A 160-feet VOC-vessel, or…

[abhovi]

Anyone familiar with my threads knows that it does not take me long to produce a model in paper. Well, here is the exception: I started this one in 2016 as can be read in the beginning of this report. Problems with corrupted draughts caused by the use of computerprograms caused me to stop the build after several tries. I did not stop working on this one because I did not like the vessel. It was more its size that kept me from finishing it. This picture shows the difference between the 'beast' and the model of my latest 90 feet long fluit. There is a limit to my wife's tolerance...

But lately another museum showed interest in some models I made. On the basis of the compass rose they want to exhibit ship types fitting to the four compass points: A small fluit destined North to the Baltics, an armed pinas as a ship sailing to the Mediterranean and the West African coast in the South, an East Indiaman for the East and a big fluit for crossing the Atlantic to the West.
I can deliver these ships... if I finish the 160 footer and build a new fluit, this time one with a beak-head.

So this thread comes to live again after 4 years and it took me a while to get into the material all over again. Building the hull was not the biggest problem. The main (visible) difference was the awning, the sun-roof over the quarter deck. This was done because more and more passengers were shipped to Asia to test their luck. The VOC also provided more accommodation for passengers by placing windows in the stern to make the quarters above the main cabin more comfortable. That caused another problem for decorating the stern. No longer most of the taffrail was filled with crests and other symbolic representations of the name of the ship. There are hardly any suitable models or depictions of VOC ships around 1700, so I had to improvise. The overall shape of the stern slowly changed into a horse-shoe-shape like on the Valkenisse (1717) which is the oldest 18th century VOC ship, but was around 1700 not yet implemented entirely. I had to find a shape where the ultimate stern contour was ‘on its way’. I stayed very close to the William Rex (1697), but that was a man-of-war and VOC vessels really differed. The name ‘Generale Vrede’ was chosen because that was the first Amsterdam VOC 160-footer built after the 1697 Resolution (which for the first time dictated the shape of VOC ships to be build, as stated earlier in this thread). The name refers to the Treaty of Rijswijk (1697) which ended the Nine Years War (1688-1697) between France and almost the entire rest of Europe. I used a wrapper with the name and the VOC sign, a peace pigeon on both sides flanked by the Greek goddess of Peace Eirene. I hope it makes sense.

So here I am again, rigging the beast. This is going to take time. And also another fluit to go... Wish me luck.

[Seahorse]

Ab,
we all wish you luck, and keep in mind that we are already lucky to be able to see your works and learn about the meanders of history.

Tomek

[Michael Mash]

The richly decorated stern is beautiful to see Ab.
One can see the many bands of rigging of “the beast”, hanging there.
I have confidence your hands to bring order to chaos.
Mike

[abhovi]

Thank you Tomek and Mike. It's a long way, but in the end it will pay off.
Thanks for your interest.

[JohnMGD]

This is again a masterpiece Ab, I enjoy the photographs very much, my hat of for your son, for making these beautiful pictures, on the "Ships of scale" forum !

[Vermin_King]

I keep looking at the rigging waiting to be completed. I know you have the process down pat, but it looks rather daunting to me

[et2B]

You should publish a book Mr Hoving with all your hull plans and the background information.
That would be an instant "bible of Dutch golden age ships"

[abhovi]

JohnMGD: Thank you Jan. Are you making any progress with the kaag?

Vermin_king: You are right, it is a daunting task, but once you get the hang of it, it goes rather fast. I used one month to rig the pinas this summer (but the weather was lousy, which helped).

It's a small market, et2B, and the plans are often quite rudimentary. Enough for me, but many people want more info. I think I can use my time for better building what I like, than publishing boring bibles for just a few.
Maybe you like this one? Just for the coffee table...

Knippen_plakken_A4-lowres.pdf

English translation:

Engels.doc

[Alexio]

I did something like this for a 1580 Portuguese India nau, but that worked out because I wanted smooth curves for my frames, with the rising and narrowing following the standard formulas of the time (I was one of Filipe Castro's students). I know this is going very "old school" and "hands-on", but the problem with your lines is that Autocad wants to smooth the bilge angle.

Can you do TWO sets of lines in Autocad, the first for the bottom up to the bilge that would define the 3D curve at the bilge, and a second set from the bilge line upward?

You could design it so that it meets the right points down past your bilge line, and below that do whatever you like... add a torpedo bulge if you like... then cut off the "upper lines" at your previously-determined bilge line? Then you join the bottom and sides together, like the shpwrights doing the floor and then frames. You could play with the angles as you near the bow and stern to smooth the edge of the bilge line there, and keep the boxy shape it should have.

[et2B]

Thanks, thats really nice for the Coffee tablet :-)