Description of build, including materials:   All the smooth-plastic surfaces were sanded with coarse-grit paper, to give them a wood-grain appearance.  I added extra details to the kit’s interior spaces, such as gun carriages, bunks, and tiller with dampening tackle – much of which can’t be seen now!  I hand-made cloth sails with hand-sewn bolt ropes.  The model’s Mediterranean-style rigging blocks were from Heller (France) plastic kits.

Ship’s Story:  Carracks were large cargo-carrying vessels, with a broad beam (width) compared to its length, and rather deep draft (depth in the water).  Carracks generally had a continuous main deck, unbroken by full-width bulwarks (walls).  The large area under the main deck was used to carry as much cargo as possible.  Carracks generally had a raised deck aft of the main mast, which provided some shelter over the main deck, and might also have a raised forecastle deck and a separate Captain’s/Master’s cabin aft.

This particular model is based on a reproduction of the Santa Maria, built to plans done by researcher Julio F Guillen in Spain in 1929.  The ship, currently on display in Barcelona, was rebuilt in 1951.

Modeler’s Bio:  I have been making models since the 1950s.  My first sailing-ship model was a smaller-scale Old Ironsides kit by Revell.  Ships have been my favorite modeling subject since