Blue Ensign

The anchors look great Daniel. 👍
I'm pretty picky about fittings but white metal anchors were one of those items I was  fairly relaxed about. There were sufficient after-market versions to suit all sizes - from kedge to Best bower, if a full set was required.
 
B.E.

The anchors look great Daniel. 👍
I'm pretty picky about fittings but white metal anchors were one of those items I was  fairly relaxed about. There were sufficient after-market versions to suit all sizes - from kedge to Best bower, if a full set was required.
 
B.E.

Log #85: The Anchors
Thank you to everyone for you kind comments and encouragement. I have spent the past couple weeks making a brief detour from the rigging, but before getting to that I did clean up a few lines. First up were some blocks with hooks for the topgallant backstay tackle and the topgallant yard halyard tackle.

I am getting much better at these now I have my process down and can produce them pretty quickly at this point. These ones only took about 15 minutes to make all in.
 
I then secured the topgallant yard halyard using one of these hook blocks and another block attached to the halyard itself. I belayed the falls to the bits and then ran the coil over the nearest cleate.

With that out of the way I decided to take a break from rigging and look at the anchors.
 
As I have one of the earlier versions of the alert kit, mine came with the cast metal anchors and I can see why Chris has moved away from these. They are easily one of the weakest parts of the kit. I debated for a while as to whether I should just chuck them and draft and 3d print some new ones, but in the end I decided to try and work with them. As I have previously noted my goal with this build has been to stay pretty close to the kit and I though with a bit of work I could make them look ok.

The main problem as you can see from the right hand anchor in the above picture is that they lack detail and the molding process has resulted in some flash and warping. I decided to try and file them down to remove the excess material and make them look closer to how they appear in the illustrations in Steel.
 
I also decided not to use the PE ring from the kit and instead made one out of paper clips which I wrapped around a drill bit to shape them. I then added the puddening to them with 0.35mm brown rope and seized them with 0.2mm beige rope. The seizing rope was a bit too big, but my only other option is the white fly tying thread I have and I thought the contrast would not look right.

You can see in the above image one of the biggest problems I struggled with, getting the primer to stick to the anchors. Despite washing and filing most of the surface off of them, I could not get the primer to hold well.
 
Then I was on to the anchor stock. The kit version did not look enough like the real thing so I scratch built some new ones out of the offcuts of the 3mm laser cut sheet.

I used the drawing in Goodwin as a template which I photocopied and resized (with some trial and error) and cut them all to the rough shape before carefully planing and sanding them to the correct size. Then I got to test out my recent acquisition of a mini drill press to drill the bolt holes.

With the holes drilled I used black monofilament fishing line to represent the bolts. I put these through before glueing the stock to the anchors to make sure I could get them through properly. Once everything was in place I just used a sharp craft knife to cut off the ends.

I then added iron straps using shrink tube and painted the straps and the anchors. I will not go into detail on the painting as I have previously described all these techniques when I did the straps on the boom jaws and when I painted the cannons.
 
Here is the final results. In the end I am pretty pleased with how they turned out and they look reasonably like the real thing.

 

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-four
18’ cutter – fitting out.

4571
A shot of the gratings and footwalings which are laser cut. A much better option than the brass etch version.👍
These take a little fettling to get them to sit fully down involving bevelling the underside of the parts, and shaving down the frames as required.
 
The kit sternsheets are combined with the aftermost thwart.
This is an arrangement I don’t like primarily because the grain of the thwart tends to run the wrong way and the set-up  makes it more difficult to  fit the vagaries of  individual hull constructions.

4577
I find it easier to cut away the thwart and make a replacement from spare fret. I have also filled in the open stern area to create an additional bench seat.

4570
At the bow I thought the area looked a little unfinished with  the remnants of the mdf construction block on view.
 
The kit plan (sheet eight) does show a small fore deck in this position but I can’t locate such a part with the 18’ cutter fittings.

4582
This benefits from facing up using spare fret, and the addition of a breasthook above it.
 
One other puzzlement with the 18’ cutter is the height the thwarts and sternsheets relative to the wash strakes.

4579
They are positioned as per the kit and instructions, but have very little freeboard. It is not a case of fitting them too high as the scale figures show a correct height between thwarts and footwaling.

4580
There is only 2mm between thwart top and wash strake top. This equates to 5” at scale.
Working up from the 1:48 scale drawings of an 18’ cutter in The Frigate Diana AotS book the difference should be around 11”
 

The new Vanguard resin cutter, what a beauty that looks, shows a much greater depth between the seating and wash strakes which looks more appropriate.

4583
Even so, visually the wooden version is a pretty little thing, and for most casual viewers this disparity won’t even register.

4588
I am fairly happy with the ‘clinker’ look but it does need a good clean-up.
 
 
B.E.
08/05/2024
 
 

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-two
Sphinx and ‘Indy’
I thought members may be interested to see the comparison between Chris’s two premier kits, Sphinx and Indefatigable.
They sort of represent the alpha to omega of British frigates.
Sphinx, the bijou 9 pounder vessel, and ‘Indy’, the pocket battleship of her day, carrying 24 pounders supplemented with 42 pounder carronades.
I recall that when I built Sphinx I thought she was quite large, when ‘Indy’ arrived I thought I’m going to need a bigger bench!

04505

04506

04507

04508

04512

05413

05414

04517
If a large statement model is required ‘Indy’ is a good choice, but if masted and fully rigged she will take up a lot of room.
Built Navy Board style she is still a heavy model and a glass case even with reduced height and width adds considerably to the weight.
Sphinx is certainly of a size more amenable to a domestic setting; a pretty little frigate that appeals to my deeper affection for the more decorative vessels of the 18thc. before austerity took over as the expensive Napoleonic wars ground on.
 
Indefatigable sort of spans this period, all black and yellow, no decorative topsides, but the stern gallery still looks good to my eye. She is modelled with an open Fo’csle before her bulwarks were built up, and she does have a magnificent Figure at her head.
 
I am more than happy to have both in my collection.
 
 
Thank you, Chris, for providing me with an engrossing thirteen months of work. It is a tribute to your designs, to be able to build a model of this quality and detail in such a short time.
 
Thanks are also due to James, for producing the prototype ‘Indy’ build which provided a very useful reference guide.
 
B.E.
02/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-five
18’ cutter – completion.
Lifting rings and a mast step are added to the basic kit along with the incredibly tiny thwart knees. Amazing how Chris manages to produce identifiable laser cut pieces this small.

4602
I have gone with a double banked six oared rowing arrangement, mainly because with single banking I would have to cut an oarlock in the wash strake above the sternsheets, and there’s insufficient depth.

4625
I’m not a fan of the kit rudders supplied with this range of boats, comprising a thin central core sandwiched between two brass etch facings complete with straps.
 
I prefer to make rudders using slightly thicker wood with a vertical grain. For the 18’ cutter I used 1mm Boxwood.

For hanging I use the ‘quick release’ method as used on such boats, as seen here on one of the Victory’s cutters. 
With this arrangement the pintle is attached to the sternpost with an extra-long pin which allows for easier rudder hanging once the boat is in the water.

4590
Rudders are fairly simple to replicate, as is the hanging, provided sufficiently tiny eyelets can be obtained.

4605
To match the other boats on the skids I have painted the bottom with Vallejo ivory, but otherwise left the remainder of the hull and inboard works bright.

4610
The oars provide the colour element linking to the general inboard works of ‘Indy’

4612
I think this small cutter looks ok on the skids, obscuring little of the gun deck, so I’ll leave it onboard.
 
It has taken around 8 days to build this smallest of the supplied boats. From around 10” she looks fine to my eye, especially given the scale, but the macro is somewhat less forgiving.🫤
 
B.E.
10/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-four
18’ cutter – fitting out.

4571
A shot of the gratings and footwalings which are laser cut. A much better option than the brass etch version.👍
These take a little fettling to get them to sit fully down involving bevelling the underside of the parts, and shaving down the frames as required.
 
The kit sternsheets are combined with the aftermost thwart.
This is an arrangement I don’t like primarily because the grain of the thwart tends to run the wrong way and the set-up  makes it more difficult to  fit the vagaries of  individual hull constructions.

4577
I find it easier to cut away the thwart and make a replacement from spare fret. I have also filled in the open stern area to create an additional bench seat.

4570
At the bow I thought the area looked a little unfinished with  the remnants of the mdf construction block on view.
 
The kit plan (sheet eight) does show a small fore deck in this position but I can’t locate such a part with the 18’ cutter fittings.

4582
This benefits from facing up using spare fret, and the addition of a breasthook above it.
 
One other puzzlement with the 18’ cutter is the height the thwarts and sternsheets relative to the wash strakes.

4579
They are positioned as per the kit and instructions, but have very little freeboard. It is not a case of fitting them too high as the scale figures show a correct height between thwarts and footwaling.

4580
There is only 2mm between thwart top and wash strake top. This equates to 5” at scale.
Working up from the 1:48 scale drawings of an 18’ cutter in The Frigate Diana AotS book the difference should be around 11”
 

The new Vanguard resin cutter, what a beauty that looks, shows a much greater depth between the seating and wash strakes which looks more appropriate.

4583
Even so, visually the wooden version is a pretty little thing, and for most casual viewers this disparity won’t even register.

4588
I am fairly happy with the ‘clinker’ look but it does need a good clean-up.
 
 
B.E.
08/05/2024
 
 

Post One Hundred and Seventy-three
 
18’ cutter – Jolly Boat
 
I thought I would have another stab at clinker planking one of these bijou cutters to go with 'Indy'.
 
My original cutter which sits with Alert was of the older version replaced shortly after I had completed it.
This one is the current and revised version, which includes laser cut gratings and footwalings whereas the original had brass etch versions.
 
I will be using 3.4mm x 0.6mm Boxwood strip, and of necessity the planking starts at the keel and works up to the Wash strake.

4315
The Garboard is applied first using pva. This is shaped at the bow but is otherwise untapered.

4320
The second strake overlaps the Garboard by 1mm.
In proper practice there is a rebate or rabbet edge along the top of each plank to take the bottom edge of the plank above.
At scale and with 0.6mm board I can dispense with this nicety.
 
From the second plank above the Garboard I am adding a degree of taper both fore and aft. How much is down to eye and best guesstimate.
4528
As with all these projects clamping is an issue, more so as the planking rises.

4531
With three strakes added I move to the wash strake. This is fitted untapered into the bow slot.
 
Twice the stem part broke but repair was effected and once the wash strakes are in place the area is more stable.

4542
As the strakes are applied the taper increases fore and aft until the final strake fits flush with the lower edge of the wash strake.

4552

4550
Planking completed in its raw state, but the lapstrakes are clearly evident.

4565
I applied a 1mm square Ebony strip along the lower edge of the wash strake to represent the wale.
It looks broader than it is because top and face edges are not clearly defined on the photo.

4568

4569
There is a satisfaction to be had from completing the hull of this smallest of the boat range, but there is a fair bit of cleaning up required before the inboard fittings are put into place.
 
B.E.
 
06/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-four
18’ cutter – fitting out.

4571
A shot of the gratings and footwalings which are laser cut. A much better option than the brass etch version.👍
These take a little fettling to get them to sit fully down involving bevelling the underside of the parts, and shaving down the frames as required.
 
The kit sternsheets are combined with the aftermost thwart.
This is an arrangement I don’t like primarily because the grain of the thwart tends to run the wrong way and the set-up  makes it more difficult to  fit the vagaries of  individual hull constructions.

4577
I find it easier to cut away the thwart and make a replacement from spare fret. I have also filled in the open stern area to create an additional bench seat.

4570
At the bow I thought the area looked a little unfinished with  the remnants of the mdf construction block on view.
 
The kit plan (sheet eight) does show a small fore deck in this position but I can’t locate such a part with the 18’ cutter fittings.

4582
This benefits from facing up using spare fret, and the addition of a breasthook above it.
 
One other puzzlement with the 18’ cutter is the height the thwarts and sternsheets relative to the wash strakes.

4579
They are positioned as per the kit and instructions, but have very little freeboard. It is not a case of fitting them too high as the scale figures show a correct height between thwarts and footwaling.

4580
There is only 2mm between thwart top and wash strake top. This equates to 5” at scale.
Working up from the 1:48 scale drawings of an 18’ cutter in The Frigate Diana AotS book the difference should be around 11”
 

The new Vanguard resin cutter, what a beauty that looks, shows a much greater depth between the seating and wash strakes which looks more appropriate.

4583
Even so, visually the wooden version is a pretty little thing, and for most casual viewers this disparity won’t even register.

4588
I am fairly happy with the ‘clinker’ look but it does need a good clean-up.
 
 
B.E.
08/05/2024