Catalog
of
Scaled Ship Replicas
and
Manned Model Ships
additions:
Jan 15, 2012: brigantine Vision
Jan 15, 2012: ship Red, White and Blue
Apr 23, 2011: Adventure, Liberté
Introduction
If you want to have an idea of the workings of a long-gone sailing ship, you need to build a full-size replica, and quite a number of those have been made, sometimes funded by the movie industry (see large full-size replica catalog). Another way is to build functional radio-controlled models, of various degrees of complexity (see RC square-rigger catalog).
There is actually a space in-between, for scaled-down replicas that are big enough to carry people. The same phenomenon happened for radio-controlled model airplanes, from quarter-scale to half-scale and up. At some point someone was bold enough to jump in the model, rip out the radio controls, and directly fly the model. This actually led to a whole class of aircraft called 'ultralights". It would be nice if the same happened for ships.
| Name |
Rig Type |
Scale |
LOA |
LWL |
Breadth |
Sail |
Location |
| Adventure |
Brig |
|
10' |
7'10" |
|
|
BC, CAN |
| Barbados |
Ship |
|
|
|
|
|
WA, USA |
| Belleisle |
Ship |
1:13 |
|
|
|
|
UK |
| Bounty |
Ship |
|
|
|
|
|
AUS & USA |
| Constitution |
Ship |
|
|
|
|
|
USA |
| Endeavour |
Bark |
4:10 |
13.37 m |
12.16 m |
4.08 m |
|
Whitby, UK |
| Federalist |
Ship |
|
22' |
15' |
5' |
132" |
Maryland, USA |
| Golden Hind |
Ship |
|
|
|
|
|
UK |
| Isobel III |
Brig |
|
18' |
16' |
|
|
USA |
| Justinian |
Ship |
|
5 m |
|
|
|
Ukraine |
| Kent |
Ship |
|
44' |
|
|
|
GB |
| Leon |
Brigantine |
1:8 |
21' |
14' |
5' |
130" |
New Jersey, USA |
| Liberté |
see Adventure |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lion |
Topsail Schooner |
1:4 |
25' |
|
|
|
Maryland, USA |
| Preussen |
5-masted ship |
|
|
|
|
|
Potsdam, D |
| Red White, and Blue |
Ship |
|
|
26' |
6'1" |
|
NY, USA |
| Royal Louise |
Ship |
|
26 m |
15,43 m |
4,36 m |
160 m² |
Potsdam, D |
| Sae Wylfing |
1-mast |
1:2 |
45' |
7' |
|
|
Colchester, UK |
| Spirit 2 |
Double tops'l schooner |
|
16' |
|
|
|
USA |
| Three Sisters |
Ship |
1:5.7 |
4 m |
|
|
|
Ukraine |
| unknown |
Brig |
|
24' |
28' |
|
|
UK |
| Viking ship |
1-mast |
1:2 |
|
|
|
|
BC, CAN |
| Vision |
Brigantine |
|
|
15'10" |
4'6" |
|
NY, USA |
This page lists scaled replicas of square-rigged ships. Please let me know of any additions/corrections to be made.
Adventure, Liberté (1900 / 2005, 2007)
Two traditional brigs - hull only 8 foot long - built by Brian Nix in British Columbia.
The hull is custom built from
Martens Goosens D4 dinghy plans, with daggerboard.
Standing rigging with deadeyes and fully articualted yardarm.
Adventure in harbor trials, then attempting to fight Ariel.
Sails are controlled by 4 sheets and 2 braces; fore and main yards are linked in parallel.
What a good family pretext to dress up and fire large bore cannons...
HMS Barbados (Ariel?) (1803 / c.2000)
A 20-gun sloop designed and built by Wayne Tedder and Archie Malloy, maybe "Barbadoes".
http://www.boat-links.com/PT/PT2000/index.html
Single-handling is indeed possible (photo by John Kohnen).
HMS Belleisle (1795 / 2005)
Typical 74-gun third-rate ship, originally Le Formidable.
http://www.festinalente.org.uk/belleisle/belleindex.html
Starting with a 50-year old hull; notice cut-out on bow.
Team effort for the rigging
Really difficult not to be a happy crew.
Note post-1800 modification of spritsail to spanker.
Furling upper sails.
Now, which lines to pull to get out of this?
With the crew crouched down for the picture.
HMS Bounty (1784 / c.2000)
There are two half-scale models of this small ship:
- One in Sydney, used in movie with Mel Gibson,
- One on a lake in Iowa....
Any sailing pictures and info welcome!
USS Constitution Jr (1797 / 1932)
Built by James Callan (Washington DC) for the Sea Scouts
Launch day, with white uniforms (Boys Life, Sep. 1932)
Underway under reduced sails (Popular Science, May 1938)
Endeavour (1768 / 2002)
Expedition ship of Captain James Cook, originally a collier.
http://www.endeavourwhitby.co.uk/scaledreplica.html
Full-scale and 40%-scale ships side by side (timedesign.de/ship)
Returning to Whitby harbor (Fred Brunskill)
Note: This ship is for sale (2010) for 155,000 Pounds Sterling!
Federalist (1788 / 1988)
Built by Allen Rawl for the bicentennial of Maryland joining the US, on a design by Melbourne Smith.
http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/speccol/sc1800/sc1863/html/text.html
First sea trials (photo courtesy Allen Rawl).
Hard to say that the hull is only 15 feet long, with crew hiding.
Seven sails because 7th state to ratify (photo by Lauren / JHU).
Golden Hind (1577 / c.1936)
Drake's ship mini-replica entering Looe harbor 21st July 1936 (Copyrighted Photo by Norman Smith / Fox Photos / Getty Images).
Golden Hinde firing its guns (Popular Science, May 1938)
Note: There are several full-size replicas of this famous ship.
Isobel III (c.1865 / c.1935)
Mini-brig owned and sailed by Capt. Carl von Zielinski of Staten Island, NY. This ship won the Ann McKim Trophy during one of the annual Miles River Regatta, St Michaels (MD).
Silver prints by Percy Loomis Sperr (1890-1964) for sale at Vintage Works, Ltd.
The square stern from the original hull has been rounded up later; the site is New York harbor.
The disk on the sail is the symbol of the famous Black Ball Line (Popular Science, May 1938)
Probably in Maryland during races with a similar mini-brigantine named Nippy (Life, 19 Sep 1938)
HMS Justinian (1786 / c.1995)
74-gun ship in Martin Saville (2000) "Hornblower Ships" (ISBN 0-85177-783-X)
Fictional ship based on third-rate ship Le Superbe.
Preparing for an another epic movie battle.
HMS Kent (1762 / c.1925)
74-gun ship
from Chatham Navy Week programme for 1933 via Rick F (www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk).
Leon (1880 / 2006)
"Little Leon" built by Doug McKenzie on plans by Harold Underhill for the Norwegian-built brigantine.
http://www.aqsim.com/littleleon/
The masts fold neatly for trailering.
Four aboard and still not reaching lully loaded waterlines.
Detail of the simplified controls of the upper yards.
Venturing into more open waters.
YouTube clip showing early sailing trials with 9 of the 14 sails set.
Lion (c.1810 / c.1970)
Topsail schooner later an inspiration for the ill-fated Pride of Baltimore.
http://www.shipscompany.org/SC-Boats-D.htm
Very scale-like hull on its trailer.
Preussen (1902 / c.1935)
Built by the students of the Potsdam Boat Construction School
Next to the Hindenburg (Popular Science, May 1938)
Red, White, and Blue (1865 / 1865)
Captains J.M. Hudson and F.E. Fitch successfully crossed the Atlantic on a galvanized steel (2 mm thick!) Ingersoll lifeboat rigged as a 3-masted ship. The comprehensive story of this adventure can be found in Smallest Ship that Ever Crossed the Atlantic Ocean; The LOG of the Ship-Rigger Ingersoll Metallic Life-Boat "Red, White and Blue", Across the Atlantic Ocean and English Channel. New York, Bunce & Co, 1870. (Google-Books).
from www.microcruising.com/famoussmallboats.htm
from the Illustrated London News, 1866
Royal Louise (1832 / 1999)
Small frigate from Prussia, but big replica.
http://www.royal-louise.de/index.php
At quay; looks totally accurate
Saluting with guns
Fabulous day out
Sæ Wylfing (c.625 / c.1990)
Pre-viking ship based on the find of Sutton Hoo ship burial.
http://www.wuffings.co.uk/MySHPages/SHTreasure/SHGhostShip.htm
Not casting off, then? (photo by Sam Newton).
Swiftly beating the wind (photo by Sam Newton).
Spirit 2 (c.1800 / c.1980)
Probably based on the double-topsail schooner Enterprize; no details found
http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2403072
Spirit2 on its trailer.
Three Sisters (1805 / c.1995)
One of the 3 frigates in Martin Saville (2000) "Hornblower Ships" (ISBN 0-85177-783-X)
Construction based on plans by Steel / McGregor, A.F. Chapman, and of HMS Pandora.
The frigate sailing on an infinity pool overlooking the Black Sea.
unknown 28' brig (c.1900 / c.1970)
now identified! more later...
spotted by Martin Davis (admin of modelboatmayhem.co.uk) from a ferry boat between Portsmouth and Le Havre
no wind, no waves, no sun, no warmth, but still fun!
Viking ship (c.1000 / 2001)
Midsummer fest in Burnaby, BC, Canada.
http://www.vikingart.com/Events/Media2001/default.htm
Rolling on logs like the real one a millenium ago.
The yard in two parts appears to be flimsy.
Vision (1864 / 1864)
The Vision was a wooden brigantine (hermaphrodite brig) only 15 feet long. Aboard Vision, Rhode Island Captain John C. Donovan and his dog Toby left New York for Liverpool on June 26, 1864.
Leaving New York (Harpers Weekly July 9, 1864)
The "New York Times" of July 6, 1864 reports her putting into Provincetown, Cape Cod, with a leak due to a defect in the caulking of about two feet in length, which was repaired.
The "Ottowa Citizen" of May 9, 1866 reports "At mid-Atlantic, when she accomplished about half the voyage, the 'Vision' was spoken [SS Peruvian, 45°10'N 33°W, July 20], but since that time nothing has been heard of her. A Newfoundland paper received in Plymouth, mentions that an empty barrel, with the name 'Vision' painted on it, has been picked up between the coast of Africa and South America. There was little doubt that this belonged to the boat above referred to, whose hazardous voyage has, it is feared, ended in fatal disaster."
Epilogue
The Belleisle amongst friends and foes. Scaled replicas are spreading, at least in the UK!
Back to Jan Cocatre-Zilgien's homepage
The hull is custom built from
Martens Goosens D4 dinghy plans, with daggerboard.
Standing rigging with deadeyes and fully articualted yardarm.
Adventure in harbor trials, then attempting to fight Ariel.
Sails are controlled by 4 sheets and 2 braces; fore and main yards are linked in parallel.
What a good family pretext to dress up and fire large bore cannons...
