Sorry for the late replies, but a darned dose of plod mode has been plaguing me lately! I have not been getting out much either, so a trip to Leman Street will have to wait until after Christmas now. At least the purse is still blissfully unaware of the severe pounding it is going to receive when I do eventually get down there!
I'm afraid that progress on the barge has been a bit lethargic too...
All the wobbly skin sections that can be fitted at this stage are done now, and a start was made on the two "budgets" required...
I have no idea what precise purpose the holes performed? It is quite clear that each barge builder adopted their own solutions, with the holes greatly varying in size, shape and even number! Without having any decent drawings to work from this particular model can only be generic, so it had to be a similar case of making my own personal preference, albeit after studying various photographs.
The wide, flat plate on angles fitted to the aft edge of the budget was undoubtedly there for protection against the inevitable collisions, but I wonder if they also had the effect of adding an extra degree of drag in the water, and thus marginally improved control while under way? On the other hand, they might just have been a necessary evil for the poor old so-and-so's heaving the huge sweeps (oars) and swearing, way up on the fore peak...?!
I forgot to take pictures of the supports under construction that followed.
Once again, the variety of forms on the prototype is almost bewildering, and the only common features were that they had to be set square off the hull frames, and were generally (but not always) fitted in pairs!
I am fairly satisfied with the final, guesswork, appearance.
Still lots of awkward, curved mouldings to cut, shape and fit to the fore and aft hull runs and whales yet!
I may be a while?!
Pete.