Blue Ensign

Now the hem with the boltrope inside was glued.
To lessen the bulk of the furled sails the rope was only included where visible: along the top edge and the two lower corners.
 
The holes for the robands were made with a large pin and finally the whole glue fixed with a hot iron.
According to the manufacturers information this should make the glued parts washable but in fact it’s only marginally water-resistant. Furling the sail would be easier when the fabric is damp but I have to be careful when applying water in order not to dissolve the hem.
 
 

Boltrope parts for the top edge and the lower corners were prepared
 
 

Top edge being glued...
 
 

...and finished
 
 

To form the head cringle the top boltrope is pushed back into the side hem through a hole
 
 

Preparing one side
 
 

Gluing it
 
 

Pushing holes for the robands (2 per cloth)
 
 

The sail maker is closely checking the finished sail

Hi Jason,
 
Very nicely made up that sling, but as with almost everything to do with rigging there are variations and differing opinions as to the set up.
 
Longridge certainly shows the Slings on Victory retained by battens forming grooves on top of the mast cap, whereas Lees indicates that the sling was supported by a cleat nailed to the aft side of the Masthead, as does Antscherl in the ffm, who also says that Steel did not specify slings for any rate below 32 guns.
 
He also shows that the slings passed thro’ the foremost aperture in the top. On Victory there is a small square hole on the forward side of the top thro’ which the sling passes, but Lees suggest that this arrangement was perhaps more early nineteenth century rather than late Eighteenth.
 
To my eye your arrangement looks a little awkward with the sling rubbing against the topmast. Can you install a small cleat to hold it back a little? I’d be tempted to have a play with it, and see how it looks passed around the aft side of the masthead, if you have sufficient length, but it’s a small point and I wouldn’t get too concerned about it.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Pretty as a picture and smart as paint she looks
 
B.E.

Pretty as a picture and smart as paint she looks
 
B.E.

Just a quick update.  The inner bulwarks have been painted except in the Great Cabin where they were stained. 
 
I used 10 coats of diluted MS Bulwark Red somewhat modified to attain the red I was looking for (same as the gun ports).  A coat of flat acrylic lacquer was applied as well:
 

 

 

 

 
We'll now be turning our attention to the deck......but not before some (long delayed) domestic chores and a sortie to the hallowed fishing grounds are completed.  I shall return with ....... ???????
 
 

Hi Mates,
 
I have come to realize that each of you will most likely build three more ships before I finish this one. (:-)
 
But, here, surprisingly, are the completed cannons. Each of which incorporates fifty-five parts inclusive of the ropes, blocks and the single nail for anchoring the carriage to the deck (drilled a hole at the bottom of one of the four wheels for each carriage). I'm really irritated with my lack of knowledge regarding the axle pin poor locations. Darn, Nigel had the perfect solution, but it was too late...
 
You will note that my first attempt at devising a carriage anchoring method was, in retrospect, silly. Those long nails would not allow the barrels to slip through the deck openings. This did not even occur to me (such a novice) as I was attaching them. I tried shortening the nails, but then I could not locate the tiny pre drilled hole in the deck; uncharted territory for me.
 
So plan "C" should work, a small nail through one of the rear wheels in each carriage. Hmmm. The also really uncharted waters for me will be rigging all of these. (:-). I will use JanV's idea from his build.
 
I promise that I won't post any more canon updates until I have them rigged and mounted! Might be a long while (:-). I so appreciate all of your really super nice comments, so encouraging, thanks for also just looking in.
 
PS: ropes and blocks are from Chuck's at Syren (:-)
 
 
 
Regards,
 
Michael

Nice progress Holty, she's looking great,   I think that beam is a Breasthook, Pegasus has one situated just above the deck, below the capping rail. I note that in the aots book of the cutter Alert, she doesn't have one but has a deck hook (same sort of thing) below the decking, so it can't  be seen.
 
Because of the bowsprit arrangement on cutters I doubt there was room to allow the breasthook to be much above the deck line, and on your cutter it looks to be flush with the deck.
 
B.E.
 
ps. is there a profile view in the plans which may show whether the breasthook is flush with the deck or just above it?

Nice job on the deck planking Eamonn, I think it looks excellent, and those things that catch your eye that you may think you could have done better will take on far less significance once all the deck fittings and the rest are in place. Those two planks that Jason referred to as king planks are binding strakes, slightly thicker than normal planking and are let into the deck beams so they still are flush. Their purpose is to aid the rigidity of the structure.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Nice progress Holty, she's looking great,   I think that beam is a Breasthook, Pegasus has one situated just above the deck, below the capping rail. I note that in the aots book of the cutter Alert, she doesn't have one but has a deck hook (same sort of thing) below the decking, so it can't  be seen.
 
Because of the bowsprit arrangement on cutters I doubt there was room to allow the breasthook to be much above the deck line, and on your cutter it looks to be flush with the deck.
 
B.E.
 
ps. is there a profile view in the plans which may show whether the breasthook is flush with the deck or just above it?

Nice job on the deck planking Eamonn, I think it looks excellent, and those things that catch your eye that you may think you could have done better will take on far less significance once all the deck fittings and the rest are in place. Those two planks that Jason referred to as king planks are binding strakes, slightly thicker than normal planking and are let into the deck beams so they still are flush. Their purpose is to aid the rigidity of the structure.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Ok Folks... Ta Daaaa the Deck is done !!     (Insert Happy Dance Here!)
 
I corrected the Asymmetry as best I could though there is one fairly obvious place which stands out, the For'ad most Port/Stbd 'nibble' in the margin plank are not in line, hopefully it will be camouflaged by Ropes from the Belaying Pins for the fore mast (all those following in my wake with a Ballahoo please keep an eye out for this Asymmetry when lining up the deck before gluing it onto the Bulkheads to begin with.. not exactly sure where it originated admittedly, but it was most likely was a result of me being a tad careless!!   though I did spot the issue way back when I placed the deck paper template I made in place so perhaps it wasn't all me..  )
Anyhoo.. I finished the deck with a scraper and sanding (it will most likely get some more later) then cleaned it off (note it isn't as dark as it appears in the photos, that is just a result of my gentle wiping with a small amount of White Spirits)
 
Next up.. the Spirketting then finish painting the insides of the Bulwarks & Gunports (two per side have to be cut to the Cap Rail !)
 
Thanks for stopping by Folks
 
Eamonn
 

Next step is the making of the fore course and its attachment to the yard. It will then be fixed on its mast.
I will show the making of the sail step by step and hope to convince one or two fellow builders that sail making is manageable with a moderate effort.
 
First step is to find out the dimensions of the sail. I took a suitable plan sheet where all the masts and yards were shown. Usually the yards are shown in full frontal view and therefore the sails can be drawn directly into the plan.
For the head of the sail a parallel to the yard is drawn at the position where it would be with sails set.
The depth of the sail can now be found. The width could also be taken out of the plan but it must be checked with the actual yard.
At the head it must be a little less than the distance between the yard arm cleats. The width at the foot is the width between the cleats of the yard below. The foot of the main course is 2 clothes wider than the head. The fore course has parallel sides. The width of one cloth is between 24 and 30 inches. I took 10 mm which corresponds to about 25 inches.
 
All those and a lot more details can be found in James Lees’ The Masting And Rigging of English Ships of War.
 
My sails are simplified because in furled conditions hardly any details are visible. The seams are pencilled on (on both sides) and no linings or bands are shown. The boltrope is not sewn onto the edge of the sail but glued into the hem – in this scale the difference is hardly visible and the result beats any of my clumsy attempts to sew a rope onto the edge. Also the foot of the sail is straight – no curve is necessary.
 
Finally the size of the sail is reduced by 30...40% to produce less bulk on the yard.
 
For the hem I ad about 2,5 mm around the sail. This is rather wide but some extra width is needed to fix the boltrope inside the hem.
 
 

Sails pencilled into a plan sheet
 
 

Sail drawn
 
 

Check with the finished yard(s)
 
 

Sail pencilled onto the fabric (both sides!)
 
 

The sailmaker has the sail ready for hem and boltrope

The sail, with the necessary lines attached, was now furled, the yard fixed to the mast as in the other examples and the different lines belayed.
 
While verifying the various belaying points with Lees help I found that contrary to the plans the cluelines should be belayed in the lower top. I decided to use shroud cleats for this. Those offered by Caldercraft seemed a bit large and therefore I made them from some leftover ply wood. To further harden them for their task I soaked them in CA glue before painting them black. They were then fixed with glue and some fine line on the inner side of the foremost shrouds.
 
As before lower sheets and the braces are left off. They will be installed only when all other work along the centreline of the deck has been finished.
 
 

Shroud cleat
 
 

Cleat fixed to the shroud
 
 

Cleat with clueline belayed
 
 

Topgallant yard in place
 
 

Bitts and rail are almost full
 

Lovin' what I see Ray
 
B.E.

Again mainly a photo update.
The Quater deck is now completed just a paint touch up on some of the eye bolts and rigging hooks, next the fore deck.
 
The barricade
 

 
Rear view
 

 
Finished Quarter deck
 



 
 

Hi Guys thanks for the many ticks.
 
Timmo I have been working on the black plank edge and it is now ok-ish the deck cross beam will need a light sanding, although it looks much better in natural light than in the photo.
 
The timber-heads have now been added to the fore deck rails, they have been positioned to allow the last two carriage guns to be used as bow chasers, in two positions, I will rig them in the most forward firing position, the last to caronades will be set in a standard position.
 
Deck edge

 
Timber-heads


 
 
 

I think this Version for the swivelgun handles will do...
 
 
 

 
I am using the 15 mm Long gunbarrels from RB Models web-shop with a little updating. The Pivot boring is predrilled by RB already, with 0,5mm boring in about 1 mm depth only (not through), and the Little hole at the barrel-end is made with aid of a small gig, the handle is soldered in 0,8mm brass wire and a small metal bead is slipped onto the wire and AC glued at the end
 
Nils

Hi Guys,
 
Sorry for the long delay but affairs of state have taken precedent over the build ( Admiral said so ), but I'm back into the swing of it again and have just a small update to offer.
 
I am currently tying off the Mizzen, Main and Fore Mast Top Shrouds, I have put the lanyards onto the Mizzen deadeyes but not as yet tied them off, the main topmast shrouds are held by their jigs and will be tied off tomorrow also the Fore Topmast shrouds will be given the treatment.
 
Following that will come the Futtock Staves, Ratlines, Shroud Cleats then the Topgallant Shrouds, so still a ways to go.
 
Anyway a few pics to show where I'm at.
 

 

 

 

 
Fore topmast shrouds waiting for deadeyes

 
Topgallant Shrouds waiting to be fitted

 
So there we have it, not much since my last post, I will be picking up the pace fairly soon.
 
Be Good
 
mobbsie

Always a pleasure to see an update Augie, I just love your build.
 
B.E.

Thanks for all the overly kind comments.  Welcome aboard Sam and Pete -----  and hello again, Kevin.
 
Update time.  The inboard planking has been completed up through the deck clamps.  It's all basswood.
 

 

 
Of some importance here is that the deck clamps, which will support some 30 odd beams for the quarter and fore decks, must be absolutely level to the deck and square to the centerline of the ship.  This required some plank 'juggling' / customizing to get it all just right.
Here, I've placed a deck beam temporarily in place to check everything along the way:
 

 

 
The fore and quarter decks will be half planked allowing us to view this deck, but a lot of what we see will be covered.  No matter, it needs to be right.  Which brings me to a comment on this kit.  Alignment (of everything) is important.  We saw this with the stern and it certainly continues here.  I'm still pretty new at this and, sometimes it tests my patience (or lack thereof).
 
Here's an overall shot:
 

 
Finally, a shot of the main cabin area.  This is where Ben's favorite aspect, the cabin floor, will appear at some point.
 

 
I shall now proceed to paint these inner bulwarks red to match the gun ports.  The ports themselves, and some other areas need some touching up and the shop needs to be policed.  The bulwarks in the Great Cabin will remain natural.  Then it's time to switch gears and decide what's next.  I could start setting up the margin planks in preparation for the Great Cabin floor ---- as per Ben!  But with Summer here, maybe something mind numbing like work on the cannon.  Or perhaps even some completely off-line detail.  All depends on the fishing/flying weather. 
 
Let ya all know next time
 
 

Welcome to the "Eagle" 1847 build log,
 
Continuing with copper sheathing installation.
 
Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder

Welcome to the Topsail Schooner "Eagle" 1847 build log,
 
Continuing with hull planking; key points include:
 
>>> Double timberheads fitted in way of catheads
>>> Bulwark and upper hull planking continued to below copper line
>>> Joint between planking and hull block faired with wood filler
>>> Anchor stowage pad installed on forward bulwarks (note gap for trim molding)
>>> Anchor bolsters/inner pads fitted
>>> Trim moldings fitted from stem to anchor bolsters
>>> Hause pipes drilled out
>>> Chain plates fitted with assistance of temporary mast
 
Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder

Thank you for your interest in "Eagle" 1847,
 
With deck planking complete, next steps are transom planking, bulwark framing, and upper hull planking. Key points include:
 
Transom Planking
>>> Transom planking was cut from 3/64" sheet stock to provide the expanded shape
>>> Fancy pieces were final shaped in place
>>> Transom planking was sequenced prior to hull/bulwark planking
 
Bulwark Framing
>>> Planksheer/covering boards were fabricated with slots for timberheads
>>> Every 3rd timberhead was slotted into hull block; slots were easly cut with a sharp razor blade and fine chisel
>>> A single inner plank and upper bulwark plank were used to fair the timberheads
>>> Space between above planks filled with sq stock to provide a solid base for cap rails
>>> Bulwark planks 1/32" x 3/32"
>>> Hull planks 3/64" x 1/8"
>>> LESSONS LEARNED - SLOT EVERY TIMBERHEAD INTO THE HULL BLOCK (every 2nd will work on side)
>>> LESSONS LEARNED - LEAVE ADDED MATERIAL ON THE FORWARD TIMBERHEADS TO FAIR IN PLACE
 
Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder

Welcome to the Topsail Schooner "Eagle" 1847 build log,
 
With the hull block prepared, next step is the deck planking. Key points include:
 
>>> Hatch/house coamings, bowsprit, jibboom, and anchor windlass were fabricated 1st as they control the deck planking layout
>>> House/hatch coamings were constructed with 1/2 lapped corners
>>> Anchor windlass kitbashed from Bluejacket windlass casting kit
>>> Deck planking fitted to coamings, poop bulkhead coaming, and planksheer
>>> Deck planking nibbed into margin/nibbing strake
>>> Thick plank fitted to support anchor windlass
>>> Coamings, planksheer, and poop bulkhead coaming will be removed for finishing/paint
 
Note that this sequence is somewhat different than "Newsboy" because of the built up bulwarks.
 
Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder

The Topsail Schooner “Eagle” had a length of 81’ 7”, beam of 22’ 8”, depth of 7’ 10”, and tonnage of 140 tons. Both the “Eagle” and her sistership “Arrowsic” were built in Arrowsic Island on the Kennebec River (near the present shipbuilding city of Bath, ME) in 1847 for the lumber and ice trade by builder Samuel Pattee. During the mid-19th century small schooners of this sort were widely employed in the East Coast trade; their schooner rigs an easy adaption to the prevailing westerly winds and economy in crew size.
 
The model was scratch built to a scale of 3/16” to the foot (1:64) using old Model Shipways plans by William Zakambell. Additional research was conducted at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, ME where a large scale model of the “Arrowsic” is on display. The model is plank on solid construction, with built up bulwarks, planked decks and topsides, coppered bottom, and scratch built deck furniture/fittings. Limited commercial fittings were utilized where appropriate, and the rigging is proportional linen line with Warner Woods’ blocks. The Topsail Schooner “Eagle” is my 3rd wooden ship model and my 1st scratch build.
 
Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder