Thursday 19 October 2017

A warm welcome to all users of this forum.
 
A few days ago, I received from Zoran Pavlovic, the kit manufacturer, the material I ordered for my next model, a project I want to manage in the period of time I will spend in Tuscany.

The kit is produced by a Croatian company, MARISSTELLA of Split, founded in 2008. I found it on the Modelshipworld forum where Marisstella is present with a advertisement banner. The company has a remarkably interesting product catalog, with typical boats of the Adriatic Sea. He is the same producer of the kit of my latest model, finished a few months ago: Gajeta Falkusa.

The first impression is that the materials supplied with the kit are definitely valid, the timbers are of good quality and the two sheets containing the plans are very well done. Many pieces are laser pre-cut both on plywood and solid wood. Concerning the wood used, the walnut is used for each element: planking, masts and spars, detail of the decks. As I wrote the wood is of high quality but personally I would have preferred a mix of wood with different colors to make the model less monotonous. I do not exclude that during this project I do not invent something using different woods to obtain a more lively and chromatic results. We'll see.

Again the biggest flaw in this kit is the assembling instructions: they are written in Croatian and English language. No comment on the Croatian, I do not know it, but for English it could be better. But Zoran Pavlovic has available a new version of them : he has reviewed the part in English and has also added instructions in Italian language. Zoran sent me them via email a couple of days after I received the kit and I have to say that they are very, very well translated.

Unlike the instructions of the Gajeta Falkusa, my last model, in this case there are virtually no images showing the various stages of construction and this is a small problem because this model is also quite complex and the written instructions become critical. They must be read carefully and understood perfectly to avoid mistakes that could have heavy consequences. And here's a further thank to Zoran for the magnificent Italian instructions: I hope will make the job easier and more methodical.

At the moment I'm going to read, understand, interpret and comment them with some personal notes that should help me at the right time.

Here I would like to propose some images of the kit and the material contained inside.

First, a little bit of data:
Scale 1:59
Total Length 775 mm
Size of the packaging cm 65 x 21.5

Let's start by looking at our kit before opening it:


01 Ragusian Carrack/13.jpg


But let's describe what model is.

This model represents a Ragusian Carrack, a sailing ship of the maritime republics of the period from the 14th to the middle of the 17th century, designed for freight transport.

The Carrack appears in Venice at the beginning of the 14th century, but at the same time it begins to be built in the city of Dubrovnik (Ragusa), another maritime republic, less famous of the four Italian towns but not less important, as the largest type of Adriatic shipping vessel.

In the fifteenth century, the Carrack spread from the Adriatic to the Mediterranean Sea and in the late 15th century to the Atlantic Ocean. Here they were built by the Spaniards, Portuguese, French and Dutch.

It is therefore a vessel almost contemporary to the famous caravels and naos from the Iberian peninsula but still before the galleon, characterized by the high fore and aft castles. In the sixteenth century the Dubrovnik Carrack was one of the largest ships in the world and sailed to England.

The large and spacious Carrack was called Argosia, a name derived from ragusia, the adjective of Ragusa. The level of popularity of Dubrovnik's carracks is demonstrated by the fact that the English created the literal expression Argosy ship.

But let's post some pictures of this gorgeous finished model, pictures sent by Zoran, which worth more than a thousand words.

02 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4522 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


03 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4527 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


04 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4532 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


05 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4537 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


See you next time with additional images of the Ragusian Carrack !!

Cheers, Jack.Aubrey.

That's a very nice looking model, its going to be fun following you build her

Friday 20 October 2017

More images of the finished model.
I would like to point out that these photos do not refer to my work but have been sent to me by the kit manufacturer, Zoran Pavlovic, to integrate the building instructions..

The following is a collection of pictures of the Ragusian Carrack. Later I will continue by showing the contents of the kit box. In the meantime I'm studying what to do, so do not expect soon details of my job.

01 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4554 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


02 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4555 B DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


03 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4563 B DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


04 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4583 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


05 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4586 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg

Friday 20 October 2017

More pictures with details of the finished model.

01 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4621 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST - Copy.jpg


02 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4626 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


03 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4632 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


04 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4635 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg


05 Ragusian Carrack/Images/4CB_4639 DUBROVAČKA KARAKA 16. ST.jpg

She's beautiful Jack and I really do love the natural look of the wood.... Will certainly look forward to seeing this one progress....

Regards

Alan

Friday 20 October 2017

Let's begin with a preview of the plans included in the kit.

As drawings, they are well done and after a quick check, the numeric references to the various elements are perfect. Tables containing all the pre-cut laser parts are not available, so these plans are not useful if you want to scrath build this model.

01 Ragusian Carrack/Images/HPSCANNER0938.jpg


I have some perplexity about the drawing P5 on the plan below. I do not understand if it's a mistake or something else. However, I do not think it can affect the work to build this model.

02 Ragusian Carrack/Images/HPSCANNER093.jpg


Cheers, Jack.

That's what I hope !!
Thanks to you and all the other forum members for the comments. Jack.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Let's continue to show the other materials contained in the kit:

- the first board of pre-cut laser bulkheads;

01 Ragusian Carrack\21102017\20171021_105730.jpg


- the second board of pre-cut laser bulkheads;

02 Ragusian Carrack\21102017\20171021_105744.jpg


- the third board of pre-cut laser bulkheads;

03 Ragusian Carrack\21102017\20171021_105757.jpg



- some fittings (gun barrels, anchors, etc.) and ropes for rigging.

04 Ragusian Carrack\21102017\20171021_105617.jpg


That's all for today, regards, Jack.

Looks like you have a great kit Jack will be following regards Phil

Monday, October 23, 2017

Keel Assembly:

I placed the drawing I prepared in the previous message on the back of a glass plate I keep in my workshop and often use for these purposes. I fixed the design, face down, with some adhesive tape so that it could not move. I then overturned the glass by laying it on the worktop and then I started to prepare the pieces to assemble the keel.

Here I had to work very carefully to remove the wood burned by the laser cut and then I proceeded to glue the pieces with PVA glue.
When, after one hour, the glue took hold, I removed the keel from the glass, where it obviously could not stick, and I fastened it to a thick multilayer wood board with clamps to hold it firmly.

It is now in the lab to dry out definitively . . waiting for the next steps.

Here's a bit of pictures of the work done.

01 Ragusian Carrack/23102017/20171023_172853.jpg


02 Ragusian Carrack/23102017/20171023_172900.jpg


03 Ragusian Carrack/23102017/20171023_172916.jpg


04 Ragusian Carrack/23102017/20171023_172921.jpg