Blue Ensign

Looks superb Erik, a great paint job. I think dry transfer is the way to go, it's my preferred option if I can get hold of them which is getting more difficult over here. Have you decided on a 'port' yet, the name of which is usually carried on the Starboard stern quarter. Regards, B.E.

Thank you Thomas, The sails are an (expensive) extra with the kit, but the material is as fine as I have seen for model purposes. They are obtained from Master Korabel in Russia. Chris Watton has only recently confirmed to me that the material is cotton, and the sail bolt ropes and stitching are of polyester. This does mean that the sail cloth takes a dye very well but the polyester not so. It could possibly be got around with a more complicated dye process, but I simply resorted to staining the bolt ropes with a waterproof marker. The panel stitching is fine and beautifully done and I left it well alone. B.E.

Not quite done yet Richard, I have the whole process to repeat again on the Mizen sail. Having struggled for years with various methods of holding things this QuadHands is a wonder, every serious ship modeller should aim to add one to their tool stock. B.E.

Looks the part Richard, 👍 If you haven't done so make sure it fits between the standards of the Riding Bitts. B.E.

Great job on the deck fittings Glenn, love the cleanness of the head ledges and coamings. Well done 👍 B. E.

Post 42 Fettlin’ the sails Reef points are a tiresome thing but add realism to a sail. To fit them properly a double length line is passed thro’ a hole in the sail and knotted at the top each side. The issue with this at scale is that getting them to hang naturally can be problematic without resorting to use of pva to hold them down on the sail. This risks marking the previously dyed material. My approach is to simply glue the points to the sail at the knot. This way the point lies flat, and the application of glue is better controlled. Even So it is exceeding dull work, knot, trim, and glue, 88 times each side for the large fore lug sail, which has six rows of reef points. 9082 For gluing the sail is taped over the plan and a steel rule used to level the points across the sail. 9088 9093 Three days later and the Reef points are completed on the large Fore Lug sail. I now turn my attention to the Luff cringles, which as everyone knows run down the leading edge of a sail. 😉 These are of an iron ‘D’ shape and there are eight of them on the Fore Lug. For these I have used 2.5mm ø fine brass rings to which the ‘D’ shape is imparted and the joint silver soldered for security. 9095 To aid fixing these tiny fittings I used a smear of ca to hold them in position atop the bolt rope whilst a needle and thread is used to secure them to the sail. 9096 My recent acquisition proved very useful to hold the sail for this exercise. 9101 I used 0.1mm Morope line to secure the rings thro’ the Tabling (Hem) of the sail. 9103 Sail completed by the addition of the Leech cringles. The same procedure will be repeated to complete the Mizen Lug. B.E. 28/11/20

Looking very nice Erik, I'm interested to see her smart authentic black livery. B.E.

Cheers Guys, @ Richard, - I feel for me too, but it has to be done.🙂 @ Bob, - the stitching does seems to become less obvious over time, I don’t notice it as much on the Fifie now. @ Erik - Marking the bolt ropes is no problem, but the stitching on the sails is so fine that the risk of bleed onto the sails is too high for my tired old eyes. It all gets a bit complicated with dyes, it comes down to relative proportions with combined materials, but the clincher is that hot dyeing would be required and there is no way that Mrs W is going to let me loose on her induction hob with a pot of dye. 😄 @ Glenn, - a few hours ago neither did I, 😉 but it sounds good, still not sure how to go about it yet.🤔 I'd better make a start on those reef points. B.E.

Thank you Rusty and Bob, and for the 'likes' Post 41 Sails The sail set comprises, Fore, Mizen, and Jib. I am using the nicely made but expensive kit provided addition, but even these can be enhanced by the addition of reef points. It is a tiresome exercise but certainly appropriate at this scale. One other item I need to consider is whether to add cringles to the luff and leech of the lug sails. Underhill indicates rope cringles around iron thimbles for the leech and iron ‘D’ type thimbles for the Luff. My first job is to check that the sails fit the yards and add the details to the kit sail plan. 9019(2) The sails are a good fit to the plan 9026(2) The Reef points and cringles are marked on the plan. Just the small matter of adding 268 14mm knotted lines to the sails. Wonderful.🙄 This will be done after the sails are dyed. Colouring the sails This is the description given in the Sailing Drifter book by Edgar J March. Sails were ‘barked’ a rich, dark brown, almost black colour. They were seldom tanned the warm Red of the English drifters. From my experience with the sails on my Fifie build I am aware that the sail stitching and bolt ropes do not take dye at all, leaving them stubbornly white, which is annoying against the rich brown sails. The Dye blurb says add salt for cotton, rayon, or linen, and vinegar for nylon, silk, and wool. That is white vinegar, not the stuff you put on your fish and chips. To replicate the colour, I am using Rit brand (cocoa brown) dye powder. The recipe’ and procedure I used was as follows:- Before I start I wash the sails gently and iron out the creases, well Mrs W does. Into a plastic bowl I poured 4 pints of hot water. 4 teaspoons of dye powder (virtually the whole packet) were dissolved in a 1 pint jug of near boiling water from the kettle. This was added to the bowl followed by a dessert spoon of salt, and two dessert spoons of white vinegar. The mixture was well stirred, and the sails added. I am mindful that the jibs were coloured but were only lightly dressed so it was immersed first for only a few minutes. I stirred the lugs around for approx 20 minutes which gave me the depth of colour I thought was ok. The sails were then rinsed in cool water until the water ran all but clear. They were then hand washed in warm water with a mild detergent added, rinsed, and put to dry flat on an old towel. 9039(2) Still wet, the colour difference of the Jib reflects the much lighter dressing applied to this sail. 9045(2) The sails have dried a little lighter in shade, and there is also a little shrinkage in the lug sails, no doubt due to their longer immersion in hot water. 9044(2) As with the Fifie sails the bolt ropes and seams have not taken the dye so I suspect they are of polyester. I tried samples of silk (Which took the dye) and polyester (Morope) which didn’t. It looks like I will need to use a fine point waterproof marker to colour the bolt ropes and reduce the starkness of the white. The seam stitches are more problematic as there is a high risk of overspill. This concludes Part one of the sail saga. B.E. 25/11/20

She’s a sweet little cutter Doug, well done. 👍 B.E.

Post 40 Mast making. There are only minor differences between the Underhill plan dimensions and the kit dimensions, and I will be working with the kit dimensions, not least because the expensive but very nice kit sails are presumably cut to suit the given dimensions. I am using Walnut Square stock for both Fore and Mizen masts. 8851(2) Allowing for extra length to fit in the lathe chuck and tail stock, the square sections are marked to the correct point above the partners and the taper was marked at the quarters on a card to allow for a running check on progress. 8854(2) I start the process by shaving the square stock into eights on a ‘V’ jig and scraping with a scalpel blade. 8858 The rounding and tapering are completed on the lathe using sanding papers and emery cloth. Always worth wearing a face mask when doing this job, Walnut dust is nasty stuff. Fairly straightforward and there are few fittings on the mast. 8950 1½ sheaves at the Fore Masthead, iron straps and a band with an eye to secure the Fore Burton stay. The Mizen mast has a single sheave and a band with an eye for the Burton stay. 8875 Secured on the fore face of the squared Fore mast is a plate to take a wire strop to secure the hooks of the jib halyard when not in use. The yards. Only two to make, and here I am following the Underhill arrangement. Fore Yard This comprises a 38’ spar with an offset taper. At the slings the diameter is 12½” tapering to 4” on the long end and 5” at the short end. 8869 At scale this equates to 180mm length, 4.9mm ø at the slings, 1.6mm ø at the head, and 2mm at the fore. Atop the centre part is an iron plate with an eye for the yard halyard hook. This portion of the yard is served both to secure the iron plate and for protection. Mizen Yard The Mizen yard has the same set up It comprises a 32’ spar with an offset taper. At the slings the diameter is 7” tapering to 3¾” on the long end and 4¾” at the short end. At scale this equates to 152.4mm length, 3.0mm ø at the slings, 1.5mm ø at the head, and 2mm at the fore. 8942(2) The yards before they are stained, and the serving is applied. 9015(2) The yards are stained with Dark Jacobean Oak and served with 0.1mm line. Bowsprit The Underhill plans show an overall length of 49’ (233mm) which is a scale 16mm shorter than the kit length, not much in the overall scheme of things. 9004 At the inboard end there is a shoulder cut to butt against the saddle. 9002 9000 I left the ladderway open but decided to otherwise enclose the ‘skeegs/Skegs’ (Mast Housing) with boarding cannibalized from the fish hatch cover. 8987(2) At the Bowsprit outer end, a half sheave is cut to take the jib outhaul. An iron band is fitted over the end, and a Cranse iron is yet to be fitted. The kit does provide a brass etched cranse of sorts (PE12) but it is a simplified version. I won’t actually fit the Bowsprit for a while yet, too much risk of catching the end whilst rotating the model. It will in any case be secured without glue when the time comes. 9008 Wedges can be seen aft of the masts used to secure the angle of rake required. The Mizen wedge has yet to be cut to length. 9010 8991 I think that will do for the sticks for a while, time to check out the Boys own book of sail enhancement. 😉 B.E. 24/11/20

Your hull looks good Erik. Personally I like to see strake lines thro' the paint to a degree on period ships, imparts a reality in my view. otherwise you may as well have a plastic hull. When I did the Top and Butt planking on the wale of my Pegasus build, I positively wanted the lines to show thro' otherwise I might as well have used straight planks. I used to have this argument with my Dad in relation to door painting. he always strived for a plastic smooth finish. I aimed for a smooth finish but didn't mind seeing some grain show thro' provided there were no runs/ thick spots etc. A matter of taste I suppose. B.E.

Ah Richard, Richard, it hasn't taken long, fresh from your success with the Fifie I see you're a lost cause now fully seduced into the world of model ship building. 😀 There's no cure you know. Following on from what James said, if you mark on the plank towards the stern where it starts not to lie flat, dampen it, put the strake in a vice, twist it using pliers whilst applying heat with a hair dryer and Robert's your Mothers brother, - works for me. ps Love that expression 'coggle over' know what you mean about using a six inch metal rule, but sometimes it's the only thing that will do, annoyingly I've misplaced mine and I miss it. B.E.

Thank you for the suggestion cotrecerf. 👍 According to the reference caraway seeds are 2mm in length. At my scale the herrings would be around 3.5mm - 5mm in length, still you have given me something to think about, and painted and piled into a cran basket may do the trick. Regards, B.E.

Thank you all for your 'likes' and generous comments. @ Martin, - I was surprised when the phone was answered, he sounded a really nice chap, and I don’t think us modellers need much of an excuse to talk endlessly about the subject.😃 @ Glenn and John – I did think about making some scale ‘silver darlings’ when doing my Fifie build, but then reality kicked in.😉 I will however make a set of Cran baskets, quite relaxing basket weaving. Cheers, B.E.

All looking good to my eye Tim, nicely done. 👍 B. E.

Great backdrop to a wonderful model, a work of art. B.E.

Post 39 Completion of the hull Three months of fairly consistent working and the hull and deck fittings are complete. Time for a photo shoot before I clear the work bench and move onto the second stage of Mast making and rigging. 8849 8848 8845 8842 8840 8838(2) 8833(2) 8828(2) 8817 8811(2) Modifying this excellent kit to reflect a specific boat has added immensely to the build enjoyment for me, and my thanks go out to Chris for providing the makings. The high basic accuracy of the kit make it a good subject for modification, and had I decided to model the Zulu Fidelity (BF 1479) very little reconstruction work would have been required. B.E. 18/11/20

Thanks John, even so reports would indicate that Zulu's were a hard place for those prone to sea sickness. I think the same was said of Flower Class Corvettes, that would 'roll on wet grass'. Regards, B.E.

Post 38 Bilge keel To add or not to add, that is the question. The Underhill plan doesn’t show them but both the George MacLeod model in the NMM, and the Gordon Williams model show this fitting. There is also a photo of the Zulu Mary Jeanie 1898 in dry dock which also clearly has them. The version on both the George MacLeod and Gordon Williams models looks like a flat board rather than a keel piece. 3488ab Gordon Williams model. My understanding is bilge keels were more of a shallow triangular profile pointing downwards and outwards below the round of the hull. Purely on the off chance and with little expectation that the telephone number was still extant I called Gordon Williams who lives in Monmouth and whose splendid model of Muirneag resides in the museum in Stornoway. To my surprise he responded and I had very interesting conversation about his model and his inclusion of Bilge keels, which were absent from the Underhill plans. Gordon had personally examined the NMM model which informed his own build and he had taken the inclusion and style from the model in the NMM. This had been built in 1955 by George MacLeod who had taken the measurements directly from the vessel before it was broken up in 1947 and formed the basis of the Underhill plans. Amongst other things, I did confirm the pronunciation of the name Muirneag – Moornach which he had got directly from those who know whilst visiting Stornoway. At least I now know how to say my models’ name. 3587 The Zulu Research (originally Heather Bell) under restoration at the Fisheries Museum, Anstruther. The aft end of a bilge keel can be seen that looks different to the form on the two models. Research is the last surviving large Zulu. A boat of 80’ she was built in 1903 so is a contemporary of Muirneag, and she had a long career, fishing until 1968. With such a long active service with many modifications over the years I don’t know if the bilge keel is original or a later addition. 8753(2) Not having any direct plan to work from I estimated the position and length from a combination of photos and models, and I drew an approximation on the kit plan. 8752(2) A 1mm thick Pearwood strip was fined down to dimensions that looked right to my eye; 140mm in length with a centre width of 2.5mm tapering to 1.75mm at the ends. A degree of lateral bend was imparted, and the outer edge was thinned to 0.75mm. That is the easy bit, retro fitting the keels less so, and the more I looked at it the less I fancied it. It will involve messing up the already painted hull, positioning is everything, and ca would have to be used to get a rapid grab. However, having satisfied myself that Bilge keels were appropriate, there was no putting the Genie back in the bottle. 8792(2) The first job is to mark the position of the keels; for this I used a strip of lining tape. 8800(2) To aid positioning and final gluing fine pins were inserted through the keels into corresponding holes in the hull. 8806(2) Went somewhat better than I feared it would 8758 I took the opportunity with the hull needing attention to add the keel straps at the bow and stern. These are reinforcing straps where the stem and stern posts meet the keel. 8766 I used Syren card gudgeon straps at the stern and soft pewter strip at the bow which took a better curve. Hopefully, this concludes the messing about with the hull stage. B.E. 17/11/20

Strakes look spot on Erik, for small additions they do take a fair amount of work don't they. I made the same point in my log about the supply of an extra length of 1mm walnut strip, it is a tricky timber cut that thin. B.E.

Cheers Glenn, Richard, and John. @ Richard – I’ve a way to go yet, but I would hope to finish it by the end of the year – I’ve other boxes of delight below my bench awaiting attention. 🙂 @ John - Interesting snippet there John I wasn't aware of that. I see what you mean from this photo taken at Charlestown back in September. There is definitely a blueish/green hue to the glass; whether I can replicate that at 1:64 scale is a different matter. 🤔 Regards, B.E.

Post 37 Side light boards Navigation lights were introduced during the 19thc initially for steam powered vessels but later extended to sail. I can’t find any contemporary photos of Zulus at sea with navigation boards in place, perhaps they were unshipped when underway in daylight; the nature of the fishing business was that herring were fished at night with the return to port in the morning. Still they are a valid addition to the model and present another interesting little modelling exercise. I scaled down from the Underhill drawings to produce a mock-up made from thin card. 8709(2) Once I was happy with the proportions, I made the items out of 0.6mm x 6mm Boxwood. 8712(2) The dimensions are 18mm long, 4mm high (reducing to 3.5mm) and 4mm wide (reducing to 3mm) 8704(2) The board is supported on stanchions 14mm apart slotted into sockets I had previously fixed to the aft side of the stringers. For ease of construction the stanchion and support frame are made in two parts. Uprights using 0.9mm ø brass tubing fit thro’ the sockets into the deck. 8702 The board support arms (0.6mm ø brass wire) slot into eyebolts on the aft side of the board and are angled to throw the board parallel to the centre line. The arms slot into the upright tubing. 8727(2) 8735(2) 8732(2) I need to sort out the lights but I think I have now added all the inboard fittings indicated on the Underhill plans. There is a decision to be made about bilge keels before I move onto mast making. B.E. 14/11/20

A helpful how to, and excellent result on those margin planks Glenn. ps: Love your little pointing trowel. B.E.

I haven't found the need to use isopropyl I remove and separated parts simply using water. For glue excess, water on a paintbrush seems to do the job. B.E.