Ship Modelling

Data

[From Wikipedia:] The hull is painted black with two white stripes in reference to the two gun decks of the original ships the design is based on, but she carries only two 6pdr saluting guns in pivot mountings on the deck, forward of the mainmast. The deck planks are of teak wood and must be replaced every three years. Bow and stern are decorated with intricate ornaments; she has a life-size figurehead of Amerigo Vespucci. The stern gallery is accessible only through the Captain's salon.

When carrying cadets, the ship is usually steered from the manual stern rudder station, which is operated by four steering wheels with two men each. At other times, the hydraulically assisted steering on the bridge is used. Except for the anchor winch, the winches aboard are not power operated. The bridge is equipped with sophisticated modern electronic navigation instruments.

Except for the time during the second World War, the Amerigo Vespucci has been continually active. Most of her training cruises are in European waters, but she has also sailed to North and South America, and navigated the Pacific. In 2002, she undertook a voyage around the world.

The Amerigo Vespucci often takes part in sailing parades and Tall Ships' Races, where she is in amicable rivalry with the Gorch Fock. When she is berthed in port, public tours of the vessel are usually offered.

History 1931 built in Naples as the second ship of the "Rotundi" class (the first was the "Cristoforo Colombo", 1928-1943, eventually scrapped in Russia around 1950) for the Regia Marina. The Amerigo Vespucci before WW2. With a pause of the war, she served continuously as a training ship for the Italian Navy, until today. My Personal History with the Amerigo Vespucci 1977: I was a 10 year old boy growing up in Germany (cannot remember any time when I was NOT fascinated by sailing ships). The Amerigo sailed to Hamburg and had Open Ship for the Public between the 5-9 of August 1977. I wrote a naive letter to the captain (how the heck did I get the address?) - but he invited me as a special guest! So I saw the ship with my own eyes for the first time in my life, receiving an extra guided tour - in German! -,by the cadet Giovanni Milo (would like to know what became of him). He showed me the rigging and the captains cabin, and I felt very lucky to be onboard. Since then, the Amerigo Vespucci has always been in my mind ... but I lost contact and for a long time, there was no way for me to see the ship again ... 2005: after a long period, and many turns in my life, I had another rare chance again to visit the Amerigo Vespucci in Bremerhaven, at the Sail 2005. But I had only a small old camera and all the shots were already spent, so I made hand notes and drawings; but the ship was closed before I finished, so I had to wait for the next time ... Meanwhile I ordered the Amerigo model kit from Heller and started building the hull. 2010: Sail 2010 in Bremerhaven again. This time I was prepared: I learned some Italian phrases ("Scusi, parli Inglese?") and trained maritime terms in Italian, using my own Maritime Dictionary (in the menu above). I studied all pictures I had of the ship, mostly in some books in my library, or from the internet, and prepared some drawings of the rigging. And I had a better camera with 2 zoom lenses, 2 fresh batteries and 2 big memory cards to make thousands of pictures in Bermerhaven:) Onboard, I met with Fabrizio Lecce, an officer who was so kind to answer all my questions that I had for so many years. Sources for Research The ship in itself :) She is sailing to many harbours, and there she is open for visitors, representing the Italian Navy. Making photos is allowed - so I made hundreds of pictures in Bremerhaven Sail 2010. You can talk to the officers (try some Italian first, it will open the doors:) and they will help You.

Books

Reconstructions for a Model of the Amerigo Vespucci

Depending on the desired quality of the model, You may put as much effort in it as You like. Although I am "only" about to build a plastic kit model (the Heller kit), which could be considered the Second League of Modellers, still the rigging is the eye catcher, and so I spend much time (30 years in my case, but that is extreme ...) to study the original rigging. Yes, the hull and the structures are complicated, too, but the true challenge always is the rigging:

The Rigging

The Standing Rigging

The Running Rigging

Belaying Positions

This is my own plan that I made from my notes at the Sail 2010 in Bremerhaven; in English(left half) and Italian(right half), 90% of the ropes are symmetric on port and starboard. A short extract from my dictionary, English-Italian: Mast = Albero Yard = Pennone Shroud = Sartia Backstay = Paterazzo Stay = straglio, strallo Halyard = Drizza Sheet = Scotta Tack = Amura Clewline = Caricascotta Leechline = Carica bolina Buntline = Caricamezzi Reef = Paranco di rollo (literally: tackle = paranco) Vang = Ostini Downhaul = Alabasso (Topping) Lift = Amantiglio The layout of the bitts and the arrangement of the belayings are unique to the ship.

Sail 2010

The Heller model kit, Scale 1:150