Now displayed in the foyer of the Settlers Retirement Village in Albany, this 1:60 scale model of the barque HMS Endeavour was built by one of the residents – Charlie Reynolds. He started the project around the turn of the millennium – mainly to offset boredom while recovering from a hip operation.
It’s a fine creation, but – er…, why did it take so long?
The answer becomes clear within a few minutes of meeting Charlie. It took 26 years (approximately 1,600 hours), he says, because other things kept getting in the way. Resting quietly isn’t part of his DNA. Even at 82-years-old he is a human dynamo, wired for diverse, physical activities.
A little context is helpful to appreciate the inherent contradiction between Charlie and the model. He’s a life-long skydiver (some 2,000 jumps spanning more than half a century) and did his last jump aged 79. He is (was) one of New Zealand’s oldest skydivers and competed regularly in international events (NZ, US, Switzerland, Australia) in the ‘Pops Championship’ category.
Presumably lots of rough landings – is that why he needed a new knee and two new hips? No, the damage was caused by too many marathons. These bionic components understandably applied a ‘brake’ to his life, but not entirely. In 2016 he completed the Camino de Santiago hike (an ancient, 800km pilgrimage route across Spain). It took him 42 days and left him with plenty of blisters.
In addition, ongoing granddad duties over the years pulled him away from the Endeavour. And he’s been (still is) a Shore Shuttle driver for many years, rising at all hours of the morning to ferry passengers between the North Shore and Auckland Airport.
So – not the archetypal ‘model’ candidate. But he persisted. Progress waxed and waned over the years and when the project was eventually finished, he confesses, he wanted to hurl it over the balcony.
Why Endeavour?
“I was in the Navy, my father was in the Navy, and my son is still in the Naval Reserve – so there’s a generational maritime legacy and I think that tends to stay with you.
“But I’ve always been interested in heritage ships and Endeavour in particular. We’d often take family holidays down at Hahei on the Coromandel, and I was fascinated by Captain Cook’s visit there in 1769 to observe the Transit of Mercury.” This astronomical event helped Cook establish the longitude of the location (Mercury Bay) and calculate the distance between the Earth and Sun more accurately.
Naturally, when the Australian-built replica of the ship (HMB Endeavour) visited New Zealand for the millennium celebrations, Charlie volunteered as a guide. “I lived aboard for a few days and went out into the Gulf during the 2000 America’s Cup. I managed to climb the ratlines and get out onto the yards – I lied about my hips. They wouldn’t let you do it if you were disabled in any way.” And no – he didn’t wear a harness…
He’d built plenty of (plastic) model ships prior to Endeavour. “They were displayed in the East Coast Bays RSA library but unfortunately were all destroyed in a 2015 fire.”
The project
Charlie bought the Artesania Latina kit (a Spanish model ship company) from the Stoker Models hobby shop in Auckland. Established in 1958, the store is now run by the original owner’s son.
“The kit contains thousands of parts and comes with comprehensive plans. Despite the detailed guidance, I can’t say it was easy. It’s very fine, intricate work. I had to buy a tiny hammer to tap home all the little brass nails – hundreds of them. Installing the ratlines was particularly tricky because every knot was hand tied. Incredibly laborious.
“And fitting the standing rigging. You thread the string through holes in the blocks, but the holes weren’t big enough. I first had to use a tiny drill to enlarge them. And while the sail fabric comes with the kit, I had to cut them into the right shapes and sizes and hand-sew them around the edges.”
All of which placed lots of strain on Charlie’s eyes. He eventually invested in a headset fitted with magnifying glasses – they became a semi-permanent part of his apparel.
Any mistakes? “One major hiccup. I thought the fore mast and main mast were the same height. But the main’s about 25mm higher. Sod’s Law, it wasn’t until I’d attached all the yards and rigging that I realised my mistake. I took it all apart, cut the main mast and spliced in an extra section (reinforced with a steel pin). I covered the joints with lashings to hide my handiwork.”
Charlie’s commitment to finishing the model faded as the years rolled by, but he received some much-needed motivation on the Camino walk. “I met and teamed up with an American chap. We became very friendly and while walking I told him about my Endeavour project.
“He and his wife came out to visit us in New Zealand the following year. He said, oh, let’s have a look at your ship. Oh God, I thought. I brought it out but was so embarrassed I resolved right there to get stuck in again. He provided the impetus for me to keep going.”
Charlie’s Endeavour model has been a lengthy project (wife Heather offers a silent, heaven-sent sigh of relief). And having finally finished it – 26 years later – is it something he’d ever tackle again? “You know, it’s funny. I wouldn’t mind, but I’m not sure I’d live long enough.”
