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Blue Ensign

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  1. Blue Ensign
    Post Eighteen Rigging continuation The rigging continues with the placing of eyebolts and cleats to take the sheets, and the eyebolts to secure the Fore and Main stays. Drilling through the forward ‘brass’ grating to take the Main stay eyebolt was the most difficult part. The tacks are simply secured to the mast below the snotter. The sails have brails added which allow the quick furling of the sail against the mast. 0043 Running each side of the sail through a grommet in the leech of the sail, thro’ small blocks at the masthead to belay at pins set in the mast benches. 0041 For the belay pins I used brass etched versions unused from my Cutter Alert build. 0039(2) 0038(2) I will continue to tinker with the brails to persuade them to hang with a natural sag. The less than appealing task of making up eight sets of mini tackles now looms. B.E. 15/02/21
  2. Blue Ensign
    A sweet looking Fifie Gb, very nicely done. 👍 B.E.
  3. Blue Ensign
    Thanks for looking in Ras, I’m pleased it has been of help. @ Bob - the books are Landscape format 28cm x 21cm. B.E.
  4. Blue Ensign
    Thanks Tony, Lateen rigs were used on naval boats and there is an example shown in the Pandora book of a Pinnace with such a rig (but without the fine detail). These yards needed to be shifted around quite often so a simple set up as shown would probably apply. B.E.
  5. Blue Ensign
    Hi Tim, The kit provided Amati swivels are of very poor quality, I replaced them with RB Models brass 15mm guns which are perfect for scale but do need the yokes making to hold them. I think Chris Watton may have some swivels as supplied with the Cutter Alert kit, but I don’t know if he supplies these as a separate fitting. I also have an idea that Chuck (Syren) also makes a gun suitable for use as a swivel. If you wish to stick with the kit versions you don’t have to fit them to all of the posts, I left some of them off on my Pegasus build. Cheers, B.E.
  6. Blue Ensign
    Thanks Tony, at small scales it is a convenient way to secure the bolt ropes, and slits can be put in to pull the cringles through where required.. Post Seventeen Rigging attachments Eyebolts and ringbolts are not such an issue but four sets of plates secured to the wales to take the stay rigging present a problem because of their very small size. 0481(2) Attached to these will be simple tackles utilising 2mm single Syren blocks and 0.1mm Morope line. 0482 Holding such a small boat securely necessitates knocking up a small jig, not very pretty but it is effective. Here the hull plates have been ca’d into place. Then there’s the Snotter; up to a few days ago I didn’t have a clue what this was, but Steel provided the answer; A short rope, spliced together at the ends and served with spun yarn, seized to the size of the mast leaving a bight to fit the lower end of the sprit which it confines to the mast. I pondered how to produce this at the scale involved, and finally settled on a simple seizing of a line around the sprit and the mast. 0487(2) At the fore lower part of the mast there is a cleat to take the sail halyard. This is too tiny to use any pre-made cleats, but a small eyebolt cut at the ring top allows a cleat to be fashioned. The halyard is attached to the nock of the sail and runs thro’ a sheave in the mast head. 0495 0492 For the remainder of the rigging, I need to do a little more research as I am hampered by a lack of clear drawings for the belay attachments for the sheets and other lines, and there does seem to be variances in the set-up of the rig. John McKay’s Yawl drawings in the AotS Pandora differ from the sprit rig shown on a Pinnace by Marquardt in 18th c Rigs and Rigging. 🤔 B.E. 13/02/21
  7. Blue Ensign
    Post Sixteen Thinking about the rigging. I first needed to work out the relative scale sizes of the masts and the sprits. For this I go to Steel who gives the dimensions in his 1794 work. The mast lengths are 2½ times the breadth of the boat which gives a mast length of 72mm. The Sprit lengths are ⅛ more than the length of the mast giving a length of 81mm. Steel also gives the relative details of the sails. The sails will be made from 21gsm Modelspan using a re-scaled plan. I had to go back eight years to my Le Praetorian build to refresh my memory on making small scale sails. 0448 The Modelspan is taped over a cut-away box, ensuring it is large enough to cover the required sails. 0450 Diluted pva slightly discoloured with yellow ochre, is painted over the Modelspan. 0453 Hairdryer on hot is used and the Modelspan dries taut. 0455(2) The Modelspan is removed, taped over the patterns, and is cut out leaving a margin. 0458 The sails are overpainted with a diluted off-white water-based paint. 0460 The hems are folded over and 0.2mm line is used to form the bolt ropes with cringles in the four corners. Pva is used to seal the hem. Before I proceed further, I need to test check the fit of the sails and work out the position of the Snotter to take the heel of the Sprit. 0469(2) The sails are only roughly laced to the mast at this stage. 0467 0476 I think it will be easier to rig the sails off-model. B.E. 11/02/21
  8. Blue Ensign
    I think you’re correct about the thwarts Dan, apart from the question of scale there is mis- alignment with the Rowlocks. I don’t think a sailor would have made that error. B.E.
  9. Blue Ensign
    Post Fifteen Fitting the rudder. As with my approach to the cutter build I have discarded the provided rudder with its brass etched facings in favour of a new rudder cut from Pearwood scrap. 00397 The thickness matches the etched ‘sandwiched’ original but the length is left slightly longer to give me more leeway in the positioning of the tiller. 00421(2) On the model a small eyebolt with a fine brass pin silver soldered into it made for the pintles, and eyebolts for the gudgeons. The lower pintle was fitted to the sternpost, it was longer than usual for ease of location. The upper one was fitted to the rudder. 0412 This arrangement was to facilitate ease of removal and re hanging whilst the boat was in the water. 0402 I think it’s time for a general tidy-up.🙄 0443(2) 0426(2) 0427(2) 0439(2) 0440(2) I still need to treat the Pearwood hull with wipe-on-poly and add the rudder straps, but for all practical purposes the basic boat is complete. Before I proceed further, I will attend to the iron hull fittings for the rigging. B.E. 10/02/21
  10. Blue Ensign
    She's looking very smart Eric with some nice little tweaks and additions, which all add to the build experience. Your Pinnace is morphing into a Barge before our very eyes. 😉 B.E.
  11. Blue Ensign
    Beautiful work Rusty, your wood match of the non wood parts looks spot on, a very fine build. 👍 B.E.
  12. Blue Ensign
    Post Fourteen Gunwales The Gunwales are laser cut Pearwood and what a delight they are. Finely detailed and incorporating the thole pin sockets they were a good fit along the sheer line. I had left the thwart brackets long to butt the gunwale against and they perfectly position the strips. I use ca spots to secure them to the boat. Atop the Gunwales are fitted the Splash boards at the bow and stern. Altho’ these are a mere 1.5mm deep Chris has managed to include an engraved pattern on the face to reflect the mouldings that often featured on these parts. The splash boards require a little bending to suit the run of the Gunwale particularly at the bow, and then they were pva’d into place. 00389 00390 Painting these intricate areas is a time-consuming exercise; lay a coat down, photo it, recoil in horror at the macro, sand using thin sanding sticks and fine paper, repeat the exercise. 😉 Great value for money these bijou offerings from Chris, where else can you get endless hours of pleasure and pain for a mere Twenty-five quid. 🙂 Lovin’ this kit. 👍 B.E. 08/02/21
  13. Blue Ensign
    Post Thirteen Inboard works Yawls were fitted for sailing and it has taken my fancy to mast and rig her mainly because I have the reference source (Pandora AotS book) and not many models show the set up on these small boats. None of this aspect of the build is part of the kit. Before I can glue the thwarts in place, I need to fix the position of the tabernacle for the Main mast heel and test the fit of the masts. 00334 00332 00336 The dimensions of the masts and yards are given in the AotS book Pandora. 00339 Only need the heel fitting at this stage, the upper taper to 1.5mm at the peak can be done later. A little speedier progress now, the thwarts are glued into place, the brackets added. 00347 00348 00357 I have decided to fit the wales at this point. 00353 These are pre bent to assist ease of fitting. 00374 I used tiny spots of ca to fix the wales. 00360 00362 I now need to add the Gunwales and think about the rigging fittings. B.E. 07/02/21
  14. Blue Ensign
    Post Twelve Making wood out of brass. I did think about replacing the decking board etch with planks but decided to keep the etched version as it matched the bow and stern sheet gratings. After a thorough cleaning with soapy water, scrubbing, and sanding, followed by an acid dip, I chemically blackened the parts which will give a better surface for painting. Having given the etch a base coat of Humbrol 93 I applied a thin streaky coat of Humbrol 94, followed by a dry bushing of sand yellow weathering powder. 00315 Between the boards I ran diluted black/grey water-based paint, and gave the whole thing a wash of dark brown weathering powder immediately wiped off. 00317 I spent a fair bit of time fiddling with the gratings / boards to get a fit I was happy with. The gratings should fit above the boards, and I added support timbers where the gratings meet the boards. 00322 I also used my Muirneag Skipper to check the relative heights of the stern sheets and grating. 00323 It is reassuring to note that the scale figure confirms the correct height of the internal fittings. Well done Chris 👍 00329 00330 These are just the temporary thwarts used to check the positioning. As can be seen I have decided to part paint the Yawl as I quite liked the combination of colour contrasting with the Pear-wood natural finish. 00291 I used Light Ivory (Admiralty Paints) for the lower hull, and Flat Red (Vallejo) for the Gunwales and internal planking down to the stringer line. The remainder will be the natural Pearwood finish enhanced with wipe-on-poly. The kit suggests a more simplified approach of painting the bottom white up to the wale which is a perfectly acceptable scheme, particularly for later period boats, but I prefer to have the contrast of the natural wood. 00296 The waterline was gauged by eye and by reference to bow and stern points on a yawl plan. Still a way to go with the internal fittings. B.E. 06/02/21
  15. Blue Ensign
    Well done Tim, a fine looking build, you should be well pleased. 👍 B.E.
  16. Blue Ensign
    An almost impossible question to answer Erik, as it’s all about perception. For what it is worth, your Hull is pretty pristine, so weathering the sails may present a discord. The other consideration is that once started there’s no going back, a tricky decision. Good luck B.E.
  17. Blue Ensign
    That knob is known as the button, and the whole fitting on the end of the gun as the cascable. Before the advent of the Breeching ring atop the cascable on Blomefield pattern guns, the rope was simply looped around the button, or spliced around the button. No knots as such are involved. B.E.
  18. Blue Ensign
    Thank you Jason and Richard. @ Richard - the frames are the kit provided stuff 1mm x 0.7mm, it bent quite easily with dipping in water. The stuff is a lot finer than supplied with the now withdrawn original cutter kit. POST 11 Internal fittings With the ribs installed I now need to work out the fit of the boards and gratings. The lower parts of the ribs need paring away by degrees to allow the brass etched gratings and boards to sit properly down. 00253 A square has been cut out of the bow grating to take the heel of the Foremast. 00259 A temporary mast fitted thro’ the bow deck and grating. I am using the AOTS Pandora book as my guide which has a 22’ Yawl as part of the boat allocation. 00225 I re-scaled the drawing to fit the hull at 1:64 and it is a pretty good fit. 00255 I did reduce the length of the Bow deck by removing the plank adjacent to the mast fitting which allowed for better thwart spacing which were otherwise a good match. 00262 Next up for fitting are the stringers which support the thwarts. These are fitted 3mm below the rail which accords with the 1:128 scale drawing in the Pandora book. A simple gauge was fashioned to check the height as I fit the stringers. 00264 The Proxxon vice allows me to level the boat and with one stringer attached the second is applied, and temporary thwarts used to sight the level across the boat. Off-level thwarts can spoil the look of a boat. I next need to work on making the etched gratings and boards resemble wood. B.E. 04/02/21
  19. Blue Ensign
    Post Ten Released from the board To fill any minor gaps I use diluted pva and Pearwood dust, it’s then just a case of sanding until a finish is obtained. Snipped across the central bar the bulkheads came away without trouble with a simple twist with pliers. 00216 With the bulkheads released, the internal planking can be fully assessed. 00219 Only a little ca staining at the bow end which will hopefully be covered by the fore deck. 00231 Use of pva for the majority of the glue work bore fruit in that cleaning up of the internal boarding only required a wetted paintbrush and a micro chisel, the excess glue just came away. 00230 The hull is very delicate, and a light touch is still very much required, take care not to apply lateral pressure to the hull sides. 00247 The next stage is to add the internal frames; the blurb simply says glue short lengths, inside the hull around 5mm to 6mm spacing – as shown in photo 23. 00248 Once the ribs are in place the hull becomes much stronger. As with the planking I seem to have come up short with the ribs(Y28) but I used one of the seat support strips (Y27) for the shorter ribs, which were sufficient at a pinch. The kit has four internal seat support strips but only two are required, I think the kit would benefit from a couple of extra rib strips. B.E. 03/02/21
  20. Blue Ensign
    Post Nine Completion of planking 00190 The final spiled planks butt against the Garboard. 00207 One more plank to go. 00205(2) This is a tricky plank to shape and I tweaked the Garboard to get a reasonable fit. 00208 00209 00210 A relief to complete the planking but a fair degree of fettlin’ is required before she’s released from the building board. 0211(2) This is all that is left of the planking material, a close-run thing! blurb 34 indicates - fitting the wales (from the planking sheet). On the planking sheet the wales are not separately identified, so they must be represented by planking strips, and I have insufficient to make the wales. Not a disaster for me as I am using Ebony strip for the wales, but I think additional strips in the kit are needed, to give us fumble fingers a little more leeway.🤞 B.E. 01/02/21
  21. Blue Ensign
    Thanks Chris, I haven’t looked at the Pandora book for a long time, but there it is large as life in full colour. I’m glad I didn’t have to tackle that on my Pegasus.🙄 In the TFFM in relation to Sixth rates David Antscherl comments: There is only space for three strakes in the width of the wale on a sixth rate. The uppermost strake is worked parallel, and the lower two are worked top and butt. In larger ships these strakes were hooked, but in a sixth rate this does not appear to be the case. His reference is the planking elevation, topsides of Hornet, dated 1776. Still it is all academic and you have done a very fine job with Sphinx. Ps Leading me back to Pandora reveals a 22’ Yawl, spritsail rigged, looks like the yawl build will take a bit longer.🙂 Regards, B.E.
  22. Blue Ensign
    Thank you Jan, that is something I've not seen before. I wonder if they used a half scarph that wasn't carried through to the external face. I note that the expansion plans were dated 1808 which post dates the other plans by some years. Personally I think the arrangement on the model looks a little too fussy, and although I fitted top and butt wales on my Pegasus build I don't think I could have managed those additional features even if authentic. B.E.
  23. Blue Ensign
    Out of curiosity Chris, what did you base the Top and Butt wale planking on; I don't think I have seen that additional scarph joint arrangement on the legs. B.E.
  24. Blue Ensign
    Well done Jason, she looks great, and you should be well pleased. 👍 Thank you for your kind references to my Pegasus build. Regards, B.E.
  25. Blue Ensign
    One thing to think about Erik is that with the reef points threaded through the sail they will invariably stick out needing pva to persuade them to hang down naturally. To do this there is a greater risk of marking the sail with glue, which will be difficult to remove. I opted for the less authentic, but hard to spot the difference, method of gluing pre knotted reef points to the sail each side which obviates the issue. I wish you luck with this tiresome business, whichever method you choose. B.E.

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