I have begun to build a 1:48 scale model of the French four-masted privateer L’Invention. The ship was built 1799 – 1800 and sailed its first campaign in 1801; unfortunately just 9 days later L ‘Invention was captured by a pair of English frigates. It was soon sold, reconfigured with three masts and put into use as a trader. Later it was captured again, resold, and was lost in 1810. 

While not having an exceptionally long life, L ‘Invention appears to be unique in design having 4 masts and a very streamlined hull shape. The ratio of length to breadth was 5.28 – typically frigates of the time had ratio s between 3.7 and 4. Importantly, Delacroix notes that the hull shape and masting foreshadowed clipper ship design that would appear 50 years later in the U.S.

The model is based on the recent ANCRE monograph authored by Gerard Delacroix. The monograph presents the ship in a total of 38 sheets of plans. The majority of the model will be constructed with in house milled Swiss Pearwood and will show essentially all details of the original ship.

As the model is early in construction, the client will have an opportunity to determine the final presentation of the model. For example, the model can be completed in a hull only format. Here the hull will be 40 1/2 in long, 8 in wide, and 7 in high. If the client desires a masted and rigged model, then the finished product will be 53 in long, 17 in wide, and 34 in high. You can be assured that this will be a one of a kind model.