What if you were Captain Nemo . . .

[modelnut]

Guys!

I am planning on beginning again a scratchbuild of a Verne-inspired NAUTILUS. But I have a question that needs answering before I get to the painting stage.

If Nemo had really lived and really built the NAUTILUS in those Victorian times, what would the hull have looked like? As far as the novel goes she is made of iron. No mention is made of paint or of anti-fouling beneath the waterline. But if Nemo was such a genius, surely he would have been ahead of his day and certainly up-to-standard when it came to protecting his boat's hull. So would she have been a sea-weathered black? Or a rusty brown like the Goff/Disney version? Would there be anti-fouling below the waterline? What color would it have been?

Before restarting my 72nd scale project, I am working on a 350 scale NAUTILUS to work out a few kinks in my design]http://groups.msn.com/ModelersAndHobbyForum/modeltsar.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=638[/url]

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

-Leelan

[bryan]

Modelnut-

Interesting question, but I think

Modelnut-

Interesting question, but I think you are over analyzing things a bit. But since you asked:
My two cents- To install fear in suface sailors and to carry the myth of a sea monster, (which was Nemos intent) the color would be "creature-colored" Any shade of "monster from the deep".

-Bryan

[modelnut]

Sorry about that. But, for

Sorry about that. But, for me, over thinking is part of the fun.
I don't finish many models but I learn about lots of things and I think about what I am doing. Mental calisthenics.

Found this while looking into the purpose of anti-fouling:

http://s181686668.onlinehome.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php5?t=6562

I know more today than I did yesterday . . .

-Leelan

[modelnut]

And I know more now

And I know more now than I did a minute ago!

http://transportationhistory.suite101.com/blog.cfm/antifouling_paint

[b]Anti-fouling Paint] Fights Barnacles and Slime
© John Crandall May 28, 2007

Over time a ship's hull in the water can become
overgrown with barnacles, seaweed, and other marine
organisms. This is called a fouled hull.

Fouled hulls are bad because they cause the once
smooth surface of the ship's hull to be rough. This
rough surface causes drag as the ship moves through
the water. This drag casuses reduced top speed, and a
need for more power to perform the same as a ship with
a clean hull.

This fact that marine life see ship's hulls as a place
to make their home has long been a problem to
mariners. Antifouling goes back at least as far as the
Pheonicians who attached copper bars to the hulls of
their ships. Copper, as it breaks down in contact with
water produces a chemical which is deadly to barnacles
and similar organisms. Copper based powders were later
added to marine paints to have a similar biocide
effect. Of course, the 20th century saw advanced
chemical biocides which were very effective at killing
the unwanted organisms. Unfortunately, over time these
deadly chemicals built up in coastal waters, and began
to kill off oyster beds, and other desirablke life.
This had the effect of having most of these "advanced"
biocides banned by law, and put men back to using
copper based powders in paint.

Scientists are scrambling for a new way to deal with
this problem. Organic and earth friendly methods are
being tried. The United States Navy is using powdered
chemicals delivered by small tubes surrounding the
ship's hull beneath the waterline through tiny holes.
As water touches the chemical concoction natural
biocides are produced that not only keep the hulls
clean, but are also biodegradeable and earth friendly.

So unless Nemo had the crew scrubbing the ship from bow to stern every week or so, then the NAUTILUS had to have some sort of antifoul system in place.

Hey! Surface ships have this below the waterline. But a sub is below the surface most of the time. Does that mean that modern subs are painted all over with antifouling paint???

Then why the red paint below? I know that the black paint makes them harder to see in the water. But why bother with red?

-Leelan