thank you Timothy, Jim and Michel! great chimes!
Jim, purpose I don't really know, but there was sure an empty space where I put the guy, now the diorama has a much better balance with both gun, mast and guy pointing each on different directions. The guy sure looks like me, but I have less hair than he does
Michel, happy it takes you there, you are as always completely right on all accounts
btw, i finally found a postcard of the sister ship of the boat i modelled. it seems that unlike the plans you can find on the Service Historique website, the roof of the cabin seems to get beyond its front. Oh well.