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PHOTOS 34–36: The gun ports (41), which are also made up from two parts, must be fitted into place underneath the others. These gun ports
must be fitted into place between the top ports and the step in the frames. File down the excess from the gun ports in order to glue into place the
bow deck (42) centred.
PHOTOS 37 & 38: Using the strips of plywood 43, cut out lengths measuring approx. 20 x 20 mm to make up the bases of the guns. Glue the
cut lengths (43) to the interior part of the gun port (41). These must cover the gun port openings. Glue these parts firmly into place using fast
setting glue to make sure that they do not come unstuck later on.
PHOTOS 39 & 40: Glue and pin the bulwark (44) to the structure of the hull. You must start gluing along the edge of the top deck, working from
the stern. Now pin the bow bulwark (45) as a prolongation of the bulwark (44). The bulwarks and gun ports are fitted to both sides of the hull.
PHOTO 41: Using the 2 x 5 mm strip (46) line the interior of the top bulwarks. Use fast-setting glue for this operation. Trim away the excess so
that the bulwarks are profiled and all of the holes for the guns are open.
PHOTOS 42 & 43: On the bulkhead (47) fit the door window panes (48) as a base, and then the door frames (49), now do the same with the
window panes (50) and their frames (51) and finally fit the columns (52). Now fit the soffits into place (53). Make a hole in the doors in which to
insert the Eyebolts (B), fitted with the small rings (I) which will serve as door handles. Now fit this assembly between the stern reinforcements,
adjusting as necessary to ensure that it fits into place well.
PHOTOS 44 & 45: Take the bulkheads (54, 56 & 57) and decorate them with the parts as shown. Take care to decorate the bulkheads (56 &
57) correctly, as there is one for each side. Now fit all of the parts that you have made up onto the aft part of the deck. Firstly centre the
bulkhead (54) and after that the others. On the corners of the front part of the bulkheads fit, as a kind of corner-piece, lengths of the strip (58),
the same height as the bulkheads. Cover the last hole in the bulkheads using pieces of the plywood (43). Assemble and fit the stairs, made up
using the parts (123, 124 & 125), in the hatch, and then varnish the bulkheads.
PHOTO 46: Glue the two halves of the deck (59) into position and then line them completely using the planking (60).
PHOTOS 47–50: Glue the stringers (61) to the deck and up against the bulwarks, with the 4 mm side resting against the deck. Varnish the
whole decks and bulwarks area and then paint the whole interior part of the bulwarks and the fitted stringer bright red. Use special water-based
acrylic paints for models.
PHOTO 51: Cut two lengths of plywood, approximately 40 mm in length, and adjust them and glue them between the reinforcement (18) and
the deck (27). Now line the bottom part of the transom using the strips (62). The liner must cover the whole of the stern part of the hull. Trim off
any excess that projects over the side gun ports. Now make the holes into which the guns will later be fitted.
PHOTO 52: Line the bow end of the deck using the planking (63) and the front of the frame using the lining (64). The top part of the frame is
lined with the lining (65). Fit a first lining strake (66) along the full length of the top bulwark.
PHOTOS 53 & 54: To achieve a good contact surface for the lining strakes, using a sanding block, file or similar, file or sand down the
reinforcement sections and bevel the edge of the frames, working from bow to stern.
PHOTOS 55–57: Before starting to line the hull, we recommend that you soak the lining strakes (66 & 67) in hot water for at least an hour, in
order for the wood to recover its flexibility. The lining of the hull starts from the first strake (66) located on the bulwark, and working up from there
until it has been completely covered. Use white glue and pins.
In order to imbue a greater sense of realism to the lining the strakes must be fitted in alternating strips, as in the case of real ships, where the
strakes do not cover the full length of the hull but are built with lengths of strake fitted end to end, see Photo 55.
To line the area of the first and second battery gun ports use the strakes (67) covering them completely. Later on you will have to open up the
ports again using a cutter. The lining is completed working down towards the bottom of the hull and using more lining strakes (66). You must
then continue the lining work in the same way from the false keel working upwards, in order to complete the lining of the hull. The strakes must
completely cover the reinforcement sections at the bow and stern, while leaving exposed the 5 mm thickness of the false keel, so that the stem
and the stern post can later be attached.
The strakes must reach as far as the bottom of the stern transom. If the lining strakes have been soaked it will be easier to give them the
necessary curved shape that they need to adapt to the form of the hull. The lining will have to be done on both sides of the hull. It is important
that the strakes are placed snugly up against each other given that, in the present case, the hull is only going to be lined once, if there are gaps
between the strakes it will not look its best. The spaces that are left in the centre of the hull must be covered using lengths of strake that have
been sharpened to a point at both ends. There will also be gaps that can be filled using triangular pieces of strake (sharpened to a point at one
end only). Once you have finished the lining process you will have to sand down the whole hull, in order to even up all of the strips and eliminate
the pin heads. If any significant gaps still remain you can caulk them using wood-repair filler that has a similar wood tone.
Once the hull has been perfectly smoothed you can choose one of two options: either leaving the wood finish and varnishing it, or painting it
white, as it would have been in the Spanish Royal Fleet. Likewise, you can either leave the bulwarks and gun ports with a wood finish, in this
case varnishing them, or you can paint them an ochre-yellow colour.
PHOTOS 58 & 59: Select the strips to make up the rubbing strakes (68) and soak them in water so that they become more flexible. Adjust and
glue the rubbing strakes to the hull using fast-setting glue, after first having examined the plans and photos. These rubbing strakes can be
stained, using bitumen-based wood stain, or they can be painted matt black, after being fitted into position. The inside of all of the gun ports
must also be painted matt black, to give a sensation of depth.
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