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11-15-2008, 11:04 PM
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USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
Although I am still at least a week away from starting my first build with this model, I wanted to go ahead and start a thread, and maybe get a couple questions answered ahead of time. My nautical terminology skills are about as poor as they can be, so here it goes.
I have found some invaluable pictures (to me at least) of another builder who made this model. They are here: Here It seems the builder was quite true to the kit in their building, and this begs my two questions. Here is a cropped image of the area I have questions about:  My questions are, for an early 1800's ship, is it appropriate to have brass rings around the mast attached to the sail, and is the absence of ratlines appropriate? |
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11-15-2008, 11:43 PM
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Re: USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
I may be wrong but my first impression is that a ship that size, and of that era, would not have had brass rings and would certainly have had ratlines. Taking a glance at the manufacturer's catalog, many of their models seem to have strange inconsistencies in design. I certainly don't want to badmouth a company though, so I would suggest that you try to dig up some historical background on the ship. You might want to kit-bash and correct any inconsistencies that trouble you.
Richard
------------Members' Signature------------
Any fool can carry on, but a wise man knows how to shorten sail in time. Joseph Conrad
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11-15-2008, 11:48 PM
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Re: USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
Hi
I'm pretty sure brass mast hoops are a modeling convenience. So far as I know mast hoops were almost invariably wood. As far as ratlines, this is a guess, but I'd think they were there. On a smaller vessel, especially a commercial vessel, maybe not. Again as a guess, on a naval vessel, where there were a lot of hands needing work in idle times, I'd bet the skipper had them tying ratlines. Regards Jim
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11-16-2008, 01:05 AM
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Re: USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
As far as historical background, I am skeptical that this ship ever really did exist. That was going to be my next question. I don't even know where to begin looking, but I'm wondering if this ship ever did really exist, at least under the name Virginia. Any additional help there?
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11-16-2008, 03:26 AM
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Re: USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
Hi
Not all ship had ratlines. specially if the sails could be raised or lower from the deck. If a crew member had to got up the mast, he would be raised by means of a Boson’s chair. As to the brass rings around the mast I do not know, most information I have says rope ring or wood? Andrew Dolphin Road
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11-16-2008, 07:45 AM
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Re: USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
Don't want to guess on the ratlines but am sure the mast hoops were wood. To make life easier, you can order laser cut mast hoops from Model Expo or Bluejaclket. Either one have a varitey of sizes.
------------Members' Signature------------
"Life's a reach, then you jib"
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11-16-2008, 12:30 PM
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Re: USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
Welcome Aboard Brad
According to the DANFS the only USS Virginia of that time, was a revenue cutter (1797, a. 6 6-pdrs,8 4-pdrs) drafted into the USN (1798 ) durring the undeclared war with France. The armament in this kit is not correct for this ship. All the pic's seem to indicate this model is a type of Virginia pilot boat (ei; MS's Katy of Norfolk, AL's Swift), many of which were used as revenue cutters and aux naval craft. Hope this helps. Matt
------------Members' Signature------------
Those who beat their swords into plowshares usualy end up plowing for those who didn't. Ben Franklin
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11-16-2008, 03:34 PM
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Re: USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
Thank you everyone for they help, I'll certainly go with the wooden rings, and ponder more on ratlines. I'm also curious about the flag. I've never seen this star pattern before.
 It shows 15 stars, in an odd pattern. Also in 1818 the US had 20 states, and 21 in 1819. I'm using this site as a reference. I'd appreciate any thoughts on this detail. |
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11-16-2008, 10:06 PM
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Re: USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
Brad
I've poked around a bit in my small library and think your Virginia most resembles a small Revenue Cutter of about that time. They appear to have been schooner rigged, been armed with a single pivot and had open rails (although stanchons and line, not wood). They were basically on the Baltimore clipper model and had a single cabin trunk aft. As cutters, they may well not have carried rat lines. A good source is Chapelle's The History of American Sailing Ships. As to mast hoops when faced with the same challenge, I made mine with shavings of the side of a 1/32" bass wood stip. Regards Jim
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11-16-2008, 10:19 PM
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Re: USS Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina SA
Excellent information Jim. The wood also looks much better than the brass against the mast. That decision is now made. Any thoughts of a boat of this class that I can aim to direct this model toward? Perhaps one with a few pics, or history? I certainly don't mind doing a few scrap build pieces for it to flesh out the deck, and give it a name that actually might be more historically accurate.
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