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The Hull

Here we see the hull completed below the water line.  The deck beams at this point are false and only there to provide stability and support to the ribs until the planking and actual deck beams are in place.

  Period ships had  copper applied below the water line to prevent grub infestations and decay of the wood planks. On the HMS Victory there were over 3700 copper plates which are reproduced on the model. 

View of port galleries and the stern windows.  Decorative carvings and balusters are still to be added.

The windows in the quarter galleries and across the stern provide light to the officers quarters and allowed them to see out the rear and sides of the ship.  The quarter galleries served as washroom facilities for the officers and would have provided some forward visibility down each side of the ship.

 

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View of the completed stern

 

This is the entry port on the starboard side of the model. 

 

 

 In March of 2003 the external hull was complete.

A side view of the beakhead showing the timbers and rails that support it.  Note the heavy knee supporting the Cathead.  Rigging from the Cathead was used to lift the anchor from the water when the ship was getting under way.

The main anchor cable can be seen in the lower-center of this picture.  It is looped back through the two hause holes to protect it during construction.

The beakhead bulkhead formed the forward end of the upper gun deck.  It contained two gun ports and two doors for the crew to access the beakhead deck.  The heads, or toilets, for the crew were located on the beakhead deck.  The round houses on each side of the bulkhead were used by those in sickbay which was located behind the bulkhead. The noncommissioned offices and ships boys used heads in front of the round houses.  The remainder of the crew used the  heads located on the beakhead deck gratings.  This would be a busy place considering a crew of over 800 men.   Heads for the officers were located in the quarter galleries at the rear of the ship.

This view of the beakhead shows the bowsprit, extending out from the bow, the boomkins, extending out each side of the bowsprit and the gang board which allowed crew access to the bowsprit from the foredeck.

Another view of the beakhead bulkhead with gun ports and crew doors open.

Here we see the port gallery with the balusters and carvings in place.

The hammock nettings around the poop deck were used to store crew hammocks when the men were on duty.  This gave the hammocks a chance to air out and offered some protection from musket shot when in battle.  The mizzen channel is seen forward of the top set of gallery windows.  The lower deadeyes for the mizzen shrouds are supported by chains which go through holes in the channel and are made fast to the side of the hull.  The rope coming up at an angle forward of the gallery is fastened to a chain which, in turn, is made fast to the upper portion of the rudder.  This provided a means of steering the ship if the head of the rudder or the tiller was shot away.

View of the stern with all balusters, carvings and decorative pieces in place.  The davits, used to lift the ships boats, are seen extending from both sides of the ship.  The ships lanterns are mounted on the top of the taffrail.

 

Close-up of the carving at the top of the Taffrail

 

The hull below the waterline was covered with copper plates to protect it from flora and fauna that would eat into the unprotected wood or grow on the hull and restrict the movement of the ship through the sea.  This picture shows the copper plates on the model.