| Pyrate Captain | 02 Sep 2009 9:31 p.m. PST |
I just finished Master and Commander, (O'Brian) and I couldn't help but wonder about the Cacafuego. O'Brian called her a Xebec Frigate, operated by the Spanish. Did such a nautical contraption really exist? |
| timurilank | 02 Sep 2009 9:58 p.m. PST |
|
| 11th ACR | 02 Sep 2009 11:12 p.m. PST |
Here is a good web site that has lots of them: link |
| Big Stick | 03 Sep 2009 1:42 a.m. PST |
The battle in 'Master and Commander' is based directly on a real action in 1801 where Thomas Cochrane, in command of a 14-gun brig captured a much larger Spanish Xebec frigate named El Gamo. As you go through the series (which I rate as the finest historical fiction ever written), you will find that the author builds the majority of his plots around real events, which is probably why they feel so authentic. |
| Master Caster | 03 Sep 2009 6:36 a.m. PST |
We make a very nice 15mm Xebec complete with deck furniture, guns, masts and sails. Also see our figures list for some Tripoli Pirates or French crews.
link
Toby Barrett, Thoroughbred Figures |
| jpattern2 | 03 Sep 2009 8:13 a.m. PST |
One of the most beautiful sailing ships ever made, too, with lateen rigging. |
| RockyRusso | 03 Sep 2009 10:58 a.m. PST |
Hi Back in the 60s "PYRO" sold a plastic kit in about 1:200 of the thing. I used to have a couple because the locals were gaming that, but the models disappeared some several moves ago. Rocky |
pvernon  | 03 Sep 2009 2:06 p.m. PST |
My info on the Spanish Xebec Frigates is that there is one class of 32 gun frigates that have all of the rigging on board for both the xebec rig and ship rig (three masts with square sails). To change the rig in use you stop the ship and take down the one rig and setup the other. This could take some time to do. NOT a battle sort of thing. Oh and the hull is that of a stadard 32 so the GHQ 32 gun could be used as a start for a 1/1200 model. |
 Virtualscratchbuilder  | 03 Sep 2009 3:18 p.m. PST |
Back in the 60s "PYRO" sold a plastic kit in about 1:200 of the thing. Here is the latest incarnation of that kit. auction Here's a pic of what I did with it with scratchbuilt masts and sails:
picture Actually I think it is more like 1/350 or even 1/400, as it is smaller than the Langton 1/300 xebec. |
| 11th ACR | 03 Sep 2009 10:39 p.m. PST |
Virtual stop making me drool! |
 Der Alte Fritz  | 04 Sep 2009 10:08 a.m. PST |
Toby: your Thoroughbred Models ships are beautiful! |
| RockyRusso | 04 Sep 2009 11:42 a.m. PST |
Hi I was guessing from memory! I haven't seen mine in about 35 years! Rocky |
| Last Hussar | 05 Sep 2009 6:34 p.m. PST |
Thank the FSM for that TMP link How do they stack against a 'Ship of the Line'- can I use all the same rules (in 'Kiss Me Hardy'), or would they be more fragile/different speed to a similar sized ship? |
| Big Stick | 06 Sep 2009 3:13 a.m. PST |
The link 11thACR posted above has some good info in regards to their performance. I cant comment specifically on the rules you asked about, but in general, they were more lightly built (being evolved from galleys) than contemporary ships of European design. This impacts on their combat effectiveness in two ways when compared to European design carrying the same number of guns. Firstly the lighter deck timbers are not able to bear the same weight of cannon as a comparably sized ship, meaning smaller guns. Secondly their lighter hull planking can be more easily penetrated that the heavily built European ships (even a frigate could have as much as foot of solid oak in its sides). One more point is a Xebecs low freeboard at the waist, which gives an equivilent rated ship a 'height advantage'in a close action (read: yardarm to yardarm). The Xebec's quarterdeck and waist would be exposed to small arms and swivel gun fire from the higher decks of the ship. Hope that helps a bit… |
| Last Hussar | 06 Sep 2009 5:59 p.m. PST |
I'm getting a 503 (Temp unavailable) on 11ACR's link, and the other links didn't seem to have any 'stats' info. Wiki seems to suggest faster, and I knew about the mix of guns. I'm thinking good sailors but poor gunnery, less 'hull points' than a similar sized ship due to the light construction but faster, a fearsome crew for morale (don't surrender because you get hanged) and boarding. |
| 11th ACR | 06 Sep 2009 9:31 p.m. PST |
|
| Chouan | 08 Sep 2009 2:59 a.m. PST |
Xebec frigate, in this context, refers to the rig, not the hull form. Effectively, you have a conventional frigate that carries both a conventional, and a xebec rig. Hence with the wind large, she sails with a square rig, but, can run down her yards and use a lateen rig if required. This would necessitate a large crew. Xebecs were, as has been suggested, more lightly built lateen rigged vessels, often used by corsairs, sometimes as far north as the North Sea, but this is a Xebec Frigate, not a xebec. |
