborate ceremony. By the late 1800s, sponsors were almost exclusively women.
The christening of French ships in the 18 th and 19th centuries closely resembled a
baptismal ceremony, which included a godfather and godmother to the ship. The for-
mer would present the latter with a bouquet of flowers as they both said the ship’s
name. Then a priest would pronounce the vessel named and would bless it with holy
water.
www.dlumberyard.com
4
The christening of early American ships had its roots in European traditions. Of
course, warships of the Revolutionary War are not plentiful, and the only mentioned
account of a christening from that period occurred in May 1776 with the christening
of the Continental frigate “Raleigh” at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Nothing of the
ceremony itself survives, but it was recorded that all of the carpenters involved in
the ship’s construction celebrated with a potent punch that contained lime juice.
The first detailed description of the christening of an American ship is that of

the “USS Constitution,” which occurred on October 21, 1797 in Boston. Captain
James Sever, USN, her sponsor, broke a bottle of old Madeira over the heel of the
bowsprit. By the 19th century, American christenings continued to be festive occa-
sions, but there were no special rituals except some type of “christening fluid” was
used as the ship was given its name. During America’s “Prohibition Era,” in which
alcoholic beverages were illegal, a battleship would still be christened with bottles
containing water from a river in the State for which the ship was named.
Not only wine or water could be used at a ship’s christening in America. There
are many recorded instances of other liquids being used, including whiskey and
brandy. However, by the end of the 1800s, it became customary to break a bottle of
champagne on the bow. Furthermore, in recent history, the bottle has been broken
by a female sponsor of the U. S. Navy. In fact, nowadays the sponsor usually re-
mains in contact with the ship’s crew and takes part is special events, such as
homecomings.
www.dlumberyard.com
5
Model Ships of the Royal Museum Greenwich
Impregnable; Warship; First rate; 100 guns (1800)
Scale: approximately 1:120. A full hull model of a French 110-gun three-decker ship
of the line. The model is decked, equipped and rigged. Unusually for a prisoner of
war model, it is made of wood, rather than bone. It is to a relatively large scale for
such models, though as usual the details tend to be more accurate than the shape of
the hull, as the modellers were not able to work from plans. It shows boats being
lowered over the side and stern, with fine though not very accurate detail of some of
the deck fittings, and figures of seamen. The name ‘Impregnable’ is painted on the
stern, though this model represents a ship much larger than the real ships of 1780
and 1810 that bore the name. Prisoner of war modellers tended to exaggerate fea-
tures of the ship, including the number of guns. The French introduced the 120-gun
ship late in the 18th century as a development of the 100-gun ship. The first British
one was the ‘Caledonia’, launched in 1808.
Source: Royal Museums Greenwich
Ship Wrecks of the World

Red Bay National Historic Site of Canada
Archaeology of a Sixteenth-Century Basque Whaling Boat
by the Ontario Service Centre of Parks Canada
Chalupa ©Parks Canada
In the second half of the 16th century, whale oil was a rare and highly prized
commodity. It burned brighter than the more common vegetable oils, and was used in
the manufacture of soap, treatment of fabrics and in pharmaceutical products. By the
mid-16th century, European fishermen were pursuing these valuable commodities by
exploiting the rich marine resources of the Strait of Belle Isle. Basque merchants and
ship owners in France and Spain mounted regular seasonal expeditions to the south
coast of Labrador and the north shore of Quebec, to hunt whales for their oil and other
products. They favoured the port they called Butus, now called Red Bay. Archival
research and on-site archaeology revealed a sophisticated industry previously not
witnessed in Canada.
Archaeology of the Site
Underwater archaeological excavation began in 1978 and over the course of the
next six years, The Red Bay Project developed into one of the most comprehensive
marine archaeological projects ever undertaken in Canada. The discovery of three
Basque whaling galleons and four small whaling craft makes up one of the most
precious underwater archaeological sites in the Americas. One of the small craft, an
eight-metre whaling chalupa was found pinned beneath the collapsed starboard side of
a 200- tonelada whaling vessel. The chalupa was excavated and meticulously recorded
prior to its complete disassembly, recovery, conservation and re-assembly. Its 400
plus-year old remains are highly valued for the following reasons:
exceptional state of preservation of physical qualities reflecting specifically Basque

design, craftsmanship and materials used in the construction of vessels for the whaling
industry.
representation of a significant phase in the evolution of boat design, construction

and assembly in the 16th century.
the essential role of the chalupas in the whaling operation, in the hunting stages
(pursuing, killing and towing), and
with the other small boats - their representation of the scale and complexity of the
support services necessary for the operation of whaling stations.
The archaeology of the Chalupa was a small part of a much broader study of
understanding the Basque whalers of Labrador. Its historic value and contribution to
Canada's system of National Historic Sites have been formally recognized with the
establishment of Red Bay National Historic Site. As of July 1, 1998, this incredible
discovery was returned to Red Bay for permanent display and public appreciation in
the newly constructed Red Bay NHS, Visitor Centre.
The Conservation
When the marine archaeologists had finished recording all of the information
about the artifacts they had excavated, the work of the conservators at the site began.
All of the objects were stored in the field lab until the end of the excavation season. In
autumn, the artifacts were packed and shipped back to the main lab in Ottawa.
In Ottawa, the conservation of the chalupa followed the same treatment that is
used for most waterlogged wood that is preserved in conservation laboratories around
the world. The process is as follows:
when the objects arrived at the lab, a request for conservation was completed for
each one and they were logged into the artifact tracking system.
a report of the condition of the artifact was completed and it was photographed or
sketched.
a treatment proposal was written and approved.
the wood surface was cleaned with soft bristle brushes and dental tools. Any
unusual features or tool marks that were discovered during cleaning were documented
and the archaeologist was informed.
after the artifact was clean, it was time to replace the water in the wood with a
wax that would stay in the wood and help prevent cracking during drying. The wood
was soaked for several years in a tank that contained the wax dissolved in water. The
wax that was used is called Polyethylene Glycol (PEG).
to dry the wood, we usually use a vacuum freeze-dryer. This is a device that
removes the water from the artifact while it stays frozen to reduce the amount of
shrinkage that can occur during drying. This is the same process that is used to make
freeze-dried food or instant coffee.
the longer planks did not fit in our freeze-dryer so we had to dry them with
another method. They were left uncovered in our walk-in freezer for 18 months and
the surface of the wood dried out. This is the same process that we call 'freezer burn'
when it happens to your meat in home freezers.
we weighed the artifacts as they were drying and when the weight no longer
decreased the drying was completed.
the dry wood was stored in a lab at a relative humidity of 50%, which is best for
organic materials such as wood.
the surface was brushed and vacuumed clean, and any areas with a fragile surface
were consolidated with a solution of dilute white glue. Pieces that had come off during
the treatment were glued back in place.
At this point the keel, frames, planks, thwarts and gunnels were ready to be re-
assembled into an almost complete boat.
The Re-assembly
Re-assembly of an archaeologically recovered boat is the final phase of a long

process of reconstruction that begins in the field as the first timbers are revealed in
the sediment. As with all archaeology, careful numbering, recording, and the precise
locating of each component in relation to the next is critical for all future analysis and
interpretation. The resulting maps, photos, drawings of individual timbers, and the
catalogues that tie all this data together, become the principal reference tools for the
middle phases of reconstruction. By creating composite drawings, pin-up boards, and
perhaps a wooden model, archaeologists are able to establish the relationship of the
pieces to one another and get an idea of the original shape of the boat.
Most reconstructions of ships and boats go only this far. But this chalupa from
Red Bay presents a rare opportunity for archaeologists to re-assemble original
timbers. These have to be reshaped and fastened with great care, as the re-assembly
team follows consciously in the footsteps of the ancient Basque builder while using
entirely different methods along the path. Not only is the result a wonderful display for
public interpretation, but also the process of re-assembly allows for reconstruction
analysis to be taken to the ultimate level.
Some chalupa features to look for :
the higher end of the boat is the bow (front). Note the hole cut through the stem
(vertical timber in bow) for securing a line.
the vertical holes through the surviving fragments of gunwale (a timber along the
top of the sides) show the locations of the wooden hole pins, which held the oars. The
one near the stern, or back of the boat, was for the steering oar.
the top two planks are lapped (or clinker ) while the lower planks are flush-laid (or
carvel ). This shows how the Basque builders could draw on the boat-building traditions
of both northern (clinker) and southern Europe (carvel), in a mix that was still being
used on 19th-century whaleboats built on both sides of the Atlantic.
there are seven thwarts (seats which also provide reinforcement) in the boat, the
same number as drawn on the inscribed plank.
the main mast step is the block of wood near the centre of the boat with the
square hole cut in it for supporting the mast. The thwart above it also functioned as a
mast partner holding the mast upright.
the rear holes in the uppermost plank that served as fairleads through which the
sheets (ropes attached to the bottom of the sails) were fed. The holes are actually
knotholes used for the natural strength in density of the wood around them.
the rib-like timbers going from side to side in the boat are called frames; the part
of each frame that crosses the keel (the large timber which forms the backbone to the
ribs) is called the floor and the parts, which curve up each side, are called futtocks.
These were not bent to shape, but were selected from tree limbs of the right shape.
The fastenings of the boat were originally wrought-iron nails, often clenched over
to work like bolts. In the re-assembly of the boat we have used real bolts of brass
painted black. One end is custom-shaped to match the impression left by the original
clenched end of the nail, the other is capped with a wax "nail head."
10
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11
The Baltic Square-Rigged Galleass of 1820

by Joërg Gebhart
Ship’s History
Today it is difficult to find a precise representation of this craft. There are no

models to be found hanging in churches, no drafts, no line drawings. What we do have
is a number of captains´ paintings, often showing ships in dramatic situations, and
measurements of these vessels documented in local records. In 1768 Fredric Capman
published drawings of the rigging in his famous “Architectura navalis mercatoria” and
there are two paintings of the galleass Helene.
This ship was built in Rostock in 1817. It was a contemporary of the General
Hunter, but fitted out for salt water. The keelson had a length of 20.2 meters (66ft
5ins), the beam was 7.1 meters (23ft 4ins) and the depth of hold measured 3.4 meters
(11ft 3ins). Fitted with an apple-shaped bow, it was definitely not fast, but speed was
considered to be less important than capacity. The main mast carried three square
sails and up to four jibs, whereas the mizzen mast was fitted with a spanker and trian-
gular top sail. The transom had four windows and there was an oblong cabin on deck
with the mizzen going right through it. Most probably the crew of four lived and
messed in this cabin with the captain dwelling in the after cabin. There was also a
square structure bolted to the deck just behind the main mast where the cook was
kept busy.
The Helene survived for 45 years and was eventually wrecked on her way to
Klaipeda in Lithuania. Probably old age and lack of maintenance contributed to the
loss. By 1862 bigger and faster ships were preferred. Brigs and barks plied the seas
and you couldn´t make much money any more with an old galleass. When the Helene
was in service, Germany was still a patchwork of individual states which hampered in-
dustrialization. The Helene mostly carried grain to England and brought coal and indus-
trial goods back to Rostock. It was owned by shareholders which included the captain
as he had also bought some shares.
I found the drawings and an article on the ship in a 1985 issue of the one and
only modelling magazine from East Germany - the communist state that collapsed in
1989. This magazine covered the whole spectrum of modelling : planes, cars, tanks,
railroads and boats. You learned that the first planes were flown by Russian aviators
and that there were good warships that deserved to be dealt with whereas American
ones or those of the fascist German navy were to be omitted. So this, too, was a bit of
history.
Building the Helene as an RC model
First I went to a copy shop and had the frames enlarged to my favourite scale of
1:35. I always build my models to this scale as you can find some nice plastic figures
in this size. I start with soldiers, trim and alter them until they eventually become de-
cent sailors. The frames were glued onto 4mm poplar plywood and cut out with a scroll
saw. I build my models upside down on a board so that they can´t twist and remain
absolutely straight. Three stringers on each side give the construction additional
12
strength and make it easier to sand and shape before planking. As you can see, balsa
wood fillers were fitted near the stern and stem (Picture 1).
Picture 1 Picture 2
The next step was to plank the model with strips of balsa wood. Additional
planking with thin strips of basswood was glued to the hull above the waterline. Pins
were stuck between the lines of planking so that a slight gap appeared. As a re-
sult,the run of the planking can be seen very clearly. As the model is meant to sail,
the lower hull was covered with a layer of lightweight glass and epoxy resin was ap-
plied (Picture 2).
After the usual long process of sanding and the filling of dents and gaps, the
model was taken from the board and all the frames were removed. First a false deck
was put on with bent deck beams and pieces of plywood, then the proper deck laid
using strips of basswood. As you can easily see in Picture 3, there is a hole in the bot-
tom of the hull. Actually there are two holes, one to the right and one to the left of
the keelson. The function of these holes is made clear in Picture 4.
Picture 3 Picture 4
A large water tank is installed in the middle of the boat with two pipes on top to
allow air to escape as water enters. A tunnel leads from the tank to the stern and
ends in two pipes that expel the water to the right and left of the rudder. The picture
also shows the servo for the rudder, the battery for the motor and the four fastenings
for the detachable deck. As I had already had some poor sailing experience with
square rigged models, the motor was installed. A propeller at the stern of an 18th
century sailing ship would not have been appropriate, so I decided to use this tank
and tunnel system. I could have put in a lot of lead for ballast or reduce the buoyancy
by using a water tank. Our hobby sometimes leads to unusual solutions!
13
The model also has a detachable keel as well as a detachable extension for the rud-
der. When the ship is on display on its stand in the living room, you don´t see the holes in
the bottom or at the stern, whereas a propeller would be a visible eyesore.
Picture 5 shows the reverse side of

the deck. There is a servo for the jibs . At
its limits it operates a micro switch which
turns on the motor. The most important
feature is the rotating main mast. There are
two plastic gear wheels, the bigger one
mounted on the servo and the other one
around the mast. Attached to the mast is
also a double sided lever to pull the main
sail. Another servo with a lever is glued to
the deck. It works the spanker. The deck is
a tight fit to the hull and is held firmly in
place by four screws which are hidden un-
der barrels. Due to the heavy detachable
keel and the water ballast inside the boat it
does not heel excessively.
Picture 5
Just like the real Helene, the model does not sail fast, but she is a pretty sight on the lake.
Figure 6 Figure 7
14
Wooden Ship Ballast

by Raymond Deitz
Wooden ships were designed in such a way that the majority of their struc-
ture and weight was above the waterline, hence making them top heavy. A prime
example of a top heavy ship with insufficient ballast would be the Swedish ship
Wasa. The original design for the Wasa was to build a ship with a shallow keel and
one gun deck. Approximately 5 months after her keel was laid out and construction
was well underway, the king ordered 72 24-pound cannons making it necessary to
add a 2nd gun deck to the overall design causing the Wasa to have more weight
above the waterline. On her maiden voyage in1628, a gust of wind made the Wasa
heel onto her port side far enough that she began to take in water through her
opened lower gun ports causing her to sink to a depth of 105 feet only 390 feet from
shore.
In order to avoid having ships cap-

size, it was necessary to redistribute its ar-
mament (with heavier guns on the lower
gun deck) and to load the ship’s lower hold
with enough ballast and supplies to lower
her center of gravity. Ballast consisted
mostly of small to medium-sized river cob-
bles and some quarried rock. The ballast
was a cheap commodity that could be
found anywhere in the “Old Country” and
used until the ship reached the “New
World”. Upon reaching the New World, the
ballast was jettisoned over the side to
make room for the cargo that would return
to the Old Country. Over the years, the
dumping of the ballast began to clog har-
bors and channels. In 1769 it became nec-
essary for the Colonial Assembly of North
Carolina to appoint a “Ballast Master” who
would regulate how ballast should be disposed of.
In 1784, the General Assembly of North Carolina passed an act that prohib-
ited ballast stones from being thrown overboard. Thereafter, ships were required to
dispose of their ballast prior to reaching the low watermark. Stones left in shallower
water undoubtedly provided the cobblestones still seen in some of the streets in old
colonial sites, as shown in the following 2 pictures of streets in Boston.
15
There are many of these old streets still in use today and I find it interesting to
point out that true cobblestone streets are depicted in the previous photos. Now the
quarried rock I previously mentioned as being used for ballast was also used in the
construction of streets. This quarried rock had uniformity to it and while it was used to
pave streets it was mistakenly referred to as also being cobblestones when in fact
they are setts as the following photos will depict.
Ballast was used on ships even as late as World War II. The Luftwaffe bombed
many cities in England, particularly Bristol, which was the home of the Bristol
Aeroplane Company. When the United States sent supplies and troops to Bristol, U.S.
ships did not have British goods to be sent back to New York and used debris from
ruined homes in Bristol as ballast. Upon reaching New York, these ships off loaded its
ballast along 23rd and 34th streets (now known as the Bristol Basin) which was then
used as land fill for the FDR Drive.
16
In 1942 a plaque was dedicated to the Bristol Basin which reads:
“Beneath this East River Drive of the City of New York lie stones, bricks and rubble
from the bombed City of Bristol in England … Brought here in ballast from overseas,
these fragments that once were homes shall testify while men love freedom to the
resolution and fortitude of the people of Britain. They saw their homes struck down
without warning. It was not their walls but their valor that kept them free… And
broad-based under all is planted England’s oaken-hearted mood, as rich in fortitude
as e’er went worldward from the island wall.“
17
HMS General Hunter Proto-Type Model—Part 2

Building the Frames
By Dave Stevens
It was Harold Hahn who introduced the frame blank method to ship modeling, the
idea is to use framing material and build blanks in two halves over lapping the joints
between the two halves. As you can see from the frame drawing on the blank this
method wastes a lot of material around the frame. For the most part this method works
quite well until you get to large models then, the material use becomes an issue. In the
photos the model hull was 5 feet long and required 25 board feet of rough lumber for
the framing material.
This method of frame building is quite popular and works well. The problem when
designing the General Hunter kit using this method of frame building requires the
builder to have a table saw for cutting the blanks, a scroll saw for cutting out the frames
and a disk sander. The idea behind the kit was to design it so it did not require expen-
sive tools. Another consideration was cost of shipping, the weight of a 100 linear feet of
framing stock is much heavier than five sheets of laser cut frames. Each frame is broken
down and laid out on a sheet then color coded so you know what parts go to which
frame.
18
Looking at the floor pieces of the laser cut frames you will notice they are all differ-
ent sizes. The different size floors are due to the fact as the frames approach the stern
they require more of an extreme bevel. The photo shows the frames from number 1 to
number 9, frames 1 to 3 do not have a bevel, as the hull changes shape towards the
stern the frames begin to get wider from frame 6 to 9. The second photo are frames
from the center frame 0 to frame H at the bow. Once again as the bevel gets more ex-
treme towards the bow the frames get wider.
19
The key to building the frames is making sure they fit into the framing jig. In
order to correctly build the frames, the inside of the framing jig is used. Tops of the
frames are lined up with the tabs on the jig and the floors are lined up with the keel
slot. A few dabs of super glue are applied to
the ends to hold the frame together until the
other pieces are glued on. The laser char will
need to be cleaned off the ends so the glue
will stick. A piece of plastic from a zip lock
bag placed between the frame and the jig
will prevent accidentally gluing the frame to
the jig.
Half of the frame is made up of three

pieces a floor and two sides. The frames
were designed this way to insure once the
three points are lined up the frame will be
the correct shape.
20
21
Dockyard, Admiralty or Navy Board

By David Farndon
When I started the H.M.S. Sphinx I wanted to do something different. The

ultimate in my opinion was a Navy Board model. Questions arose, difficulty, detail to
include, etc. If I was going to produce a set of plans I wanted to include the average
builder. This is where I include myself. This mean's the drawings had to include
everything, parts and sizes that could be traced onto the wood and then cut out. But
how much detail. If I couldn't see it from the outside of the ship what was the point
of including it. And what was a Navy Board model anyway. These are the questions I
asked and this article hopefully may answer them.
History of models:
Models of ships have been around for a very long time. Ancient Egypt produced
some of the finest models in recorded history. King Tot's tomb when opened had
models up to 3' in length with surprising detail. Some of these are shown by
museums around the world. But it wasn't until around the 16th and 17th centuries
that extensive use of detail and scale were used accurately to convey how a ship
should be built. As a matter of fact, few original models exist in museums today
before or during this period.
Eric W. Edwards, Library Assistant at the Belfour Library Oxford states: "There
arose, during the years 1650 to 1800, a skilled tradition of constructing models of
Royal Navy vessels that were exquisitely executed."
Robert Bruckshaw in "Anatomy of an Admiralty Model" also states: "Admiralty

models were created by artists hired by ship builders or a Naval Architect. They were
commissioned to help show a new design of a ship."
John Franklin in " Navy Board Ship Models 1650-1750" states: "The Navy
Board models are unique and quite extraordinary objects, not only for their great
historical interest in illustrating the form, structure and decoration of ships from an
earlier age in such perfect detail." But he also states that Navy Board models are
shrouded in mystery. Hardly anything exists today to show who built them and how.
Even today very few articles are written about the subject. It would seem that it had
became a lost art form or was model making then so secretive that it had to be
protected. Don't forget that England was constantly at war with sea faring nations
and new designs were constantly being done.
In a reference in the Pepys Diaries dated 1667, it stated that Peter Pett hired a
boat to carry away the models at Chatham Dock Yards from being looted by the
Dutch when they defeated the British fleet. “He did believe the Dutch would have
made advantage of the models than of the ships."
The book "Ship Models, Their Purpose and Development from 1650 to the
Present", by Brian Lavery and Simon Stevens, is a wonderful book that relates the
development of the model from known examples. But the underlying theme is they
also do not known why models were built.
22
"It is not always easy to establish why models were made, particularly in the case of
'Navy Board' models. If we discount the theory that they were made for consideration of
the design, we are left with the conclusion that they were largely decorative. "
But why 3 names? Navy Board, Admiralty and Dockyard. If, as according to Mr.
Edwards: "As these models were commissioned by the Navy Board (who had
administrative responsibility for the Royal Dock Yards)" then why according to Robert
Bruckshaw "The model is presented to the King and Admiralty Board to get their approval
so money can be released.". Seems that there are two distinct Boards that can make
decisions around what the navy does when it comes to ship building or more precisely
model making.
A comment by A Mr. Freiston in his article " Building a 17th Century DockYard Model"
confuses this even more. "During the last part of the 16th and 18th centuries, models of
ships it was proposed, should be built in the Royal DockYards by the master shipwright or
their associates".
From that statement, DockYard applies because of where they were built, but the
other two types of models, with the basic explanations do not fit unless the Admiralty and
Navy Boards at one time or another could produce their own models away from the Royal
Dockyards. Robert Bruckshaw further states: "Models where needed to show the Admiralty
Board and Crown what the ship looked like because it required a certain skill to read the
draughts that only the Naval Architect possessed." Another quote along those lines "my
lord commissioners of the Admiralty were unable to read the "plot" of a ship, as it was
called..." certainly points to the fact that the Admiralty Board was a head of naval
operations but had nothing to do with building models of the proposed ships. They could
commission them from the Royal Dockyards. And as Eric Edwards has stated that the Navy
Board is or was the administrative side of the DockYards so they could commission a
model but really have no reason to be called Navy Board Models.
In my opinion, this possibly is one of the mysteries associated with model building
back in the 16th and 17th centuries that may never be answered. And as the book by
Lavery and Stevens promotes the idea that they may be more decorative than useful, we
cannot disagree that they are beautiful works of art.
The modern writers today agree that the name for any model of this type be called a
Navy Board model.
23
The Bomb Vessel

Cross Section Model
An exclusive Model Ship Builder
Modeling Project
“...This is the finest set of

drawings I ever worked with!“
Mike. Rohrer—Proto-type builder
“These drawings are amazing! I’m

looking forward to building this
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Daniel Richardson—USA
“Extremely detailed plans for a model. I have to “Plans arrived today… They far exceeded my
say, I’m very impressed. Great Job!“ expectations… Thank you!
Alfred Anderson—U.K. Tristan Rockstrom—Canada
A 1:48 scale model based on Peter Goodwin's “Anatomy of the Ship—Bomb Ves-
sel Granado and original Bomb Vessel drawings by Thomas Slade.
Contains 63 pages of detailed drawings and templates of every part of the model.
Numerous 3-dimensional constructional drawings provide you all the information

you need to know to build this model. As well, it is supported by an online forum
where you can ask questions, view other builds as they occur and even display
your build if you wish.
Plans: $57.50CND set + Shipping/Handling
Available at www.modelshipbuilder.com
24
The Book Nook

Books of interest for the Model Ship Builder and ship building
enthusiasts Reviewed by Wayne Tripp
The Built-Up Ship Model

by Charles G. Davis
Published by Marine Research Society in
Salem, Mass. 1933.
The Built-Up Ship Model (Dover Reprint,

1989)
ISBN-10: 0486261743
ISBN-13: 978-0486261744
Many a novice model maker has posted a request for reference books that may aid
in building those fiddly wooden beasts. Over the next several months in The Book Nook, I
will review some of the classics that a novice may find useful.
Charles G. Davis was a master seaman, shipbuilder, and maritime historian. His ex-
perience as a builder of wooden ships and models is evident in all of his books. An exten-
sive collection of his works, including several illustrated journals of various yachting
cruises and races; published materials and personal correspondence, contracts, tax re-
cords, and sketches relating to pieces written either by or for Davis; ship model papers,
including notes, specifications, photographs, and other relevant information he collected
and used in the repair and building of his many ship models; and notes, correspondence,
photographs, and employment information regarding the American Bureau of Shipping,
1941-1944, is held by the G. W. Blount White Library at Mystic Seaport.
A highly detailed, superbly illustrated manual introduces serious model builders to

the hand-crafting of ship models from the bottom up, exactly as real ships were built in
shipyards. The model is the 16-gun United States brig Lexington, in active service during
the Revolution. Not for beginners. A classic in its field, The Built-Up Ship Model is an ex-
pert guide aimed at model builders with experience, patience, and a passion for building
"the real thing". Photographs illustrate day-to-day work in progress. Over 100 drawings
demonstrate correct implementation of the more complex instructions. In his introduction,
the author chronicles the exciting career of the Lexington and the role it played in Amer-
ica's fight for freedom.
My copy is a 1975 reprint by Edward W. Sweetman Company (hard cover) with re-
markably clear and understandable drawings and photos.
Don’t forget to check out the

Model Ship Builder Amazon Bookstore.
25
Badges:
Heraldry of Canadian Naval Ships
HMCS Ville de Quebec (FFH 332)
Significance: The central device is derived from the Coat of Arms of the City of
Quebec. The ship represents the founding of Quebec in 1608 by Samuel de
Champlain and the subsequent establishment of Quebec as an important port..
Azure on a base three bars wavy Argent an ancient ship Or.
Source: Various
26
Gene’s Nautical Trivia

Hails and Cries
4-letter words 8-letter words 10-letter words

AHOY ALL HANDS OFF AND FAIR
EASY ALL’S WELL
STOW CHEERILY 11-letter word
TURN SHOW A LEG ABANDON SHIP
TOGETHER
5 letter words 12-letter word
AVAST 9-letter words MAN OVERBOARD
BELAY AYE-AYE, SIR
HANDS BEAR A HAND
HELM’S ALEE
6 letter word WHERE AWAY
SAIL HO
27
PULLING YOUR EARS BACK

(eating to the full, to landlubbers)
Can you identify the sailor’s slang term for the food described in the following defini-
tions? A list of the slang terms appears below the definitions.
___________ Royal Navy term for tinned meat, derived from the name of a child
murdered in the 1860s.
__________ Ship’s biscuits.
__________ Dish made of meat and vegetables layered between crusts of pastry.
__________ Boiled oatmeal porridge seasoned with salt, sugar, and butter.
__________ Salt beef.
__________ Tinned meat, named for a girl who was once caught up in the
machinery of a tinned meat factory.
__________ Preserved meat or soup mixed with broken ship’s biscuits and other
ingredients.
__________ Food left over from the master’s table, which were prized by the
ship’s apprentices as luxuries.
__________ Broken ship’s biscuits mixed with molasses and other available
ingredients.
__________ Stew consisting of salt meat, potatoes, broken ship’s biscuits, onions,
and available spices.
BURGOO HARRIET LANE
CRACKERJACK LOBSCOUSE
DANDYFUNK MANAVALINS
FANNY ADAMS OLD HORSE
HARD TACK SEA PIE
28
FAMOUS SCHOONERS
Can you name the famous schooners described below?

_________ 1. Famed Canadian racing and fishing schooner.
__________ 2. Schooner on which a famous slave revolt occurred.
__________ 3. Schooner that carried the news of Nelson’s victory and death.
__________ 4. The only 7-masted schooner ever built.
__________ 5. The first armed American naval vessel.
__________ 6. Schooner that brought the first white settlers to Melbourne,

Australia.
__________ 7. Norwegian schooner used by Amundsen in his polar expedition.
__________ 8. Oldest surviving Grand Banks fishing schooner.
__________ 9. Canadian rum runner of fame.
__________ 10. Schooner in Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island.”
and 10-HISPANIOLA.
LAWSON, 5-USS HANNAH, 6-ENTERPRIZE, 7-FRAM, 8-ERNESTINA, 9-NELLIE J. BANKS,
FAMOUS SCHOONERS: 1-BLUENOSE, 2-AMISTAD, 3-HMS PICKLE, 4-THOMAS W.
29
ANSWERS:
HAILS AND CRIES
PULLING YOUR EARS BACK:
1. FANNY ADAMS
2. HARD TACK
3. SEA PIE
4. BURGOO
5. OLD HORSE
6. HARRIET LANE
7. CRACKERJACK
8. MANAVALINS
9. DANDYFUNK
10. LOBSCOUSE
30
EDITOR’S CORNER
Rosalie Stewart
This is my second month of editing the MSB Journal and I would like to ex-
tend special thanks to all the contributors:
Gene Bodnar for the great columns on Tidbits from the Past and the Trivia
David Farndon for the Dockyard, Admiralty or Navy Board article
Dave Stevens for the information on the General Hunter kit build
Winston Scoville for the Ships Badges and Shipwrecks of the World
Wayne Tripp for the book reviews
Special thanks this month to first time contributors:
Ray Deitz for taking his “wondering what happened to ballast” thoughts and
turning the idea into an article.
Joerg Gebhardt for his article on building a RC model of a galleass.
I would love to have more of you readers send in articles— don’t believe for
a minute that you can’t write an article—if you can tell a story, it can be
an article!
Please send your articles or ideas for articles to
[email protected] and put “MSB Article” in the subject line.
Until next time,
Ro
31

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Tidbits from the Past 4

Model Ships of the Royal Museum Greenwich 6

Shipwrecks of the World 7

Baltic Square-Rigged Galleass of 1820 12

Wooden Ship Ballast 15

HMS General Hunter Proto-type Model—Part 2 18

Dockyard, Admiralty or Navy Board 22

The Book Nook 25

Badges: Heraldry of Canadian Naval Ships 26

Gene’s Nautical Trivia 27

Tidbits from the Past by Gene Bodnar

“The CHRISTENING OF SHIPS”

Ship christenings in the Ottoman Empire were always accompanied by prayers to

The first detailed description of the christening of an American ship is that of

Model Ships of the Royal Museum Greenwich

Impregnable; Warship; First rate; 100 guns (1800)

Source: Royal Museums Greenwich

Ship Wrecks of the World

Chalupa ©Parks Canada

Archaeology of the Site

exceptional state of preservation of physical qualities reflecting specifically Basque

representation of a significant phase in the evolution of boat design, construction

a treatment proposal was written and approved.

Re-assembly of an archaeologically recovered boat is the final phase of a long

Some chalupa features to look for :

Aft Magazine Section

Six highly detailed sheets of 1:32 scale drawings allow you

Plans come in digital format allowing you to print them at

For more information on how to order visit www.modelshipbuilder.com

The Baltic Square-Rigged Galleass of 1820

Today it is difficult to find a precise representation of this craft. There are no

Building the Helene as an RC model

Picture 5 shows the reverse side of

Wooden Ship Ballast

In order to avoid having ships cap-

In 1942 a plaque was dedicated to the Bristol Basin which reads:

HMS General Hunter Proto-Type Model—Part 2

Half of the frame is made up of three

Dockyard, Admiralty or Navy Board

When I started the H.M.S. Sphinx I wanted to do something different. The

Robert Bruckshaw in "Anatomy of an Admiralty Model" also states: "Admiralty

The Bomb Vessel

“...This is the finest set of

“These drawings are amazing! I’m

Numerous 3-dimensional constructional drawings provide you all the information

Plans: $57.50CND set + Shipping/Handling