Blue Ensign

Post 2 Getting to grips First thing to note is that the part numbers are not laser cut into the mdf parts. It is necessary to mark all parts with the reference number before removal from the host sheet. 336 When starting a kit I like to dry fit the parts to get a feel for the build, and make up a simple build board to support the stem and keel. On my kit the bulkhead parts and the false keel are quite a loose fit so great care will need to be taken make sure that the bulkheads remain square during assembly while the glue dries. 338 The lower deck which slots over the bulkheads helps to stabilise the bulkheads square to the keel, but still allows some movement in the vertical plane. The stern post fits loosely into slots on the false keel and is glued into place, but before this can be done the instructions say to reduce the stern area to half its thickness to allow for subsequent planking to fit flush against the stern post. The actual area of the stern to be reduced is indicated as relating to the very aft edge of the false keel and the tabs attached to the stern post. 347 A specific bearding line has not been indicated, but I have drawn one in for the purposes of my build. 348 Altho' there is a long slot down the stem piece which in effect is the rabbet for the bow planking, the set up doesn't seem to lend itself easily to a keel rabbet to secure the Garboard plank. Any such rabbet would need to be cut along the actual keel leading up to the stem slot. There is only a 3mm width of keel to play with so any rabbet would have to be fairly shallow and would inevitably reduce the gluing area to the false keel. I think faying the Garboard strake into the keel is the safe option. 345 It is interesting to note that the stem, rudder post and rudder are quite close to the 1:64 scale drawings in the Goodwin book. 343 I will scribe the section joins that make up the stem as indicated in the Goodwin book, onto the kit provided stem. I had considered reproducing these items in Boxwood, but as I intend to paint the stem this would be a waste of good timber. B.E. 23/06/2019

Post 1 I shall be building this model primarily using the following external reference sources. 1) The Naval Cutter Alert 1777 Book by Peter Goodwin. 2) Alert Provenence and Construction by N. Roger Cole. 3) Articles from the NRG journals Vols 44 and 45 by Roger Cole. 4) The Elements and Practice of Rigging and Seamanship by David Steel 1794. Thanks to Greg(DVM) for the link to the Alert article by Roger Cole, and to Kurt for the NRG articles in Vols 44 and 45 regarding clinker planking and coppering over clinker. I will also draw heavily on the approach taken by Chuck, and followed by me, in relation to the Cheerful build. I am also appreciative of the examples relating to Clinker planking provided by Dirk (dubz) in his Sherbourne build, and Nils (mirabelle61) for his Zeesboot build. There will be modifications along the way both in materials and fittings and these will be covered at the appropriate point in the build. Time to get the basic skeleton assembled. B.E. 22/06/2019

Thanks for the heads up Kurt. 👍 B.E.

Cheers Guys, @Chris - between you and me it's beyond my pay grade too.🤔 @ Dirk - Thanks for reminding me about your sweet little Sherbourne build, I thought I had seen an example of a cutter clinker. 🙂 I am leaning towards following your example, a first layer planking should provide a decent base to attach the second layer, and I do have a good stock of boxwood strip to allow for the likely errors to come. Thanks for the link to your build photo's, it looks like it will be my main reference work for the lower hull planking. @James - I don't think it will be a quick start🙂 @Steve, - I've been there too😃 Back to the head scratching. B.E.

The Cutter Alert Build log The Alert kit arrived at a very opportune time for me as I'm fresh from my knowledge of cutters from my recent Cheerful build. Ever since I acquired (1991) the Peter Goodwin book The Naval Cutter Alert 1777. in the Anatomy of the Ship series, published by Conway Maritime press, I have long wished to make a model of Alert. Chris Watton has now made that possible, without having to scratch build everything myself. Before I start however, there are already things buzzing around my head, and points to ponder. Clinker or carvel planking below the Main wale? The kit indicates Carvel whereas Goodwin shows Clinker in his book but goes on to state that Alert was sheathed with copper at Deptford on 30 July 1777. How would this work, I've never heard of coppered clinker, can this be right? However, I'm tempted to look at clinker planking, but I've absolutely no experience of it or even how to begin, so it would be quite a challenge for me. If I do opt for Clinker I imagine one has to start from the Garboard plank and work upward to the wale. Should I go for a carvel base planking and clinker over the top, or go straight for a single planked job as with Cheerful. I may well think it's all too difficult, and build her carvel, but these are all questions I need to resolve before I reach that stage. In the meantime I have to get my build plan organised, which may be some time. B.E. 20/06/2019

Nice result David, well done 👍 B.E.

Thank you Chris and Steve 🙂 B.E.

Not a long journey, in my case, a mere 76 miles, but my Alert has arrived, delivered by UPS at 2pm. Everything intact but I think it would save Chris some problems down the line if he does invest in a stronger box, the long sides gave little support to protect the contents. Not had chance to fully examine all the contents but the materials look good and I love the A3 instruction manual, beautifully produced, and what a bonus for my tired old eyes. Liked the touch of a personally addressed note inside the box.👍 Thank you Chris, I look forward to hopefully doing your Alert justice. B.E.

Hi Kurt, I don't think you will need epaulettes for your Alert commander. They weren't officially sanctioned by the navy until 1795, altho' some officers may have worn them some ten years earlier. Alert was lost in 1778 (taken by the French 17/7/1778) so it is too early for such 'Frenchifications', a much plainer uniform would apply. B.E.

Hello James, looking at your rudder have you got the strapping in the right configuration? You seem to have the pintles (on the rudder) below the gudgeons on the hull, which I don't think would work. B.E.

Thank you all for your kind comments🙂 As a footnote to the completion of my Cheerful build, as with Pegasus I indulged myself with a photo build album. Today I received the Album. This particular one has 72 pages of 28 x 21cm full colour photo's produced by Vistaprint at a cost of £41.52 delivered. Regards, B.E.

Couldn't resist it Chris, order placed today, look forward to making Alert come to life🙂 Every success with your new venture. Regards, B.E.

Well done Michael on completing this testy little model, I like the dark red paint colour, she looks very nice. I didn't make a full case for my Pinnace, just ordered a plain acrylic cover to sit over it. Regards, B.E.

Nicely done 👍 B.E.

Thank you Guys, for your appreciation @Dowmer - the figures are Amati 35mm code 8008. I just used metal blackener to colour them. @Ian - Not quite decided on my next project yet. I do have Chuck's Longboat and Barge kits under the bench, but my interest is also aroused by the upcoming Alert kit from Chris. @ Martin - Just for you, with his dockyard contract completed William has taken to the meadows for a summer of well deserved r&r 9224(2) We'll be back. 🙂 B.E.

Post 90 Cheerful is completed. An eighteen month journey has drawn to a conclusion. It is interesting to note that the original was built and fitted out within a twelve month period. Tempted as I may be to mast and rig her, display constraints rule this out, but it's not like I don't have fully rigged models on display, Pegasus, and indeed a 1:72 scale cutter amongst others. I am happy to conclude the build with this configuration in the knowledge that there are many contemporary models displayed in this style. I really have to compliment Chuck for making this posssible with his wonderful plans, accurate pre-cut hull parts, mini kits, and excellent instructions. Cheerful as I bought it is an example of a high end PoB kit with beautiful kit specific fittings, a real pleasure to build. I must also compliment Jason at Crown Timberyard who supplied the bulk of the Boxwood strip and sheet, presented in a very clean and accurate condition. So here are the completion photo's before I slip the cover over the base. The case wasn't designed for Cheerful but for Pegasus to serve as protection during the long years before she was masted, but it does ideally fit the bill. 9361(2) 9371 9360(2) 9374(2) A set of 1:48 scale figures stand to provide a human scale to the model. 9376 9380(2) 9365(2) To provide an Historical link two copper coins of 1806 sit at the head and stern of Cheerful. 9382 9384 9387 9388 9392(2) 9383 9396 9403 Display position yet to be decided; Finally I must thank those members who have shown interest in this build and for their supportive comments and 'likes'. Regards, B.E.

Thank you Michael, and Ferit. I'm impressed Ferit, I see you have been paying close attention.👍 I realised that I had rigged the cat blocks with the hook points outboard, when based on many contemporary models, the hook point faces inboard. I changed the arrangement to reflect this. Regards, B.E.

She looks impressive Doug, well done.👍 It is difficult to avoid the pull on the stays by the stay tackles which need to look taut. I seem to recall I spent ages stiffening the stay tackles so they effectively stood upright without tension, but it is a tricky thing to get right. Cheers, B.E.

Thank you Gregory, and I hope you enjoy your Cheerful as much as I have mine. B.E.

Thanks Dave, I think I’ll quit whilst I’m ahead, I have other little boxes of delight from Mr Passaro to entertain me 😀 We all have those moments, earlier today I photographed the boom in place except I had the mast hoops below the boom. Good job I spotted it before I posted. As for the rain, no different here. Cheers, B.E.

Not really Martin, I tend to have it turning at a low rev setting and on the odd occasion my hand has interfaced with the turning chuck no damage done.(well almost 😉) I've never got to grips with using wood turning tools on things such as masts and spars and I'm not really sure they're necessary. A good supply of sandpapers and a pair of electronic calipers seem to do the job. B.E.

Post 89 Boom and Gaff As part of my reduced rig presentation of Cheerful I decided to add the Boom and gaff, or at least make them to see how they look. These are made from Ramin dowel a good straight fine grained timber which, as the spars are painted black, is a good substitute for the more expensive Boxwood. Boom 8mm ø dowel is used to make the boom which has an o/a length of 334 mm. The interesting thing about booms is that they taper both ends but not from the centre of the spar. The taper is produced on the lathe using a card template to check the diameters at various points. The taper is achieved using sandpaper only. 8313 It's when long spars are required to be worked that the bed extension to the Proxxon lathe comes into its own. A lot of taper is required on the boom reducing in the outboard end from 8mm to 1.5mm and the inboard end from 8mm to 3mm. 8546 The jaws proportions were transferred to 3/32" Boxwood sheet, and cut out on the scroll saw, finishing off by hand. 8550 Checking the fit of the jaws. 8548 ...and of the parral trucks. 8549 trial fit of the boom. Gaff I used 5mmø Ramin dowel, and the procedure is exactly the same as with the boom, but with considerably less sanding dust. 8870 The 'iron' bands are once again made from heat shrink tubing. Mast rings 8885 I had Chuck's mini kit for the rings I used a few to slip over the stump mast and provide a spacer between the boom and gaff. 8880 8884 8881 8883 Getting close to completion now B.E. 08/05/2019

Looks good to my eye James, and I do like that transom style. B.E.

Cheers Skip, glad it's of use 😃 B.E.

Nice progress Skip, like the camber on the gratings 👍 B.E.