Another Ark Royal restoration from the Modelcraft plan set

[Kimosubby ShipyardsParticipant @kimosubbyshipyards]

Just thought I'd show this, my latest restoration job, which involved restoring the whole of the rigging with instructions to keep the same as the original. The sails were replaced, the originals being made "to shape" and included wire inserted in the foot and sides to help keep a full blown shape. These had rusted over time and had caused the sail tablings to split.

I used "lawn cotton – washable as its finer quality" and inkjet printed the details, then machine sewed the tablings and bolt cloth lines. A bolt rope was used, but instead of being external, it was passed through inside the tablings and was used similar to a draw string to increase desired sail shape. The final shape being given using a wind tunnel and weakened PVA spary from an air brush. After 30 minutes the sails were crisp and set, and then mounted on the masts.

Added the various ensigns which were also printed on lawn cotton, but this time on the non-washable type, as the colours will penetrate both sides, so the flags are not needed to be double thickness. And, yes, that's the Royal Standard on the main mast, Plantagenant (Tudor Henry VIII or Elizabeth I) as the client believed this model was the "Mary Rose", when actually it is built from the "Ark Royal" plans, but has the "Golden Hind" on the stern, and mostly resembles the "Revenge". Also, she only has 3 masts, the Ark Royal had 4, which included the rear bonadventure mast behind the mizzen.

Please note, I had nothing to do with any of the hull, just the deadeyes and chain plates from soft wire – honest!

Client pleased, so was I. Have you any comments please? Kimosubby.

[Kimosubby ShipyardsParticipant @kimosubbyshipyards]

restored rigging and new sails set

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Kimo. Looks great, and what a wizard wheeze printing the sails!! and what great cunning to use washable then non washable stuff to get double sided printing.I like it, and I dont think it matters too much exactly what ship it is, or looks like it is supposed to be as long as the owner is happy. I would give that house room any day of the week (as long as I had permission form the captain).

To be honest I like ships such as this better than a pukker model makers type of galleon..you see loads of good ships..Victory`s and the like, but these sorts of boats (what I think an antiques roadshow art expert might call "nieve&quot are more fun, and certainly very colourful. As you are NOT saying, this could do with a bit more detail, odds and ends, on the hull…those painted squaresand triangles like i imagine all Elizabethan ships should haveand wot not now to give the hull a bit more clutter and relieve the relative plainness of it. To match the fantastic upper work .Well done, enough ropework to look the part, not so much as to try to make it into a replica.

I am guessing its not of a great size, and reminds me that I have a similar (ish) galleon – 15" or so long- solid wood hull, made by my late father which is in need of "doing-up". Fortunately the sails are what looks like parchment paper, with painted on symbols. Not based on anything, and much played with by myself when young ,putting Airfix soldiers on it..probably WW2 types..sadly it has hardly any rigging left, it was very thin stuff and over the years has either been broken or simply suffered from age. The bowsprit is off (but still on deck) and so on.

I think he made it for my mum for – I dont know,, a wedding present or engagement or something, and it is called "Joybell"…mum`s name being Joyce.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Kimo. Ther appears to have been some hull changes to the boat in the display case..did you get the paint brush out?? Looks just right now.

Ashley

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