How to scratch-build a simple period ship

[Michael Mash]

Thank You Ab for the outstanding article you recently wrote for the Nautical Research Journal Vol. 98 Winter 2023 called:

“Seventeenth-century Dutch ship design drawings revisited”

It is complex and fascinating, so it will take me a while to finish it.
Your knowledge of the subject is impressive.

Best Regards,
Mike

[bradford46]

I wouldn't mind a copy of this for reference. Can this be placed in the downloads section? It seems to me something as useful as this should be permanently available.

[abhovi]

Thank you Mike for your kind comments. It's complicated stuff and there is a lot to chew. Not everybody agrees with me and in some nasty cases quite unfriendly things have been said.
Bradford46: I'm not the one who can decide on that, you will have to talk to the editor of Nautical Research Journal and to the admins of this forum. I hardly believe many users of this forum will be served with such a heavy subject. We're here for our hobby... Or do you mean this thread?

Talking about hobbies: this might be a nice moment to announce my new book. As you might have noticed it was a bit silent on my part, mostly due to physical limitations, but all that did not withhold me from writing a book on paper scratch building. Here is the planned cover:



The content comes quite close to what I discussed in this thread (and other ones), but this time you will have to pay for it! :-)
No really, it is full of beautiful images, interesting subjects and handy techniques. My son's influence was so immens that I decided to publish the book under both our names. It started all when I was in hospital recovering from my open heart surgery and being forced to do nothing the plan grew to write the book, starting from the 'Cut-and-Paste' booklet I showed here some time ago. It took nine months, including the beautiful design Emiel made and it has over 170 pages, holding all the necessary plans and drawings to scratch build a Dutch 'smalschip' and for the strong of hearts there is even the possibility to build Witsen's pinas with lots of instructions and explanations.
The book is being edited by Mike Ellison from SeaWatchBooks at this moment and I hope we can sell the first copies early next year.

We'll keep you informed!
Ab

[ReynoldsSlumber]

What a wonderful effort by you and your son! Also thanks for laying out your artful techniques, and I especially appreciate the more philosophical observations.

[Michael Mash]

More thoughts about . . .

“Seventeenth-century Dutch ship design drawings revisited”,

The ship drawings at the heart of your article are very beautiful, clearly created by very talented hands. They were produced at the height of the Dutch Renaissance.
Could it be they were intended as objects of art all along?
Perhaps commissioned by a sea captain or shipyard owner interested in decorating the walls of his home or office? The addition of some “technical” (if inaccurate) characteristics may have made them more appealing to the buyer.

[abhovi]

Thank you ReynoldsSlumber. Never expected anyone to see me as a philosopher. :-)

Yes Mike, there certainly is an artistic aspect on these drawings. But both the size (17 x 30 centimeters as an average), and the material (very thin almost transparent paper) do not suggest that they were meant to be used as wall decorations. I would love to have one on my wall though, even knowing the lines are deceptive...

[bradford46]

It's always nice to be quoted, but there seems to be a mistake here:
Bradford46: I'm not the one who can decide on that, you will have to talk to the editor of Nautical Research Journal and to the admins of this forum. I hardly believe many users of this forum will be served with such a heavy subject. We're here for our hobby... Or do you mean this thread?
I did not say this. My comment is directly above abhovi's where this occurs. I suggested that abhovi's tutorial be made permanently available for all of us to use as a reference.

[abhovi]

Ah, of course, sorry for the confusion and my misunderstanding. It's the age, you know.
And forget the tutorial, wait for the book. :-)

[GrandpaPhil]

Professor,
Looking forward to the book release!

[abhovi]

Thanks GrandpaPhil.
Professor.... Hahaha, not much more than a former school teacher, I'm afraid.
I'm sure you will like the book!