Armed Virginia Sloop by GuntherMT - FINISHED - Model Shipways - scale 1:48

[Aqueous1025]

I am just reading through your build log today.  WOW.  Really clean work on your boat.  It looks so awesome and perfect.  I really hope to build a boat as nice as this in the future.

 

 

[GuntherMT]

Ugh.. I had a huge post all typed up and when I tried to post it the forum timed out and then I couldn't get to it for 10 minutes or so.  /sigh.. 

 

And... a second try failed too.  Doesn't seem to be my night to make an update!

 

Oh well, try again!  Third time's a charm and all that, right?

 

Thanks for the encouragement and likes everyone.  I managed to spend a good part of today working on the standing rigging, and got a fair bit accomplished.

 

Started out by making another mouse for the fore stay (smaller, since it's a smaller rope) and getting it all rigged up.

 

Then moved to the back stays.  The main back stays and top mast back stays attach to the same eye-bolt for some stupid reason, so I spent quite a while making the block and pendant arrangement on the eye-bolt before I was ok with it.

 

Then I couldn't get the eye-bolt to go back into the hole that I'd just pulled it out of, and managed to apply too much force, and break both the eye-bolt, and the block.  Grrr... 

 

Oh well, replaced the eye-bolt with a larger one, and proceeded on.  Some of these pictures aren't coming out that great, sorry about that.

 

Birds eye view!

 

Added the top mast fore stay, and the jib boom is now permanently attached.

Bow showing that some of the belay points are now being used.  None of the belayed lines are permanently attached with glue, just attached with the ropes as shown.

 

Not completely happy with the jib boom heel rope, but neither am I sure of any way to improve it, so this is likely how it will remain.

 

The kit calls for a traveler ring, but doesn't include one, so I made one out of brass, after considering making a spiffy one like I've seen in other build logs with the hooks and other bits, but discarding that idea for the time being.  Maybe in a future build.

 

And, how it sits right now.  Still need to add the bowsprit shrouds to complete the bowsprit standing rigging.

 

Crossing my fingers, clicking the post button!

Edited August 24, 2015 by GuntherMT

[RGL]

Those ropes look so real! Just magnificent work mate.

[aliluke]

Brian

You are headed for completing the definitive version of this great kit - it looks absolutely fantastic. You have taken it much further than I did with results that speak for themselves. I look forward to seeing more. Shame we are not nearer by and I could look over it in reality. Buckeye is a wee bit far away...

[GLakie]

Your rigging is looking great Brian! 

[GuntherMT]

I let my inner nerd name her...

 

[GLakie]

Isn't that the name of a sci-fy program on TV? 

[GuntherMT]

Isn't that the name of a sci-fy program on TV? 

 

Nope.  It's the name of the ship on the best sci-fi program ever created, that was sadly cancelled after only one partial season - Firefly.  They did make a follow-on movie that was named "Serenity" after the ship.

[GLakie]

Oh yeah - Firefly. I remember now.  Cool. I kind of like those old sci-fy shows too. 

[Aqueous1025]

I really like your work.  I agree with the rigging looking very real.  Such a beautiful ship build.

[GuntherMT]

Standing rigging was completed by adding the bowsprit shrouds, and I'm working through the running rigging now.

 

I have already learned an important lesson in rigging.  No matter how good I think my research and sources are on the rigging, walk through the entire process myself, at least a few times, and make my own 'order' and checklist.  I'm running into so many things that really should have been added at a much earlier time because it would have been so much easier, whether it be the blocks that are seized to the stays, to the various blocks on the masts, or the Jeers block.  All of them could have been done easier (and better) at much earlier stages in the rigging.

 

Anyway, I've completed the following (I think):

 

Bowsprit shrouds.

Jib Halyard, downhaul, and tackle.

Fore Staysail Halyard, downhaul, and tackle.

Gaff rigged and mounted.

Gaff Peak Halyard and tackle.

I've also added a bunch of blocks to the mast and top mast, as well as some ropes that attach to those blocks which can be seen taped up into coils.

 

Some photo's.

 

I have also realized that the jib traveler ring is too far back on the jib boom, and because I'm an idiot I already trimmed the in-hauls that hold the traveler ring, so I removed both of those, and tomorrow I'll redo that entire thing so that the dark rope that is the farthest one out on the jib boom will be much closer to the tip of it, giving me more room for some of the other lines and tackle that have to be added. 

[GuntherMT]

Beautiful!!!

 

"and tomorrow I'll redo that entire thing"

 

Ahhh ... deconstruction again

 

cheers,

 

Dirk

 

Actually the deconstruction part is already done.  It's the reconstruction part I need to do now.  

 

Side note: Anyone planning to go to the San Diego Festival of Sail next weekend?  I'm going to go and waste lots of time sailing multiple times per day as well as in the parade of sail on Friday and would be down for meeting up with anyone else who is going to be around sometime during the weekend if it worked out.

[rafine]

Brian, You are doing an absolutely great job on the rigging. Wonderful work.

 

Bob

[dgbot]

Brian the festival is just a dream. For many of us it is either the total cost, health, or work related so I will miss seeing you and a other m amber who plan to go and wish everyone a good time and a lot of happy memories.

David B

[GLakie]

Like the others have said Brian, you're doing a wonderful job on the rigging and I don't think anybody can really fore-see everything that could be done prior. 

[thomaslambo]

Simply beautiful work...and amazing photography (excellent closeups are so much appreciated by beginners like myself)   

[GuntherMT]

Thanks all,

 

 I don't think anybody can really fore-see everything that could be done prior. 

 

While this may be true, the fact that *I* can figure a lot of this out now that I'm running into it and re-reading the plans/instructions again, makes me believe that if I'd realized it and had done a thorough read through with notes for the purpose of determining what could be done when, I would have eliminated a lot of the issues I'm running into.

 

Don't get me wrong, the practicum has been a huge help throughout this build, and even with the rigging he has some great tips & tricks, but the order of the assembly in the rigging phase only is..  not well thought through, or at least not written well.  Based on the photos he did quite a few things on the actual model in a different order than the writing.

 

I'll admit that as a QA analyst, I tend to be overly critical, but I think that someone writing a practicum shouldn't expect the reader to read ahead and change the order of things on their own, especially if it's only their first or second build, which is the target audience of the practicum in the first place.

[captgino]

She is beautiful. You are done a magnificent piece. Thank you the detailed shots.

[GuntherMT]

LookIng great Brian,are you planning to add sails too?

 

At this time I have no plans to add sails.  I was considering doing furled sails, but I think I'm probably going to leave the poles bare on this build.

 

I think to do sails (even furled ones) right, I'd need to understand the running rigging better, which hopefully will happen in the process of finishing this, so that I can properly plan for them and adjust accordingly when I do choose to try that in a later build.

[gsprings]

Brian,

I will soon be starting the AVS with the same practicum that you have been using. I am very interested in learning from your experience about where the sequencing in the practicum can be improved. Will that be apparent reading through your full log, or are you keeping a list that you can share?

 

Any help is much appreciated as she will be my first real ship build. (I'm current working on the Lobster Smack.)

 

Thanks,

Greg

Edited August 31, 2015 by Greg Springs

[GuntherMT]

Brian,

 

I will soon be starting the AVS with the same practicum that you have been using. I am very interested in learning from your experience about where the sequencing in the practicum can be improved. Will that be apparent reading through your full log, or are you keeping a list that you can share?

 

Any help is much appreciated as she will be my first real ship build. (I'm current working on the Lobster Smack.)

 

Thanks,

Greg

 

Welcome aboard Greg,

 

Looking forward to seeing you start your build.  It really is an enjoyable model to build.

 

As far as sequencing, it's the rigging.  There are many things that should be attached to the mast/bowsprit/boom/yards prior to them being attached.  In addition there are blocks that are seized to other parts of the rigging (like the forestay and jibstay).  Seizing these prior to placing the stays would make it much simpler.

 

Basically, when you get to the rigging portion, take the two chapters (standing/running) and put them together, then go through them page by page all the way through, making notes on what items get attached to what.  Whenever you see something that needs a block attached, go through the sequence and see if it could be attached before other things are placed.  For example - Put all the blocks that are attached to eye-bolts on the deck in place on the deck before placing the mast, or the riding bitt!  

 

Don't put the top-mast on the main-mast until you have placed *all* of the blocks and stuff that wrap around the main mast, even though the instructions have you placing the top-mast on quite early.

 

Speaking of the top-mast, it's impossible to assemble it per the practicum.  Once the cast fitting is placed onto the main-mast, the only way the top-mast can be put through the fitting is from below, since the square 'foot' of the topmast is larger than the circular opening in the fitting.  You either have to wait to place the fitting until you are mounting the top-mast (probably the right way to do it), or do like I did, and insert the top-mast from below, and place the fidd later, instead of prior to assembly.

 

I should have probably kept detailed notes on sequencing, except that I'm very unlikely to ever build this kit again, so I didn't.  Sorry about that.

 

Having said all of the above - I really have found the practicum quite helpful at keeping me on track, as I tend to wander and lose focus, so a specific order of doing things (up until the rigging) really was a great thing for me.  Even when I've ignored methods in the practicum, I was still using it as a sequence guide, and there are a lot of great tips and tricks for a new person to the hobby.  

 

When you get to the rigging if you don't do like I did and try to blindly follow it page by page, but instead read through all of it and make yourself notes and a plan, it will work great I believe.

[hamilton]

Your AVS looks great, Brian - I really like the naming! You're not alone in this particular brand of nerd-dom...

hamilton

[GuntherMT]

So after spending a wonderful long weekend in San Diego enjoying the Festival of Sail, I haven't gotten back to the AVS yet because I had to catch up on work and some other issues.  Today was fix the plumbing in the house day, and then I wasted the rest of the afternoon & evening finally watching the final season of Justified off of Amazon streaming service.

 

If you don't check the General Nautical Discussion forum - here is a link to the thread I started where I've posted over 100 photo's of the ships from the Festival of Sail - http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/11351-san-diego-festival-of-sail-2015/

 

I have gotten back into the hobby room and pretty much figured out where I was when I last left off, and am going to try to get re-started on the rigging tomorrow and see what I can get accomplished.

 

In the mean time, I took a couple pictures of where it was left off prior to the trip.  Seems I managed to skip taking pictures and documenting the last couple of work sessions based on my last update here vs. what it looks like today!

 

 

The jib traveler/inhaul arrangement looks much better now I think, and the main boom is mounted with foot-rope and the flag halliard, as well as the traveler on the cabin top (blackened brass) and the boom sheet is rigged.

 

 

[Gundorph]

What a beauti....

[Aqueous1025]

Looking really really beautiful 

 

Definitely excellent work.  I can not wait to see it fully rigged.

[GuntherMT]

What size of the blocks did you use for rigging?

I am using 1/8, 5/32 and 3/16 blocks from Syren.

[Aqueous1025]

Syren blocks are relly really impressive.  Seeing them in your pictures makes me even more anxious to use them.

[GuntherMT]

I am thinking to get the snap together specialty blocks from Syren for my Virginia.

 

They aren't snap together, you have to glue them together, then sand/shape them (using a tumbler, or by hand).  You can download the instructions on the assembly from his site.

 

My dead-eyes, and the hearts on my forestay are Syren specialty blocks.

[qwerty2008]

I just found this log, I don't look in kit build logs as often as I should. I have just one question why Serenity? the Serenity was unarmed yet this vessel is quite the opposite. Thinks back...... I named my current (11 gun topsail schooner Byzantium) build after another unarmed sci-fi vessel so my previous question is stupid isn't it?. My point being I am a fellow geek and 'I aim to misbehave'. Hitting follow button.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lextin.

[GuntherMT]

Well Lextin, it was more of a 'why not' really.  After almost a year of thinking about it, I never really could settle on a name, and for whatever reason just kept coming back to Serenity.  I thought it was sort of a funny name because of the irony of the name as you pointed out, and I really liked Firefly.  I don't have a current S.O., so I didn't really want to just use a random woman's name.  In any case, just said what the heck, and gave her that name since it just kept coming back in my head.

 

On to an actual update, after two nights of fiddling with little rope and blocks, I managed to complete the rigging of the spreader yard.

 

The inner blocks and the parrel were the biggest pains, since they are lashed, and the parrel has to be served in place.

 

Inner blocks

 

Blocks, foot ropes, parrel and jeers block on the yard.

 

All the outer lines on the yard.  In order from inside to outside they are:  Foot ropes, block for topsail sheet, after brace pendant, fore brace pendant, lift.