LE ROCHEFORT- 1787

Available with the 92 page paper brochure in English

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Created by Colbert in 1666, the city of Rochefort is unusually located since its harbor-arsenal, built on the Charente river, is about twelve miles away from the sea following the river. Although this exceptional distance from the sea protected the harbor from enemy fleets for centuries it caused problems, however, that were unsuspected at the time of its creation. Indeed, in the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries, the depth of the Charente river made it impossible for large vessels to sail up and down the river without first unloading their equipment, arms and ammunition. The Navy thus created a flotilla to assist and equip the vessels that had to remain anchored in the Aix roadstead while waiting to be fitted out or laid up.

This flotilla consisted of several kinds of small vessels: lighters, yachts, transport-ships or brigs from the harbor. As an illustration of these types of ship we chose the yacht, inherited from from Dutch workers who came to drain the swamps of the Charente during the 17th century.

This small elegant craft is of a simple construction with basic rigging, since only fitted with one mast and three sails. The book includes a booklet and a set of 16 plates of drawings. In the booklet, a chapter describes the creation of Rochefort and the reasons that led to the constitution of the flotilla. A presentation of the lighters and yachts, and more specifically the yacht Le Rochefort, complete this article. The construction and laying out of the Le Rochefort are detailed in instructions abundantly illustrated with 3D figures, followed by a commentary on the plates including a precise description of the rigging.

96-page booklet and 16 plates of drawing assembled in a folder with flaps
illustrate with an aquarelle by Jean Bellis.

The Rochefort dockyard and its specifics

Harbour yachts and lighters
The yacht Le Rochefort and its construction

Comments on the plates
Scantlings, painting and iron work
Rigging

This work includes 16 plates in 1/36 scale :

1 – Schematic plan of the hull, lines and sections
2 – Parts of fore-and-aft structure
3 – Frames (1)
4 – Frames (2) and hull framing elevation
5 – Beakhead and stem
6 – Longitudinal section of timber
7 – Timber structure of the hold
8 – Deck structure
9 – Forecastle and quarterdeck structure
10 – Longitudinal section and masting
11 – Cross sections
12 – Overhead view of the hull
13 – Longitudinal layout, front and aft views
14 – Equipment and fitting
15 – Sails, belaying points and blocks
16 – The ship under sail

Scale

Author : Gérard Delacroix Translation Tony Klouda