TARTANE (2017)
A scale model in 1:87 (HO) of a small 18th century cargo ship that was used in the Mediterranean.
These vessels were also used as fishing boats and even as a privateer.
Because of its rather wide hollow hull it was highly suitable for carrying cargo.
Tartanes were built from about 1650 to 1800 in several versions. Sometimes they had two masts.
In the 19th century the French admiral Paris documented ships, among them the tartane, which were
doomed to disappear owing to the advent of the steamboats. This was published in ‘Les Souvenirs de la
Marine’. The hull was built according to the drawings of this admiral.
I designed the rigging after having studied the drawings by, among others, Baugean and Roux, both
from the early and late 19th century. Baugean in particular was very precise in this. He had sailed in
these ships himself. In his drawing the ship functions as a tug boat for a ship loaded with hay.
The model was built on wooden frames. The outside strakes and the rest of all the visible parts were
made of pear wood. For the upper part of the hull lighter coloured parana pine was used.
Translation; Jaap Dirkse van den Heuvel.
A short video has been made of the model which can be viewed on: youtube