1800, HMS Pickle, Thoughts about the Pickle – Completion Photos and a post build review of the Jotika kit.

I completed this build in 2010.

Pickle represented my return to POB kits after an absence of many years, and one I can recommend particularly for those who want to put a toe into this genre of model ship building. The build took nine months and I can readily attest to giving a high satisfaction level.


The kit is reasonably priced, the brass etched fittings are of good quality, and there is a good backup from Jotika. The instructions are clear and the kit builds up into an attractive model of a vessel with an interesting link to Nelson and Trafalgar.

Although I didn’t use much of the supplied timber in my particular build, there is nothing wrong with it, and an out of box build will produce a very nice model, of convenient proportions.(it can easily be accommodated in a domestic setting)

One advantage for newcomers to this type of kit is that it is not too bluff in the bows, which makes for easier planking, the rigging is much less complicated than say a ship rigged vessel, yet it provides an introduction to all aspects encountered in larger vessels including the coppering of the lower hull.

The copper looks nice when done and adds an attractive dimension to the build, but I think the supplied plates are a little over-scale in terms of the number and prominence of the nail heads.


Anyway here’s the completion pics which I hope may be of interest.









































I have thoroughly enjoyed building Pickle and I have achieved to my own satisfaction the natural mellow wood look I envisaged when I started this build.
She will now take her place in the Dining Room to compliment the Naval cutter model that I bashed quite some time ago.



For those who may be interested I have listed below the modifications and deviations I have made from the provided kit.

Hull and decks

Replacement of Walnut second planking with boxwood and ebony strip.
Batten added around the hull to cover top edge of copper plating.
Replacement of tangiyika deck planking with boxwood.
Margin plank added and deck planks joggled at bows.
Replacement of main Hatch cover boards by a grating, all gratings given a convex shape.
Replacement of windlass barrel by scratch built boxwood alternative.
Skylights, companions and hatch coamings and other deck fittings made from boxwood rather than the provided walnut
Galley chimney made from brass square section rather than square walnut strip.
Elmtree pumps enhanced with extra detail.
Transom modified and brass etched Pickle name letters replaced by rub down letters.
Support brackets added to channels.
Additional bower anchor added to Port side, kedge anchor also fitted.
Rudder coat and rudder pendant chains added.
I decided not to fit the supplied 19’ Launch but I have modified the small cutter and added it to the deck complete with chocks.

Masting and Rigging

Kit provided deadeyes and rigging blocks replaced by JB Models versions. Boxwood thimbles used as necessary rather than just eyes.
Mast hoops added to mainmast.
Kit rigging line replaced with Amati line, all standing rigging created from stained line.
Mast pendants fitted with thimbles rather than blocks
Slight taper added to lower masts and cheeks fitted below Trestletrees.
Fore Gaff positioned below the spread yard instead of above it. (I had some discussion with Jotika on this point)
Some lines and block sizes changed
Octagonal section formed on yards.
Stn’sl booms added to square yards.
Fore topmast formed from two pieces rather than three, hounds turned on the topmast , not fitted separately.
Gaff jaws modified to reflect proper construction and iron banding added.
Parrel beads replaced .
Ratlines fitted across all shrouds rather than only the first three.
Anchor buoy made for the port side.
Ensign staff made.
Ensigns made from Modelspan and fitted at the staff and Jack.

One advantage of these kits is that they fit nicely into a domestic setting and are not likely to raise the inevitable question from the wife 'where are we going to put that!

Maurice

really nice work, Maurice :o)

Greetings Marcel

Hello Maurice,

two very fine models!
Especially the colors of Pickle I like very much.
Do you have plans for a next model to come?

Thank you for your supportive comments Daniel, Marcel and Holger.

Holger, I have completed a Boudriot inspired three year kit bash of a Heller Seventy-four since I finished Pickle, and I am two years into my current build of the Sloop Pegasus, just started the masting.

Regards,

Maurice

Dear Maurice,
I built two topsail schooners as working models, the early Baltimore clipper schooner Berbice of 1789 and the schooner for Port Jackson of 1802 (probably "Mercury"). You can find both of them in the forum.
Whereas the rig is the same, the hulls are completely different and the sailing qualities of the two vessels differ considerably. The Jackson schooner with its blunt bow and deep hull is a moderate sailer whereas the Berbice is a racehorse, difficult to handle and wet. So they are in accordance with the satements in the BBC report concerning the lines of the hulls.
Your cutter looks very much like my model of Le Renard, 1812.
Real nice looking models!

Best regards
Jörg

Zitat von dafi im Beitrag #7

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Hier ein wunderbarer BBC-Bericht über die Pickles :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6OQ628_cyQ

XXXDAn

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Hi @dafi ,

if I remember right, the 74 ship kit from Heller is the "Superbe", which is, also as far as I know, truly based on the Boudriot plans. If not on Boudriot's plan, it is based on Sané's plans, on which Boudriot's plans are based, too. :-)

Best regards,
Herbert