Beams on Multideck Ships - a Question

[dockattner]

Hello Forum Friends,

I'm building a swan class ship from the 1770's. I've built the 'lower' deck and I'm just getting started on the 'upper' deck. As I'm fitting the upper beams into the hull I can't help but notice that they seem to line up vertically with the lower deck beams (or nearly so).

Here is my question: should the deck beams be vertically lined up? That is, should they be perfect? I suspect I have not transferred beam locations on either the upper or lower decks perfectly so my beams are very close (with a few millimeters) but they are not exact. But I can make them exact if that is the way they would have been installed on the real ship.

Your guidance please!

 

[Alan Smith]

Here is my question: should the deck beams be vertically lined up? That is, should they be perfect? I suspect I have not transferred beam locations on either the upper or lower decks perfectly so my beams are very close (with a few millimeters) but they are not exact. But I can make them exact if that is the way they would have been installed on the real ship.

I should imagine that in general the deck beams all sit on the same frames. There may be exceptions, but from a structure point of view it makes sense, the end result being that they are all aligned.

 

[Corsair]

Paul, Can you lay the 2 deck plans over each other and see how the plans show them? Obviously, you will need to find a location to make sure the 2 plans are correctly over each other. I'm sure you knew that.

 

[dockattner]

Paul, Can you lay the 2 deck plans over each other and see how the plans show them? Obviously, you will need to find a location to make sure the 2 plans are correctly over each other. I'm sure you knew that.

Hi Jeff, yes and no. The kit did not come with plans for the lower deck - only the upper deck. So for both decks I am trying to use the drawings found in "The Fully Framed Model" book series by Antscherl but those are reproduced in sections of about 5 beams each and are in book form (in other words they are almost certainly distorted). Anyway, when I do that the beams don't line up perfectly which is what prompted my question.

 

[dockattner]

I should imagine that in general the deck beams all sit on the same frames. There may be exceptions, but from a structure point of view it makes sense, the end result being that they are all aligned.

Thank you Alan. That makes sense, but the beams actually sit on the clamps (stringers) so they don't really connect to the frames unless I am missing something (likely).

 

[Don Case]

Her's an original drawing of the Discovery1789. The beams almost line up but not all of them. Some are moved for stuff. There are more beams on the upper deck because it is also the gun deck. Black and white drawing is just a little clearer.

 

[Kurt Konrath]

It makes sense that the number and spacing of deck beams would change based on load bearing requirements such as cargo deck versus a gun deck in the same ship.

 

[dockattner]

Her's an original drawing of the Discovery1789. The beams almost line up but not all of them. Some are moved for stuff. There are more beams on the upper deck because it is also the gun deck. Black and white drawing is just a little clearer.

View attachment 443448

View attachment 443449

Brilliant Don. I have that longitudinal drawing of various swan class ships and never thought to use them! My thanks!

 

[Corsair]

Hi Jeff, yes and no. The kit did not come with plans for the lower deck - only the upper deck. So for both decks I am trying to use the drawings found in "The Fully Framed Model" book series by Antscherl but those are reproduced in sections of about 5 beams each and are in book form (in other words they are almost certainly distorted). Anyway, when I do that the beams don't line up perfectly which is what prompted my question.

It appears to me that the vast majority are in line with each other. If you want to get another source, Seawatch books now has a set of plans for the books you have for $45 USD. I'm going to order a set since I have the books. Although the description does say it's only 2 sheets, so it may not have the information you wish.

 

[dockattner]

It appears to me that the vast majority are in line with each other. If you want to get another source, Seawatch books now has a set of plans for the books you have for $45 USD. I'm going to order a set since I have the books. Although the description does say it's only 2 sheets, so it may not have the information you wish.

Thank you, Jeff. The plans from Seawatch are very useful - especially if you will be adding masts and yards. But they don't answer any questions about deck beams.

 

[Corsair]

Thank you, Jeff. The plans from Seawatch are very useful - especially if you will be adding masts and yards. But they don't answer any questions about deck beams.

I should have known that you already knew about them and even had them.

 

[fred.hocker]

It was a relatively common practice on warships from the 16th century onward that the beams on the various decks were aligned in vertical "stacks". This had partly to do with the gunport arrangement, as gunports often needed to be between beams and staggered from deck to deck. Good archaeological examples of this practice as far back as Mary Rose (as rebuilt in the 1530s).

Fred

 

[dockattner]

It was a relatively common practice on warships from the 16th century onward that the beams on the various decks were aligned in vertical "stacks". This had partly to do with the gunport arrangement, as gunports often needed to be between beams and staggered from deck to deck. Good archaeological examples of this practice as far back as Mary Rose (as rebuilt in the 1530s).

Fred

Thank you kindly, Fred!