Landlubber Mike

Me thinks Mark needs a new avatar picture - something like this:
 

Best wishes Denis - hang in there!

Cheers guys.
 
@Christian - I think the stern and side galleries are the right of passage on this build.  Hopefully have an update soon.
 
@Mike - It wasn't very scientific.  I created a template from one of the prints I thought had the best fit, and made pin pricks at the extremities of the letters to get a rough layout using a dry brush  and brown paint.  I couldn't get chalk to work consistently.  After a coat of wipe on poly on the blue to protect it, the letters were gradually outlined with diluted paint and the smallest brush I had.  Starting off with a darker brown, then yellow ochre and finally ivory highlights in very small amounts.  The ochre had many dilute layers.  It's pretty easy to cut in with blue if mistakes, resizing or realignments are necessary.  I tried not to over think it and it just let it appear.

Me thinks Mark needs a new avatar picture - something like this:
 

Me thinks Mark needs a new avatar picture - something like this:
 

Me thinks Mark needs a new avatar picture - something like this:
 

Me thinks Mark needs a new avatar picture - something like this:
 

Me thinks Mark needs a new avatar picture - something like this:
 

Thanks for the comments everyone.  
 
Keith, 
Here's two links.... Given that the way the market is changing and products being changed and improved, there's a lot better machines out there at reasonable prices.   
 

Long overdue update, but spring is a busy time for me with kids, yard stuff, etc.  I've been making progress over the last couple of weeks, planking the section of the hull between the main rail and planksheer (which is in yellowheart).  It really wasn't all that bad using ebony.  It's not as easy to work as pear or boxwood, but it cuts very cleanly and sands to a beautiful sheen.   I'm cutting strips about 0.7mm in thickness, so they are pretty flexible.

 
 
It's probably hard to tell from the pictures, but the first section of the bow to about the third bulkhead is comprised of 10 rows of planks (approximately 1.2mm in width).  The remainder is six rows.  In looking at pictures of the Morgan, the planks in the six-row section of the hull are beveled at the edge.  
 

With the ebony planks only being 0.7mm in thickness, beveling was out of the question.  So, what I ended up doing is taking a scalpel and slowly working it between the plank rows to add a little more definition between the planks.  Seems to have worked out ok, I'll try to take close-ups soon.
 
After that, I sanded the planksheer back to the edge of the ebony planking.  This will ensure that when I put the holly molding along the planksheer, it will be a uniform thickness along the hull.  I also planked the transom with some thin basswood strips, and added wood filler to the filler block areas since I did a crappy job with the filler blocks in sanding back certain areas too much.
 
Thanks for looking in!

Wow Jason, amazing work!  Did you paint those letters free-hand, or with a stencil or some other way?  They really look perfect.

I am going to be putting her in a case and will post a picture once she is there though it may be a little while. My plan is to build it myself as it will be part of a larger curio cabinet that will also house the Admiral's collection of Disney statues and snow globes. That was our deal in order for me to be allowed to display it in the living room was that she had to have a way to display her collectables as well. I figured that was a fair trade, now I just need to get the rest of the lumber and glass to do it!

Congratulations, E.J.   Beautifully done. I hope you'll post a pic or two when she's in her new home.  I'm hoping your doing a case.....

And now it is time for the victory toast! 
 
 

 
Thanks again to to everyone for the compliments, tips, help and simply following along! See you all over on Soleil Royal and/or the next build! 

17 months, 910 construction hours and no idea how many more spent reading and researching and this build is complete!
 
The wind is actually nice and calm today, (something must be getting ready to go wrong...) and so I took La Couronne on her maiden voyage out of the shipyard and into the open sea (front yard)   She sailed great with no mishaps or sinking and has completed her voyage and returned to the ship yard for supplies before going into active duty. Here are some pictures of her on her voyage.

Well.  Not going so good.  Tried to bottle her twice and the second time,I end up breaking a mast.  I got some,more tricks up my sleeve though. ,
 
 

Thanks every one.  Almost done.
 
 

Long overdue update, but spring is a busy time for me with kids, yard stuff, etc.  I've been making progress over the last couple of weeks, planking the section of the hull between the main rail and planksheer (which is in yellowheart).  It really wasn't all that bad using ebony.  It's not as easy to work as pear or boxwood, but it cuts very cleanly and sands to a beautiful sheen.   I'm cutting strips about 0.7mm in thickness, so they are pretty flexible.

 
 
It's probably hard to tell from the pictures, but the first section of the bow to about the third bulkhead is comprised of 10 rows of planks (approximately 1.2mm in width).  The remainder is six rows.  In looking at pictures of the Morgan, the planks in the six-row section of the hull are beveled at the edge.  
 

With the ebony planks only being 0.7mm in thickness, beveling was out of the question.  So, what I ended up doing is taking a scalpel and slowly working it between the plank rows to add a little more definition between the planks.  Seems to have worked out ok, I'll try to take close-ups soon.
 
After that, I sanded the planksheer back to the edge of the ebony planking.  This will ensure that when I put the holly molding along the planksheer, it will be a uniform thickness along the hull.  I also planked the transom with some thin basswood strips, and added wood filler to the filler block areas since I did a crappy job with the filler blocks in sanding back certain areas too much.
 
Thanks for looking in!

Proof of life...  At least I hope it is....
 
After testing my memory and eye-hand coordination (along with many and sundry "honey-do's"... I'm finally back.   Bear with me if my terminology isn't correct and feel free to correct it.  I'm still have some memory issues with words, names, and phrases.  
 
First up... I've started planking the bulwarks. One strake done so far but it's a start.  And ran a production run on the Death Star and cut out probably 30 cannon carriages.  A lot more than I'll need of this size (gundeck only) but I want to have spares in case I tank a few.  Hmm... photo work needs more practice but damn if it doesn't feel great to make some sawdust.
 

Some more progress pics on the planking.  Pace is pretty slow but hey, it is summertime and this thing called "working for a living"  keeps getting in the way. 

The electrical wires coming from the bow to midship on the starboard side all bundled and ready to get sealed in with the planking.

Aft wire bundle on starboard side and the connection leads to wire bundle at midship.  The single loop coming out of the keel will go through rear mounting post that will attach the hull to the display board.  The wires will go through the display board and feed out through a channel underneath the board.  The planking looks pretty rough but it should be fine with a little sanding.

Port side planking progress.  Again nothing has been sanded and shaped yet.

Starting to see a dim light at the end of the planking tunnel!!
 
Tom

Wow Mike, the ebony work looks great. She coming along really nicely. 

Good to see you back in the shipyard

That ebony looks perfect!

That's going to look real nice Mike...........
 
Frank

Long overdue update, but spring is a busy time for me with kids, yard stuff, etc.  I've been making progress over the last couple of weeks, planking the section of the hull between the main rail and planksheer (which is in yellowheart).  It really wasn't all that bad using ebony.  It's not as easy to work as pear or boxwood, but it cuts very cleanly and sands to a beautiful sheen.   I'm cutting strips about 0.7mm in thickness, so they are pretty flexible.

 
 
It's probably hard to tell from the pictures, but the first section of the bow to about the third bulkhead is comprised of 10 rows of planks (approximately 1.2mm in width).  The remainder is six rows.  In looking at pictures of the Morgan, the planks in the six-row section of the hull are beveled at the edge.  
 

With the ebony planks only being 0.7mm in thickness, beveling was out of the question.  So, what I ended up doing is taking a scalpel and slowly working it between the plank rows to add a little more definition between the planks.  Seems to have worked out ok, I'll try to take close-ups soon.
 
After that, I sanded the planksheer back to the edge of the ebony planking.  This will ensure that when I put the holly molding along the planksheer, it will be a uniform thickness along the hull.  I also planked the transom with some thin basswood strips, and added wood filler to the filler block areas since I did a crappy job with the filler blocks in sanding back certain areas too much.
 
Thanks for looking in!