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Thank you all for your interest, especially Yale with his valuable addition about the historical importance of the fluit.
Working on the model has started. I printed the lines plan 1 : 77 and pasted the parts on 1 mm cardboard. The central longitudinal section was doubled to obtain 2 mm and another layer of cardboard was added on both sides of the keel, stem and stern to create a rabbet for the planking.
Next the decks were chosen. I decided not to model the lower deck, because it will not be visible when the ship is finished. This fluit is a very humble ship without guns, beak-head and elaborate carvings. De hatch to the lower deck will be closed, as in real life, but the entrance to the forecastle and the steering stand will be open to allow a (limited) view inside, so the decks of these compartments will be modelled.
The location of the masts was calculated with the formula Witsen gives us: the length is divided into 5, the mizzen mast was on one fifth from aft,the fore mast was on half one fifth from the stem and the main mast was in the middle or a little bit further aft.
The frames were cut to the height of the top of the bulwarks. The line of the decks is perforated, to allow easy removal after the ship's sides will be finished.
So far the shape of the hull looks good compared to the pinas, but it is striking to see how narrow the ship was, in relation to it's length (5 : 1, quite different to the pinas, which was close to 4 : 1). The frames are all in line as a result of the cardboard waterline which was added for additional strength and lining.
So far no revolutionary news, as I predicted.
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