SS Hydrograaf, 1/100 3D, hydrographic ship, Royal Dutch Navy

[Iceman 29]

I will try to find those boats plans. The one on the port side is very particular with its round bow.

I have already spent 2 days on the bridge and it is not finished.

I still have to draw a lot of things, especially the interior, the port door will be opened, the chart table, the chain steering system of the time, the compass, it's already done, the side lights, the bell, the cover brackets, the water tank of the upper bridge, plus some accessories.

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

I did a little search for you on plans for the boats.

First the one on port: it's called a 'vlet', a very Dutch type of small boat, clinker built with a round cross section. The one you need according to the Hydrograaf plans is this:
'Vlet E van 6.05 meter 1879-1909'
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzo ... ~5885-5891

Around the same time as the Hydrograaf was built the same type of Vlet was motorised, the result was this: https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzo ... ~5876-5877

I wouldn't be surprised if Hydrograaf would have been equipped first with the old rowed version, to be replaced later with the motorised version.

Next the 'Kleine jol' (English: yawl) on starboard. I think this is the most likely one:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzo ... -5439~5438

As I added the links, you can easily get yourself higher resolution copies, and see the additional files.

[Iceman 29]

Thanks a lot Maarten, without engine obviously.

This will help me a lot.

I will start to draw these beautiful boats very soon.

[wefalck]

Interesting that they had a 'vlet' on board. That's a very ancient type of boat, built without keel, but a solid board as backbone. Some authors on boat-history (e.g. Greenhill, Rudolph) believe that this building tradition developed from the so-called extende dugouts - the wood was softened over a fire and the spread out; eventually additional planks were added to increase the freeboard. In Skandinavia such a boat would be called pram (Prahm in German), but usually has a small forward transom. They are not terribly seaworthy, which is why they are usually found only in sheltered and inland waters - you can also find on some rivers in Southern Germany. However, it makes sense to have such a boat at hand for doing work in the shallow Wadden Sea around the Dutch coast.

[Iceman 29]

Thank for the information.

Drawing of the whistle, ladders of the upper walkway and chimney. I covered the inside of the bridge. Supports of the bridge bulwark.

[maxim]

Really impressive!

[Iceman 29]

Thank Maxim!

Drawing of the fresh water tank on the upper deck, a sort of hydrophore gravity system. You can see the bathtub at the bottom right on one of the plans.

I rectified the back of the bridge roof, the shape was not right.

Drawing of the stair railings, plus a few small things.

I have a level mount to draw on the box. Not sure if there was one, but this will give a little more detail.

The set of sketches that make up this 3D project, it's messy as it is.





The fresh water box. This photo is very valuable as it contains a lot of useful information.

[Iceman 29]

Today I didn't make too much progress on the design, I rather tidied up and merged a lot of objects from the project to prepare the printing.

I have to sort out what will be printed with the deck itself and what will be printed separately.

I did manage to draw the bridge deck cover support, the inside floor of the bridge, and the bell.

[Iceman 29]

Today I worked on a water tank which is on the poop deck at the skylights, probably a hot water tank for the sanitary facilities, shower and bath etc..

You can see on the picture that it is thermally insulated with wood.

I also drew the air vents for the machine.

This is how I proceeded with the 3D drawing to get something similar.

[Iceman 29]

Today I concentrated on the steering wheel assist system, it was steam operated. This ship seems to be equipped with it in 1910 according to the plan, but I have no information on this device. So I searched the web for a steering assist device.

Well, it's not very common, or it doesn't interest many people.

But I found this device, I was inspired by it.

It's a long work without plan and with only one view. I improvised a bit at times.

I started to put the railings on the poop deck.





A G.E. Belliss and Co system:

http://www.oldladywood.co.uk/bellis.htm













Part of the railings in place.




I found the anchor plan of the time in the Dutch archives, but it's too late, I was not far from the original drawing.







Another system I found later:

[DrPR]

This is a very interesting ship and you are doing an excellent job researching and modeling it.

Phil

[Iceman 29]

Thank Phil!

The railings have been in place for two days.

I will soon start the lifeboats and servants' boats.

[JIM BAUMANN]

beautiful vessel-- the work , the design and printing, plan and photo interpretation
-...as well a research you are doing is most inspiring !

BRAVO

JIM B

[Iceman 29]

Thanks for the compliments Jim, it's motivating, as there is still work to do!

I took over the drawing of this project after an incursion here:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=338658

Drawing of the poop deck floor and the upper deck railings.

I still have to draw the aft shelter supports and the masts. I have chosen the configuration with the two masts.

[Iceman 29]

The aft shelter with its awning. I also have a canopy frame to make between the bridge and the forecastle.

But I have to draw the front mast before, the cargo mast being used as a ridge.

I didn't put enough roof slope, but I followed the plan, I modified it.







Drawing of the side navigation lights and their supports.

The lights folded back to prevent them from protruding from the hull, this system was probably used when passing through locks. I have not yet drawn the locking system.

[JIM BAUMANN]

- swivelling Navlights boxes....
superb observation

JB

[maxim]

Really very impressive!

[Iceman 29]

Thanks Jim & Maxim.

The swivelling of the navigation lights was also intended to facilitate petrol filling and maintenance.

You can see that these lights were electrified later, at the end of the spire you can see an electric wire photo taken well after 1910, after the war 39-45 probably. But the electrification may have been installed earlier of course.





I have refined the navigation lights with the help of the plans and photos. You can now see the slide system that allowed them to be rotated and locked in the desired position.

I also rectified some details that were not finished, notably the aft ladder on the poop deck.

Then I tackled the main mast which is a special kind of mast as it is doubled with a second smaller one probably to increase its strength.

I made it hollow so I could insert a 1.3mm piano wire up to 3/4 of the height. This is a first for me. This is to prevent the resin mast from deforming because of the shrouds.

I have had this problem on my other printed models.

[wefalck]

Very unsual mast construction, indeed. Never seen something like this. Is it on the ship in preservation the same ? How do the two masts connect ?

One thing that occured to me that it might be a ganter-type sliding mast to support a wireless antenna - perhaps for position determining with wireless signals during cartography work ?

[Iceman 29]

You are probably right.

If you take a closer look at the original HD shot, you can see a sheave at the base of this mast, and at the top of the main mast a pulley. A small hand winch is present at the base of the main mast. This cable allows the mast to be hoisted along the main mast.

This second mast should therefore be able to slide upwards, thus increasing the height about 50% of the whole.

It is certainly an antenna, or a low frequency antenna mast (for the 1910 era).

Other photos show an aerial, perhaps a goniometer. This aerial is similar to what was used for some marine VHF antennas to detect the direction of a signal (especially for sea research in the 70's).

At present, this mast no longer exists in the state. It has been shortened, as has the chimney, probably in order to have less air draught to pass under certain bridges.

























French navy hydrografe ship Octan: