An Annotated Select Bibliography of Plans and Half Models

The Apprentice Shop, Half-Modelling, Bath: Bath Marine Museum, 1976.

A step by step, how to book, with historical information concerning half-modelling and a short bibliography of useful sources. Currently in print.

Bisset, G. A., “Models and Their Lining Off,” Marine Engineering, N.Y.: Simmons-Boardman Pub. Co., Vol. 25, 1920, p. 931.

Illustrated article on the construction and preparation of plating models.

Booth, Bertram S., “Taking the Lines From a Model,” Rudder, May 1939, p. 26.

How to take the lines off a half model measuring with triangles.

Bray, Maynard, “Sonny Hodgdon’s Half Models,” WoodenBoat, No. 33, March/April 1980, p. 41.

George I. Hodgdon, Jr.’s step by step method of producing a horizontal lift model in a photographic essay.

Callahan, C. D., “How to Make Relief Models,” Rudder, July 1909, p. 26.

Step by step how to build a horizontal lift half model.

Chapelle, Howard I., National Watercraft Collection, United States National Bulletin #219, Washington: Museum of History and Technology, 1960.

A description of the half model collection at the Smithsonian and discussion on the use and construction of half models, historical development and measuring them to draw up new plans.

Chapelle, Howard I., Yacht Designing & Planning for Yachtsmen, Students, and Amateurs, NY W. W. Norton & Co., Inc., 1936.

Step by step procedure for taking the lines off older models and drawing plans from the measurements.

deFontaine, W. H., “Let’s Look at Her Lines: An Elementary Explanation of the Lines by Which a Naval Architect Reveals the Form of a Hull,” Yachting, May 1949, p. 52.

How to read a plan and use a lift model written by a non-naval architect for other amateurs. Excellent illustrations.

Farmer, Weston, “Understanding a Boat Plan,” WoodenBoat, March/April, 1978, p. 30.

How to read and understand a set of vessel plans. Good illustrations of drawings and vessel parts. Not about half models.

Gardner, John, “Scale Half Models: The Traditional Design Tools Have Withstood the Test of Time,” National Fisherman Yearbook, 1985, p. 102.

How to make lift models and the tools needed. Taking the lines off your model.

Herreshoff, L. Francis, “Some Hints on Model Making,” An L. Francis Herreshoff Reader. Camden: International Marine Publishing Company, 1976.

A chapter on tools and methods for building hulls for half and full models.

Monk, Edwin, “How to Build a Half Model,” Yachting, Dec. 1933, Vol. 54, p. 54.

How to build a half model, cutting up the blueprint as a working template.

Rabal, S. S., Ship and Aircraft Fairing and Development, NY: Cornell Maritime Press, 1941.

The principles involved in the fairing and development of forms for aircraft and vessels were similar. This book explains the methods of the sheet metal worker to the ship loftsman, draftsman, and air craft industry worker in a step- by-step, textbook type format. The construction, preparation, and lining off of the stations, frames and plates on a plating type half-model are discussed in detail. Drawing up the shell expansion plan using the model is also covered.

Rubin, Norman N. “Variances in Dimensions of Half-Models,” American Neptune, 1977, Vol. 37, No. 3, p. 164.

Discussion of the factors that may create a difference in dimensions between a half model of a known vessel and its actual recorded dimensions.

Schock, Edson I., “A Method for Taking the Lines Off a Half- model,” Nautical Research Journal, winter 1971, p. 225.

How to take the lines off a half model, illustrated with information to build this device. Ships Plans Department has the original full size drawings for this device and one has been built.

Stillman, Charles K., “The Development of the Builder’s Half-Hull Model in America”, Mystic Historical Association Publications, Vol. I, No. 7, 10 July 1933, reprinted in Log of Mystic Seaport, Vol. 31, No. 3, Fall 1979.

Still the standard text on the history, development and construction of half models. Illustrated by models from the museum collection. The 1933 edition contains Dr. Stillman’s original bibliography.

Vincent, S. A., “The Elements of a Lines Plan: The Most Important Part of a Boat’s Design Explained in Non-technical Terms,” Rudder, April 1929, p. 37.

Excellent illustrations, very elementary discussion.

Watson, J. R., “How to Build a Half-model,” The Boatbuilder, Spring 1989, p. 14.

How to do, step by step. Illustrated.

Wilson, Garth S., Great Lakes Historic Ship Research Project: The Documentation and Analysis of 19th Century Great Lakes wooden Hull Design, Kingston, Ontario: Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, 1989.

Report on the development and implementation of a combination photo/measuring device for taking the lines off old models and digitizing data points to produce lines plans by computer. The computer system also was used to study existing plans. The mechanism was designed by Steve Killing, NA, and is well described and illustrated.


3/11/91
ECS